₦airaland Forum

People i have been in Ph for 6 weeks now, r PH girls any different from Girls from other parts of nigeria. R these gilrs really from PH, people coem in from far and wide to seek greener pastures here. so my question is R the real PH girls money conscious?
over to u PH Girls

Going on vacation should not be a luxury. Like many have pointed out a vacation doesn't have to be very grandiose a la carribean and so on. i visited Calabar recently and i must say that the place is a tourist gold mine!! vacatiobn to quite a number of naija folks means going to teh village and probably face anotehr bout of family wahala and then co-ordinate that dream country home. it's work all over again.
Manay people say vacataions are exensic\ve i bet they never sat down to do tehir research. if we cut back on soem expenses we can afford that "expensive" holiday somewhere in nigeria or Sao Tome and Prinicple (another beatiful Paradise).
if u thinjk vacation is a luxury try STRESS

u can't blame the companies for putting the 2-1 clause. the number of applicants looking for job is outrageous. and teh first place to wither down people is by their grade. then other level of testing follows as required by the employer. i made a 2-2 i no dey beff those wey make 2-1, na market wey dey saturated na im dey cause all this wahala.

Just got to PH, u can reach me on 08084102610

Mine is amoto2005@yahoo.co.uk

Gilr i understand ur situation. I was unemployed for three long horrible years. That was when i knew my REAL friends. it all seems like i dream now. i look back and i laugh, i ask myself how in heaven's name did u survive it all!! Na God my sista. Don't lose hope (i know it might sound like a broken record). Trust em yoru tiem will coem, just keep ur head up and make sure you aer prepared when the opportunity comes. My prayers are with u. U can reach me on amoto2005@yahoo.co.uk if you feel the need to discuss. God Bless

hi tola
We all go thru struggles at different times in our lives. My advice is since u are already married you should think more about teh conseqences of your actiosn on ur marriage. And even if you did have a flip with "nick", imagien what that woudl do to your professional relationship at work. My dear the price is too costly. Long distant relationship is touggh, don't make it any tougher for yourself!!
All teh best

My brother i too missed out on an admission, I sent my pacvkage thru EMS to a norwegian university and four months later the package has not arrived Trondheim. I was told to check EMS website, according to them it has left nigeria but TNT their partner is responsible for teh rest.
The sad thoing is there is really no one to hold responsible. I wish i coudl sue their A$$

I'm a 33 Year old guy looking to meet up with someone speciall. The nature of my job limits my social interaction thus my resort to the internet.
I work as a post graduate intern with an oil service company, I am based both in Lagso and Port-Harcourt but for now i am mostly in Port-Harcourt.
I am 5' 8", average build. I'm l;ooking for someoen with a good sense of humor, tribe and creed are not issue for me. I'm looking for someone who can influence my life postively and vice-versa.
If you think we can gel hit me on mufasa_mfs@yahoo.com

Last year a friend who had an admission decided use one of the well known student visa advisory bodies LGE at Ikeja. He paid 20000NGN for their services i.e. to offer him visa counseling services. On the first day he met with his case officer a lady, who gave him a set of forms which showed documents he would require from his sponsor(s). Part of the LGE’s requirement was that their client had to pay half of their fees, which my friend did (₤5000). Much to my friend’s chagrin each time he went to LGE he was met with a long queue of people and by the time his turn came, the case officer was obvious tired. To cut a long story short the services my friend got was shoddy and his case officer was not helpful at all as she was absent from seat most of the time. To add insult upon injury she went on leave without inform my friend who was in eth middle of getting ready to apply.
What prompted me to write this is that LGE sent him a text saying that they are organizing a seminar for prospective students going to the UK, they claimed that 80% of people who applied last year were refused, what they didn’t say was what their own success rate was. And from what my friend saw it was any better than that 80%.
What is tragic is the decadence in our educational system, the rush by Nigerian students to acquire a British degree is quite high these days. Because of the desperate situation many of them are exploited, LGE in my own estimation has not been very truthful…,
The truth genuine students wishing to go the UK for studies have a lot of hurdles to climb. If they knew many would think twice befoe dashing the embassy money (aka visa fees) and other sundry organistions
Fellow nairalanders I await your comments

Does anyone have any idea about Uk universities with Satelliote campus in Dubai? Any info woudl eb gladly appreciated

@ Cocoon,
let's see what u got on C#. net, though i must confess i am more of a vb.net person

hi there!! any dumps on .NET woudl eb greatly apprecicated, amoto2005@yahoo.co.uk

I was just reading the thread on Java and I must say I was quite impressed with sbucareer’s tutorial. Well, is there any VB.Net guru in the house to help us with a similar thing on .NET

I was just reading the thread on Java and I must say I was quite impressed with sbucareer’s tutorial. Well, is there any VB.Net guru in the house to help us with a similar thing on .NET

I bet its one of those bad belle Arsenal/Man U fans who started this thread. i am tired of hearing this lousy abuses hurled at true blue fans!! questions such as when did you begin to support Chelsea tires me!! I know teh Chelsea train has been overflowing with fans of recently! but hey! many of us were sticking with the blues pre-Abramovich (the sucker who started this thread got his name all wrong!!) .
By teh way! what's the big deal if ex-Man U, Arsenal, Madrid jump ship to join the blues!! come guys face up to it, the future is BLUE. like they say a gold fish has nowhere to hide. !!
As for me, I have been a Chelsea FAN (not follower) since 1990, I am ready for any Chelsea test, Bring it on!!!

Just got a portable 1GB Ipod, it is unbelievably small and very portable to carry around. U can't view pictures like in other bigger Ipods but u can listen to all the songs in the world and still carry it around like it isn't there!!!

You can either confront him with your "findings" and listyen to his lousy excuse or you just dump his ass and move on!!

Two guys on this thread who contacted me as per their initally refused visa, just called me to tell me that they have been granted their UK visa. worked together with them giving them advices on their application. So people, i want you all to know that it is indeed POSSIBLE

incidentally i just came into PH when teh Omoku project was been commisisoned. There was a lot of frenzy, we had no light for 5 days, becos according to them they are transiting from NEPA to Omoku. After the commisioning, Light was back, but i must confess that it has been ok in my part of PH (Woji), but a greater percentage of people in woji area without contant electricty, less than 10hours daily!!!
I hear the whole Omoku thing was a charade!!!
i have been in PH for 4 weeks now, and i must say i am not at all convinced with teh development here!! where has teh billions of naira gone!! that's what these militias and Niger-Delta resource control agitators shoudl be asking their leaders. The roads here are horrible, teh only major way here is the Aba road!
housing here is impposible, expensive and scare!! how come teh governor hasn't been able to attract real estate deveopers to PH, i mean look at lagos!!
there are no decent estates in PH, and this is incredible considering teh population of oil boys here!!
To me, Odili has failed and shoudl be invetsigated and jailed if found guilty.

The problem is that here in nigeria we are very religious but not Godly, i read somewhere that Nigeria has the highest number of churches per square kilometer than any country. we have long lost our value system money is the only thing that COUNTS, the pastors are only latching on!!

Please anyoen knows where and how i can get MCAD/MCSD Self-Paced Training Kit: Microsoft .NET Core Requirements, Exams 70-305, 70-315, 70-306, 70-316, 70-310, 70-320, and 70-300 . i need it for my .NET prepartion.
thanks

gaby:
Didier Drogba has demanded that he starts to receive more respect claiming he is "better than Thierry Henry".

Drogba is the Premiership's joint top scorer with eight goals so far this season, and told the Daily Mirror that "in real life, especially this season, I'm better than him [Henry]."

The striker's comments are in response to a computer game which rates Frenchman Henry as being a better player than the Ivory Coast international.

Having recently signed a new four-year contract at Stamford Bridge, Drogba was expected to become a sideline figure after the arrival of Andriy Schevchenko from AC Milan.

However, Drogba feels that the Ukranian's presence has had a positive effect on his own form.

"His arrival has freed me. Thanks to his manoeuvres I get the space I need to attack the goal" said Drogba.

"Andriy is a footballer of the highest playing intellect and has a superb feeling for where to run and when, to make life easier for his partners and to create problems for the opposition."

@ Gaby: Please can u let us know where and when Drogba made that comment. a web link would be most appropriate.
Back to your alleged Drogba "arrogant comment", even if i am a TRUE BLUE let me say here and now taht i have utmost respect for "Igwe"as a striker. but come on guys for crying out loud Didier has been in OUTSTANDING form this season and a man is entitled to blow his trumpet once in a while lest it gets rusted!! His 8bgoasl this seaosn is a testiment to his prowess and that superb bretah-taking goal against liverpool was SWEET! not to talk of the against Barca. Again i throw the challenge at the initiator of thsi thread, where and when di Drogba make this comment?

Hi guys n Gals! Anyone know where i can find VB.Net learning resoures online, PLSSSSS
Thanks a million

@ Etin
I agree to some extent that some extent that some nigerians stay back after their studies but remember that they are now skilled workers and are contributing to the economy of the UK and moreover foreign nigerian students are a huge source of income for many british schools, we pay 3 times as much as an EU citizen!

@Mizieya

it is oluwole not oluwala and things have been tough for forgers in that place since the EFCC (anti-corruption body) cracked down on them. As to the issue of fake credentials, my point is if you apply to a British university or any reputable university the onus is on teh admin staff to verify transcripts and certificates from the applicants alma mater

as per prospective diploma students the BHC lagos would turn down any applications for diploma studies for obvious reasons, diploma is definately a no-case with the BHC lagos

I am in!!!

VOR:
Blue2

Nice write up.

Speaking as someone who has actually worked in the system I would like to saya coupleof things.

Yes, most of the refusal letters are cut and paste. They (eco) use what they call standard paragraphs.
The reason they use these is to, perversley, ensure consistency in the decision making process. That is to
say the reasons for refusal are consistent. Having said that in using these paragraphs the ECO should
set them in the correct context and not just deploy them willy nilly.

Regarding your friend who was refused a visa.
I would suggest he applies again if it is not too late for this academic year.
He should before applying obtain a letter from his proposed university confirming
the relevance of his previous study to his proposed course. ECOs are humans
and they make mistakes. I know of several cases where they have reviewed
decisions and reversed an original decision in favour of the applicant.
So hopefully all is not lost for your friend.

Thanks Vor
Unfortunately my friend has to wait till next year to reapply, the School he applied to doesn't have a Jan window. I appreciate your postive comments. and I agree fully with you concerning the human nature of ECO, but sometimes they make some real blunders. There was a case this year when someone was refused a visa inspite of the fact that his fees, living expenses and ticket have been paid by Shell Nigeria. The reason given by the ECO was that the Shell scholarship was not in the list of approved British council scholarship scheme! of course after appeal they realised their mistake and he was issued a visa. So like i advice genuine applicants its always good to apply early so as to give time for any eventuality.
Again thanks for your comments!

VOR:
Andre5

I feel your pain and I understand many of the well made points you have highlighted.

The problem is that at the moment in the UK, immigration is at the top of the political
agenda with the current Labour govt. taking a lot of criticism for its seemingly lax
immigration policy. One of the areas highlighted for this is the area of bogus students.
Students from all over the world who just enrol on courses as a way to get into the UK.
They then fail to study and instead work full time. It is such a problem that the govt. has set up
a special immigration task force to deal with the problem.

It is therefore understandable to some extent that this has resulted in tighter conditions
in most UK embassies around the world.

In addition to whatever information the BHC gives out I would suggest that prospective students
check out the following websites i.e http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/lawandpolicy/immigrationrules/part3 and
www.ukvisas.gov.uk

Well put Vor! This year there was a high percentage of refusal, many people who paied btw 50-100 % of tehir living expenses and tutition had their visas turned and like you rightfully pointed out immgration is a big issue especially for the labour govt which is perceived to have been lax in this area

Hi Mizieya
I have read through your comments on this thread both to my earlier comments and to that of other Nairalanders. Before I go on let me state clearly that I am not advocating the unguarded issuance of visa to every Akin, Abdul and Amarachi. I am sure we will all agree that this kind of policy would be pure madness and would lead to chaos and confusion. As you might have noticed in my comments I endeavoured to give tips/pointers to GENUINE prospective student applicants on how best to improve their chances of securing a visa. I am not under any illusion that there are indeed people whose motives for applying for a student visa are for reasons other than studying, I have no sympathy for these set of people when their application rightfully gets turned down.
Now Specifically addressing the points you raised in your comments:

[i]1 - IELTS (International English Language Testing System) is one of many oral, written and listening exams required by the Visa Standards. It is actually high on the list. It would be insane for an applicant to apply to Germany or China without being able to speak the language.

IELTS and TOEFL is not a pre-requisite for Nigerians students willing to study in th UK, since it is taken that the mode of instruction in our schools at all level is English. To my knowledge it’s students from mostly Asian and francophone countries that are subjected to this test. It’s only in US- based that Nigerians are required to show their proficiency in English.

2 - With every rejection letter there are reasons stating why an applicant failed. A right to appeal is optional it is not always granted. I never go on second hand stories - i prefer first hand in order to ascertain the truth of a matter. Your 'friend/acquaintance' should come online and state what happened to him[/i]

I agree that for every rejection letter there is/are “reason(s)” stating why an applicant failed to secure a visa. If you have had the opportunity to peruse through some reasons adduced for visa refusal, you probably would like me wonder if the ECO doesn’t already have a preset mind. Some of theses paragraphs look like they have been cut and pasted! I know of three different people who had four identical paragraphs in their rejection letter yet they all submitted different documents!
Just a couple of weeks ago, my friend (and this is 1st hand information not 2nd hand as you put it!) had his visa application rejected.
Amongst the reasons given by the ECO was this one which I found particularly strange…. “Your proposed course of study is unrealistic, as it is inconsistent with your previous pattern of study. Your course doesn’t represent a progression in your education pattern and you have not been able to satisfactorily explain this apparent change in direction”. The course of study in question was Oil and Gas engineering (O&G Engr) and my friend is a geologist, he had his first degree in geology and has worked as a well-site geologist for upwards of three years. Two out of the eight modules of the O&G Engr course are core geological course! So tell me where is the inconsistency, moreso what real basis has the ECO got to evaluate someone’s suitability for a course. This is even more startling when one considers that the university after evaluating transcripts, certificates, statement of purpose/research proposals, reference letters have fund th candidate worthy and qualified for a place in the programme. What I find even more baffling is the fact that I know of 6 Nigerian students who are currently studying in this institution in Aberdeen who had geology as their first degree. If any person can be accused of inconsistency I think its ECO who should be the one.

As to your comments “I never go on second hand stories - i prefer first hand in order to ascertain the truth of a matter. Your 'friend/acquaintance' should come online and state what happened to him” . Firstly let me state that I don’t deal in hearsays or as you sarcastically put it second-hand stories!

Secondly, my friend is not under any obligation to come here to state his case, since he has no business either you or this forum, I just cited his case just as you cited that of your Pakistani friend whose cousin was refused a visa for reasons bothering on terrorism.

3 - Psychological damage a rejection does?, people need to grow up- life is filled with positive and negative aspects- life is about managing problems and over coming them - not demanding a free pass. Without pain - the individual doesn't grow- Imagine if you can how many applicants The visa People examine per day, imagine again how many times each individual application goes through an inspection process to determine whether or not it is Genuine or creates Reasonable Doubt.

I agree with you that life is filled with positive and negative aspects and that without pain the individual doesn’t grow. But this still doesn’t w must also appreciate the fact we don’t all have the same capacity to absorb setbacks. Again I appreciate the enormous work the ECO has to do in going through the applications inundating his desk on a daily basis, especially around August and early September when many students are rushing to get a visa. I have advised in my previous comments that applicants (and by this I mean the genuine ones) should endeavour to put in an early application. For if the truth be told around June/July your application is likely to meet a friendly much more relaxed ECO than one submitted in August/September.

4 - There are myriad ways to obtain a visa, fake qualifications, a British mobile phone number that can be redirected to a Nigerian number etc etc- naturally it all costs money. But if there is determination- there is always a way.

Fake qualifications?? Come off it my guy!! I would expect that the university on question would have verified all supporting documents submitted as part of the application before offering someone an admission.
As to the aspect of redirecting a British phone number to Nigeria, please can you educate us on how that would enhance one getting a visa! These people in the embassy are no fools you know! And not all Nigerians are fraudulent!
That said, i am not naive I know there are some desperate Nigerians willing to get out of the country by all means and how have the false notion that Europe is flowing with milk and honey, and who go on to submit all kinds incredulous documents, to these set of people I can only pray that their applications are rightfully turned down.

5 - The entire process is on the shoulders of the applicant. Bear in mind one can apply to any university and be rejected: are you suggesting that Universities offer counselling services for every single applicant that was rejected all because YOU want the 'Human Approach'? Similarly with the Visa Process, do you want every officer to send through the post a lollipop to every failed application? Again, perhaps a counselling service or candy should be offered to every failed applicant who applies for a job- because YOU want every applican to be mollycoddled, pampered and mothered. That my dear is just not reality.

I agree entirely with your opening statement here, it was aptly put and this is why I offered - and I expect others too- who have tips or advice on how GENUINE Nigerian students can pursue their studies in the UKc an enhance their chances and save themselves the heart-ache of a rejection because ultimately the onus lies with the applicant to show beyond reasonable doubt why he/she should be issued a visa.

I never suggested as you sarcastically put it that universities offer counselling services to every applicant whose visa was rejected. I only advocated that people should look at the option of either seeking professional advice from student visa counselling bodies (there are quite a number of them) or from someone-one who has vast knowledge in visa issues.

6 - Bribes: there have been cases where those with money have actually succeeded in bribing their way into a university: think Diplomats,

I have never heard of anyone offering bribes to gain admission to British universities (I presume you were talking about British universities). Maybe you can let us know of the “cases” where money has succeeded in as you out it “bribing their way into a university: think Diplomats,”


7 - A quota per year or month or week - that's something to ask the Home Office- I suspect the answer is no, but that is something you yourself need to find out.

Even if it were true that there is a quota on the number of students issued visa every year I don’t think the Home office would come out openly to say so. And that I think is where some people are crying foul! It is only logical that the British government would have a figure as to the number of student who they are willing to admit into their country as this would be weighted as the available social infrastructures on ground.

8 - You also need to remember that no one owes anyone anything: applications for visa, a job, a visit and so on to another country is fair game for anyone to apply - if it means having to re-apply without a refund then so be it. My motto is: if you want something THAT badly- you won't give up regardless of how many knocks you come across. With all the 419 Scams going on- if I were an official I'd go through every document and chase every lead with a fine tooth comb

You are spot on here!

9 - I'm not familiar with the term "abi" - kindly explain it.

“Abi” is a Pidgin English slang which can only be interpreted in context. In my case it meant “isn’t it”

10 - Smile and the world smiles with you,

Are you sure about this!!!!!

Coming together is a beginning, keeping together is progress; working together is success - David J. Schwartz

@Mizieya

Fine comments! I respect and agree with most of what you wrote but i don't have much time online right now, just to add a few comments. Yes i agree there are some dubious nigerians whose aim of going to the UK isn't to study, but my brother there are real genuine cases that do not receive proper attention. I want to refer you to Rueben Abati's Column on Sunday's Guardian 1st of Oct, maybe that might give you an idea of what i am talking about. The story there typifies the cases i refer to.
Thank you

@ MIZIEYA

Much as I agree that some Nigerians use the student visa as a means of getting into the UK to do other things than study doesn’t remove the fact that quite a number of times the British embassy has been unfair in dealing with prospective Nigerians student applicants. I know of cases where full tuition and living expenses have been paid and yet the embassy still comes up with the same old line… “on the balance of probability….” after collecting £100 application fee they unfairly reject people’s applicants, I can appreciate the importance of their job but they also should appreciate the emotional and psychological damage a rejection does. I know of a case where an applicant was denied a visa inspite of having a Shell full scholarship, according to the embassy that scholarship isn’t recognised by the British council, what BUNKUM!
This guy had to reply and the embassy of course realised their folly and issued him a visa, but this was after paying another £100 for a fresh application, of course he had the right to appeal but we all know that appealing is academic for a student applicant because it can take as long as a year.

Back to your observation that people who apply for student visa don’t have the proper qualification, how then did they get their admission in the first place? Abi did they give the school “egunje” (bribe) to procure it?


One question I am still battling with is, is there a quota for the numbers of students issued visa every year? If as I suspect there is then why are people not informed when this quota is filled? If the embassy still goes on accepting application from and collecting £100 then can’t they be accused of deceit?


I don’t agree with you that the main reason why applications get rejected is because applicants lack good knowledge of English language; I have outlined in my previous contributions what I perceive to be the main cause. Lack and qualification and understanding of English are way down the perking order.

Congrats Donzman!
As one of the success stories I guess we all have a thing or two to learn from you! To those prospective student visa applicants I have couple of advice for you:

1. Apply early; Nigerians are always fond of doing things at the last minute. If you school is to resume in Sept for example, make sure you begin to apply for your visa as from last week of May. Believe me these ECO (Entry Clearance Officers…, those little demons that decide ur fate) are swarmed with tonnes of applications in August and chances are that the guy has less that 5 minutes to look through your documents and make a decision! Consider that this guy has to look through 1000 application a day and God help you yours comes in when hunger or tiredness begin dey worry am! So apply early, not only would your application be addressed by a more relaxed ECO, you would also have the benefit of time if you have to appeal any wrongful decision!

2. Make sure your sponsor's documents are genuine and they speak for themselves. As to the issue Donzman rose about having a sponsor who has a business account, my brother i know you were lucky, I have had this argument with friends b4 i.e. Personal/Business account which is better to use. My view is this, much as I am not against business account; it comes with its baggage. You would have to explain to the ECO why your sponsor is suing his business money to pay for ur fees and living expenses. You would also have to get a letter from the board of directors giving their consent for the use of company’s fund to sponsor you. you also have include the company’s recent tax clearance and considering that most Nigerian companies under declare their profits in order to evade paying taxes, the problem might arise that despite having a healthy bank balance the evidence from the flawed tax certificate would be showing that company isn't making much profit! I have seen a case of a company that had 179 million balance and the company was making less that 234,000 naira profit per annum. How does that kind of company pay for a fee of 10000 pounds and living expenses of 7000 pounds, na there wahala go start!
on the other hand though personal account in my view is less problematic, the money is yours and you don't need to show reason why the fund is been used to sponsor the candidate in question. Also you don't need a tax clearance all you have to show is that your sponsor has a steady source of income which can adequate take care of your school fees after he has met his own personal expense.

3 Please fill your forms properly read and re-read it over and over again. Give it to someone who has a strong grasp of English and make sure your answers are concise and clear, this is especially true of the student questionnaire.

4. if it is possible pay all your bills i.e. school fees and living expenses before applying for a visa. if you can't do this then take the next option of paying all your school fees.

5. Pray and if God says that is your way that Good luck. i have seen cases of people who paid full tuition and living expense and the embassy officials came up with the usual line of , On the balance of probability, But in that case after a reapplication the embassy realised their stupidity!

I can be reached on amoto2005@yahoo.co.uk