₦airaland Forum

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look well pls..check the records

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hum

NATIONAL OPEN UNIVERSITY: OPEN TO DEMOCRATIC EDUCATION-A REJOINDER By Abdul-Rahoof A. Bello

This is a rejoinder to an article captioned ‘HOW OPEN IS THE NATIONAL OPEN UNIVERSITY’, which was written by a Lagos-based legal practitioner by the name Tola Emmanuel and published by Saharareporters.com on September 25, and also appeared in the Nation newspaper edition of Friday, September 27, 2013. The article made interesting reading because the writer demonstrated a sense of appreciation not only to the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for establishing the National Open University but also to the management and staff of the University for keeping the Africa’s largest Open and Distance Learning institution sailing despite the environmental and digital challenges in the polity.

Further, the author also impressed this writer and the reading public for his sense of awareness of the existence of the Open University, which gave his elucidation on the mandate and operations of the institution an aura of credibility, unlike many other ‘informed’ Nigerians who are still looking for a compass to sight the location of the University. This category of Nigerians is still skeptical about the relevance and imperativeness of e-learning in Nigeria even in the face of excruciating experience our children go through seeking admission for tertiary education. Once again, Barrister Emmanuel deserves an accolade for his informed opinion.

However, an African proverb says ‘no one is older than what s/he does not know’, which explains why the author of the originating article should be excused for his ignorance on the achievements of the University since its inception in 2002 that informed his sarcastic remarks in that regard. Therefore, the core objective of this rejoinder is to feed him and the reading public with more information on the modest achievement of the National Open University of Nigeria within the confine of its mandate in juxtaposition with its modus operandi: flexibility; accessibility and democratization as parameter.

Without prejudice, one of the greatest democratic dividends ever enjoyed by Nigerians under the current democratic dispensation is the democratisation and liberalisation of the education sector. The administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo’s new policy focus on education encourage greater public-private participation and foreign direct investment (FDI) in the sector particularly at the tertiary level, in order to widen the absorbent capabilities of the Nigerian University system to cope with the ever-increasing demand. Further, to make the emporia of education in Nigeria to be more competitive and affordable, the idea of a University without a classroom but with almost infinite admission elasticity was resuscitated by enactment of the National Open University of Nigeria in 2002.

How Open is the Open University?

The Barrister posed the above question and he also raised a query on, “how far and well has NOUN gone in fulfilling the mandate of making higher education more accessible, flexible, and qualitative to the growing Nigerian populace.” These would be addressed in conjunction with the issue of openness of the University that has produced many graduates at Certificates, Diploma, Degrees and Post-graduate Diploma levels. At the second convocation, which the University held between 18th and 19th January this year, about 7,220 students graduated. The breakdown of the number of graduating students from the various Schools/Faculties at the ceremony was as follow:

School of Postgraduate Studies 3,601
School of Science and Technology 2,033
School of Arts and Social Sciences 969;
School of Management Sciences 409;
School of Education 124 students;
Centre for Lifelong 84;
The University is preparing for its 3rd convocation coming up in January 2014, where close to 10,000 set of graduates would receive certificates. With 53 study centres all over the Federation with a population of 204,464 students enrolled, the University could be considered a success story in the Nigerian educational system. Also worth mentioning is the studentship of former President Olusegun Obasanjo who registered for a Postgraduate Diploma in Christian Theology and was among the first set of 101 graduates produced by the University in 2009.

The institution offered about 102 programmes by 2010 but pursuant to its mandate, the available programmes have increased to 134 with 997,770 course materials fully developed and uploaded on the University’s website for students’ use. Some of the programmes that run by NOUN are not available in many conventional Universities in Nigeria. For example B.Sc. M.Sc., Peace Studies & Conflict Resolution; B.Sc., Criminology and Security Studies; B.Sc., Cooperative Studies; Medical Office Management; Hospital Management; Hotel Reception and Supervision; e-Banking, and Post-Graduate Diploma in Distance Education, to mention just a few.

Cost-Effectiveness and Accessibility

The prohibitive tuition fees charged by the universities in the country made it imperative for the Federal Government to further strengthen the frontiers of Open and Distance Learning to encourage Nigerians to tap into the opportunities of the system to meet the target of education for all by the year 2020. For instance, a coalition of students of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) and Osun State University (UNIOSUN) issued a warning that there would be violence unless the hiked school fees in both varsities were reviewed (The Nation, Thursday, January 10, 2008).

The coalition leader, Mr. Adogun Jelili stated that the minimum school fees charged by LAUTECH was N155,000 while that of the UNIOSUN was N180,000. In the late 2008, the students of Ahmadu Bello University, (ABU) Zaria took to the streets, in violent demonstration against hike in school fees leading to the closure of the School. The students bemoaned the plight of their poor parents most of whom have more than one child in higher institution and other responsibilities to shoulder. They submit that:

… the growing commercialized and privatized educational system forces students to spend, in most cases, an average of N400,000 yearly. Majority of youths who cannot afford it are left out of tertiary education… (The Nation, 2008:25)

Nevertheless, the National Open University of Nigeria charges no tuition fees because the Federal government heavily subsidises the operational costs of the University. The highest any student of NOUN pays is between N45,000 and N50,000, out of which all his/her instructional materials are to be supplied. Invariably, what NOUN students pay for are: Course Materials; ID Card; Caution and Examination fees.

Flexibility and Openness

Unlike the conventional system, the academic staff of NOUN works 24/7 because admission is so flexible that it never closes to applicant with the minimum requirement of at least, six credit passes including English Language and Mathematics in WASC/NECO/GCE or its equivalents. For programmes like Law; Mass Communication and English, applicant is expected to have a credit pass in Literature in English. The admission is automatic, so applicants do not need to write either UTME or post-UTME or grease anybody’s palm to gain admission into any programe. The system discriminates against nobody based on admission regulatory parameters such as, educationally (dis)advantage; catchment area; staff quota, etc. The admissions in NOUN are purely on merit.

Democratic Education

Apart from the admission policy, the operations and instructional delivery at NOUN conforms to democratic norms with the following characteristics:

Non-compulsory academics (students are free to defer admission or examinations)
Self-regulation (students are free to pursue their academic programme at their own pace)
Non-compulsory attendance of tutorial facilitation
Non-hierarchy of activities
The system is Andragogic i.e. academic curricula are student-centred, not lecturer-centred
The advantages of and opportunities associated with this policy include:

The home-based nature of study, together with the expectation that the part-time mode will be available, allows for much wider access.
The opportunity to enroll and start at any time, without a waiting period also increases access.
The possibility of learners combining work with learning without the usual hysteria or emotional instability arising from geographical movement capable of disrupting the academic programme as is the case in the conventional system. This suggests a freedom of choice obtainable in a multiparty and pluralistic democracy.
The availability of ICT facilities for students to interact with their educators/facilitators at any time of the day, give students a sense of value and importance.
The above characteristics potentially allow many more Nigerians to gain access to education on a greater scale than ever before, with fewer of the barriers such as geographical location, class, age or gender constituting hindrance. In other words, this makes the educational opportunity to be more democratic through distance learning than conventional methods.

NOUN in the Nigerian Prisons

The United Nation’s Human Rights Council resolution 8/4, adopted at its 11th session of April 2, 2009, underscores the imperative of the right to education of persons in detentions or prisons if such persons are to be deterred from relapsing into crime and get fully integrated into the society after serving their jail terms. Therefore, in line with this resolution, NOUN established a special Study Centre at the Kirikiri Maximum Prison on December 4, 2009. This afforded about 13 inmates the opportunity to register for various undergraduate degree programmes (See NOUN News Bulletin, 2009:5-6). Earlier in the year, about eight ( inmates had registered having gained admission into the University (See The Punch, Saturday, February 21, 2009:35). For the 2011/2012 session, 20 inmates from Kirikiri Maximum Prisons matriculated (See The Guardian, Tuesday, February 28, 2012:22). At Port-Harcourt Prison, 44 inmates gained admission into various degree programmes (See River State News, 2011). On Saturday, February 25, 2012, another 20 inmates from Port-Harcourt prison joined other students in the matriculation ceremony for 2011/2012 session.

At the NOUN Enugu Study Centre, out of 23 students who matriculated for 2011/12 session, 13 of them are inmates from the Enugu Prison (http://www.prisons.gov.ng/news: visited, September 28, 2013). At the 2010/2011 academic session, 13 prison inmates were admitted to pursue various undergraduate degrees. A non-governmental organisation (NGO), Isaac Blessing Foundation (IBF) is sponsoring the inmates’ education (See The Nation, July 8, 2011). Before the advent of NOUN, the Nigeria Prisons Service (NPS) had to plead for amnesty for its inmates that were admitted into Nigerian Universities through the UTME. Hence, only the inmates who had one or two years to end their prison terms were allowed to write the matriculation examination. However, the Prison authorities are poised to continue to collaborate with NOUN to help willing and qualified inmates to pursue programmes of the interest at the University since they could not study outside the prison.

Finally, it would interest Barrister Emmanuel to hear that NOUN was the first tertiary institution to demonstrate that e-examination is possible in Nigeria and now, the system is fast gaining popularity that many public examinations bodies are now changing to the platform. The e-exam minimizes (if not totally eliminates) examination malpractices to the barest minimum and it gives students result immediately. This credit should go to the management of the National Open University and the institution’s visitor. This rejoinder is not, by any stretch of imagination, suggesting that the University do not have its shortcomings, some of which were highlighted and that can be improved upon but the good sides should also be mention venerated for the sake of posterity.
… …………………….

Abdul-Rahoof A. Bello, a Lecturer in Political Science, National Open University of Nigeria. E-mail: abdulraboofbello@yahoo.com


you can join the Congress of Noun Students (CONS)
https://www./346177985458918/

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT OPEN UNIVERSITY

If my answers to the above questions are in the affirmative, they will ask further questions. Mention any organisation that has employed any NOUN graduate anywhere in the country. Tell us the matriculation number of any NOUN graduate on NYSC and where (s)he is serving. In other word, they want evidence!

Please kindly permit me to start with the first question.

NOUN is a novel university and the Nigerian public is always skeptical of anything new. I have had cause to state on this forum that University of Ibadan used to be a College of University of London from 1948-1962. All its programmes, as expected, were British oriented. When University of Nigeria, Nssuka came on board in 1962 without being affiliated to any foreign university for tutelage (a novel idea), many felt that it was an experiment in error. Many people were skeptical of its certificates, more so as the university was not British oriented.

Universities of Jos and Ilorin used to be satellite campuses of University of Ibadan while University of Calabar was a satellite campus of University of Nigeria, Nsukka. When they were to become autonomous (Calabar in 1973; Jos in 1975 and Ilorin in 1977), many described them as “glorified secondary schools” whose certificates cannot gain international recognition. A classmate of mine (now a Professor of English Language), a pioneer student of Calabar almost rejected the admission offer!

Let us turn to Ekpoma. I was one of the early pioneer staff at Bendel State (now Ambrose Alli) University, Ekpoma in 1984. I remember vividly, just like yesterday, the fear being expressed by some students that their certificates might not gain acceptance compared with federal universities.

College of Education, Abraka, (now Delta State University), used to be affiliated to University of Benin. When the College was merged with Ekpoma in 1986, most students were worried that Ekpoma certificates would be inferior to those of Benin and that they would be discriminated against in the labour market. We can go on and on with other similar examples. All I have been trying to point out is that the Nigerian public is always skeptical of anything new. The fear currently being expressed by NOUN students is quite normal and expected but NOT REAL. For any university certificates to be recognised in the labour market, two conditions must be met. The university must be properly established and its programmes must be accredited by NUC. NOUN has met them. The students themselves have two important roles to play. Graduates of such university must distinguish themselves in the labour market and be proud of their university. Ask from those of us from GREAT IFE! We stand out tall and proud anywhere we find ourselves. We call it Ife culture, others call it pride but we don’t care!

The second question on the NYSC issue follows the first question. Both questions border on knowledge, opinion and belief.

In our daily life, it is easy for someone to say that he knows when he should say that he believes. On the other hand, he believes when he should say he knows. A philosopher, if you kindly permit me to remind you, says he knows when he possesses information that is beyond doubt. According to John Hospers, some requirements must be met in order for us to assert truly that one knows something:
(i) It must be true.
(ii) We must have evidence for it, that is, reason to believe it.
(iii) Not only must it be true, we must believe that it is true.
(iv) There must be no counter evidence.

According to him, there may be numerous statements you believe but do not know to be true, but there can be none, which you know to be true but do not believe.

What matters here is that knowledge implies being sure, being certain. Also, believing can be seen as a pre-condition for knowledge. Thus, you cannot say you know something which you are not sure of. But it is possible to believe something you are not sure of. You can believe in the existence of God, yet you are not sure of His existence. Knowledge is more qualitative than opinion and believe. An opinion or belief cannot be true unless it is grounded or supported with evidence. Experience has shown however, that there are people who do not believe anything no matter the amount of evidence to support a point. Yet there are some people who believe but doubt.

Below is all I know and believe concerning NOUN. It may assist you in forming an opinion and in taking appropriate decision(s).

NOUN is neither a STATE nor a PRIVATE university. It is a FEDERAL university established by an Act of the National Assembly. Thirty (30) out of its 31 (thirty- one) academic programmes have been fully accredited by NUC. Law is inclusive. The university has NUC mandate to offer post graduate programmes in certain courses up to PhD level. It is the 15th BEST University (out of 100) in Nigeria, according to the First Quarter 2013 Webmetric ranking of Nigerian universities. It outclassed conventional federal universities like Calabar (21), Uyo (27), Maiduguri (31) and Abuja (61). It also outclassed Federal specialized universities like FUTMINNA (24) and FUTOWERRI (25). The law students of the university emerged WINNERS in the 2013 NATIONAL YOUTH COURT COMPETITION involving law students from all Nigerian universities, University of Benin, the defending champion inclusive. What else do you want from a university?

The admission of NOUN students is currently being regularized with JAMB for the purpose of NYSC mobilization. Regularization is normally done for students who did not get admission through JAMB. This is not peculiar to NOUN alone.

I work with a Federal Government owned conventional higher institution. The same thing is being done for our students who were admitted through the part-time programme or “pre”. The idea was initiated by NYSC itself. Letters were written by the NYSC to all Corps Producing Institutions and meetings were held on the issue. We do hope that the students (in my place of work) will be mobilized for the NYSC at the earliest opportunity. Why should students from NOUN be an exception?


Join Congress of Noun Students (CONS) on facebook.
https://www./346177985458918/

Kindly expantiate

Many graduated without employment,but this boy didn't go to formal school,yet he knows how to get a job. Lol

lol

?

HOW ANCIENT TOWNS/CITIES WERE NAMED.

Today, i see people fighting over town,ethnic or regional affiliation.

Going by what we see on social media, often, we hear things like, i am biafran,lagosian,hausa, igbo etc. Some times, it comes like, i am from ilorin, Benin, Oyo and so on.

Today, i was tagged in a page and i saw a link which i tried to checkout.

Upon getting to the site, there was the history of how an ancient town (Oyan) came into being. After reading the history, it occurred to me that, most of the sources of tribal crisis are meaningless. These towns or tribe we clinch to so hard are merely a none existing entity at a point. It was different people from different areas that came together to form that town or ethnic group which with time came to give them one united identity. If they didn't come together, that ethnic or town wouldn't have been born.

kindly read below..

THE BRIEF HISTORY OF OYAN

Aladepe was the founder of Oyan, who migrated from Ile-Ife as far back as 1210. A descendant of Aregbajo of Igbajo from Akeran quarters Ile-Ife, a war like Prince and a farmer.

Aladepe was noted to be a glutton (Oyannu) his attitude towards food whenever he was hungry always brought a remarkable conclusion. It happened one day when Aladepe was returning form farm/hunting expedition, Aladepe demanded for his food but the food was not provided immediately by his wives, this made him to peel up the sweet potato, eat them raw without waiting for the food on fire. The astonished people for this action nicknamed him as (Oyannu) a glutton. The passerby and neighbourhoods whenever they want to make a stopover at Aladepe’s camp usually stressed ---------- I would make a stop-over at “Oyannu’s camp” a glutton’s camp. Later Oyannu was shortened to Oyan up till today.

There are only four ruling houses in Oyan, namely:-

1. Olomooba’s compound
2. Elemo Oluyeye/Aresinkeye’s compound
3. Daodu’s compound
4. Lajojo’s compound

you can imagine....


that was what Atiku did before he became a vice president

blackwall..tell them well ooo

My home town is called Oyan. A very small area, situated in Osun State, South-western Nigeria.

My home town I would say, is an agriculturally oriented place because it consists of farmers, there we have enough food from farm products.

My home has a lot of beautiful and attractive features which appeal to both indigenes and non-indigenes and make them to always want to come visiting. However, as small as the place is, it has a nucleated pattern of settlement which is densely populated.



Despite the fact that we have few amenities, my people still survive. What a beautiful and amazing thing!! My home town does not have good roads and water, yet they get their water from the streams and use foot paths as short-cuts.

A lot of people, including my father have written on behalf of the town to both the State and Federal Governments on the provision of the aforesaid infrastructural facilities, but all to no avail. What a shame on the part of the government.

With all pleasure, I put it that my town is one of the best if not the best home town in the whole of Nigeria. Which town with no social amenities can survive for a very long time? But my people survive!

Which town can depend on only agricultural product for everyday survival? But my depend only on agriculture!

My home town, what a naturally blessed place, the vegetation, the wildlife, everything, God-fearing people in all its nook and crannies, what a place!!!

As we all know in our dear country, there is no place without its bad sides. My town also has its own bad sides. It consists of some traditional worshippers, mysterious things happening from time to time, ritual killings, people who out of jealousy and hatred kill themselves etc. But all for what, fame or power?

Well, I hope that with all I have written, both the good and the bad sides of it, my town has proven to be lovable and worthy of writing about. What a lovely place!!

I adore Oyan, my beautiful home town.



fatai-during the writing contest

- Fatai Fatoki (SS2) is the 1st Winner in the Senior Secondary Category, Naijatreks Young Writers’ Contest 2011 .http://naijatreks.com/2011/12/nt-fataifat/

pix

Jogha Adaka Williams wrote
"If you put a pauper into a palace, they will reduce the palace to a prison. But if you put prince into a prison, they will transform the prison into a palace"............What comes to your mind seeing this picture?I see reputable leader in this little boy......its more difficult to lead cows than people.this boy is a leader. A leader is born to lead, one can not be train to lead but one can be born to lead!....this little boy is more capable than our new generation leaders....what do you think?

Ghana v Nigeria: The numbers that prove who is Africa’s best at youth level
With their thrashing of Mexico in Friday’s Fifa U-17 World Cup final, Nigeria have shown why they are the best in the world. Goal examines one facet of their dominance
Bet
= NigeriaNGA 13.6$ Draw 41$ EthiopiaETH 85$ Ladbrokes

ANALYSIS
By Sammie Frimpong

With respect to excellence in youth football, Ghana and Nigeria are Africa's torchbearers, with the latter being the latest of the duo to assert its might after claiming the ultimate at the just-ended Fifa Under-17 World Cup in the UAE.


CHAMPIONS | The Super Eaglets are the 2013 U17 world kings

Occasionally, the likes of Cote d'Ivoire, Mali, and Egypt do make a statement of sorts, yet the status quo has always been the reserve of the two west African giants. Generations of senior sides for both countries have been built on the back of huge feats at junior level, with the likes of Nwankwo Kanu, Samuel Osei Kuffour, Austin Okocha and Michael Essien all emerging from talent factories so fecund.

There arises the million-dollar question, though: which of the pair - between Ghana and Nigeria- is better, if not necessarily more productive, at international youth football?

Goal seeks to answer as accurately as possible, using the simplest of statistics.

THE CRITERIA

As a measure of determination, the key to these comparisons is to credit two points for each title won at continental level, and one less for a runner-up finish. A championship triumph on the global stage fetches three points, a finalist slot two, and a bronze-winning campaign gets one. Multiply the deserved point(s) by how often a country has achieved a particular feat, add up, compare the final tallies and, Voila! *

So, then, shall we?

U17s

At U17 level, Nigeria are the top dogs on the international stage, underscoring that very fact with a convincing victory against Mexico on Friday. That conquest puts them on four titles, one better than Brazil and, even more crucially to this analysis, two ahead of Ghana. Nigeria have made the finals thrice more but lost. Comparatively, Ghana are not too far behind. In fact, had the Black Starlets been successful on the two other occasions they made the finals (1993 & 1997), they would have counted as many U17 world titles as Nigeria, and perhaps prop their cause up with the bronze secured from New Zealand 1999. However, the Eaglets' dominance is not so pronounced on their home continent, with their two titles matched equally by Ghana and being just one losing finalists' spot better.

At the end of 'Round One', the scores read as calculated below:

GHANA - AFRICA (WINNER): 2x2〓4
" " (FINALIST): 1x1〓1
4+1〓5
GHANA - WORLD (GOLD): 2x3〓6
" " (SILVER): 2x2〓4
" " (BRONZE): 1x1〓1
6+4+1〓11
SUM : 5+11〓16


NIGERIA - AFRICA (WINNER): 1x2〓2
" " (FINALIST): 2x1〓2
2+2〓4
NIGERIA - WORLD (GOLD): 4x3〓12
" " (SILVER): 3x2〓6
" " (BRONZE): 0x1〓0
12+6+0〓18
SUM : 4+18〓22

U20s


BREAKING GROUNDS | Black Satellites conquered the world in 2009

Nigeria have been twice as successful as Ghana has at the African Youth Championships - six titles to three - and have been at par with their neighbours in finishing second, with two silver wins apiece. Only in 1999 did the rivals contest the final, and Ghana, then managed by Italian Giuseppe Dossena, emerged victors by a solitary Laryea Kingson goal in Accra. At the U20 World Cup, Ghana have claimed four podium finishes - once in third-place, twice as runners-up, before picking Africa's sole world crown four years ago - in six appearances. Nigeria, on the other hand, have achieved all that Ghana have but the title.

GHANA - AFRICA (WINNER): 3x2〓6
" " (FINALIST): 2x1〓2
6+2〓8
GHANA - WORLD (GOLD): 1x3〓3
" " (SILVER): 2x2〓4
" " (BRONZE): 1x1〓1
3+4+1〓8
SUM : 8+8〓16

NIGERIA - AFRICA (WINNER): 6x2〓12
" " (FINALIST): 2x1〓2
12+2〓14
NIGERIA - WORLD (GOLD) : 0x3〓0
" " (SILVER): 2x2〓4
" " (BRONZE): 1x1〓1
0+4+1〓5
SUM : 14+5〓19

U23s

Things are a little more balanced title-wise at continental U23 level where each nation has managed one triumph in five participations at the All African Games. Only when silver medals accumulated at the tournament are factored in do Nigeria distinguish themselves, edging this particular count 2-0. In the larger picture, Nigeria increase their advantage with some five points from fine performances at the Olympics football tournament; three from winning the Atlanta 1996 edition, and another two from finishing next to Lionel Messi's Argentina in Beijing half-a-decade ago. Ironically, the only medal Ghana can boast of - bronze won by that ridiculously talented batch of Black Meteors at Barcelona 1992 - was that which put Africa on the Olympic football podium for the first time. That said, it fetches them no more than a point. Now let's see how that adds up to give us our final, almost conclusive figures:

GHANA - AFRICA (WINNER): 1x2〓2
" " (FINALIST): 0x1〓0
2+0〓2
GHANA - OLYMPICS (GOLD): 0x3〓0
" " (SILVER): 0x2〓0
" " (BRONZE): 1x1〓1
0+0+1〓1
SUM : 2+1〓3

NIGERIA - AFRICA (WINNER): 1x2〓2
" " (FINALIST): 2x1〓2
2+2〓4
NIGERIA - OLYMPICS (GOLD): 1x3〓3
" " (SILVER): 1x2〓2
" " (BRONZE): 0x1〓0
3+2+0〓5

SUM : 4+5〓9

GRAND TOTAL - GHANA: 16 + 16 + 3 〓 35

GRAND TOTAL - NIGERIA: 22 + 19 + 9〓50

CONCLUSION

Ghana's successes at youth football level cannot be understated; they might be third, fourth, or even second best in the world. On home turf, though, they do not seem to run their neighbours close enough. Nigeria are clearly on top, a full 15 points ahead and trumping the Ghanaians on each count, per the units of measurement applied in this analysis.

So maybe statistics are a bit like mini-skirts.
Maybe they do reveal everything.

Well done, 'Naija'.
http://www.goal.com/en-ng/news/4093/nigeria/2013/11/11/4401592/ghana-v-nigeria-the-numbers-that-prove-who-is-africas-best?ICID=HP_FT_3

IF AN IGBO MAN CAN SUPPORT AN HAUSA MAN

Did you know that When a Nigerian National team scores a goal......Niger ians of all ethnicity and religion will jump up in jubilation and be screaming one word, one language in one voice "GOOAALLL!!!". That moment, we forget our ethnic & tribalistic sentiments wether it was scored by an Hausa, an Igbo or a Yoruba man. We love the feelings, we cherish the moments, we adore the players and we sing with one voice....."Up Super Eagles, Up Flying Eagles, Up Golden Eaglets and Up Green Eagles". When we talk about those games....we talk about "Nigeria" with one voice. We always wish Nigeria the best and support Nigeria with our great man power to go all out for the "Glory", for the interest of "One Nigeria". Nigeria can work, Nigeria can be a better place, Nigeria can move forward if the Hausa man can support the Yoruba man in government, if the Yoruba man can shun every ethnic sentiments and support the administration of the Igbo government. Look at the Golden Eaglets...the Hausa man [YAHAYA] passes the ball to the Igbo man [IHEANACHO] & the Igbo man tries and dribbles his way out of the huddles just to set up the Yoruba man [AWONIYI] to score the goal. That one goal that was fought for by the collective responsibility, hard work and contributions of all the ethnic Nationality for one common goal [interest] that will benefit, elevate and sky rocket this One Nation to a greater hight and achievement (s). We should learn from this... we are one Nigeria, and that one greater Nigeria will only be possible if we eschew this our habit of ethnic sentiments and religious bias. UP GOLDEN EAGLETS, UP UP UP! #NIGERIA!!! I want a #NIGERIA Jersey." by Bello Rahmon on OMERUO's fb page.

k

Police spoking weed in pix

more pix on the link above

Fans hypnotised with Olamide’s BaddestGuyEverLiveth pose
Olamide who recently dropped his album Last friday, With his Massive release of the album, he has hypnotised his fans with this …

Pls what does this pose Mean Can i get an Answer pleas,,.. More photos below:



http://tiwasblog.com/2013/11/photos-fans-hypnotised-with-olamides-baddestguyeverliveth-pose.html

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) is the official government human right agency, saddled with the responsibility of protecting, education and promoting human rights principles in Nigeria.

Do you know about this commission? Is the agency up and doing? Does Nigeria feel its impact? If yes, have you ever come across any of its programmes?

Garba’s Total confidence in Nigeria

There is a mood, a particular quality, among these Golden Eaglets. They move calmly around the training pitch with none of the nervous energy so common in teenagers. Having won three U-17 World Cups, Nigeria always rank among the favourites, but there’s more than just confidence in this squad gathered in the desert city of Al Ain. There is freedom.

Coach Manu Garba, when asked to describe his philosophy of football, pauses, takes a breath and, in the way of someone about to shock with a brash answer, responds: “Total Football.”

Ask any of the other 23 coaches here in the Emirates if they’re planning to employ an approach as expansive, fluid, difficult to master, as Total Football and they’ll likely laugh in your face and politely excuse themselves. But Garba just smiles, folds his arms and sits back leaving you with mental images of the 1970s, Total Football’s heyday, and its short shorts and long sideburns.
Man, my attack is blistering. They can destroy any team on their day.
Nigeria coach Manu Garba on his options in attack


Garba is not a naïve man. He is a serious man. He understands the freedom, the fitness and intelligence, the 90-minute commitment, needed to make it work. He also knows the dangers and challenges of using a highly intellectualised system, where the comfort of set positions is totally thrown out the window, are doubled with such young players. “It’s not been an easy philosophy to pass on to these young boys,” admitted Garba, who played in the first Nigerian team to reach a FIFA finals when he won the African U-20 championship of 1983. “They have no league experience. They are amateurs,” he insists of his side who have spent two weeks in Dubai preparing for the tournament opener.

“They play for local teams, or at their secondary schools, but it is this youth that can make them very adaptable to new ideas,” he adds, a tone of warning building in his voice. “They are right to call us favourites.

“I give my players a special freedom, a freedom to express themselves,” he continued, conjuring the spirit of the Rinus Michels, the late coach of Ajax and Holland, who is credited with founding, or at least refining, Total Football. “When we have the ball, we all attack. When we don’t, we all defend,” said the coach, who was an assistant in 2007 in Korea the last time Nigeria won a U-17 World Cup. “Take a chance; go forward, another man will cover you. All my players have the freedom to go anywhere, and it’s a responsibility they understand. Think Barcelona, think Spain, think entertaining, think passion and possibility.”

One would be tempted to think this all just bravado and bluster, but Garba sells it. He dropped Theophilus Solomon, a young striker dubbed the ‘Nigerian Ronaldo’ by media back home, due to a slight injury. But even without a marquis player, his confidence in his crop is plentiful. “I don’t see any defence that can stop us,” he said, citing an 11-0 win over Spanish club Espanyol’s youth academy team last month as a rather forceful example. “We know a World Cup is a different story, but, man, my attack is blistering. They can destroy any team on their day.”

Title or bust for boys in green
It’s clear. No false modesty here. This is a man who believes in his boys, his system, and expects a record fourth Nigerian title here in the Gulf. Anything less simply would not do. “We don’t rely on just a few players to score or lead,” he added. “We have so many attacking options, we’ve multiplied them. We can hurt you from all over the pitch. We’re not just 11 individuals playing a game. My players aren’t just numbers on a chalkboard. They are individuals with their own personalities. I have faith in them.”

Faith or not, football – Total football or any other kind – is played on a pitch, not in a hotel lobby. Goals win games and in their mouth-watering Group F opener against Mexico, Garba and co will meet up with the defending world champions in this age category. “I like the way the Latin American teams play, the way they ping the ball around, it’s a lot like Ghana, a lot like us,” he said. “But we can beat anyone.”

Garba is a man with a plan. It’s clear when he stalks the touchline during training sessions. “Enjoy yourselves, enjoy!” he often shouts, at the top of his lungs, urging his young players to express themselves. Total Football, after all, is still a kid’s game, with 22 bodies, a bouncing ball and a pair of goals.

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Olamide Drops Third Album, “Baddest Guy Ever Liveth

Olamide’s 3rd album Baddest Guy Ever Liveth is released with a lot of critical acclaim, and much anticipation following the high level of success the artist has had this year. The album consists of 21 tracks, and features appearances from Pheelz, Ice Prince, Ketchup, Endia, Phyno and Bez.

GOVENOR AHMED CANNOT BE WOOED BY APC

We have been reading and hearing about the leadership of the All Progressive Congress (APC) led by its interim national Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande, former head of State, General Muhammed Buhari and former Lagos state governor, Bola Ahmed Tinubu travelling around the country trying to woo the G7 governors into its fold.



The leadership of the APC had visited Adamawa state to woo Governor Murtala Nyako and we all know what happened. The Adamawa state governor spoke about his interest and passion, he was confident and focused.



Among the gladiators of APC that visited him, he himself stands as a gladiator. But the question raised by many concerned kwarans is, what is the interest of the kwara state governor and what is his passion?



The APC leadership also visited Jigawa state to woo Governor Sule Lamido, and of course they needed to if they want to stand any chance to woo the G7.



While at Jigawa state, we all saw the wooing process, the exchange of words and show of competence. The calmness and coordinating skills of Lamido was self evident. No wonder he has been pointed as a possible presidential material. Again, where is the competence in Governor Ahmed? Where is the skills and what is the target?



Kwankwaso doesn’t need any introduction, though, he his not aspiring for any position yet, but he his one of the most vocal G7 governors who has continued to speak about their cause at the G7. The APC leadership had also visited him to be wooed, and at the event, General Muhammed Buhari expresses his admiration for the action governor who has been identified as a performer and a disciplinarian per excellence. If Governor Ahmed cannot free himself from the bondage of helplessness and powerlessness, what can he contribute to the struggle of the G7?



Unlike others, Rotimi Amaechi stand apart and his peculiar case put him in a position more like a golden son. Amaechi was and still being tormented, persecuted and abused, violated and cursed, accused and victimised, intimidated and deprived of all rights known to be enjoyed as a governor. He was prevented from entering his official residence, his security guards were withdrawn, his state security is being handled by an alien first lady in partnership with a misguided police commissioner just to mention but few, but despite all these, Amaechi stand tall above his enemies. I used the word enemies because it is appropriate. An enemy wants you dead, which is what they wanted for Amaechi. He wants you disgraced, so they want for him, he wants you mocked and embarrassed, that is their effort against him, but despite all the efforts and plot against him, Amaechi stand a hero.



Living up to this standard, the rivers state governor showed why he his a symbol of courage and boldness when the APC leadership storm Rivers state to woo him few days ago.



While showing understanding, he matched it with style and the ability to convince even a dumb mind why he his Amaechi the gold. What can Governor Ahmed show us?



After the event in rivers state, many were expecting the APC leadership to storm Ilorin, the kwara state capital on wednesday to woo the kwara state governor after the news broke out, but I concluded that, Ahmed cannot be wooed.



The only reason for my conclusion was that, the authentic leader of the Kwara state Governor, Dr. Bukola saraki wasn’t in the state, and until our mini-god arrives or gives his go ahead, no wooing can take place and to the admiration of all, the only name that surfaces at the wooing scene yesterday was the name of the son of the late kwara strong man.



I reasoned that, No reasonable party would woo Governor Ahmed, it is as good as wooing an empty basket, it would leak.



The only wooable person in Kwara state is Bukola Saraki, until he his present or give his go ahead after an internal approval with the APC leadership, no wooing can take place in the state.



The simple truth is that, APC may have governors to woo in the other G6 states, but as far as kwara state is concerned, they can’t woo the governor, I repeat, Governor Ahmed cannot be wooed.



Even as the APC leadership came to woo the empty basket, the name of Bukola Saraki surfaced more often than the Governors name and at the end, only the latter would determine the direction.



It should be recalled that, When the APC leadership wanted to go to Jigawa state, the governor didn’t wait for approval from anyone, he simply confirm the presence of the APC leadership and gave his sincere position. When they arrived for the wooing, no other name surfaces apart from the Governor and the Jigawa state people as the decision makers, but when it comes to kwara state, the reverse is the case.



The situation is the same in Kano and other places where the APC leadership had visited. Even in Rivers, we saw the dancing in confidence; we heard the bold declaration of hope, systematic mobilization of the people and inspirational motivation of minds by Amaechi, but what action do we see in kwara by the governor?



Note please, all these other states also had people who helped their governors emerge, but that doesn’t take away their role of governance and being the number one citizen of the state. Again, this confirms the report of source magazine, which described Governor Abdulfatai Ahmed as the most powerless governor in Nigeria.



We all saw how the Jigawa state governor, Sule Lamido move at easy and confidence in the midst of Buhari,Tinubu and Akande. This is a man who by himself is already eyeing the presidential seat and advocating for true democracy. What can intimidate him in the midst of these figures coming to woo him?



Again, what can intimidate Rabiu Kwankwaso in the personalities of the APC top wings? The only person likely to be intimidated in the G7 is the kwara state governor who by himself feels too under qualified to be a governor. For God sake, Rotimi Amaechi stood up to the president in demanding what is right, but out timid governor is contended with being helplessly helpless against the ternate of reasonable governance.



If Bukola Saraki can intimidate Governor Ahmad to this extent, of course, everyone can intimidate him including this writer. In a nutshell, let the wooing process continue as we watch the scene to behold in kwara state.



Let me conclude by giving Governor Ahmed a simple unpaid for advice. It is better to be a proud citizen than a helpless governor.

The children of a proud citizen would be proud of their father, while those of a helpless governor would be helpless like him.

It is normal for someone to help someone achieve a feat, but it is abnormal to surrender one’s self to helplessness. A popular quote states that, you can only help someone get a job, you can’t help him do it. Not surrendering one’s self to helplessness doesn’t mean disloyalty; it only means you are being a person who has certain rights and duties. Let Governor Ahmed be a human and step up to his duties as governor before his too late, history would never forget. You may correct me if am right.