hansad:


Na so. Nigerians. More than 96% of non northerners in northern Nigeria have been flushed away from northern Nigeria. But so long as SS and SE zones still remain part of Nigeria,one Nigeria ahoy, non stop.

If the Nigerdelta makes any move for fiscal federalism, they are branded criminals and given the Saro Wiwa, Odi and Gbaramaturu treatment. If MASSOB opens mouth to talk, you expect Igbo leaders to keep them shut up. One Naija ahoy.

See as una small brain de work to keep one Nigeria.

Walahi, if not for the large percentage of Igbos who have property in Lagos and Abuja, and are not interested in leaving Nigeria, una for just wake up one morning to realize that Igbo has left Nigeria, impossible to get back one Nigeria. Today is not the 1960s. The level of good judgement is fast diminishing among Nigerians who want one Nigeria. A country forced together never makes it. Perhaps we are waiting for crude oil to finish.

First let me apologise in advance to those reasonable Igbos that are not narcisstic and full of superiority complex. **clears throat**.

Now, as for people like you that are making noise, if its not gra-gra, make una sell di Lagos and Abuja properties nah. It is not by chest. Who is forcing you to invest in other parts of Nigeria? Small time, some of you will be calling these same other parts of Nigeria 'No Mans Land' - simply bicos the local people accomodate una as fellow Nigerian citizens.

Like you said, this is NOT 1960s. Sell up and go to 'Biafra'. Just remember that you will need visa that is renewable every 3 months (and pay foreigner's tax) to sell market in Sabo and Idumota.

Stop thinking you are too good to be part of Nigeria. Ship out or shut up and join hands to make it better...and yes, STOP calling other places No Mans Land. As multi ethnic as New York and London are, the local people are respected and no one calls those cities No Mans Land. This why they say some Igbos dont respect others....

I don talk my own. If e vex you pack load go your village.

Sai Nigeria!

omenka:
Your region never believed in him . Isn't it
ironic that you people are making demands from a leader you never saw anything good in?
Am yet to hear the Northerners and
Westerners who collectively voted the
General in make any demand of him, save
good governance.

#Stolen.

Dont mind all these so called ethnic champions who sow nothing but seeds of discord and hate among the people. Why cant they demand things on behalf of NIGERIANS? Na only Ndigbo get needs or na only dem need attention?

Anyway, we the NdiNigerians (i.e. the rest of Nigerians that actually voted for Change and Buhari) also have three demands we make from our dear Ndigbo brothers and sisters.

(1) stop seeing yourselves as the sole victims of marginalisation in Nigeria - na all of suffer under previous governments (especially under your adopted son, Jonathan) and na all if us go benefit if Buhari performs.

(2) stop seeing yourselves as some sorts of super-human, ultra-intelligent, semi-jews that are BETTER than other tribes. This is not only a dangerous fallacy, but it leads to disrespect of other tribes (on your part) and irritation of your tribe (on the part of others). As a people Ndigbo are unique and have excelled in some aspects BUT that does not mean other tribes are incapable or lesser than Igbos.

(3) many - not all of you sha - need to actually start believing in Nigeria for once. When was the last time an igbo person (red cap chief or not) condemned MASSOB or engaged them in a serious debate about a united Nigeria? Or is it that una dey secretly support dem or hope say dem go succeed? which one una dey? In 2019 someone like me no go mind vote for Rochas as president BUT I am sure many Ndigbos will sabotage my willingness to trust them. That is if they dont sabotage his ambitions to start with. Nigeria can be better IF all of us believe in it.

End of demands.

As you can see, our demands are not about politics, appointments, or materially and financially demanding from you. All our demands have to do with YOUR state of mind as members of this country.

Thank you. God bless Nigeria and every Nigerian in equal measure.

May we continue to tolerate and love one another and to love our country.

Say No to Xenophobia, IgboPhobia and NigeriaPhobia.

Signed: J. Z. K
on behalf of NdiNigerians.

laryom1:
Hello bro. Need to change my username to DrZed. Thanks in advance.

Na so you tink say dem dey change (or in this case: steal) anoder persin username? Maybe in Koboland sha you can change it, because Drzed is already taken in Nairaland.

...and no, the name is NOT for sale. Beware of my wayward son Kamoru. Trespassers will be shot.

ednut1:
parrot

Please stop insulting parrots! How can you call this piece of shyte a parrot?

Those birds are not only intelligent, they also have sense of dignity and maturity. To call FFK one of them is an insult to parrots and I reject that on their behalf. Seriously!

Now, if you had called FFK a vulture, that would be a different matter... and a more accurate description of this oloshi-buruku-gutter-mouthed-septic-tank-in-human-skin.

So what is the interpretation of this weird car sound:

kikikikikiki-brrrr...kikiki drrrraannn, drrraaaaaannnnn....nnnn grrrr...rrrkikikiki...chikgr.. chikdum.

Na di kyn noise wey my car de make nowadays. Over to you, engineer of car noises

Mercyraheem: univ. Of dundee is in scotland and not uk

Abomination. Please go and beg mohits, mavis or chocolate city to allow you audition to become a backup to their backup dancers. Educated discussion about educational achievements of musicians on Nairaland doesnt suit you at all.

The facts below are funny but not really amusing at all !

>> Vice President - North.
>> Senate President - North.
>> Speaker House of Reps - North.
>> PDP National Chairman - North.
>> Head of Service - North.
>> INEC Chairman - North.
>> CJN - North.
>> CBN Governor - North.
>> Inspector General of Police - North.
>> President Court of Appeal - North.
>> Chief Judge Federal High Court - North.
>> NSA - North.
>> EFCC - Chairman - North.
>> Chief of Defence Staff -North.
>> Chief of Air Staff - North.
>> GMD NNPC - North.
>> Controller, Prison Service - North.
>> Controller, Custom Service - North
>> Controller Immigration Service - North.
>> Richest Man in Africa - North.
>> 99% of Beggars in Nigeria - Northerners .
>> Boko Haram - North.
>> Educationally Backward Areas in Nigeria - North.
>> The poorest States in Nigeria - North.
>> From 1960 to date, 9 out of 14 Heads of State of the Federation are from - North!

Now ask yourself, what is wrong with us Northerners? We are certainly not a marginalized region. In fact, maybe our problem is that we (or at least our elites) have been over-involved in the management of this country.

From the above, it is evident that we Northerners are not exactly missing out in both the running and the ruining of this country. In fact, we have contributed significantly to its under-development and its current stupor via PDPification.

Agreed that past Northern leaders had associates and partners in crime from the South...but it is the Northerners that were the leaders - and leaders must take the blame. Whether it is through ballot or bullet, we have not exactly shown good examples for other regions to follow. 2015 my bloody foot! Kwankwaso, Tambuwal and Lamido should go and find something to do with their lives please. Me, I don tire, wallahi. Whoever can bring unity and faith, peace and prosperity (y'know: that stuff written under our coat of arms) is welcome to lead Nigerian. Even if he is half-Nigerian, I no send!

So if you are one of those Northerners grumbling or angling for the presidency to return to the North in 2015, ask yourself what difference it will make to you as a Northerner or as a Nigerian. We should instead be engaged in in-depth reflection and condemning our past and current elites who have shamed us left, right and centre. But more importantly, we Northerners should start an urgent renaissance and ideological debate on how we can emerge as a self-respecting, self-sustaining geopolitical entity within Nigeria. This debate should strictly be amongst Northern youths only: those above 45 are first of all, not youths - and secondly, they can stick their opinions where the sun doesnt shine. God will punish many of them (amen!)

And No, I am not a hired (laptop or money-topped) agent. In fact, I hate PDP and all that it stands for, but facts are facts. The only thing worse than PDP to me, is the quality of Northern leaders we have had over the years supported by a docile bunch of followers.

@OP:
Now that you have clarified the topic title to reflect that it is YOUR wife (or at least not all women) that are allergic to saying "I'm sorry", let me also advise you to be explicit in your post.

You cannot drop hints and clues across seven or eight different posts and expect people to be objective or to understand your plight truly and completely.

You either narrate/summarise the entire story including how her family have interfered, or you invite her to nairaland to come and give her side of the story.

You are probably here because you either want advise, sympathy or a shoulder to cry on. Maybe even a combination of all three. Either way be specific about the kind of interference from her family and instances when she refused to apologise. Without these, how will you get advise? And if its sympathy you want, okay: eyyaah! And if its a shoulder to cry on that you need, then go and get it from your wife...oh, I forgot - she is estranged.... but you wont tell us exactly why. Hmmmm.

Be sincere and tell us the koko of the matter. Otherwise I see no point in your post. Are you hiding something or are you looking for validation of your impending decision to divorce your wife?

And YES I AM MARRIED... for much longer than you and with kids so dont even start that "wait till you marry" crap with me.

PS: The above is a test of your sincerity, maturity and sense of humour.

PREAMBLE: Forget the 'hardworking' part of her speech because even armed robbers and yahoo-yahoo boys work hard. Now lets begin.

Madam, let me assess your comment against relevant background:

(1) you are well-educated (at least I'd like to think so) since you have a PhD from MIT (of all places)
(2)You are a 'reknowned' economist of international repute, so number crunching should be a breeze for you.
(3) You have worked for the world bank (soh-tey you nearly become its president)

In all the above (1, 2 and 3) did you not appreciate the value of data (facts and figures) in making assessments or passing informed judgement or opinion? You sounded like a half-baked politician speaking under pressure during an interview. Gaddemm!

Let me break down your assertion into pieces.

Now, assuming that (for simplicity) Nigeria's population is 170 million...(that is 170 plus six zeroes behind it). You, madam, are now implying that 99.9% of us are honest and as such only 0.01% of us are corrupt or dishonest. Hmmmm. *scratches head*... *brings out calculator, pythagoras triangle and slide rule*

In other words, only 170,000 Nigerians are corrupt/dishonest out of 170 million. (another hmmmm).

So if we COUNT ALL THE CORRUPT members of the following groups: Nigeria police, customs service staff, immigration officials, lecturers, civil servants, FRSC offcials, Oga-at-the-toppers (sorry, I meant NSCDC staff), VIO officials, contractors, yahoo-yahoo boys, fake drug manufacturers, NDLEA workers, Nigerian armed forces (Army, Navy, Airforce)ETC ETC... it means you, Madam, are saying we will find less than 170, 000 corrupt ones among them? Is that so?

I dare say that even the corrupt police, lecturers and yahoo-boys of Nigeria alone are more than 170,000. Not to mention civil servants in our state and federal institutions. Heck, Lagos state alone can donate 170,000 corrupt residents easily, not to talk of the entire Nigeria.

Please stop embarrassing yourself out of blind patriotism. Speak with facts and figures, not emotion or blind patriotism. And if you dont have the figures, speak with common sense. Did you just imply that there are only 170,000 Nigerians who are corrupt/dishonest (he he he he). ...and you nearly became World Bank President!

Historically, our political leaders have been inept. Now our so-called technocrats and educated elite are competing with them in the art and science of ineptitude.

NOTE: For those who are defending her thinking she is doing us good by 'lying patriotically' well, you are also part of Nigeria's problem. All talk, no substance.

Even if she had said 99% (i.e. only 1.7 million are corrupt) she would have been inaccurate, talkless of 99.9%.

Mindependent: I think one of the reasons i like this is the idea that he must feel really passionately about me or else he wouldn't get so angry to be aggressive towards me

**faints**
Next thing we know, you will come back to Nairaland to solicit financial support for urgent operation to replace a broken jaw, punctured spleen and a pumelled kidney.

Mindependent: Why be rude?

Chineke mei! See me see wahala (SMSW). Did you just complain about rudeness?.... *scratching my balding head and clearing my Pa Ojuigo coca-cola bottle eyeglasses*

You, (OP), the same person who gets turned on when men byatch-slap you, karate-chop you, taekwondo-kick you, insult and probably spit on you...is now complaining of rudeness on nairaland? No wonder someone earlier said...

seedord247: Have you try agbero boys?

Stop wasting megabytes of internet bandwidth. Oya, donate yourself to Yaba left with immediate effect. And dont let the door hit you, where the good Lord split you.

sunny-p:
na who and who unit inside unted nation

East-west bloc versus west-bloc east.

Ijebulogic: Excellent and informative post by the OP

I remain convinced that God loves Nigeria by blessing us with so much heritage, culture and natural resources. Sadly when I see a few of the comments that follow (tribal, ignorant and abusive), I realise that it is always Man that causes problems for himself. The positives about this country far outweigh the negatives but we are a people who seem obsessed with tribal issues and sad to say, until we step above tribal sentiments, we will never progress as one country. The USA is made up of dozens of nationalities , but view themselves as American first. This "internet" generation is just as lethal and backward as the civil war generation.

May God multiply your wisdom and leave it intact for your future generations to download from eternity using galactic bandwidth.

Some Nigerians can be funny irritating.

These are 12 things that are truly wonderful and inspiring about Nigeria that we ought to be pleased about. Nothing shocking, just amazing!

Now, if the OP had posted 12 bad things about Nigeria, the same people whinging, hissing and spitting now will still whinge, hiss and spit.

There is a time for everything. There is a time to complain and to be bitter and there is a time to count your blessings and to be grateful.

To all those who are complaining: if all you do when your work, relationship or business is not going well is to complain, lament and hiss, you better step back once in a while and appreciate having a job, a partner or self employment. Else, you lose everything due to your ingratitude. Especially the partner.

These 12 things wont make boko haram, corruption or PDP disappear overnight. But at least they educate or remind us of our rich heritage. If your child is stubborn or a truant at school and you suddenly find that he is good in sports or art, will you not be grateful for the good in him? And even thank God that you have a child?...and even help him/her excel in what he/she is good at.

The level of cynicism, sadism and negativity in some of us is astonishing.

I was not aware of 90% of these 12 facts. I am at least better educated about Nigeria today than I was yesterday. It seems the Chinese were determined not to be outdone by the Great Wall of Benin, that they 'discovered' some extra kilometers of their wall. LOL.

@OP: these are 12 amazing (and not shocking) things about Nigeria. Edit the title asap! But thanks. Made my day.

Beauty and ze Beast (Part 3.5)

This is a GHOST comment....Be AFRAID ....be VERY -A-F-R-A-I-D..cos I'm coming tonight

Why una dey thank Ghana? Shioor!

The money was donated by OUR ambassador to Ghana: Ambassador Ademola Oluseyi Onafonoka
Where did you see it mentioned that they money was donated by one Osei Atumfor Quartey Nii Kwame Agyemang II

Make una dey read before una comment. Abeg. It is not yet illegal.

Nothing against Ghanaians, though. But I doubt if they will ever extend that kind of wind fall to our students when they have not finished taking care of their own. Besides, dem dey look for more creative ways to get rid of us from dia country and these students are only allowed to study because of the hard earned cash flow (and looted Nigerian treasury) entering the Ghana economy.

If una wan thank anybody, then thank our 'Oga@TheTop' a.k.a. Mr no shoes

Well, for me the challenge of indigenous muslims (and this also applies to muslims in the west and middle east too); is that many of us tend to focus on the wrong issues in the wrong order of precedents.

After kalimat-usshahaadah (i.e. testifying that no deity is worthy of worship except Allah), the other pillars upon which Islam and muslims stand are: Prayer, Zakaat, Fasting and Hajj (for those who can afford it).

If we focus on these five pillars, muslims would stand strong because these are the basic pillars without which Islam/Muslims are invalid.

Unfortunately, when people with (according to sister deols) "sweet mouth and zero knowledge" are allowed to propagate Islam, all that you hear them talk about are things like: banishing alcohol, wearing hijab and fighting prostitution (not that these things are not issues of Islam)...but this is the way many non-muslims perceive Islam, especially in the post-Sharia crisis of the early 2000s, particularly in Nigeria.

For a woman, as an example, she can be a valid muslimah if she practices these five pillars even without wearing hijab. She may not be the ideal muslimah, but no one has the right to deny her of her beliefs. Afterall, even paradise get levels. Some people may make it there but dwell in a BQ or Face-me-I-Face you, while others will reside in Mansions within the neighbourhood of Firdaus. Some may enter hell fire for a while before they are released on Parole. Allahu Aalam. Now, conversely, any woman who thinks that merely wearing a hijab/nikab (without practicing the five pillars) makes her a muslim, is simply a fool...and a non-muslim for that matter.

Therefore, to be a fundamentalist is to start/focus on these five pillars and practice them very well. If we practice them, we would turn out as model parents, neighbours, citizens and human beings because it means we would eventually be trustworthy, decent, honest, kind, respectful and helpful people. Just like the Prophet (pbuh).

So our primary goal in carrying out dawaah (Mali militants take note) is not to just start chopping off people's hands or (as in the case of the Taliban) to start shooting girls who attend schools. Some so-called muslims of today think practicing Islam or demonstrating their strong faith is tantamount to fighting Jews or hating Christians. It is not. Fighting is not a pillar of Islam. Allah hates transgressors and oppressors. Fighting is not one of our articles of faith too. We should only fight as a last resort.

Let us revert to the true fundamentals of Islam by standing on these five pillars and we would stand tall and strong. We would attract people to Islam, just like the prophet's enemies were forced to love him due to the truthfulness of his ways.

How many of us muslims of nowadays live such beautiful lives that our non-muslim neighbors actually envy us and secretly wish they were like us?

Ask yourself this question everyday.

obi2012: Lol, I will. Right after you go and sell tests to your Lasu students to pay rent

obi2012, I would like to think that you are at least 21 years old. Although age is not directly proportional to maturity.

I cant help notice that rather than face the core issues at hand (with facts), you always find a way to discredit or tarnish my comments/opinions based on your prejudice and/or ignorance. For example, you are implying that I am a lecturer at LASU who sells tests/handouts. And indirectly, you are implying that LASU is such a downtrodden place that habours hungry PhD holders who scheme money from students by selling test questions. You are indeed pathetic. Without lecturers, you would not be where you are today.

In any case, you are wrong on all accounts. For starters, I am not even based in Nigeria. But even if I were, and I were to be in academics, and I were to be posted at LASU, well, I would do my 'LASU job' with pride. See, not everyone is hungry or money-crazy like yourself (it may be surprising and even annoying for you to learn this, but it is very true). Speaking of money, you have no idea how much I earn or what I do for a living. Continue dreaming that you are 'wealthier' than everyone else who has a PhD.

Clearly, you do not value education or research and you proved it yourself so many times above. You confuse going to school with education. Just as you confuse repairing broken down networks with research.

I suggest you (and others who may be inclined to think like you) should watch this recent youtube video clip by Dr. Benjamin Carson. One of the brightest minds in contemporary America. He is a high-achieving and highly decorated neurosurgeon. A black man that I am very proud of.

Pay attention to what he says about importance and role of education for a country's progress.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFb6NU1giRA

Enjoy whatever remains of your weekend.

obi2012: Sorry, I don't deal in theories, I deal in practical.. Keep with your yabatech abi na lasu theories, let other people keep growing your economy and doing stuff with themselves..

Behind every practical issue, is a solid scientific fact and explanation. But how would you know?
Oh, sorry, you are theoretically-challenged. Go and troubleshoot windows abeg!

@obi2012:
I dont know why this PhD thing dey pain you so much that you despise it and people who aim for it. But you proved it above that your brain cannot handle advanced theories. Maybe thats why.

All these 'I oversee 13 PhD holders in my department' and 'Texas University' and 'my CISCO colleagues earning $120K per annum' doesnt fool me or impress me one bit. Scan your degree with your passport photo attached, let us confirm that you went to Texas, YabaTech or wherever. I have never mentioned the schools I have attended because it is not about me, my qualifications or my ego. It is about the issue at hand (PhD) and its worth.

In summary, anyone who reads what you have been writing since yesterday can deduce the following:

(1) You dont know what PhD is all about (what the degree entails and what you can do with it)
(2) You are incapable of grasping advanced theories, which means you cant do research (i.e. why you hate PhD)
(3) You think the goal of the human race or any society is to make money (hint: try Okija shrine)
(4) You have inferiority complex, relative to PhD holders (get over it)
(4) You make dumb and stewpid assumptions about things (e.g. PhD degree, need for education, human development) and about people (e.g. myself, PhD holders) which you know very little about.

You dont know jack about me. Stop assuming and making it personal.

Arguing with you is waste of time. Go and make money. Obingote!

obi2012: LOL.. you emphasize the need of people using their search properly..

Anyone knowledgeable would know that Larry Page never earned his Phd.. So when you finish preaching about using search, u sef use search yourself..

http://sparks.wisdomjobs.com/20-sergey-brin-and-larry-page.html

Kai, see mumu-rism at its peak! I am relying on official Google documentation for Larry Page's PhD claims. No where in the Google documentation, did it say he did NOT graduate with a PhD. As an example, we know that his colleague and friend (Brin) is currently on leave from his PhD studies. He may have defended his thesis and is waiting (for correction/graduation). https://www.google.com/about/company/facts/management/

Is your brain running Windows 95? And of ALL the people I mentioned, it was only Larry Page that you could single out?

obi2012: Of all the jobs you posted that were looking for phd's, not one of them was a management job like you claimed.. They were all engineering jobs not management. Rarely do engineers make it out of engineering into management. Dont tell me about my field.. I have worked and currently work here.. Of all the board members you posted, less than 20 percent of what you posted is made up of Phd's..

Phd isnt the ticket to money.. In the end, its just a degree

I believe that I have demonstrated with clear examples, the vast array of jobs available to PhD holders: from executive level, to management level, down to software and engineering jobs using Google as a focus/case study. This was to counter your dumb argument that PhD is good for teaching and research (only).

obi2012: You can have a phd and be a failure in life, you can have a bachelors or even no degree and be a success.. If phd's were the ticket to prosperity, how many nigerian leaders have phd's? How many are educated? How are the less educated managing to rule the so called educated phd's while they sit back and watch?

You have a phd right? Which kind of phd are you? How many company boards are you on? How much are you making?

I know you will fall back to money, money, money. Like I said, success and progress of a society is not all about money. And wetin consyn you with my salary? Make I send you credit ne, abi wetin? If na money you want, carry gun and stand for Express road nah? Why you go school

obi2012: It is this mentality that always puts nigerians behind everyone else.. We are overeducated as a society and underemployed.. If your goal is to make money, figure out a way to make money.. If you are genuinely interested in a field and see yourself long term in a field and feel a phd is the edge you need to get ahead, go for it and if you are good at what you do, money will come with it.

Fail! We are not nearly as educated as we need to be. Dont confuse the preponderance of Federal, State and Private Universities with education. Quality comes before quantity. Most of our graduates are half baked. You said it (and proved it) yourself down below. And PLEASE our main goal as a society is not to make money.... It is to make progress and to develop, technologically, politically and yes, economically. Some of us can and will make money in the process. And money is not what makes us different from Chimpanzees and Apes. It is our brain! (surprise, surprise).

obi2012: A man that picks up trash can be a multimillionaire, a toilet cleaner can be a multimillionaire if he comes up with a great plan and is very good at it, over education such as a phd is not the key to success..

Ehn, we don hear. Mr millionaire.

obi2012: How will i learn advanced security concepts where most things are theoretical, where my professor hasnt heard of pico, emacs, vi or cant even use basic unix functions like ls -l or grep? How am i supposed to learn vulnerability testing when my school network is still on dialup and the IT department is entitled to one server running windows 2000 server? How am i supposed to perform any penetration testing when the network wont even stay up long enough for me to telnet into a different server? How am i supposed to learn anything when the internet is so slow that i cant even login to the server through a remote session because the connection keeps timing out?

Okay, we get it and we sympathize with you in the sense that: (a) your are not able to grasp advanced theoretical concepts like your Indian and Chinese contemporaries; (b)Your school is primitive in IT; (c) your professors are using stoneage curriculum. But lets stick to the core issue: how is that the fault of PhD as a whole? Are you sure you are not half-baked?

obi2012: Oga, please you sound like one of those people that got a phd because they wanted doctor next to their name and couldn't get accepted into UNILAG for medicine so they decided to compensate by getting a phd in zoology or something..

At least I am not half-baked. And I am not trouble-shooting CISCO networks. Thats beneath me. If only you knew.

obi2012: People dont get phd's for money, they get phd's because they love the material and are genuinely interested in it.. All a phd prepares you for is to become an employee for someone else..

How on earth would YOU of all people know WHAT motivates people to get PhDs? and how many PhD holders do you employ? Mr employer!

obi2012: People need to stop using education as a means to earn a living.. Be open minded, explore other options..

Okay, from your angle, education is not to be used to make a living, abi? We should all go to school and get degrees just because we dont have something to do with our time abi? You are a deluded person who does not understand how a modern society works! Listen to yourself!! Please stop posting on Nairaland. Some innocent, naive kids may take you seriously and think that education is not meant to make a living. Are you a member of Boko Haraam? Just asking o, because your words sound awfully similar to what those guys are aiming for.

obi2012: How much is a phd earning in nigeria even after all their education? If you are lucky, you might hit N500k a month, highest N1 mill a month.. Is that money? Pleeeassseee..

Life is much more than money. When I spoke about people (Nigerians) who just want to 'hammer', I was talking about people like you, apparently. People whose insatiable and unquenchable appetite for money by all means necessary, has made the country so corrupt and evil. If Nigerians dont value PhD, does that make the degree a useless endeavour? We are backwards in terms of development because too many of us in Nigeria think like you.

You should be banned in Nairaland for spreading and encouraging ignorance.

Coolcube: The worth of a PhD degree can not be quantifed in term of what it will add to the human development of the bearer (I mean those who did it honestly without bribing their way through). I believe that the bedrock of a nation's development not only lies in its natural resources, but on how developed are its human resources which will handle the natural resources. One of the ways of developing the human resources is quality education which its apex is PhD. In terms of money, a fresh PhD holder is paid 134k before tax in the Federal universities while private employers of labour or other govt jobs may pay more or less. However money should not be the motivating factor for getting a PhD. Either one wants to lecture or not, developing oneself intellectually is GOOD.
I'm 21 yrs old currently doing my Masters degree and I hope to get a PhD before 27 because I want to develop myself intellectually and conduct researches to proffer solutions to some of the problems facing the human race.

I wish you the very best. Stay focused and dont let people who are intellectually-challenged or financially-intoxicated stop you from achieving your dreams. The world needs people like you.

The most technologically advanced countries in the world (Japan, Germany, USA) rely on their human ingenuity and not financial muscle or raw materials. Apart from USA, which raw materials do Germany and Japan have if not highly skilled people? Carry go bros!

ps: I recommend this website for tips and tricks about research skills and PhD degrees: http://www.vitae.ac.uk/

I am putting together a small guide on why you need a PhD and what you can do with it (as per career). Hopefully, it will encourage and guide people to not only enroll, but understand the multiple career options available even before they finish their programs.

My guy, you funny no be small o! Let me try and respond to the key issues you raised in your long, but meaningless and misguided post.

obi2012: Guy, please stop spreading misinformation.. A phd is good for research and for teaching.. IT is one of the few fields where a phd is not as valued as experience..

Who is spreading misinformation? Please don’t sit in your face-me-I-face-you shop with a laptop loaded with Airtel credit and be spreading ignorance. Teaching and research is only ONE among many many things you can do with a PhD. Clearly you have no idea the kind of jobs that are waiting for PhD holders in companies like Google, Apple and Microsoft. But by the end of this post, you will know better. For now, let me just tempt you with just one link to exclusive PhD jobs @ Microsoft Inc:

http://www.microsoft-careers.com/key/microsoft-phd-jobs.html (accessed 09 Feb 2013) There are about 4,349 PhD level jobs advertised by Microsoft as at time of writing.... No, it is not a typographical error: That's FOUR THOUSAND, THREE HUNDRED AND FORTY NINE PhD level jobs available from Microsoft as of today, February 9th 2013.

obi2012: Do you really think a company will hire a phd with no real world experience whose topic of research was penetration testing over a bachelors degree, ccie with real world experience? Dude, book knowledge only counts for so much.. It definitely isn't real valuable in the IT field.

Yes they will hire and they do hire. I am not talking about the sort of backwater IT firms you probably rub shoulders with in Nigeria. Check the real world and see how many firms hire PhD holders (see more examples much further below).

And who told you PhD holders dont have any real-world experience? It is moronic, nay, imbecilic to conclude that people with PhDs have only being reading books all their lives. People like you not only suffer from stereo-typing PhDs, you actually dont know what a PhD degree is all about. After all, in your own words, PhD is good for teaching and research (you could have added 'only' at the end of that sentence to complete your ignorant assessment).

What their superior (PhD) knowledge and skill will give them, your 12 years of trouble-shooting networks will not give you. Your certification in the long run is just for routine day-to-day work. Jaki work. You are handicapped when it comes to deep-rooted thinking and original research which will pave the way for innovation and human progress. In fact, PhD is such a unique degree that even Google hires FRESH PhD graduates in software engineering, regardless of whether they have 10 years experience and 17 CISCO certifications (see down below).

Most patented technology that is at the core of Google, Microsoft, Apple and Samsung technologies were designed by PhD holders. Fact. Siddon dia wit ya CISCO certifications. Relative to your civil servant friends, I am sure your CV looks damn good.

obi2012: You mentioned phd's running stuff at google, apple, microsoft, shell..I find it funny that all the companies you listed do not have one phd on their board of directors.. .

You are not exactly very smart are you? I said PEOPLE who ‘run things’. I am not referring to the sole heads, owners, founders or CEOs only. Are you sure these companies dont have 'one' PhD on their boards? ARE YOU VERY SURE? Your children and grandchildren will read this post in future o! Anyway, see evidence and example from Google below.

obi2012: So basically aside from the co-ceo of google, most tech companies do not have phd's on their board of directors.. What exactly are phd's running?

Heow. Chineke mei! Your propensity for ignorance is flabberwhelming and overgasting. There are 6 members of Google’s Executive and the THREE top members each has a PhD (or the PhD is ongoing). As for those that don’t have PhDs, check their designations: they are marketers, legal people or songitos who make noises around). See their names and refer to the link below.

GOOGLE'S EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
(1) Larry Page (Chief Executive Officer) - Ph.D. at Stanford University
(2) Eric E. Schmidt (Executive Chairman) - Ph.D. in Computer Science, University of California, Berkeley
(3) Sergey Brin (Co-Founder) - currently on leave from the Ph.D. programme in Computer Science at Stanford University
(4) Nikesh Arora (Senior VP and Chief Business Officer) - MBA from Northeastern University
(5) David C. Drummond (Senior VP, and Chief Legal Officer) - Bachelor’s degree, Santa Clara University
(6) Patrick Pichette (Senior VP and Chief Financial Officer) - Master’s in Philosophy, Politics and Economics, Oxford

Source: http://www.google.co.uk/about/company/facts/management/

Also the top two members of Google’s Senior Leadership have PhDs
(1) Alan Eustace (Senior Vice President, Knowledge) Ph.D. in computer science, University of Central Florida
(2) Amit Singhal (Senior vice president) PhD in computer science, Cornell University

Infact, PhD degree is sooooo VERY important nowadays that (just like Microsoft), Google also created a unique website to attract people with PhDs, people who can think and come up with new ideas and patentable technologies. See the link below:

http://www.google.com/intl/en/jobs/students/tech/phd/ (accessed 09 Feb. 2013)

WARNING: don’t apply for the above PhD level positions with your CNSP certification because you will not be shortlisted, but instead you will be blacklisted for not reading the instructions for potential applicants. This will negatively affect your future chance of being hired by Google Nigeria, either as a multi-purpose network/router checker or as a miscellaneous IT errand boy

So my dear obi2012, you now see why proper research is good dont you? Someone reading your post will look at only the CEOs and conclude that people that run these companies don’t have PhDs....or worse, that PhD holders dont work for Google and Microsoft as software/hardware engineers.

Continue with your CNSPSP certification for the rest of your life. One day, Google will invite you to come and head their Lagos Office because you have 13 certificates from CISCO and 7 from Microsoft, abi? If the IT firms in Nigeria dont value PhD holders, whose fault is it? Should Nigeria remain backward? A long time ago, people who read BSc geography mostly worked as secondary school teachers. Today (with climate change and environmental issues) they are sought after, left, right and centre. Nigerian IT industry will grow. Too bad, people like you will try to stiffle the hiring of PhD holders due to sheer ignorance.

Again, let me be clear: your certificates will help you stay employed and win some consulting jobs in your early career. But remember this: A very good Masters degree will last longer and carry your career further in the long run than 15 CISCO, JAVA and Microsoft certificates put together. Ask yourself this question every morning: "Am I going to continue writing software or trouble shooting networks all my life?" If the answer is no, then think ahead and when I say ahead, I mean like 20 years down the line, when your mates start becoming Directors and so on.

PS: I have not even bothered to dig deeper and show you other middle management staff of Google. Plenty of them have PhDs. Anyone who cares can review other global IT and Engineering companies and investigate those behind the scenes, helping to make top decisions not only at executive level, but on the technical side too. See examples:

Microsoft board:
Dr. Maria M. Klawe
Dr. Helmut Panke

Apple board
Arthur D. Levinson, Ph.D.
Ronald D. Sugar, Ph.D

NOTE: this ‘argument’ about PhDs is not only about IT industry. It applies to most science, medical and engineering professions. And when I say 'run things' it is not only for director/management level jobs. As you can see from the Google link above, software engineers with PhD degrees are currently in demand. And this is just Google only. You will find the same demand in other IT firms.

Most of those PhD jobs in IT as advertised by Google end up going to Indians and Chinese, because Nigerians (like you, obi2012) are busy sweeping cobwebs from LAN networks and trouble-shooting routers.

Please, carry your CISCO certificate and apply to Google for these jobs now? You can argue with the selection panel that your CNNSP (or whatever) gives you the same skill sets as a PhD holder and you deserve the same salary. Mtcheeww! You are pathetic.

Agreed that in some professions, e.g. Journalism, if you want to be the editor of say, Vanguard Newspaper for example, you may not need a PhD. Just toil away, writing stories about MEND and Boko Haram terrorist and in 20 – 25 years, you will luckily be promoted to the editor position (if your tribe and religion fits into the quota, that is).

I frankly don’t know why I am even wasting my time going back and forth with someone like you who cannot even carry out ordinary google search about the management and employees of global firms.

No wonder people like you despise research and PhDs. And yet you want Nigeria to be technologically advanced. How? This can only happen when we respect research and development. Why didnt we build and launch the satellites (like Nigcomsat) ourselves? Clue: we dont have the right quality and quantity of engineers to do so. Indians, Chinese, Malaysians, South Africans, Iranians, Brazilians and Egyptians are FAR ahead of us in this regard. Meanwhile, our own software and hardware engineers are busy obtaining CISCO certificates so that they can 'hammer' and drive Honda EODs.

A PhD degree is not for everyone. It is also not by force. It has its appropriate place in every modern society and in professions (including IT) it is becoming ever more important. The last thing anyone should do is to disrespect it or denigrate it simply because they dont know its worth. We are living in the knowledge era. In fact, nowadays, it is not enough to know: it is who knows FIRST that gets competitive advantage. That is why Apple and Samsung are competing to get their hands on patented technology before others.

obi2012: The only place where a phd in CS (i.e. computer science) might be valuable is on wall street as a quant or designing trading systems but even then you'd have to be very good at programming and you wont be getting hired into management.

(italics are mine)...

In the light of overwhelming evidence of PhD jobs in computing as shown above, can you now see how dumb your above statement sounds for the whole world to see on Nairaland? So PhD holders in computers science can only work for wall street and have to combine their programming skills with juju isnt it? Oya go and tell Microsoft to delete those thousands of PhD vacancies. And since according to the Gospel of Obi2012, PhD holders wont get into management, then lets start a campaign so that Google and others will sack their current management staff who have PhDs. Mtcheew!!!!

So Mr (or Mazi) Obi2012, every level of education has its rightful place and whether you agree or not, a PhD is at the top of the knowledge food chain....unless of course your skewed way of thinking tells you that Microsoft and Google will pay PhD holders the same salary as people who have CCNP certificate plus 10 years experience. Tufia!

Little knowledge is dangerous (Dr Alban, 1992)

kpolli: A PHd is only useful if your going to lecture

Kai. Na wah o! And someone like you will become a leader in this country one day. Lawd have mercy!
And we wonder why Nigeria is perpetually in motion without any tangible movement.

AjanleKoko:

Not true at all.
PhDs are needed in any R& environment. Not the least IT.
IT is more than installing MS Exchange oh, bros. That's sysadmin work. You don't even need a Bsc to do that.

@ballabriggs and Ajanlekoko: Well said guys.

@obi2012: people like you will continue to operate in the 'factory floor' of your companies. The big money you think you are making now will only help you outshine your mates for a while. The only thing your so-called CNNP, CISSP, PDP, GQRX and other certifications will get for you is career advancement for a decade or so. All those certification only means you can install software or run it on a network without making mistake and when there is problem, you can trouble shoot and find it. Chikenan! No more no less.

At a point in your life (when your hairline starts to recede), you would want to leave the factory floor or banking hall and get an office in the top floor or penthouse. You will be tired of installing Microsoft Exchange and trouble-shooting CISCO Network Routers. You would want to sit on company board as a director. At that stage, even someone with ordinary Masters degree will overtake you and all your CQPXZ certification. You read it here. Mark my words.

In other words, all what your certification does is allow you to implement the solutions that PhD holders and researchers have designed. Or to carry out instructions they are dishing from the top. In short, your certifications only makes you a very good 'worker'. Certification is unnecessary for a PhD holder. He has led the way in his field and will continue to be a leader in his field.

The people who actually run things in Google, Apple, Microsoft, Shell, GM, Samsung, etc all have PhDs. Check all the major corporations in the world and study the profile of those who make it tick (not those who own it, we can only have a few Bill Gates and Steve Jobs). Check those who decide on major issues at board level. Even in Nigeria here, many board members of serious companies are PhD holders. Check serious governments in the US, Canada, UK, Japan and see who are those creating policies on economy and development: they have PhDs.

Those who have PhDs will continuously invent and innovate and make decisions...for people with CNSSP to implement on the factory floor.

Those who refuse to think will forever be the prisoners of other people's thoughts.

PhD holders are thinkers. Enough said.

Tony Spike: Knowledge acquisition, just like PhD education, is not appreciated in a superstitious and religious society like Nigeria. Nigeria is the reverse opposite of what a progressive society ought to be. A nation that's willing to grow need to develop novel ideas, driven by very knowledgeable people, embraced by thousands of industries who readily employ more hands to expand their business. It's called the chain model. This chain model works well even in serious developing countries like South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Egypt and Kenya. I've meet a lot of Africans in the course of my research and I'm currently in a country that appreciate PhD holders (although, I'm not yet one). Until Nigeria embraces the fact that ideas ruled the world, not money and religion, I'm afraid we will continue to stagnate and remain the dregs of developing countries. By the way, bulk of the blame goes to the non-challant thought-process and low enthusiasm of our governments, past and present.

10000000 Likes for you my brother!

Nigerians need to understand that it is ideas that rule the world. Money is just a tool used to execute ideas. Until such a time when we understand this, we will continue to wallow in the grey and shallow waters of mediocrity and backwardness.

Let me give an example.

We talk every day about fighting corruption in Nigeria. We have been singing this song since the first coup of 1966. But I can bet you that you wont find up to 10 PhD thesis in the entire country where our researchers studied our nationwide affinity for corruption in any sector (e.g. Police, Civil Service or Energy). You probably wont find up to 10 scientific studies of corruption in any Nigerian sector, that was published by a peer-reviewed journal where people will critique it, appreciate the causal factors and devise solutions via contributions. And yet we expect miracles and for corruption to just 'disappear' simply because one Farida, Ribadu or whoever is in charge of EFCC. Na beans? Fighting corruption is not by 'chest' or by gra-gra.

In this regard, Nigeria is actually a laughable society. We delude ourselves.

You see, because we dont value ideas over money, people like Obasanjo/GEJ will continue to throw billions at the power sector and wonder why it is not producing results.

Hint: study or research the problem, devise a solution to it, THEN you can throw money at the problem. You can then sit back and watch results. And if you use a proper methodology for the problem (hint: what PhD holders are good at) then at every stage of implementation, you will be in control. All the variables of the problem are known and can be controlled.

Vision 2020 my a55! At the rate we are going, we wont even achieve vision 2090. Heck, do we actually have a vision?

okpara ugo:

Then what is the worth of poverty financially!?

In your explanation. Would you call Bill Gates an ignorant man?

Oga, go make money... Stop this theory.

Theory, abi? Please stop wasting your time on Nairaland. Go back to your spare-part business or whatever it is you do to make the 'millions' that makes you so restless. If or when 'that disease' finally catch you, you will know the value of PhD or research.

Just listen to yourself: what is the worth of poverty financially? The statement is grammatically correct, but it is illogical and senseless. Did you actually 'think' about it in your own head as you conceived or typed it? Or you just recycled the question I posed earlier? Let me rephrase YOUR question to make you understand what you are asking: What is the worth of wealth financially? Now does that sound logical or answerable? You can ask: what is the worth of poverty to an economy, to a family, to a society BUT not financially. Thats like asking what is the worth of letter 'Q' alphabetically.

No wonder you despise PhD. I wont be surprised if you hate primary school certificate too

Like one clever fellow observed above: We dream of Nigeria being like China, Singapore and Malaysia, but we dont want to take the steps those countries took to make progress. You wan go heaven, but you no wan die, ko?

Nigeria is backward because of this your kind of thinking.

StephenAyo: @drzed &@PeeDaVinci: u both ve rightly answered the OP n others wt myopic reasoning.
For as many out there wt d goal of reachn dt level of academic relevance(just as me), the stress&price PhD demands s far less dn d prestige and opportunities it offers when achieved.
Very soon, all present faculties in our universities, DGs of MDAs would vacate their positions, definitely, fresh bloods must step in. We set d pace&direct d affairs of ds nation @d management level.

True talk bro. Whether they choose to vacate gracefully or not, age and natural cycle will catch up. In less than a generation (10 - 15 years) we will begin to see better educated academics and researchers in Nigeria, taking up positions where they lead research and development.

Just because GEJ is effing up does not mean people should castigate PhD holders. Are all football strikers suddenly useless simply because Yakubu Aiyegbeni missed an open goal from 0.1 centimeters away?

9icest: The Economist did a story on Phd about a year ago...
http://www.economist.com/economist-asks/doing_phd_waste_time
They proved its a clear waste of time in our current global economy....
Besides the fact you have to please all those sadist professors who dont want you to have the Phd, its there are many companies out their searching for a PhD holder.

Get inspired, visit
www.inspired.com.ng
for your daily inspirational dose!

Without PhD holders, science, engineering, medicine and other fields of human endeavor - will not advance to the level it has reached today. Fact.

PhD researchers are responsible for most progress in things you take for granted around you: from your big-azz flat screen TV at home, to you touch-screen phones, to the latest pain-killers in your pharmacy, to automated parking of latest car models. They found cures to countless diseases including the forthcoming vaccine for malaria; they have invented things like MRI scanners and Graphene (google it); and you can be damn sure that PhD holders will come up with a vaccine for HIV/AIDS. And if anyone will decode cancer and prevent/cure it, it will be some 'obscure' PhD researcher or academic toiling away somewhere right now as we speak.

Go ahead and believe the Economics, after all they have been so-right about global economics and they could forsee and prevent the credit crash, abi? I am sure that the heediots who did the study in Economist ONLY looked at the financial aspects of life. Yet when these morons are suddenly diagnosed with Cancer or Alzheimer, they would be praying endlessly that some researcher has come up with a better treatment or cure.

Mtcheeew.

Now, why do companies still search for PhD holders? Let me enlighten your misguided soul in three simple steps (analogies) of an organisation like say, a Bank:

(1) If a Bank wants someone to work on the basic day-to-day stuff, i.e. implementing directives from top hierarchy (e.g. dishing money to customers in the Banking hall) - they would hire a Bachelor degree (BSc) holder.

(2) When they want someone to manage the operations of the bank and deal with corporate customers, taxes and credits - they would hire someone who has 'Mastered' banking (i.e. an MSc holder).

(3) Now if they want someone who will develop a risk model that will allow the bank to make fact-based global investments and diversification of portfolio in the middle of a credit crunch and low-interest rates ... they would get a PhD holder who is NOT afraid to delve into unknown territory of banking and global finance. This is called the 'philosophy' aspect of a PhD degree. That is why when a true-PhD holder talks on TV, most of you will gape in awe cos he/she knows 5hit that you dont. They can foresee future directions in their field since they are at the top of the game. He/she is NOT merely implementing other people's solutions. He is CREATING the solutions.

If you dont understand this analogy, I cannot help you. Go ahead and console yourself that PhD holders are useless, if it helps you to sleep well at night.

That article (or story) in the Economist was written by an educated illiterate (who probably got denied admission into a PhD program, or was frustrated and had to abandon it) or is just another myopic slowpoke who does not know the benefit and impact of a PhD. In short, that author from Economist is a Dangote-wanna-be. Let him go and make millions selling spaghetti, sugar and cement and allow us (PhD holders) to face the real issues that make the world go round.

Just because it is written by the Economist doesnt make it factual or authoritative.

It is only in places like Nigeria (where people are allergic to progress) that PhD is synonymous to lecturing.

For the avoidance of doubt, a PhD gives you expertise (in your chosen area).

Whether you elect to use this expertise in a lecture hall, research institution, a multi-national or your private entrepreneurship is entirely up to you.

PhD holders are problem solvers (in their own domain) but they also have a wider grasp of research methodology than most folks. Unfortunately, some so-called PhD holders in Nigeria (including a few associated with leadership) have failed to demonstrate the minimum level of intellectual acumen, commensurate with the title. But that is not the fault of all other PhD holders. Can you now say all strikers including Van Persie, Messi or Suarez are useless simply because Yakubu Aiyegbeni missed an open goal (unmarked) from just 0.1 centimeters away?

Now as for the OP (and other Nairalanders/Nigerians who associate PhD with stupendous wealth) let it be clear that the richest black man today (Dangote) does not have a PhD. In fact, Bill Gates did not even finish college (degree). So what does that tell you about degrees and money? Having a university degree (of whatever level) is not a guarantee for success in life.

Problem is that too many Nigerians associate success with money, money, money. If it is ONLY money you want, then just go into trading. After all, Dangote, with all his billions, is just a trader (yes, I said it). He made (and makes) money selling sugar, salt, spaghetti, flour and cement. Chikenan! What stops you from doing same?

You dont need a PhD to make money. On the flip side, having money also does not make you (or guarantee that you would be) educated. You should define success according to your own terms and stop this wanton pursuit of kudi, ego, owo. This is why Nigeria is so corrupt because everyone wants to 'make it'. And while there is nothing wrong with making it, most Nigerians think 'making it' only means being VERY RICH and annoyingly, they want to 'Hammer' overnight.

I tire for my people.

Finally, let me answer the question posed by the title of the thread (with a JAMB question): What is the worth of ignorance financially?

Over to you.

Ghana Must Go ... (home)


But why are we surprised? A 'black star' by definition and by the laws of physics, CANNOT shine.