ExxonMobil, others disown Emeagwali


By Musikilu Mojeed
December 5, 2010 02:27PM


The bottom has fallen out of Phillip Emeagwali’s basket of false claims. American oil giant, ExxonMobil, has told NEXT exclusively that it has never dealt with the American-based Nigerian scientist, contrary to Mr. Emeagwali’s repeated claim that he wrote the equations that the company used to simulate the flow of oil, water, and gas inside its reservoirs.

Authorities at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, a United States Department of Energy laboratory, where Mr. Emeagwali claimed he sourced the Connection Machine for his award-winning experiment, also said they had never related with the Nigerian scientist.

Even the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, the world’s largest organisation of computer experts, has reacted to the scandal surrounding Mr Emeagwali by removing the scientist’s profile from its website. Mr. Emeagwali’s bio on the site contained some contentious claims, including one that he has a doctorate.

Mr. Emeagwali did not respond to email seeking his comment. He also did not return calls made to his Washington D.C. office.

In 1989, Emeagwali, 56, won the $1,000 prize for writing a programme for oil reservoir modeling. Afterwards,

he travelled around the world for over two decades marketing himself as one of the inventors of the Internet. A gullible Africa believed him, and his native Nigeria lavishly celebrated him as the country’s most influential scientist ever.

But in November, leading American computer experts, including Gordon Bell, the man after whom the prize he won in 1989 was named, exposed Mr. Emeagwali, describing his 20-year claim that his invention gave birth to the Internet as fraudulent.

However, Mr. Emeagwali continued to make other claims which are now considered largely untrue. For instance, in a series of weekly articles he wrote for nigeriavillagesquare.com, Mr. Emeagwali said he “scribbled the actual equations used by the oil company Exxon (now Exxon Mobil) to simulate the flow of oil, water, and gas inside its petroleum reservoirs.” He claimed that after learning about his discovery, Mobil Research and Development invited him (in a letter dated March 19, 1990) to help the company in “reservoir simulation.” Mr Emeagwali added that he discovered that Mobil’s equations did not reflect reality and corrected the company’s error.

But responding to a NEXT inquiry, ExxonMobil simply disowned Mr. Emeagwali. “We are unaware of Mr. Emeagwali’s claimed interaction 20 years ago with a prior affiliate of ExxonMobil,” Patrick McGinn of the Upstream Media Relations Unit of the company, said in an email from the Texas headquarters of the oil firm, after a 10-day investigation within his company.

Initially, Mr. McGinn described Mr. Emeagwali’s claim as speculations to which ExxonMobil Corporation won’t react. But when pressed, he came out to say clearly that his company had no record of ever having dealt with Mr. Emeagwali.

Before ExxonMobil disowned Mr. Emeagwali, Angela Burgess, executive director of IEEE computer society, had informed NEXT that the Nigerian scientist’s profile on her organisation’s website had been removed following doubts about some claims contained therein. Mr. Emeagwali provided the information for the article, which falsely portrayed him as having earned a first degree from the University of London and a doctorate from the University of Michigan.

From the Los Alamos National Laboratory also came another blow for the embattled scientist. Mr. Emeagwali had claimed in a January 2007 TIME magazine article that, through research, he found a “Connection Machine” at the laboratory which had sat unused after scientists had given up on figuring out how to make it simulate nuclear explosions.

Lost in Los Alamos

In 1987, Mr Emeagwali told TIME, he applied for and was given permission to use the machine. He said from his base in Ann Arbor, Michigan, he remotely programmed the machine (in Northern New Mexico) and used it to compute the amount of oil in a simulated reservoir, and perform 3.1 billion calculations per second.

But authorities at the 67-year-old laboratory said the claims were “unsubstantiated - at best.”

“Several current LANL scientists who worked directly on Thinking Machines CM-2 and CM-5 computing system development during that time frame have no recollection of working with Philip Emeagwali,” said Kevin Roark of the Communications Office of the laboratory.

“It is certainly untrue that the computers “sat unused after scientists had given up” on figuring out how to make them work. In fact, the laboratory successfully developed codes for the CM-2 and CM-5 that were very effective for conventional defense calculations and important aspects of nuclear weapon assessments/design.” Meanwhile, a source in the Federal Ministry of Information and Communication said the Minister, Dora Akunyili, was in the process of raising a committee to investigate allegations of fraudulent claims levelled against Mr. Emeagwali.

The source said the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, S.O. Willoughby, might head the committee.

Mrs. Akunyili had told NEXT on November 7 that government will investigate the allegations to enable it to determine whether to remove Mr. Emeagwali’s face from the Nigerian stamp. The minister did not return calls made to her mobile telephone on Friday.



http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/National/5649726-146/exxonmobil_others_disown_emeagwali__.csp

I am very uncomfortable with the way Emeagwali is being pulled down. There is no doubt that he has made several exagerations, some gross; but the fact remains that he is gifted.
Nigerians should be the last to be found pulling down their own for foreigners. It is absolutely disgusting.

If Emeagwali was European or American, it would have been his home government making all the exagerations and pushing his name to higher heights. In Nigeria, however no one believes their neighbour could be a genius and if its mentioned, the pull down syndrome swings in. Why?

ExxonMobile has just realised after donkey years that Emeagwali has been claiming to have helped with their simulations? Strange!
Los Alamos labs has just learnt that they have no knowledge of Emeagwali's Connection Machine after all these decades? Incredible!
The truth is that these people have seen that Emeagwali's own are at the forfront of tearing him down and are swooping in to steal his achievements in broad daylight; and we are goading them on, the cheerleaders of thieves who would have no compunction to turn around and call us monkeys tomorrow. It is a disgrace and a terrible shame.

Sharrap there! Pull him down my nonsense.There have been so many frauds in the US and once they discover the person they assasinate his character and he is unable to go anywhere and have integrity.That is how Nigeria is supposed to be.Nigeria is a nation of fraud enablers.No wonder we have senators robbing us and politicians stealing our future.We enable them.We have illiterates ruling us with fake certificates, if we complain it is this same stupid "pull him down" nonsense that daft people will say.Nigeria is changing so all the fraud enabler's should continue, they and their Godfather's shall be exposed.Including GEJ.Idiot.

ExxonMobil are there to make money, and not to keep tabs on people claiming they invented something for them.

It is not uncommon here in the UK to hear con-men who lay claim to be member of the royal family and con people out of money. Are you saying you expect the royal family for example, to go out of their way to verify every one? They will probably issue a statement when such person is brought to their attention lol

It appears exconmobil did just that in this case. Issued a statement when they were aware of Emeagwali claims.

TewMuch:

Sharrap there! Pull him down my nonsense.There have been so many frauds in the US and once they discover the person they assasinate his character and he is unable to go anywhere and have integrity.That is how Nigeria is supposed to be.Nigeria is a nation of fraud enablers.No wonder we have senators robbing us and politicians stealing our future.We enable them.We have illiterates ruling us with fake certificates, if we complain it is this same silly "pull him down" nonsense that daft people will say.Nigeria is changing so all the fraud enabler's should continue, they and their Godfather's shall be exposed.Including GEJ,

If you know anything about how the science World operates, you wouldn't talk this rubbish.
I have said it quite clearly that Emeagwali exagerated, but has anyone stopped to think he would have if Nigeria had backed him from the outset?

Just last year, there were huge scandals about the deliberate falsification of Global Warming research. Despite the damning revealations, how many scientists have resigned due to that fraud? I will tell you; NONE. Instead, all sorts of reasons and coverups have been put up by their home govts and science institutions.

Other countries protect those with brains, because they know their worth. In Nigeria? You are simply thrown to the pigs, worth nothing in a country that cannot tell left from right.

If this is true then emeagwali is a sorry case.

But why is it only on questionable news channels like next and sahara reporters that we get all these emeagwali news?

And you know what about the science world? When you spend all your time on NL promoting GEJ that is giving bribe of transport money and official residences.No wonder you are shouting about pull him down, your claims on scientific knowledge may be fake sef with a fake certificate to boost your fraudulent ego.You are one to talk about pull him down when you specialize in the crab in a barrel business.before you speak nonsense you know nothing of America and how they treat frauds, you will have no hiding place.So many people embellish their achievements and go unnoticed.Until their lies get bigger than themselves.Exxon mobil has disassociated themselves from him, what are you still looking for whining about pull him down.My friend go and reflect on your fake certificate and fake NL representation of a fraudent candidate.

ElRazur:

ExxonMobil are there to make money, and not to keep tabs on people claiming they invented something for them.

It is not uncommon here in the UK to here con-men who lay claim to royal family and con people out of money. Are you saying you expect the royal family for example, to go out of their way to verify every one? They will probably issue a statement when such person is brought to their attention lol

It appears exconmobil did just that in this case. Issued a statement when they become aware of Emeagwali claims.

Guy, look up "Intellectual Property." You simply don't know what you are talking about.

All big companies maintain departments and lawyers that manage their portfolio in micro detail. Go mess around with a patent that remotely resembles anything that ExxonMobil has in its portfolio and see how long it takes to recieve a letter from their lawyers in English only Soyinka can deal with.
Patent litigations in the US cost hundreds of millions and ExxonMobil aren't so daft that they play games with that sort of money and become a cash cow for patent trolls.

TewMuch:

And you know what about the science world? When you spend all your time on NL promoting GEJ that is giving bribe of transport money and official residences.No wonder you are shouting about pull him down, your claims on scientific knowledge may be fake sef with a fake certificate to boost your fraudulent ego.You are one to talk about pull him down when you specialize in the crab in a barrel business.before you speak nonsense you know nothing of America and how they treat frauds, you will have no hiding place.So many people embellish their achievements and go unnoticed.Until their lies get bigger than themselves.Exxon mobil has disassociated themselves from him, what are you still looking for whining about pull him down.My friend go and reflect on your fake certificate and fake NL representation of a fraudent candidate.

Yes I know about the science World in ways that will shock your puny brain, so don't concern yourself with that. Deal with the topic instead.

ExxonMobil disowned him after how many years? They disowned him only after his own disowned him.
Its a pull down syndrome that will never do Nigeria any good. No country treats their intelligent people with the contempt Nigeria reserves for theirs. Yet, the same clowns wonder why we never develop or why our best brains are abroad. Shame.

My guess is PE did not anticipate his celebrity status that came from Nigerian's desperate for a positive and note worthy role model.He did the embellishments to boost his ego or he may be a pathological liar.Pathological lying is a mental illness and many of such are in this world.He used his notoriety to his advantage.Fine he won the Gordon Bell prize but maybe in his mind and in his world he imagined himself bigger.And he got there by lies.He got greedy and ran with it scamming people and making money of these embellishments.No one is pulling him down, he was wrong to go viral with his claims.Am sure no one really cared that some random guy was making spurious claims until people started asking questions.I mean when ur lies are so big that people start hailing you as father of the internet, someone is bound to start asking questions.And in his case he is messing with computer geeks who can pull up anything.I have met so many Nigerian's that feel underachieved with inferiority complex that can lie and even deny their parents to claim status, wealth and achievements.I have met BIG liars in my life time so every human being is to be taken with a grain of salt until the proof comes out.Always make thorough objective investigation's about people so you don't get burned.The guy lied, end of.

Faeb:

Guy, look up "Intellectual Property." You simply don't know what you are talking about.

All big companies maintain departments and lawyers that manage their portfolio in micro detail. Go mess around with a patent that remotely resembles anything that ExxonMobil has in its portfolio and see how long it takes to recieve a letter from their lawyers in English only Soyinka can deal with.
Patent litigations in the US cost hundreds of millions and ExxonMobil aren't so daft that they play games with that sort of money and become a cash cow for patent trolls.

Smh.

Dude, I respect the fact that you are keen on defending Emeagwali.  Please read what I am saying and try to comprehend before you have a go at me, sir.

If I remember correctly, his claims were he "helped" invented some of the technology they use. As far as IP goes, you can claim to "help invent" as long as you do not actually go out and infringe on such technologies via making something similar.

You see as it stand, I can present a lecture and claim to invent Microsoft Windows 7 program, but I will be looking for trouble if I now make an OS based on Windows 7.


Over all, Emeagwali was able to get around for a long time with his claims, and once it was made known to the authorities they issued a statement rejecting his claims. Now, if he goes on making those claims, then he may be in trouble.   You see no company is out there listening to what people say, but they do have lawyers who keep an eye on the patent office to see if people are infringing on existing patent etc.  Gosh.


Please calm down before you have a go again. Thanks.

Faeb:

Guy, look up "Intellectual Property." You simply don't know what you are talking about.

All big companies maintain departments and lawyers that manage their portfolio in micro detail. Go mess around with a patent that remotely resembles a[b]nything that ExxonMobil has in its portfolio and see how long it takes to recieve a letter from their lawyers in English only Soyinka can deal with.[/b]
Patent litigations in the US cost hundreds of millions and ExxonMobil aren't so daft that they play games with that sort of money and become a cash cow for patent trolls.

Even Soyinka cannot deal with such English____

For me personally I think the gov't or science committee need to do something about this. There should be proper audit of his claims, and if found to be valid, then he need to be celebrated and those trying to ridicule his achievement need to be finally stopped. If however his claims are lies, then he need to be stopped.

The developed countries are not short of inventors or genius that they will celebrate and promote every fraudster. Your achievements and inventions speak for you.

^
Thanks man, I 100% agree with you that thats the way to go.

ElRazur:

Smh.

Dude, I respect the fact that you are keen on defending Emeagwali.  Please read what I am saying and try to comprehend before you have a go at me, sir.

If I remember correctly, his claims were he "helped" invented some of the technology they use. As far as IP goes, you can claim to "help invent" as long as you do not actually go out and infringe on such technologies via making something similar.

You see as it stand, I can present a lecture and claim to invent Microsoft Windows 7 program, but I will be looking for trouble if I now make an OS based on Windows 7.


Over all, Emeagwali was able to get around for a long time with his claims, and once it was made known to the authorities they issued a statement rejecting his claims. Now, if he goes on making those claims, then he may be in trouble.   You see no company is out there listening to what people say, but they do have lawyers who keep an eye on the patent office to see if people are infringing on existing patent etc.  Gosh.


Please calm down before you have a go again. Thanks.

Sorry, I wasn't having a go at you. But seriously, you havent the slightest clue what you are talking about. Don't be offended, please.

Emeagwali has been a very public face for decades. He has been on the cover of Time Magazine, dude, his claims have been out there for all to see. ExxonMobile is not some Dugbe market company, such companies know wagwan long before the man on the streets learns about it; a multi-national is a mini country.

Emeagwali has only been dumped because his own country spat on him. You can call him liar, wayward or anything, but he is extremly intelligent.
In countries with a sense of direction, intelligence is gold.

Faeb:

^
Thanks man, I 100% agree with you that thats the way to go.

Sorry, I wasn't having a go at you. But seriously, you havent the slightest clue what you are talking about. Don't be offended, please.

Emeagwali has been a very public face for decades. He has been on the cover of Time Magazine, dude, his claims have been out there for all to see. ExxonMobile is not some Dugbe market company, such companies know wagwan long before the man on the streets learns about it; a multi-national is a mini country.

Emeagwali has only been dumped because his own country spat on him. You can call him liar, wayward or anything, but he is extremly intelligent.
In countries with a sense of direction, intelligence is gold.

In  debates around here, it is all well and good to score a brownies points while not refuting the points raised.  You sir, are doing the same thing right now.

You claimed I do not know what I am talking about, yet you are yet to defend against what I said. Smh. 

Like I mentioned to you, anyone can lay claim to inventing anything if the public are gullible enough to believe the person. There is no law to my knowledge stopping me from saying I invented the AK47 and I helped the Russian with it.   Do you not understand this?   

Emeagwali did just this. He did it for years and managed to get away with it.   

I noted you are now quick to say he is intelligent etc. Who says he isn't? His intelligence probably contributed to why he got away with making massive and misleading claims in the first place.

So he appeared on the front of Time magazine and that means what to the point at hand?  Bart Simpson ( a fictional character) Elvis (Known for his love for drugs) etc also appeared in the Times in the past, so boo hoo cry me a river.


The fact remains, anyone can make a claim to inventing anything and get away with it. How many times, con-men have been celebrated without the majority of the public being aware in history?    Please drop your straw-man argument.  Emagwali appeared to have made misleading claims and now the records are been set straight, so what is your problem?

If he was so intelligent I wonder why he couldn't get the PhD certificate? It is time we stop defending our fraudulent elders.Too many people ruling us have fake qualification's and are smart enough to deceive us and carry us along with their lies. Why not PE.Did u forget Tinubu and now Omisore? This is not 'pull him down" or a tribal thing.All fraudsters must be exposed.Then it is up to Nigerian's to do what they want with the info they have.As for time magazine, there have been instances of lazy journalists and journalists that falisify stories.Try contacting time and find out what they have to say on the issue.I am sure the journalist must have been fired and they kept it mum so they don't lose credibility.As for Bill Clinton he was behaving just like everyone else, he believed time and who cares really?He was probably trying to form a relationship or relate to African's when mentioning PE.Exxon Mobil will not care until PE starts shouting patents.So many people claim affiliation with EM and falsify their docs to get jobs is it EM's business to go around wasting time and money on these people.EM is a very large company and those types are generally more lax with small issues.

ElRazur:

In  debates around here, it is all well and good to score a brownies points while not refuting the points raised.  You sir, are doing the same thing right now.
. . .

Dude, sometimes people make arguments that are so flawed that there is no point engaging. Its like if you are a good chess player and someone who doesn't know the basic strategies challenges you, you laugh and walk off. Your arguments were horribly flawed, I mean really horribly.

Please, look up "Intellectual Property" and look no further than yourself to deal deal with this wretched statement you made:

ElRazur: You see as it stand, I can present a lecture and claim to invent Microsoft Windows 7 program, but I will be looking for trouble if I now make an OS based on Windows 7.

How could a person making statements like the above possibly think they have what it takes to pull a man like Emeagwali down, regardless of his lies and deceptions?
I repeat, Emeagwali has something that is highly valued in nations that know where they are going. He has a damn good brain.

Faeb:

Dude, sometimes people make arguments that are so flawed that there is no point engaging. Its like if you are a good chess player and someone who doesn't know the basic strategies challenges you, you laugh and walk off. Your arguments were horribly flawed, I mean really horribly.

Please, look up "Intellectual Property" and deal with this wretched statement you made:

How could a person making statements like the above possibly think they have what it takes to pull a man like Emeagwali down, regardless of his lies and deceptions?
I repeat, Emeagwali has something that is highly valued in nations that know where they are going. He has a damn good brain.

I see my question goes unanswered. Please point me to where a law says I cannot lay claim verbally to inventing the playstation portable? I bet you cannot do this.

You are not a chess player, your point and manner of debating shows this already. Your debates are nothing but pure emotions lacking logic.


See what I mean as to how you are weak to try and counter my view points? Who is trying to bring him down? I am merely stating what is in the news and general acceptance. In your own words you stated that:

"There is no doubt that he has made several exagerations, some gross; but the fact remains that he is gifted."

I stated exactly the same thing but you seem to have a problem with me. Ouch, the irony.

If you agree that "he made several exaggerations" why are you blind to see my point? Oh I get it, you are blinded by emotions that's why!

^
What question went unanswered, the daft Windows 7 one? Abeg go and drink tea jare!
If you claim to be in agreement with me, why are we arguing, or you think I should give you a pat on the head for tearing down Emeagwali, while not having any understanding of how Intellectual Property matters are dealt with?

. . .Every Tom wants to join a mob and and bay for blood.

Faeb:

^
What question went unanswered, the daft Windows 7 one? Abeg go and drink tea jare!
If you claim to be in agreement with me, why are we arguing, or you think I should give you a pat on the head for tearing down Emeagwali, while not having any understanding of how Intellectual Property matters are dealt with?

. . .Every Tom wants to join a mob and and bay for blood.

Seem you are running out of steam. Let me give you something to talk about.

I asked you to point me to a law that say I cannot verbally make claim that I invented something.

This is what Emageali has done over the years. You accepted this in your very own statement, but seem to have a problem when authorities are coming out and demolishing his claims of inventing this and that for them.

To illustrate this, I gave you several examples using MS W7 that I can lay claim to invent it and not be in trouble, but will be in trouble if I now create a program for commercial purpose that is based on or copied from W7 source code.

Again I gave you further illustrations using the iconic Ak47 and Playstation portables. Something that appears to go over your head.


Just in case you are not getting it, here is a final break down in simple English:

Emaegwali made verbal claims,  he got away with it. When attention was drawn to him, his claims were busted as misleading. 

You see no one is doubting his intelligence, but we doubt his claims (which has been shown to be misleading and you accept this)


Now tell me again, what is your problem?

^
Dude, create a website (like Emeagwali's) and make claim's to have invented Windows 7 na!
Na England you de abi? Do it and be honest enough to paste the nasty letter Microsoft will send you right here. Olodo.
They will send you a warning and if you don't desist, you will end up paying the sort of damages that can make the dead wake (in other words, you will become a slave to Microsoft).

Try it, and see how "clever" your argument is.

So in other words, your argument get ripped apart and you have nothing worth while posting. Nice.

There are many website claiming to invent existing technology and what not, the UK is powerless to do anything as some are hosted in nations where UK cannot do anything.

Again simple common sense, no one get arrested for claiming they invented something. Problem arises when similar products are now made and market for commercial reasons. Emageali made verbal claims and hence why there wasnt much trouble.

Dude stop letting your emotions get the better of you. Your hero appeared to have mislead people with his claims and now records are being set straight. Please deal with it.

^
You are one hell of a funny guy indeed.

Don't waste my time on foolishness this morning, clowns like you gather round to pull your own fellows down, yet you don't even have the slightest idea of why you are baying for blood.

Its pack mentality, animal rules and jungle direction.

Leave Emeagwali alone or support him, cos brains don't come easy.

Please say something more meaningful.

Emagweali is intelligent.

His claims were misleading

Records are now being set straight.


Deal with it.

Ovularia:

ExxonMobil, others disown Emeagwali

By Musikilu Mojeed
December 5, 2010 02:44AM   


The bottom has fallen out of Phillip Emeagwali's basket of false claims. American oil giant, ExxonMobil, has told NEXT exclusively that it has never dealt with the American-based Nigerian scientist, contrary to Mr. Emeagwali's repeated claim that he wrote the equations that the company used to simulate the flow of oil, water, and gas inside its reservoirs.


Authorities at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, a United States Department of Energy laboratory, where Mr. Emeagwali claimed he sourced the Connection Machine for his award-winning experiment, also said they had never related with the Nigerian scientist.


Even the[b] Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, the world's largest organisation of computer experts, has reacted to the scandal surrounding Mr Emeagwali by removing the scientist's profile from its website. Mr. Emeagwali's bio on the site contained some contentious claims, including one that he has a doctorate.
[/b]

Read the complete story in this week's edition of NEXT on Sunday.


http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/National/5649726-146/exxonmobil_others_disown_emeagwali__.csp

This guy is a fraudster !

ElRazur:

Please say something more meaningful.

Emagweali is intelligent.

His claims were misleading

Records are now being set straight.


Deal with it.

. . .And simpletons are baying for blood.
Those who should be his family are the foremost traitors, jealous, because they don't have his gifts.

At the end of the day,his Gordon Bell prize might be withdrawn and his enemies will rejoice.From the bottom of my heart,I believe this man is great and some people are jealous.

ElRazur:

Please say something more meaningful.

Emagweali is intelligent.

His claims were misleading

Records are now being set straight.


Deal with it.

gbammmmmmmmm

beaf just shut it because u do not know what u are talking about

alj harem:

gbammmmmmmmm

beaf just shut it because u do not know what u are talking about

When people are talking, those that sniff gutter water think they can talk too? Wonders!
Did you get the rat brain I posted to help you?

Faeb:

When people are talking, those that sniff gutter water think they can talk too? Wonders!
Did you get the rat brain I posted to help you?

no when did u post it,,,,,, do u even know my address

and what i suppose to do with a rat brain

i beg no vex me ooo

alj harem:

no when did u post it,,,,,, do u even know my address

and what i suppose to do with a rat brain

i beg no vex me ooo

Yes, I know your address. Is it not that place that looks like okija forest?
As for the rat brain, I also included instructions of how to connect it to your head, cos the goat brain you're using now is not working well.

Faeb:

Yes, I know your address. Is it not that place that looks like okija forest?
As for the rat brain, I also included instructions of how to connect it to your head, cos the goat brain you're using now is not working well.

Yes. I thank you on his behalf. He does not need your attention.
Could you please, take that your rotten, Nigerian, ever-fading, carcinogenous, filthy, made-in-Aba gutter stamp too.
Shut the door behind your please.
Thanks.