@AGITATOR:
Am highly agitated by the quality of your response:

There are so many professor in Iran, Pakistan, India, etc who don't speak English fluently yet they are way ahead of us.  What has English language got to do with a science inclined person.  Nigerians with misplaced priorities.  That's the why they ask people who want to study engineering to obtain a credit in English language whereas even in Britain and USA it is not so, students gain admission with a simple pass in English language, except you are a foreign student.
Most of our policy makers who now made credit  in English language a requirement for admission into the universities got admitted into the same universities with a pass likewise the social science/art based courses got admitted with a pass in Maths.

I'm an engineer, and I speak impeccably! Being foolish and making a mockery of oneself isn't a factor of one's discipline. It's rather a reflection of the degenerate nature of our school system.  In the days of yore, our people mastered the language (our lingua franca mind you).  To the Iranian professor, English isn't his lingua franca. Thats the reason we can excuse him.  But you have no excuse whatsoever, if you were schooled in Nigeria up to the PHd and you can't communicate in english language. Tell me, if any one of us "massacred" the language the way you just did, would any organization hire us to work?  The biggest measure of someone's IQ is his language/communication skills. A PHd holder who cannot speak his lingua franca correctly has low IQ. The PHd then becomes suspect!

Lets make Pidgin English our one and only official language. That will stop all this BS about English. Wen awa presido land akata, e go yarn thru intepreter. Wen oyibo sef, land area, dem too go carry dia own interpreter, odawise, beans go burn.

Carry go!

this is an english class.i need to learn

this is an english class.i need to learn

I watched the interview twice on CNN and frankly, the problem of J Goodluck is not his accent. That i will not fault him on, but the problem was his command of English. After the interview, the next thing i told my friend was that this guy needs to improve on his use on English and builds his confidence more when it comes to granting interviews, For heaven's sake this is the number citizen of a country with a population of over 150million

Nigerians, there is no need to cry. We should exercise patient untill an IGBO man ascend the throne. Igbo politicians knows how to speak grammer very well. Honestly, i was surprise, Jonathan was nervous.

I dont think his grammar should be an issue. Everyone gets nervous once in a while and everyone one makes grammatical errors once in a while. I have heard white men make grammatical errors. Most african americans do not speak good english. Some whites in America do not speak perfect english. And they have accents too. Those who can boast of impeccable english in my opinion are the british. As per Jonathan being a phd holder, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is also a phd holder and he could not speak in english when he went to the states. It really doesnt matter as long as you can communicate. English is not his mother tongue you know.

@poster, section 53 of our current const. states that "any person who is willing to participate in d govt of Nigeria at any of the three levels (fed,state,local) must be able to speak an understandable English". My dear poster if u're educated enuf u shud understand our Acting President.

All said and done,the whole discuss here portray still the decadence that has eaten deep into the embodiment call Nigeria.I know there are some flaws in the Acting President's speeches,his posture too(half of the time Amanpour had to retract her feet.)However, if we are Nigerians and we want to be honest,we all know that wherever we go, lots of things betray us,and majority of us exhibits the same demeanour just like our President did.So there's call for improvements to be as per standard.From the Acting President to the Primary School pupils.And tell me, what are the Personal Assistant and the PR guys to Actg Pres doing?We should constantly strive to better ourselves in every facets and ramifications.Even here on this forum, the way some posters writes and constructs leaves many things/rooms to be desire.Now,if our Masqurades dances well,we will all be happy,so let's just hope and work as well as walk for the upliftment of excellence in Nigeria's governance and leadership.It touches every thing and it starts from here through me and you.Let's see how we can improve individuals more from on here on to the general populace.I wont be surprise if the polity start making nominations from right among Nairalanders.As for me, I am learning a lot from everyone here,and did I read somewhere that 'the day one stops learning and trying to improve is the death day'?

Its only Nigerians that place so much emphasis on the way one speaks English. Some of the great leaders in the world can not speak one complete sentence in English, but it does not stop them from doing their jobs to the best of their ability. The french and Russian presidents or whatever title they use are typical example of leaders who goes everywhere with translators, it does not embarass their people because they are smart enough to know that intelligence does not start with speaking good English. This is why I fear so much that it will be difficult for Nigerians to focus on real issues that affects us a nation, because we spend too much time on trivialties. Nigeria is fighting so hard to take a step to the right direction but we have too many dim wits with issues like Grammatical error that will continue to slow us down.

Jonathan, I am very proud of you. I got you for this one, the way critics portray your accent and tenses makes me want to slap you; but after I listened to your speech with Amanpour. I figure such conjuration was put together by some unruly people who their sole mission is to destabilize your good work. By virtual of my own understanding, you spoke more fluently than Yar' Dua.

With that being said, all the insane town criers causing furor about your speech can shut the Zap.u.p.

Gilbertman:

All said and done,the whole discuss here portray still the decadence that has eaten deep into the embodiment call Nigeria.I know there are some flaws in the Acting President's speeches,his posture too(half of the time Amanpour had to retract her feet.)However, if we are Nigerians and we want to be honest,we all know that wherever we go, lots of things betray us,and majority of us exhibits the same demeanour just like our President did.So there's call for improvements to be as per standard.From the Acting President to the Primary School pupils.And tell me, what are the Personal Assistant and the PR guys to Actg Pres doing?We should constantly strive to better ourselves in every facets and ramifications.Even here on this forum, the way some posters writes and constructs leaves many things/rooms to be desire.Now,if our Masqurades dances well,we will all be happy,so let's just hope and work as well as walk for the upliftment of excellence in Nigeria's governance and leadership.It touches every thing and it starts from here through me and you.Let's see how we can improve individuals more from on here on to the general populace.I wont be surprise if the polity start making nominations from right among Nairalanders.As for me, I am learning a lot from everyone here,and did I read somewhere that 'the day one stops learning and trying to improve is the death day'?

Mmm mmm  Lord have mercy.

Jakumo

Thanks jare. I saw them all but was too lazy to comment.

As they say, one who comes into equity must come with clean hands. Besides, the pot cannot be calling the kettle black, it must look for a better name.

Don't hang the poster cos he pointed out something that any good listener would've. It appeared that Amanpour was bullying him, he sounded diffident and defeated. He wasn't just coming thru. He was incoherent and the authority wasn't there. What?! I felt for him. These are pointers to how bad and unbalanced our educational system is. For you to have got a PhD you must have been put thru a lot of both group presentations and interviews. Well, let's just give him a chance as that's perhaps his first interview on such a platform. Experience teaches better.

Feedback For Jonathan Goodluck,

Please understand that personality is born out of pain.

The biggest mistake you can make is not learning from your mistakes.

Any true friend will stab you in the front - Not in the back.

And a real leader faces the music, even when he doesn't like the tune.

Life is a dance, if you know the steps.

What Nigeria needs is more people who specialize in the impossible.

Because the significant problems we face today cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them.

Action breeds confidence - let nobody dwell on the past but instead get to work creating a better future for Nigeria and Nigerians.

newintexas:

The french and Russian presidents or whatever title they use are typical example of leaders who goes everywhere with translators, it does not embarass their people because they are smart enough to know that intelligence does not start with speaking good English.

You have made a fair point. Remember the French or Russian national language is not English. The last time I checked, the national language of Nigeria is English. If we choose English as our national language, then we should speak English properly. Until we choose another language as our national language, this is not an excuse for me.

I would also expect a British or American citizens to speak the English language properly. It doesn't make it right if they cannot. Anyone who is taught English in school should speak it properly. Doesn't matter if they are Nigerian, British or American.

deluxecad:

Don't hang the poster cos he pointed out something that any good listener would've. It appeared that Amanpour was bullying him, he sounded diffident and defeated. He wasn't just coming thru. He was incoherent and the authority wasn't there. What?! I felt for him. These are pointers to how bad and unbalanced our educational system is. For you to have got a PhD you must have been put thru a lot of both group presentations and interviews. Well, let's just give him a chance as that's perhaps his first interview on such a platform. Experience teaches better.

To add to your point about Jonathan's reactions, I believe experienced reporters like herself are experienced to intimidate one. Have you listened to any interview with Obama or clinton or any other world leader? They get nervous too. You hear Obama as good orator as he is saying "erm" "erm" several times. Some of them even get mad at the way they "push" their questions across. I think these reporters try to do that to get facts from those they interview. Maybe they believe people make mistakes when nervous.

All of you who're making excuses for Jonathan should stop such rubbish. Is english language not our lingua franca? Was Jonathan's schooling in his local dialect or english? It's people like you who are corrupting the Nigerian educational system, making students feel that english is unimportant because it's not their local dialect: which is why a review of english results are enough to bring a man to tears. If a person has been taught in english all his life, and can't still speak it till now, then it's failure and we all should be ashamed of it.
About the polish president: english isn't his official language so he's escused.

All of you who're making excuses for Jonathan should stop such rubbish. Is english language not our lingua franca? Was Jonathan's schooling in his local dialect or english? It's people like you who are corrupting the Nigerian educational system, making students feel that english is unimportant because it's not their local dialect: which is why a review of english results are enough to bring a man to tears. If a person has been taught in english all his life, and can't still speak it till now, then it's failure and we all should be ashamed of it.
About the polish president: english isn't his official language so he's escused

.

St Edwin,

Nice points.

(But can you change the last word in your post 'escused' to excused - it's making my blood boil)

Thanks,

(Why cant people make sensible arguments without using insulting words

we are here to share views, not insult people's parents okay.)

NA WA O!

MsTom:

To add to your point about Jonathan's reactions, I believe experienced reporters like herself are experienced to intimidate one. Have you listened to any interview with Obama or clinton or any other world leader? They get nervous too. You hear Obama as good orator as he is saying "erm" "erm" several times. Some of them even get mad at the way they "push" their questions across. I think these reporters try to do that to get facts from those they interview. Maybe they believe people make mistakes when nervous.

                         Yes. I'm with you. I believe she kept him unsettled cos she wanted to force out some real stuff from him which she to some extent did. Did you notice the answer he gave when she asked him if the crisis in Jos will end completely some day? Did u hear what he said? I didn't like that, he should've been better armed. Good eye contact helps build good confidence. One could cross one's leg as well to hold oneself up too. Time will probably teach him.

@ poster, get a life mate

Why all the hullabaloo about Jonathan and his use of English?

golamike:

(Why cant people make sensible arguments without using insulting words

we are here to share views, not insult people's parents okay.?)

@ POSTER- IT'S NOT "INSULTING" BUT INSULTIVE, MR PERFECT.

For the sake of our kids, the original poster was right. There is no such word as INSULTIVE.

Sorry sir, insultive is not an English word. I speak as a Scrabble champion and please, do not bother to contest this with me. thanks

There is a serious problem with the educational system in Nigeria.

Years of neglect have contributed to the problems.

We need to all admit this.

I think standards are now at a dangerous low.

Reforms are needed urgently.

golamike:

(Why cant people make sensible arguments without using insulting words

we are here to share views, not insult people's parents okay.?)

@ POSTER- IT'S NOT "INSULTING" BUT INSULTIVE, MR PERFECT.

@golamike


Young man, you dont know anything.

I wonder how many times you wrote English language subject in your SSCE, that is if you have written any.

Please, dont correct me again, if you have not consulted your dictionary

Sun of god:

There is a serious problem with the educational system in Nigeria.

Years of neglect have contributed to the problems.

We need to all admit this.

I think standards are now at a dangerous low.

[size=14pt]Reforms are needed urgently.[/size]

Ibon!
Ha! I knew I would get you!
Abeg make una lef Uncle Joe jare! You have been responsible, but Mobuch has carried his foolishness as far as youtube; that is not only reckless, it is totally unpatriotic. How could a Nigerian broadcast such insulting views on youtube? NL is excusable (membership is 90+% Nigerian). . . But youtube!
Mobuch is a decease.

mobuch:

@golamike


Young man, you dont know anything.

I wonder how many times you wrote English language subject in your SSCE, that is if you have written any.

Please, dont correct me again, if you have not consulted your dictionary

Only a fool thinks the above is English. Take the log out of your eye before searching for specks in your neighbours. Dimwit.

(Young man, you dont know anything.

I wonder how many times you wrote English language subject in your SSCE, that is if   you have written any.

Please, dont correct me again, if you have not consulted your dictionary).

Hey, Mr poster i actually wanted to draw ur attention towards me and i succeeded. As for the number of times i wrote English language in my SSCE, d answer is ONCE. Wanna confirm? I'm not in anyway defending Mr. Jonathan but i just feel issues like this shouldn't be discussed in a public forum like NL, afterall we all commit errors in different ways. Besides, i thk this subject will only draw unnecessary attention/interest to our acting president's speeches/interviews henceforth. Let's learn to respect our leaders. What makes u feel u'd perform better if u're in his shoes, standing/sitting in front of a veteran journalist/presenter to grant an interview that's been aired to the whole world for d very 1st time. Ever heard of the word "over-cautious"? Anyway, NO BEEFING!

deluxecad:

Yes. I'm with you. I believe she kept him unsettled cos she wanted to force out some real stuff from him which she to some extent did. Did you notice the answer he gave when she asked him if the crisis in Jos will end completely some day? Did u hear what he said? I didn't like that, he should've been better armed. Good eye contact helps build good confidence. One could cross one's leg as well to hold oneself up too. Time will probably teach him.

You are right. Good eye contact is a weapon against such intimidation. I actually think he was more prepared for his interaction with obama than with any journalist. I guess the interview caught him unawares. He seemed more confident with Obama than with her.

Hey everyone,
We must appreciate that this time around, our acting President was aired on CNN in the interest of our country. remember the time that former information minister was ared on cnn to dispute an evident truth, the guy spoke good english but it stank of raw lies.
In this case, he represented our deepest wishes, believe me, if the truth is spoken in any langauage, provided the truth within is understood, who gives 2 f**ks, the guy try no be smalll.
about the Phd, haven't we seen professors lecture in thick tribal accents, generals speak english in pidgin style, please, spare our President,