The problem is our society places too much premium and emphasis on credentials so people will stop at nothing to acquire the degree that will give them the qualification to land their dream jobs. The truth is, not all of us are well endowed and equipped with the mental capacity for white collar jobs but because of societal norms, most will not even consider pursuing careers in blue collar jobs even though that is where their potential for greatness lie.

The World Bank was part of the Marshall Plan created by the US to help reconstruct Europe in the aftermath of the World War II. It is the brain child of the US and other countries were only invited as stakeholders. I think it is more like biting the fingers that feeds one by the audacity of Nigeria to challenging and questioning the authority of the US or its right to nominate the president of the Bank. If Nigeria for that matter feel strongly about showcasing the talent of Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, I think it already had the opportunity to do so with the ministerial portfolio given to her which has not really proven her prowess in helping the poor and those at the lowest rung of the economic ladder but has failed woefully. Also, it will be wise to start their own program at home to help the multitude of the poverty-stricken masses who can barely rake in $3 a day for food.
Charity they say begins at home. Jonathan and his candidate have not convinced me they deserve the attention and accolade they are seeking at the highest level of the World Bank.

Invented? No. Pioneered in Enugu. Yes. How could he be deemed an inventor when the wind turbine is already making waves and is considered part of the "all of the above" solutions to energy security in the US? Well if you don't blow your trumpet, nobody will blow it for you.

I found this assessment of Mr. Jonathan on vanguard online and I thought I should share it with folks here. Here you go:

THE SLUGGISH PRESIDENT LOOKS EVEN MORE PITIFUL by Darlington Ehondor

In President Goodluck Jonathan’s DNA, incompetence finds its definition. In his presidential work, it exhibits its definitive expression. Managerial impotence is codified into his general physiological and psychological composition. Indolence stalks him like a stealth predator. It is the only perceptible reason why he is such a drag, such a patently indecisive, intellectually inadequate president. Essentially, his managerial DNA is fatally flawed, substantially defective. He has consistently provided numerous vindications for his most acerbic critics, who zero him down to a negative T: they think he is a president who merely wields a huge doctoral certificate but is stymied by his own basement-level intelligence. Does he not look pitiful?

Given his feeble attempt to explain away – that is, rationalize – his deficiency, he does. He cuts the picture of a sexual predator caught in the act. When you import into the pathetic equation his essential capitulation to the marauding, rampaging Boko Haram terrorist cell, against which he is now groveling to find his bearing, Jonathan appears even more pitiful. But it is his defense of his indefensible slothfulness that elicits the greatest pity: “When I’m challenged I think more, I don’t rush to take decisions, I listen more to people. That is why at times it looks as if I’m slow.”

Hold it right there, Mr. President! You do not look slow – actually, you are slow. There is constantly multiplying evidence that you do not think at all. You lack the split-second ability that a president needs to think on his feet. The mind of a president works like clockwork, constantly prepared for action in unpredictable situations. Evidently, Jonathan's mind is stunted, devoid of sharpness and confidence. The most successful presidents in history achieved success because they were both prescient and anticipatory. They could anticipate events that had the potential to affect society negatively, or even positively, and, consequently, they could take precipitate, pre-emptive, action. Jonathan’s approach to his presidency is drained of any such quality thinking. Imagine the quadruple horror Americans might have been forced to endure today, had George W. Bush not thought on his feet after the al Qaeda terrorist outrage of September 11, 2001.

Or contemplate the apocalyptic consequences, had John F. Kennedy not taken a decisive stance against the Soviets during the Cuban missile crisis in 1962. The macabre outcome of a nuclear exchange would have been to grotesque to even contemplate. Or, can anyone comprehend the repercussions of the Allied Powers allowing Hitler to perpetrate his hideous, hegemonic ideology. All of these situations were managed by a combination of effective anticipatory and corrective thinking. Yet, although Jonathan claims that his sluggishness is inspired by a need to avoid making “a lot of mistakes,” none of his allegedly thought-out decisions have the capacity to inspire the kind of “success” and ecstatic celebrations he says are his motivations. For one, Boko Haram has made mincemeat of his messianic pretensions. He is not the “decidedly transformative” president he claims to be.

So, anyone who deludes himself into the fantastic idea that Jonathan is adequately equipped – mentally and behaviorally – to meet the “challenges” of his parlous presidency should think again. Worse, the suggestion that the current president possesses messianic qualities is refuted by the many failures his presidency has acquired in such a short stretch of time – and by his own admission of sluggishness. The self-indictment is a confession of indolence

Beaf:

@jmaine
No mind am jare!
Recorded history cannot be changed.

If your concerns above are honest, then join us in condemning dishonest hypocrites like El Rufai, instead of attempting to derail the thread.
El Rufai is a shameless liar.

Why single out only El-Rufai? I think Jonathan is as culpable as the man you love to hate and hate to love, even worst.

@Beaf and Jmaine
Some guys are worse off than the politicians for whom integrity and honesty are in short supply. We know them for who they are - always drifting from one point of view to another depending on the circumstance and the prevailing situation much like the proverbial fair-weather friends. They will desert you when the goings get tough and rubbish your reputation to curry the favor of another.
My concern is the rest of us, the non-politicians. We should always put on our thinking cap and not allow politicians to hoodwink us with their smooth talk and oration to distract us from thinking right and seeing through their action - which is essentially to deceive whether they are the El-Rufais or Jonathans of this world. It does not matter. They are two sides of the same coin.

Beaf:

So he changed camp and changed his words too? Lol!
My guy, that is the very definition of the words, HYPOCRITE and DISHONEST.

No doubt. But I want to think that you are uncharitable for circulating stale news and passing it on as current, thereby purposely electing to misinform the forum. You're as duplicitous as the person you are condemning and you should learn to remove the speck in your eyes first before removing it from others.

I have heard these complaints from folks before, trust me. The first time was in 2003. After surviving the impeachment ordeal at the hands of the vibrant legislators and narrowly edging out Atiku in the PDP primaries, a defanged and humiliated OBJ went back to the drawing board to master the politics of do or die and the antics of stealing and rigging elections. Despite almost emptying the treasury to bribe the Senators and the Federal Representatives on his failed third term bid to perpetuate himself in power, Nigerians still voted his party and watched helplessly as he bequeathed political nincompoops on the rest of us as leaders.
The second time was in 2007. Many people on this forum including yours truly voiced against the candidature of Yaradua apparently on account of his sickness and his antecedents in Katsina government house. The vociferous PDP supporters argued that as a graduate, he should be given a chance although there is nothing in his resume that suggested he had the capability and intelligence to handle the politics and manage the affairs of a much bigger federal government of Nigeria. It was no secret that the election was rigged. The president openly confirmed it and promised changes. The changes he promised is what brought the man without shoes to power today.
Also fast forward to April 2011 elections. The buyers' remorse that most people are feeling now would have been avoided if the fisherman had been rejected at the polls and sent back to the creek where he belongs. He has been in government for almost 12 years with nothing to show for his exploits in office, yet in spite of his failings, he was voted or rigged into office. I never see anything promising in his candidature and never supported him.
I wanted to believe that the feeling of buyers' remorse exhibited by majority of Nigerians this time is genuine. Come 2015 even if the wounds inflicted on the people by the callous and senseless removal of oil subsidy by Jonathan and his PDP stalwarts has healed, the scar will remain indelible for people to seriously think with their heads and put politics above religion in selecting a better candidate to run the affairs of the country. PDP, Never Again - should be our tag line come 2015. Oh! Less I forget the one without shoes is laying ambush for the nation; he is seeking to amend the constitution to extend the presidential election term from 4 to 7 years.

Character assassination! That is what half baked journalists - men for whom honor and integrity are in short supply - who parades themselves as media consultants and policy analysts - are noted for. They are government propagandists paid to do a hatchet job to assassinate and impugn the character of otherwise honest and reliable people. They are ethically challenged people and would mortgage their conscience for monetary gains. It is all about money and selfish gains.
The exploits of the like of Tony Egbulefu reminded me of one Akanni Aluko and his propaganda tabloid, the "Third Eye" devoted to attacking critics of IBB regime in the mid to late 80's. He was so potent and powerful that IBB usually implements his recommendations most of which are anti people. But today Akanni Aluko has gone into obscurity. Tony Egbulefu will follow suit in due course.

The article was old and was dated October 05, 2010, when El-Rufai belongs to the opposing camp. That was the hypocrisy that I was alluding to on the part of the poster. In politics there are no permanent enemies but permanent interests.

I think someone is playing the dirty hypocrisy game here. The interviewhttp://sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2012/jan/08/national-08-01-2012-005.html from Sun Newspapers by El-Rufai extols the virtues of Gen Buhari. @ Topic and this interview are divergent from each other!

There is a man in Republican politics in the US currently vying for nomination of his party as president in this year's presidential election in the US in fall. His name is Ron Paul and his age is 77, as in three scores, one decade and additional seven years to boot. His supporters are vibrant youths and college students who admired him for his down to heart honestly and integrity.
For El-Rufai to say Buhari is unelectable because of his age is narcissist psycho-talk. He speaks for himself and not the multitude who are interested in  wrestling power from the sadist regime currently occupying Aso Rock.

The speech summarizes what is wrong with Nigeria as a country. Way to go Fela!

Although I agreed, that Mavel Akpoyibo would have made an excellent IG, I have a reservation about his leadership qualification. His open preference for taunting his Christian identity without making any pretence about it means he will compromise and exhibit bias and prejudice against other religious adherents.

This is mere wishful thinking. If wishes were horses, then beggars would ride. GEJ is on his victory lap, having just secured a carte blanche or a blank check from the judiciary to rule as he desires. The unfortunate thing is that the country cannot get rid of him and we are stuck with him for another 3 more years.
There is no stopping him now. It is no use crying over spilled milk, the damage has been done. Like the proverbial sower of wind, we have sowed the wind and we are reaping the whirlwind. We had the opportunity to banish him away from Aso Rock in April, but majority of voters put religion and other prejudices above higher national interest and voted for a mediocre candidate despite the warnings from the minority, who from his antecedents in office, knew he has nothing to offer the country.
We should be careful of what we wish for ourselves, for good luck has its limit. Mr. Goodluck has pushed his luck too far and the vast majority of our people are running out of patience to deal with his incompetence as president.

The citizens in a representative democracy have three duties and responsibilities. The first is to register to vote. The second is to participate in the voting exercise during the elections. And the third is to make sure that they cast their votes for the most capable candidate that will deliver good leadership and make live pleasant and enjoyable for the people.
All the three duties are sacrosanct. If you don’t register, you can’t vote. If you register and you don’t vote, you have perished your vote and lost the opportunity to elect the best candidate. I will also add that such a person has violated the trust reposed in him/her by the system. Finally while it is incumbent on the citizen to vote, the voting should not be based on sentiment, subjectivity, prejudice, bias, stereotype or hate, or if you like groupthink. Not voting is not an option.
In Nigeria, most of those people who voted based on hate, prejudice, bias, stereotype, or other sentiments are regretting their actions now. They are experiencing what psychologists termed “buyers’ remorse”. The problem with these people is that they are causing the rest of the population untold hardships by voting for a candidate who is least capable and least deserving of the opportunity to lead. They perished their franchise and sank other’s people’s power of vote as well by voting to power an incompetent candidate.
Will Nigerian learn from this grave error? I don’t think so. The country is vastly divided along religious and ethnic lines and religion plays a prominent role in our campaigns for elective office especially at the presidential level. Some opinion leaders who should know better are aggravating the problems. One columnist has descended so low as to recommend that people should put on their religious sleeves in a future campaign for governorship election in a state where religion is not considered a factor in choosing the representative of the people. That should not be one of the worries of the electorates. Rather attempt should be made to educate the citizens on how to better participate in the election process.
What say you?

kingoflag:

Does this post change the fact that GEJ's dullness, thievery and claims of a Phd still make him a laughing stock among the world's committee of leaders?!

Not at all. The loss of lives and properties due to GEJ's foot dragging, slow approach to decision making and indifference to a serious national emergency  situation is unacceptable. He is responsible as the commander in chief of the armed forces and he is to blame. My posting is meant to expose the folly of the originator of the thread for trying to injure the integrity and reputation of another person who has no connection with Boko Haram whatsoever.

You should at least attempt to answer or find answers to your question "

Beaf:
Why have the virulent methods and theology of Maitatsine survived through boko haram and its twin, kala kato?

instead of injuring the reputation of someone totally unconnected with the evil group. I can help you with scholarly research published by N. D. DANJIBO of Peace and Conflict Studies Programme, Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan. Here we go:

Mission
“The mission of the sect was to establish an Islamic state where ‘orthodox Islam’ is practised. Orthodox Islam according to him (Mohammed Yusuf, leader of the sect) frowns at Western education and working in the civil service because it is sinful. Hence, for their aim to be achieved, all institutions represented by government including security agencies like police, military and other uniformed personnel should be crushed”
(Tell, August 10, 2009, p. 34).

Membership
Newswatch magazine learnt that as far back as 2004, parents and security agencies became worried about the activities of the sect and the involvement of youths. “This is because students especially in tertiary institutions in Borno and Yobe states like the University of Maiduguri, Ramat Polytechnic Maiduguri, Federal Polytecnic Damaturu and others who constitute their members withdrew from school, tore their certificates and joined the group for Qur’anic lessons and preaching” (Tell, August 10, 2009, p. 34). However, despite several complaints by parents and security agencies, government did not deem it necessary to take steps to curtail the activities of the sect. In fact, Governor Ali Modu Sherrif of Borno State, where the Boko Haram crisis wrecked a lot of havoc on people and government institutions, acknowledged that he was approached by a former Commissioner in his cabinet, who had resigned to join the sect, to also resign as governor and join the sect. According to him, it would be the only way he could merit heaven, politics being corrupted.

DISDAIN FOR WESTERN EDUCATION
In Northern Nigeria there is often a distinction between “makarantan boko” (schools providing “Western” education) and “makarantan addini” (school for religious instruction) or “makarantan allo” (school of the slate understood to be Koranic schools). There is no gainsaying that even among Muslim elite in Northern Nigeria, preference is usually given to the Islamic slate than to Western education. This accounts for the “almajeri2 syndrome” (pupils and students learning the Koran) to the extent that pupils who attended schools for Western education were treated
with contempt and derision.

Begging as a way of life and the corrupting influence of the British colonial masters
It is worth noting that a good number of almajirai (Hausa plural of almajeri) come from very wealthy homes but are subjected to the mendicant way of life, ie. surviving by begging. Parents, the society and the government do not find it disturbing that the almajirai roam in the streets. It often makes them vulnerable to social vices including being a ready-made army that can be recruited to perpetrate violence. In 1964, the late Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto and the Premier of Northern Nigeria, boasted of establishing over 2 million Koranic schools scattered in all parts of Northern Nigeria (see, Paden, 1986). This notwithstanding, colonial authorities also conspired with the Northern elite at the inception of colonial administration through the indirect rule. They shielded the Muslim north from being exposed to Western education and culture (Coleman, 1986; Dudley, 1968; Ohadike, 1992). As succinctly put by Sanusi (2007: 181):
“One consequence of the alliance between the British and the emirates was that the integrity of the political and social structures in the north could only be achieved by sealing the region off from Western influences, including from southern Nigeria. In this attempt to insulate the north from modernity, Western education was severely curtailed in order to prevent in the north what Lord Lugard termed the “utter disrespect” for
British and natives ideals alike that was beginning to emerge in the south”. For this reason, only few Western schools were built by British colonial
administration in Northern Nigeria, and the consequential impact became one of the major reason for which Nigeria could not gain independence in 1957. In fact, the north lacked the human capacity to run its administration.

Modern External Influence
Furthermore, there is also growing concerns of external influences that are
impinging and shaping religions and religious organisations in sub-Saharan Africans especially in Nigeria. Nigerian Muslim organisations and their Christian counterparts have links to the Middle East and the West. While the Christians are seen to tilt towards the Euro-American pole, the Muslims look up to the Arab world for religious alliance. The Iranian revolution of 1989, anti-Western imperialism, has gained acceptance amongst the Muslim community in Nigeria. In Northern Nigeria today, Christian evangelism and even academic research sponsored by the international community other than from Islamic countries are perceived to be a part of the agenda of Western imperialism (Umar, 2001; Ohadike, 1992).
To be continued

You bet. Sometimes, the past is the best predictor of future events. And Buhari certainly has the record that speaks eloquently for him on this matter.

Abati and his Oga are no doubt divorced from reality. The one who "had no shoes" now has plenty of them and the media guy previously on the other side of the power equation has flipped his position; now that fortune has smiled on him he can no longer see things like he used to and siding with the poor masses is an abomination for him.
Or else how could he explain away the insecurity of lives with Boko Haram, kidnappers and armed robbers becoming more daring each passing day and no concrete action is being taken by the government to protect the lives of the people. It is part of the improvement that Abati is touting as accomplishments by Mr. Jonathan, right?
What explanation does he have for the pervasive corruption in the land among the thieving politicians and public servants? How about the government’s resolve to remove the fuel subsidy despite the growing opposition to its removal? It is a good thing to inflict more suffering on the people, isn't it? By the way where is the promised relief for the people from the previous removal by the predecessor government of OBJ?
Nigeria and Nigerians deserves the best from its rulers. The improvement in one area out of the many that is crying for reforms is not satisfactory and at best, is a failing performance by all standards. Professor Achebe is a principled man who wants the best for the country and he is not going to settle for anything less from Mr. Jonathan. Not even the bribe of a national honor will change him.

There is an arm chair journalist in Vanguard Newspapers who berated and criticized Aliko in his bi-weekly column for failing in his CSR. Read it here: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/11/questions-on-dangote%e2%80%99s-gcon/ I hope he read this and purges himself of the hatred for the billionaire businessman.

How? You need to explain.

The pastor of a wacko Church in America has defrauded millions of gullible followers and so-called believers alike of millions of dollars on account of their false doomsday prophesy which the founder pronounced would be today. Unfortunately this was not the first time the fake pastor would be predicting falsehood. See this link:

http://money.cnn.com/2011/05/19/news/economy/may-21-end-of-the-world-finances-harold-camping/index.htm?hpt=C2


Why is it that Churches usually find it convenient to lie and defraud their congregation by making false prophesies like this. See the chronology of the false predictions in one of these following links:
1. http://judgementday2011.com/page/2/
2. http://www.religioustolerance.org/end_wrl2.htm
3. http://www.religioustolerance.org/end_wrld.htm

Can someone provide an explanation why Christians and Churches takes delight in prophesizing falsehood?

Click on this link for a clue
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-69172.0.html

vicogon40:

you must understand that these people always think of themselves and their religion alone,
they are always self centered. if Christians that lost valuables life's and properties, and also have their places of worship burn't to the ground (churches) in the northern parts of the country did not protest, but rather pray for the forgiveness of the culprits.

i wonder why the muslims can't behave them selves properly like civilized people's

www.thenextsweb.com
www.bukiza.com

Interesting! In some people's jaundiced view, there is virtually no difference between a mob action and the action taken by a constituted authority. If a mob can kill people and destroy properties, then a constituted authority is equally free to commit the same aggression and the aggrieved must remain silent because the folks who were on the receiving end of the mob action never protested. What a lopsided reasoning.
So it is now an offense to stage peaceful protest (nobody has said the protest was riotous) to demonstrate against the authorities for a wrongful action? Isn't it a mark of civil behavior to go on peaceful protest for the injustice (as opposed to rioting) that has been done to the protesting party? And if the Christians refused to protest for reasons best known to them must the Muslims follow suit and just fold their arms and watch their rights being trampled upon? These are just food for thought for you.

Fhemmmy:


Social Security Number will and can work great in Nigeria with ease . . . . . .
The young man's idea is not to eradicate rigging cos no one can eliminate rigging . . . . . Even the most developed nation is still experiencing rigging . . . .but it will be reduced.

People almost make up stuff that is not true. What nation do you have in mind when you say "even the most developed nation is still experiencing rigging"? Do you mean the US? If you mean the US, rigging as you know it the croocked and flagrant, in your way Nigeria style is not the norm. What they do is the systematic voters intimidation and tact but they don't carry out barefaced rigging as the do-or-die politicians do in Nigeria. There is no rigging as in falsification and manipulation of results at the collation centers.
The form of intimidation they use is by asking people to bring identification cards, such as drivers license, passport or birth certificate (believe me that is information I got from Rachel Maddow, a highly respected network news anchor woman on the MNSBC stable). In the US many students and blacks don't vote at mid-term elections so the Republican usually make in-roads to electoral victory by cutting from the votes of the Democracts whose main supporters are the first-time voters (those who have just turned 18 and are mainly students). These first time voters from experience usually participate in Presidential elections which occurs every 4 years. On the other hand Congressional elections take place every 2 years and it doesn't generate much interest among the young folks. As they say, there is voters apathy in Congressional elections among the young folks and the blacks and as a result, the Republicans usually win in these elections.
So you see when they ask for all these form of identifications, they know the young voters are more likely to stay away from voting. That is what they term intimidation of voters. People in the US hardly obtain passports so if they ask people to bring passports for identification, and most people don't have one and they surely have no need for obtaining one, then they will refrain from going to vote on election day.  This is going on right now accross most of the State Legislative houses in the US which switched Republican in the last Congressional election in the US.

GENELAND:

My dear Thank you very much but stop worrying your head. INEC knows all these and a lot more on how to conduct a rig and hassle-free election.They just dont want to do it yet becos whatever they want to gain. For example. what is the correlation between the finger print registration and the actual paper voting. Answer- none. The finger print registration is a bio-metric authentication system to ensure unique identification of each individual.For the actual voting to correlate with the registration authentication system,there has to also be real-time finger printing during voting. What we had was paper finger printing which obviously was not transfered into a computer systems to be cross-checked or authenticated with the ones already in the database(collected during registration.)Summary is election in nigeria is still a child's play. We are just being boobooed by INEC. When INEC is ready, few of our IT professional can build a 99%full-proof voting system at about 1% cost of what they claim to have spent on these booboo systems of theirs.

Absolutely true. Jega and his employer, JEG knew how to tame the monster known as rigging through the use of the bio-metric recognition system but they chickened out at the last minute because the system will be highly unfavorable to JEG.  The bio-metric recognition system is the only solution to our election problems because it would prevent rigging through multiple voting- you can't vote multiple times and you can't  impersonate another person through the use of another person's voter card because the finger print stored in the computer is unique to one person only - the owner. Once that person has voted, the system will block out any attempt by him'her to vote again.

It is a free world. Any Nigerian have the liberty to trade his/her God given intelligence for gullibility and the rest of us would care less. South Africans have had enough of the stage-managed miracle hour as that fraudulent Church called it in South Africa and consequently had to ban it. http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Home/5673158-146/story.csp

macjive01:

2. Generate, transmit and distribute from current 5,000 – 6,000 MW to at least 15,000 MW of electricity by 2015 and increasing to 50,000
MW by 2019 with a view to achieving 24/7 uninterrupted power supply by 2019 whilst simultaneously ensuring development of
sustainable/renewable energy.

HOW ? NO SUSTANCES! anybody can say these as well ( FAILED- THAT IS NOT A POLICY)



3. Embark on a National Infrastructural Development Programme as a Public Private Partnership that will ensure the (a) construction of
3,000km of Superhighway including service trunks and (b) building of up to 4,800km of modern railway lines – one third to be
completed by 2015;


HOW ? NO SUSTANCES! anybody can say these as well ( FAILED- THAT IS NOT A POLICY)

6. Boost the local manufacture of pharmaceuticals and make non adulterated drugs readily available.

HOW ? NO SUSTANCES! anybody can say these as well ( FAILED- THAT IS NOT A POLICY)

When you criticize, criticize well; let people understand the "SUBSTANCE" of the point you are making. Remember when you point one finger at a person, your remaining four fingers are pointed back at YOU.

Mr. Jega-Jega is so audacious he didn't consider the implication because he knows full well that Nigerians will only complain and whine; and nothing will ever comes out of it. It is pathetic that this is how $78 billion naira will be washed down the toilet.

He can only be taken seriously if he sends a bill to NASS to criminalize rigging and make it punishable by death or life imprisonment. Then we'll know he meant what he is saying. Until that is done, I say, Talk is cheap!