The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has protested the list of qualified candidates for the award of a presidential scholarship for innovation and development, which was recently published by the National Universities Commission (NUC), saying the criteria used for the selection were designed to exclude the North. The forum in a statement in Kaduna Thursday said the list, which shows a total of 348 candidates from the southern states as against a total of 83 candidates from the northern states, was a negation of the principle of federal character and balance. The statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Anthony Sani, said the attention of the forum had been drawn to the “curious list of qualified candidates” as published in the newspapers this week by the NUC. According to the ACF, “if the NUC had permitted itself to be guided by the need for balanced development of Nigeria, it would not have nominated a preponderance of candidates for this vital programme from southern states to the near exclusion of the North. Oyo State, for example, has 52 candidates while, Sokoto, Yobe, Cross River and the FCT have no candidates each. “If it is a mistake, NUC should take immediate steps to correct it. As presently implemented, it is a disservice to the very objective for which the scheme was set up and to our aspirations as a people. The scheme is designed to train and develop young Nigerians to become entrepreneurs capable of creating jobs, wealth and progress. “However, although the list released by the NUC is on a state by state basis, it is not at all clear that the commission wanted candidates to come from all parts of the country. The criteria used to select the candidates appear designed to exclude those from the northern states. “It certainly enabled the NUC to ignore the national consensus on inclusiveness and balance of competing demands among groups and areas of the country.” Details of the list shows that Oyo has 52 candidates, Ogun 49, Osun 46, Ondo Anambra 45, Imo 14 and Abia 10, while states like Plateau, Taraba, Kebbi and Borno have one candidates each. Sokoto, Yobe, Cross River and the FCT have no candidates.

thisdaylive.com/articles/acf-protests-nuc-s-scholarship-list/122006/

Question: What criteria was used that "appeared to be designed to exclude those from the Northern states"?

Answer: It was made exclusively for Graduates with a First class, NYSC discharge cert and those that graduated within the last two academic sessions.

Conclusion: Some provision should've been made to accommodate some "dullards" from the North; 'Federal Character' is what its called and its the antithesis to being "merit based" except that in Nigeria, that's the 'legal' way of doing things hence mediocrity holds sway in every facet of our collective national life from football to the highest office in the land, that's until someone brave enough chooses to ignore the usual 'Nigerian way' and does what's right. "Fresh Air" is what that's called!

I can see our friends from the North are bent on continuing the culture that has left us stagnant for decades. Time for these people to start asking themselves real questions.

NUC! NUC!! NUC!!!
How many time i call you?
NUC, e be like say you dey craze oooo!

Out of the 348, you suppose share am 174 south and 174 north.

If north want, them fit do am, 50 for Arabic Language, 50 for Islamic Studies and 74 for Sharia law.

By the way, what is the criteria for the selection?

May be una say English na must? haba NUC? English na our mother tongue? Abi una say make the candidates fill form? Nonsense, na must to read and right?

This thing na "wan Najiriya~, the money na our money. if you give south, then give north also.

Else ......

Wait first, Boko! Bookooo! Boko Haram! Come here a beg, go bring bomb come. NUC go soon hear word!

I thought they said "Boko Harem"? What do they need the scholarship for?

Is there any school offering masters in bomb-making and suicide bombing?

noblezone: NUC! NUC!! NUC!!!
How many time i call you?
NUC, e be like say you dey craze oooo!

Out of the 348, you suppose share am 174 south and 174 north.

If north want, them fit do am, 50 for Arabic Language, 50 for Islamic Studies and 74 for Sharia law.

By the way, what is the criteria for the selection?

May be una say English na must? haba NUC? English na our mother tongue? Abi una say make the candidates fill form? Nonsense, na must to read and right?

This thing na "wan Najiriya~, the money na our money. if you give south, then give north also.

Else ......

Wait first, Boko! Bookooo! Boko Haram! Come here a beg, go bring bomb come. NUC go soon hear word!

ha ha ha

it seems they do not like merit or hardwork to get what they want.

asha 80: it seems they do not like merit or hardwork to get what they want.

I served in Kaduna and my friends who served in their schools told me of how the students would jump through the window once it is English or Maths.

They would just mutter "Dogo turenchi" and leave the class. But if it is Arabic, it is another story.

[b][/b]

wesley80: Question: What criteria was used that "appeared to be designed to exclude those from the Northern states"?

Answer: It was made exclusively for Graduates with a First class, NYSC discharge cert and those that graduated within the last two academic sessions.

Conclusion: Some provision should've been made to accommodate some "dullards" from the North; 'Federal Character' is what its called and its the antithesis to being "merit based" except that in Nigeria, that's the 'legal' way of doing things hence mediocrity holds sway in every facet of our collective national life from football to the highest office in the land, that's until someone brave enough chooses to ignore the usual 'Nigerian way' and does what's right. "Fresh Air" is what that's called!

What does this have to do with 'Fresh Air'? This is just the NUC following laid down process for awarding some post-graduate scholarship. Quota system still exists whole sale in University admissions and Federal Government colleges. It still exists 100% in federal appointments.

You do not have to politicize everything. Shower praise on the guys at the NUC if they stand their ground (you don't know if they will buckle under pressure at the end) if you must praise anyone.

I have not seen any american hailing Team America's Olympics Gold haul as a dividend of 'Change We Can Believe In' or any of Obama's other campaign slogans.

noblezone: NUC! NUC!! NUC!!!
How many time i call you?
NUC, e be like say you dey craze oooo!

Out of the 348, you suppose share am 174 south and 174 north.

If north want, them fit do am, 50 for Arabic Language, 50 for Islamic Studies and 74 for Sharia law.

By the way, what is the criteria for the selection?

May be una say English na must? haba NUC? English na our mother tongue? Abi una say make the candidates fill form? Nonsense, na must to read and right?

This thing na "wan Najiriya~, the money na our money. if you give south, then give north also.

Else ......

Wait first, Boko! Bookooo! Boko Haram! Come here a beg, go bring bomb come. NUC go soon hear word!

I love your sarcastic way It's refreshing to have something to make one laugh.

.

info: Same north opposing western education?

No, you m0r0n. That's Boko Haram.

It's pure imbecility to generalize so recklessly. North =/= Boko Haram. Please repeat this to yourself everyday until it sinks into your thick skull.

noblezone:

I served in Kaduna and my friends who served in their schools told me of how the students would jump through the window once it is English or Maths.

They would just mutter "Dogo turenchi" and leave the class. But if it is Arabic, it is another story.

and how many school were these?

I did some secondary school in the North, I dont remember anyone jumping outta the window not like you can anyway...

texazzpete:

What does this have to do with 'Fresh Air'? This is just the NUC following laid down process for awarding some post-graduate scholarship. Quota system still exists whole sale in University admissions and Federal Government colleges. It still exists 100% in federal appointments.

You do not have to politicize everything. Shower praise on the guys at the NUC if they stand their ground (you don't know if they will buckle under pressure at the end) if you must praise anyone.

I have not seen any american hailing Team America's Olympics Gold haul as a dividend of 'Change We Can Believe In' or any of Obama's other campaign slogans.

Who's idea was the scholarship program? or in Nigerian political parlance, who's pet project was it? How many people do you think qualified from Bayelsa state? If this were to be a Buhari regime do you honestly believe a program that appears as lopsided as this would see the light of day? You really think so? And no Sir, I'm not giving the credit to the NUC guys, I'd rather give it to the one with the ultimate power that chose to allow the NUC do what's right. With a simple directive, the slots would've been shared equally, the average Nigerian "clued" politician by default would consider "slots", "region", "zone", "tribe" and the rest divisive terms that remain the bane of our society as soon as any issue that has to do with national resources creeps up but not this supposedly "clueless" one.
Yes its at best a modest demonstration of a willingness to change the status quo but nonetheless, its worth noticing because it represents the inclination of the man in power. Finally I'll do you a favour this one time and not tell you what you sounded like when you compared Nigeria with the US.

Rhino.5dm:
I thought they said "Boko Harem"? What do they need the scholarship for?

Is there any school offering masters in bomb-making and suicide bombing?

JAMB question which the hausa/fulani mumus can never answer

texazzpete:

What does this have to do with 'Fresh Air'? This is just the NUC following laid down process for awarding some post-graduate scholarship. Quota system still exists whole sale in University admissions and Federal Government colleges. It still exists 100% in federal appointments.

You do not have to politicize everything. Shower praise on the guys at the NUC if they stand their ground (you don't know if they will buckle under pressure at the end) if you must praise anyone.

I have not seen any american hailing Team America's Olympics Gold haul as a dividend of 'Change We Can Believe In' or any of Obama's other campaign slogans.

Don't be silly. GEJ announced the programe earlier this year.
There is also another programe for scientific research and R & D. GEJ just does his things calmly and quietly.

Don't let failure and desperation make your eyes pop out, bruv. Don't let winsh behaviour wreck yor mind.

[size=14pt]Jonathan inaugurates committee on scholarship for best brains[/size]



President Goodluck Jonathan has inaugurated a committee to scout the nation’s tertiary institutions for the best 100 first-class students that will be given scholarships to further study abroad.

Inaugurating the Special Committee on Scholarship for Best Brains in Abuja, on Thursday, the president instructed the ten-man committee to completely eschew the quota system in the selection process and go for the best brains.

The committee is expected to select the best 100 first-class students in some specialized courses such as the sciences, engineering and economics from universities in the country and expose them to the best facilities in the world.

In a bid to encourage and enhance knowledge transfer, beneficiaries of the scholarship after their graduation, are expected to lecture for the first five years, in the nation’s institutions, after which they can go on to be on their own.

The President, who is a doctorate degree holder, condemned the dearth of academics in the nation’s tertiary institutions, where only 60 percent of lecturers are doctorate degree holders.

President Jonathan noted that such a situation must change if Nigeria is be transformed.

He charged the committee headed by the executive secretary of the Nigerian Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Julius Okojie, to shun quota system and work only on merit in the selection of the brains for the scholarship programme.

According to the President, for Nigeria to maintain its status as a leading African country, and for the transformation agenda of the government to succeed, the government must pay more attention to the development of human capacity.

To this end, he pledged a total commitment to changing the educational system, across all levels from primary to tertiary.

New Ambassadors

The President also on Thursday received the letters of credence of three new ambassadors to Nigeria.

The new envoys are Mr Tagelsir Mahgoub Ali of Sudan, Mr Paul William Lumbi of Zambia and Mr Antonio Da Graca Correia of Sao Tome and Principe.

President Jonathan welcomed the ambassadors to Nigeria and assured them that the government would work closely with them to improve and strengthen the already warm relations with their countries.

The new ambassadors expressed appreciation for the reception, and pledged to pursue mutually beneficial cooperation with Nigeria during their different tenures.

http://www.channelstv.com/home/2012/05/24/jonathan-inaugurates-committee-on-scholarship-for-best-brains/

To hell with that[b] useless Federal Character[/b] bullshit . . .

Beaf:

Don't be silly. GEJ announced the programe earlier this year.
There is also another programe for scientific research and R & D. GEJ just does his things calmly and quietly.

Don't let failure and desperation make your eyes pop out, bruv. Don't let winsh behaviour wreck yor mind.



http://www.channelstv.com/home/2012/05/24/jonathan-inaugurates-committee-on-scholarship-for-best-brains/

Lol. E be like say e dey pain you.

Seriously, it's not uhuru yet, but this is a pretty good scheme and i guess i'll have to give GEJ kudos for that. This is something i've long complained that the Government should be doing instead of wasting our money sending people on pilgrimage with taxpayers money.

Like seriously, what criteria did they use?
Just 4 SW states minus Lagos and Ekiti made up more than half, 192 students.

I do hope a JAMB like aptitude test was conducted, if not I'll laugh at the whole process. This is Nigeria, where girls(and I hears guys these days too ) graduate with 2:1 for sleeping with the right person. These Private Universities dash out grades like bitter leaf, I heard.

edoyad: I do hope a JAMB like aptitude test was conducted, if not I'll laugh at the whole process. This is Nigeria, where girls(and I hears guys these days too ) graduate with 2:1 for sleeping with the right person. These Private Universities dash out grades like bitter leaf, I heard.

For a 2.1 maybe, but to get a first class through "bottom power" you'd have to be better than Tera Patrick (Pls dont Google).

We discussed this in May. It's a good development. Kudos.
I sincerely hope "they" will not bastardize it with Federal Character in years to come.

https://www.nairaland.com/946422/gej-100-top-student-brains

The criteria is obtaining a first class honours degree in science,engineering and economics and i don't expect the north to present much candidates giving the backward nature of education there. The gombe state governor said sometime ago that only 16ppl in the whole state passed waec/neco, and common sense dictates that few if any of them will pass jamb/post ume exams. The truth is that the north is used to financial hand outs and not competing for anything. Their state governors have no interest in public education while most of the students are more interested in marriage. The former governor of the same gombe state is currently facing trial with the state universat basic education head for embezzling 7.5 billion naira given to them by the federal government. The current governor is insisting that gombe university should be included among the recipients of the basic education intervention fund. All this cycle shows their sense of expecting hand outs and non competition. The most annoying thing is that despite all this hand outs, the money is simplely embezzled and their situation continues to deteriorate. As a youth copper in the north, i noticed that 99% of all the teachers in the north were youth coppers often teaching what is totally unrelated to their area of study. Many if not most of the teachers can't even speak english. The question begging to be answered is why can't the state governments employ qualified teachers from the south? Or any where. That alone will change the nature of education in the north. The only solution to the north educational backwardness is to eliminate the youth service scheme. On the other hand, i think many or most of this recipients are products of private universities which to me is a bad idea. The way private universities are dishing out first class and 2.1 in sciences, engineering and economics is suspect giving that this schools is clearly suffering from lack of lecturers,equipments and are still struggling to establish themselves. I was complaining about my alma mater when a youth copper from one of this unknown private universities told me her own story, i just kept quiet. I don't want any of this recipients to disgrace 9ja abroad. They should have looked for a system for removing the chaff from the wheat.

Dis Guy:

and how many school were these?

I did some secondary school in the North, I dont remember anyone jumping outta the window not like you can anyway...

I served in Zaria, Zaria have two communities but I have forgotten what they are called. One community hosts ABU and it is the other community that I am talking about.