Nigerian, Miss Mma Okafor, 19, at Northern Illinois University, wins internship in US Congress
By Paul Ohia, 05.08.2009
Friday, May 8, 2009

A 19-year-old Nigerian student in the United States, Miss Mma Okafor, has won a scholarship with three other American students to learn and work in Washington D.C under a new university-established congressional internship programme.






Okafor of Northern Illinois University (NIU) will be attached to Congressman Daniel Lipinski, an Illinois congressman of the Third District and report to work for more than 40 hours per week and complete the internship by August.

The other winners are Hunter Huffman and Matthew Venaas and each will be given $5,000  to defray the costs associated with the internships. The three NIU students will live in houses provided by George Washington University, located in the centre of Washington, D.C., just a short walk from the Capitol.

Okafor hopes to return to Nigeria one day and contribute to political developments.

Her words: ““I am interested in politics in Nigeria. I hope to return home and change the political system through grassroots involvement in politics just like President Obama has done here. But also on a broader scale, my goal is to advocate for development in Africa as a whole, through microfinance and other similar programmes.”

She added: “The focal point of my life, having come from humble means myself, is centred on giving back to the poor.”

Huffman will intern with U.S. Rep. Donald Manzullo (16th District); and Venaas with U.S. Rep. Bill Foster (14th District). Each of the students will report to work on May 25.

“At NIU, we value experiential learning,”  a statement from the university quoted President John Peters, who is a political scientist by training, specializing in studies of public policy and Congress as saying: “These scholarships will allow some of our top students to work in the halls of Congress, network with our nation’s movers and shakers and participate in the inner workings of our democracy.”

NIU Political Scientist Matthew Streb and Department Chair Christopher Jones worked with President Peters and Vice-President for External Affairs Kathryn Buettner to establish the scholarship programme.

“This is simply an opportunity that we can’t provide in the classroom,” Streb said. “I can teach the theories of Congress, but I can’t show students the experience. And, from the point of view of members of Congress, it’s a great programme because we're giving them top-notch interns.”

“We’re hoping to expand the programme a year from now,” Streb added. “We already have lawmakers lined up.”

The scholarships are competitive. More than 20 highly qualified students applied for the three internships this summer.

Each of the scholarship winners is not only a top student but also is highly involved in university and service activities.

Born in Minnesota and raised in Nigeria, Okafor is a junior honors student (she started at NIU at age 16), majoring in political science with a minor in economics. She is a member of the NIU debate team and has been active in tutoring and peer advisory.
http://odili.net/news/source/2009/may/8/202.html

Igbos are realy great people with high intelligence and talents, an Igbo guy just made great invention in UNN and now another igbo person in such a high profile scholarship.

Unu di kwa too much.

Why igbos , why not Nigerians on a whole

Black- do me a favour, Always ignore the stereotypes, it's ingrained in some people n very sad too. it has brought this country this far (negatively of cos) n the very few people that are in for a change wud work it.

Why do people like to make a mountain of a mole hill?
It is simply an internship opportunity, equivalent to a Nigerian student working as an industrial attache with his/her state's rep in the house of assembly. There are always several interns working for politicians in the US ( e.g. Monica Lewinsky was an intern with the presidency) and Nigerians should not have such a low self esteem to deem it a salient achievement.
I am surprised that one would write an article about this, given that there are likely other Nigerians doing greater things worthy of recognition, than simply securing an internship. It makes me wonder if the subject is related to the journalist.

I think we should celebrate this Achievement as a Nigerian Acheivement because we all rip the benefits that way and reduce tribalism. But i also don't see anything wrong in people rejoicing in the success of their own.
As for you[b] Biina[/b], you must be out of your mind to discount that girls achievement as just ordinary. That also tells me that you have a lot to learn. Those white house and congressional internships are very competitive to come by. Thousands apply yearly for them, they have very rigourous screening processes and only the talented, vsion oriented and intelligent students with very great potentials are recruited. So to put her acheivement in the same level as other company internships makes sound less informed and exposed than you think you are. Give Honor to whom honor is due. If that was your sister, i am sure you will print her posters all over your house.

@banom.

what are you smoking?

Strength10:

I think we should celebrate this Achievement as a Nigerian Acheivement because we all rip the benefits that way and reduce tribalism. But i also don't see anything wrong in people rejoicing in the success of their own.
As for you[b] Biina[/b], you must be out of your mind to discount that girls achievement as just ordinary. That also tells me that you have a lot to learn. Those white house and congressional internships are very competitive to come by. Thousands apply yearly for them, they have very rigourous screening processes and only the talented, vsion oriented and intelligent students with very great potentials are recruited. So to put her acheivement in the same level as other company internships makes sound less informed and exposed than you think you are. Give Honor to whom honor is due. If that was your sister, i am sure you will print her posters all over your house.

Typical ignorant rant. While I would rather not engage in a banter with you on the question of levels of exposure, I would suggest you reread your posts before you pass judgment on the sophistication of others.

It is clearly stated in the article that the program was restricted to NIU students, and that more than 20 (which implicitly states less than 30) students applied, out of which 3 were successful. That is more than a 10% success rate. Please note that NIU itself is a tier-4 university and thus the student body is not as competitive as those found in higher tiered schools. That does not sound too competitive in my opinion. It is much more difficult to gain admission into a tier-1 university.

People like you, who, clouded by tribal sentiments, celebrate mediocrity, are one of the banes of the Nigerian society, and the educational system in particular. It is a good for the student to have such an opportunity, but is not worthy of the holla that you want to associate with it. No matter how you paint it, an internship is an internship, and her working with a congressman is no different from a Nigerian student working with a member of the house of assembly. You should learn to have higher expectations of your self and others. A low self esteem does much harm, and no good for you.

biina:

Why do people like to make a mountain of a mole hill?
It is simply an internship opportunity, equivalent to a Nigerian student working as an industrial attache with his/her state's rep in the house of assembly. There are always several interns working for politicians in the US ( e.g. Monica Lewinsky was an intern with the presidency) and Nigerians should not have such a low self esteem to deem it a salient achievement.
I am surprised that one would write an article about this, given that there are likely other Nigerians doing greater things worthy of recognition, than simply securing an internship. It makes me wonder if the subject is related to the journalist.

I agree with you Blina, Goodness gracious, its just a freaking internship, If you work hard and do the right thing you are expected to get one or two internship before the end of your university career. Nigerians do really make a mountain out of nothing.

We should say congratulations but her achievement is not extra-ordinary. Yes, she has done well but if you know responsible students in the US you can find several other examples with the same or even more accomplishments.

This just shows how ignorant some Nigerians can be. The other day, people where shouting about a Nigerian student turning vegetable oil into bio-diesel. The educated ones would know that this is not economically feasible. Yes its an improvement but of what relevance is it.

Mr poster, some Nigerian students get internships with Multinationals, Fortune 500 companies, congress, FBI etc Its not a big deal.

Not a big deal! Dont make a mountain out of a molehill.

^^^

There's an ethnic component to the thread. that's the reason y it's been hyped

And no one celebrated the many other Nigerian students who also got offered internships in companies across america.

biina:

Typical ignorant rant. While I would rather not engage in a banter with you on the question of levels of exposure, I would suggest you reread your posts before you pass judgment on the sophistication of others.

It is clearly stated in the article that the program was restricted to NIU students, and that more than 20 (which implicitly states less than 30) students applied, out of which 3 were successful. That is more than a 10% success rate. Please note that NIU itself is a tier-4 university and thus the student body is not as competitive as those found in higher tiered schools. That does not sound too competitive in my opinion. It is much more difficult to gain admission into a tier-1 university.

People like you, who, clouded by tribal sentiments, celebrate mediocrity, are one of the banes of the Nigerian society, and the educational system in particular. It is a good for the student to have such an opportunity, but is not worthy of the holla that you want to associate with it. No matter how you paint it, an internship is an internship, and her working with a congressman is no different from a Nigerian student working with a member of the house of assembly. You should learn to have higher expectations of your self and others. A low self esteem does much harm, and no good for you.

@biina,

We're on the same page, maybe not on the same paragraph, but on the same page nonetheless.

I've always wondered about this whole tier-1, tier-2,, , tier-100, etc. thingy. What tier is the University of Wisconsin-Madison? Thanks.

Big ten schools are usually Tier 1 with Northwestern University being the highest ranked.  UW-Madison should be Tier 2. The tier system doesn't matter much as some schools are known for certain programs and suck at others.

bawomolo:

Big ten schools are usually Tier 1 with Northwestern University being the highest ranked.  UW-Madison should be Tier 2. The tier system doesn't matter much as some schools are known for certain programs and suck at others.

Really? But see what I got from http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/college/national-search/

Where did you get your info from? Just curious.


12 Northwestern University
    *Evanston, IL
    * Score 87
    * Tier 1

35  University of Wisconsin--Madison
    *Madison, WI
    * Score 62
    * Tier 1

Northern Illinois University
    *DeKalb, IL
    * Tier 4

How and when did this thread degenerate to this?

bawomolo:

Big ten schools are usually Tier 1 with Northwestern University being the highest ranked.  UW-Madison should be Tier 2. The tier system doesn't matter much as some schools are known for certain programs and suck at others.

That's true, though both UW-Madison and Northwestern University are "tier 1" schools. To buttress your point, UW-Madison is ranked 16th overall in engineering, while Northwestern is ranked 21st overall in engineering.

Source: http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-engineering-schools/rankings

And no one celebrated the many other Nigerian students who also got offered internships in companies across america.

In US congress?. It seems her American counterparts are rejoicing too. I remember watching a girl in CNN that was celebrating her new internship at the white house two years ago. I think it eventually helps their resume.

Aloy.Emeka:

How and when did this thread degenerate to this?

We're trying to understand how the schools are ranked.

some sections of the country always think that they must shout to the whole world whenever a name that seems to come from their group is mentioned especially if it is not connected with some well known negative issues. Anyway, congrats to the lady in question.

But I am sure that some other tribes will rather tone down the publicity. Among such a group,'if your yam grows well, you cover it, ' I know some members of other groups that have won fabulous scholarship in Britain and other places to study courses that are highly classified. Nobody shouts about these things. It is hightime people had a high expectation about our race. This is more of a racial thing than ethinic supremacy propaganda.

The white and other racial groups perceive the black as non innovative, stupid and inferior race. I thinkwe need to achieve outstanding feats to place our race in its rightful position instead of constantly referring to some past glory and some petty ethnic propaganda.

Internship?? Wow, she should be given a number of chieftaincy titles and awarded the GCON for completion.

So she will push some fies around, and may occassionally catch a glimps of the American president!!.

What an achievement for a Nigerian! 

RichyBlacK:

That's true, though both UW-Madison and Northwestern University are "tier 1" schools. To buttress your point, UW-Madison is ranked 16th overall in engineering, while Northwestern is ranked 21st overall in engineering.

Source: http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-engineering-schools/rankings

You are right, UW-Madison is tier 1.  I must have confused it with UW-milwaukee.

University of Illinois Urbana Champaign is top-10 in Engineering and it's not even an Ivy league school or as "prestigious" as Northwestern.  due to funding issues, some schools specialize in certain programs.  The IVY's like Darmouth and Harvard just have more money and Old glory.

NIU though is a regional school that attracts students from that region.  I honestly won't want to live in Dekalb

I think it eventually helps their resume.

that's true

biina:

Typical ignorant rant. While I would rather not engage in a banter with you on the question of levels of exposure, I would suggest you reread your posts before you pass judgment on the sophistication of others.

It is clearly stated in the article that the program was restricted to NIU students, and that more than 20 (which implicitly states less than 30) students applied, out of which 3 were successful. That is more than a 10% success rate. Please note that NIU itself is a tier-4 university and thus the student body is not as competitive as those found in higher tiered schools. That does not sound too competitive in my opinion. It is much more difficult to gain admission into a tier-1 university.

People like you, who, clouded by tribal sentiments, celebrate mediocrity, are one of the banes of the Nigerian society, and the educational system in particular. It is a good for the student to have such an opportunity, but is not worthy of the holla that you want to associate with it. No matter how you paint it, an internship is an internship, and her working with a congressman is no different from a Nigerian student working with a member of the house of assembly. You should learn to have higher expectations of your self and others. A low self esteem does much harm, and no good for you.

To Biina

Listen guy, i don't have to indulge in back and forth ranting with you because it'll be like arguing with an Illetrate priest, who when a joke is made in Denmark, encourages the killing of innocent citizens in Nigeria. You both are probably in the same league because you lack spatial reasoning. You should go pull your people out of poverty and mediocrity before asserting that others are celebrating mediocrity. If i must celebrate anything, i will celebrate the Intelligence, harwork, confidence, pride, riches etc of my people before anything else. I may not agree with the poster for overhipping the girls achievement, but you, as stupid as you are have no right and audacity to put down her acheivements either. And for your information, intership is not intership. All animals are equal but some are more equal than the others. If everybody could get an internship in the white house or congress, then, i don't see why they have only 10% success rate. Working in the White house or congress is a unique and special experience you and most people around the world will never have. If they have 10% success rate and she is part of that 10%, then she must have had something better than the other 90% of people that never got in.
You ARE slowpoke AND AN IGNORANT FOOL. Your words speak for you and your tribal sentiments and jealousy will always lead you to make crazy and unfounded attacks like these on fellow Nigerians.
You should go rid your brothers of thier idiotic mentality and get them educated before coming here to talk about selfesteem. And yeah, i have a lot to boast about when it comes to what gives me my superior selfesteem and i don't think i have to start explaining them to you because it will be like talking to a 10yr old. I can rejoice in the success of anything i want to at my leisure because i have earned it. Whether it is the success of the UNN guy that made some remote discovery or the success of an ordinary nigerian who gets out of hardship by building a business from ground up without capital, i deserve and reserve the right to smile and hail the success of anybody and the judgement is not yours to pass.
So got get yourself something better to do before crucifying a hardworking college student for her good achievement. BASTARD.!!!

Wow
I pray my children will make me proud as Mma is making her parents proud

_{I'm already proud of my kids so far
more  to come in Jesus's name}

Strength10:

To Biina

Listen guy, i don't have to indulge in back and forth ranting with you because it'll be like arguing with an Illetrate priest, who when a joke is made in Denmark, encourages the killing of innocent citizens in Nigeria. You both are probably in the same league because you lack spatial reasoning. You should go pull your people out of poverty and mediocrity before asserting that others are celebrating mediocrity. If i must celebrate anything, i will celebrate the Intelligence, harwork, confidence, pride, riches etc of my people before anything else. I may not agree with the poster for overhipping the girls achievement, but you, as stupid as you are have no right and audacity to put down her acheivements either. And for your information, intership is not intership. All animals are equal but some are more equal than the others. If everybody could get an internship in the white house or congress, then, i don't see why they have only 10% success rate. Working in the White house or congress is a unique and special experience you and most people around the world will never have. If they have 10% success rate and she is part of that 10%, then she must have had something better than the other 90% of people that never got in.
You ARE slowpoke AND AN IGNORANT FOOL. Yours words speak for you and your tribal sentiments and jealousy will always lead you to make crazy and unfounded attacks like these on fellow Nigerians.
You should go rid your brothers of thier idiotic mentality and get them educated before coming here to talk about selfesteem. And yeah, i have a lot to boast about when it comes to what gives me my superior selfesteem and i don't think i have to start explaining them to you because it will be like talking to a 10yr old. I can rejoice in the success of anything i want to at my leisure because i have earned it. Whether it is the success of the UNN guy that made some remote discovery or the success of an ordinary nigerian who gets out of hardship by building a business from ground up without capital, i deserve and reserve the right to smile and hail the success of anybody and the judgement is not yours to pass.
So got get yourself something better to do before crucifying a hardworking college student for her good achievement. BASTARD.!!!

The fact that the core of your post are personal insults and meaningless rants, provides one with an insight into your character. It was people like you that gave Socrates the grounds to argue against a 'one man - one vote' system. You do not seem fit to think for yourself, let alone think for others.

It is true that you have the right to celebrate any occurrence you deem fit, even if it is only a man walking through a door, but the moment you come to a public forums associated with Nigeria (like NL), it behooves people like me to set you straight, so that you do not drag the credibility of the nation down with you. To the blind the one-eyed is king, but we Nigerians will not settle for anyone with less than perfect vision

That you have failed to come up with a congruent argument in your defense, makes it an exercise in futility to try to educate you otherwise. Anyways, I have since learnt that one should never argue with an idiot. He will bring you down to his level and beat you with experience.

biina:

The fact that the core of your post are personal insults and meaningless rants, provides one with an insight into your character. It was people like you that gave Socrates the grounds to argue against a 'one man - one vote' system. You do not seem fit to think for yourself, let alone think for others.

It is true that you have the right to celebrate any occurrence you deem fit, even if it is only a man walking through a door, but the moment you come to a public forums associated with Nigeria (like NL), it behooves people like me to set you straight, so that you do not drag the credibility of the nation down with you. To the blind the one-eyed is king, but we Nigerians will not settle for anyone with less than perfect vision

That you have failed to come up with a congruent argument in your defense, makes it an exercise in futility to try to educate you otherwise. Anyways, I have since learnt that one should never argue with an idiot. He will bring you down to his level and beat you with experience.

Like i said, you are a slowpoke and a Hypocrite. You don't call people names, then i suppose you never proofread your post or maybe you were posting from your nose not your brains.  And, yes, my character is a character that believes in personal strength, justice for all, equality etc and definitely one that never allows imbeciles like you to walk over them. And what credibility of Nigeria are you talking about. The one you and others have ruined and destroyed; and other harworking nigerians like the Girl in question here is trying to rebuild from her little achievement. And i have the power and right to say anything i want because it is called freedom of speech. Maybe you think Abacha is still in power. You are a big fool and have stupidity written all over you. Anuofia

strenght10 vs Biina 10:

Rematch please. 

Here they go again,talking about tribes,small talkers.Did the girl mention igbo or nigerian in her ambition to change the country?She is just a bright lucky young girl like so many in nigeria,not so luck,whose future have been destroyed by the leaders.

:p

We are now their Media Ambassadors so we r gonna be recruiting for these years

http://torontoregionalchamps..com/

Recruit me nah 

Which one is hotstepper from the two black girls below?:
[img]http://2.bp..com/_E3ivc8o0PtA/SQ5DBI4BGjI/AAAAAAAAACw/oa43srWv1W4/s1600/08-292-149.JPG[/img]

You must be the one with her African mother.

am not sure why this made news let alone being debated

aloy.emeka, stop coming up with pages like this

you are not the only one passionate about being igbo