Thanks for the replies Imperiouxx and warriboy21.

Points noted.

LagosismyHome:


Hummm even with STEM and also opportunities in NSBE and other job sites or fair . .... maybe your friends no sabi find work. I would have thought engineering no go hard like that ...it didnt work for them no mean say na so ur own go be .

The way dem deh hala - 'Do I.T' deh make me fear!

3 people - the most recent just got to the US last week and his naija friends told him - 'Guy, throway this your Pet Engrg admission letter, switch to I.T'

warriboy21:


third, dos guz wanting to come study environmental science or something..hmmm my brodas and sis..pls if you plan to stay in the us..as u land just change your course to IT or nursing o.....these are the fields that have countless job opportunities..as i speak..one or more company are currently looking for an IT person to employ....you can go to indeed or other job board and see for youselves....even if you dont hae background in IT.. you can excel. i know many indians and some nigerians who had economics degree but changed to IT on reaching ere. presently they are doing gud in my school.


thanks anyways...1 luv

@warriboy21. You have written well!

I studied Mechanical Engrg in Nigeria, worked in the upstream Petroleum sector and three of my friends already in the US have told me to forget all those certificates and experience and switch to IT except I don't want to get a job easily after studies.

I don search, I don tire... Most courses I have seen in IT require pre-requisite courses in IT before one is eligible to apply.

How do I do this almighty switch?

@Glowrie22. I believe you have already received them from kaima2015.

@MimiHans. I do not have them in my mail box, downloaded from several online sources + collected from friends. That's why it can be easily given to those in p.h from my external HDD. It should be over 1.5gb in all.




Check for some download links on pages 42 and 98 (links posted by Cephas0009 and iCool respectively).

kaima2015:


Are you going for MSc or PhD?...For PhD most schools can waive TOEFL for you......even the most stringent can ask for an English Certificate of which WAEC will do

It is for MSc, I have read severally that one might be asked for it at the embassy during visa interview.

I do not want to go there a second time.

I also have the PowerPrep software.

I have been working towards writing both the GRE and TOEFL by the end of September...

My head wan catch fire!


I have almost all the materials needed for the GRE in port harcourt.

The package includes soft copies of the following: Barron, Princeton Review, ETS Official guide, Manhattan 8booklets and the heavy Premium Magoosh videos.

Nothing yet on the TOEFL, might start gathering stuffs from tonight. We will definitely survive.

I vote

Iamkingzlee
Vizkiz

CC NLJega

I remember reading this post...

https://www.nairaland.com/2904963/ajaokuta-steel-time-break-deadly

Time to break the deadly conspiracy surrounding #Ajaokuta Steel #Company Limited!!!

I have been advised to use pseudo names in publishing this piece, but that’s not my nature. I am one who bolds up to situations and thus, I shall bear my name and consequences this report might stir.

From the 14th of August 2015, the day I had an interactive and empowerment session with the black smiths of #Ebiraland; the pains in their voices daunted me. A people, whose ancestors carved a niche in ironworks way back as the 7th century suffered for want of materials to support their trade while a steel giant lay raped in their backyard by a series of unfortunate events and conspiracies.

In October, I took online to issue a petition pleading with #President #Buhari to revive ASCL; and with your support we were able to get hundreds of signatures. Since that day, I left no stone unturned to discover the happenings so as to better understand the best path forward. I have taken time to make this report as brief and as simple as possible and urge you all to take time and read.

1958 to 1979

1958 - the colonial administration conducted a feasibility study on iron ore deposits in Nigeria.
1967 – the #United #Nations #Industrial #Development #Organisation survey identified Nigeria as a potential steel market which led to the signing of a bilateral agreement between Soviet Union and Nigeria.
1971 - the Nigerian Steel Development Authority was established by Decree No.9 to bring to reality a steel plant.
1979 – during the administration of Alhaji Shehu Shagari, TyazhPromExport (TPE) a #Russian leading engineering company commenced construction works on #Ajaokuta #Steel Company Limited.

1979 to 1994

In less than 12 years, TPE transformed a wide expanse of land to contain some giant size network of machinery meant to process the exploration of steel for #Nigeria. Indeed, billions were spent and its evident in the state of the art townships , roads, bridges, power plants, air strip, port, rail that were put up in Itakpe and Ajaokuta in #Kogi state.

In 1990, as the project approached completion, TPE on monthly bases for 4 years wrote to the #Federal #Government reminders on the need to commence works on the necessary infrastructure needed to successfully operate ASCL and Nigerian Iron Ore Mining Company (NIOMCO). They are access roads to the mines and rail system from ASCL to Onne sea port in Port Harcourt. TPE also suggested the possibility of dredging river Niger which could offer a better and more convenient route of importing raw materials. This infrastructure TPE argued would benefit the public especially Northern part of Nigeria where finished steel manufactured products such as cars, parts, construction materials etc could be shipped to other states and nations once the state is fully functional as an industrial hub. The government never responded.

THE INTERNATIONAL CONSPIRACIES

A lot of people talk about the international conspiracies surrounding ASCL but very few know what actually they were or are. Here;

In 1992, when the project was near completion and while the Russians (TPE) called on the government to work on needed infrastructure; powerful countries namely #France, #America, #Germany, Britain etc including the organizations like the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) started reaching out to Nigerian government to terminate the project with the Russians. The Ohinoyi of Ebira land HRM Ado Ibrahim witnessed firsthand a plot by the IMF during a conference in NewYork where a team of Nigerian officials and foreign agents connived that ASCL should be completely dismantled and forgotten. To them, Nigeria did not need to have a steel plant. Nigeria could as well buy steel from them if needed for its development.

Nigerian government listened to the negative solutions without ever considering the true intentions of the so called experts from these powerful foreign countries. Russia all through stood its ground alone against France, America and co and kept on reminding Nigeria of the need to ignore the adverse opinions. Russia told Nigeria that this conspiracy was cooked by the West to stop Nigeria from achieving the economic strength strong enough to uplift not only itself but the whole of Africa. To them, Nigeria and Africa needed to be kept as a market for all junk goods from the West. This is in line with the colonial economic model brought in by the British and so, to have Nigeria turn around its economy and that of weaker nations hitherto being exploited by the super powers, and by implication, impact negatively on the extent of influence of the richer countries sent shivers at the smart future awaiting Nigeria.

Nigeria’s government was too busy focusing on ushering the 3rd Republic, June 12 saga and all. No attention was given to the Russians. TPE was no longer being paid. In 1994 TPE left Nigeria.

SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS

The Dept Buy Back

Nigeria’s contract with TPE was to construct ASCL for five billion German Deutschmarks (DM) and such that the Nigerian steel authority gave TPE promissory notes guaranteeing payment to the company. When Nigerian government suspended payment and TPE left, TPE sold off these instruments to recover some of the debt owed to the company.
In October 1995, a series of secret debt buy-back transactions took place whereby the debt instruments were sold at inflated prices to Liberian companies purportedly owned by the Abachas - Parnar Shipping Corporation and Mecosta Securities .This involved the withdrawal in 1996 of $2.5 bn of public funds to settle debts owed to Russia for the construction of the Ajaokuta steel plant, but which in reality had been discounted to only $500m. Obasanjo in 1999 settled debt through OMPADEC .

http://www.un.org/en/africarenewal/subjindx/subpdfs/131nigr.pdf

SOLGAS - the first Concessionaire

In 2003, Nigeria under president Obasanjo realized the need to complete Ajaokuta and so, SolGas, an American company which specialized in petroleum was given concession. For a year and a half, Solgas zero progress raised questions as to their technical capacity to operate ASCL. Even though they claimed Senator Liyel Imoke and Gbenga Obasanjo brought in Global Steel Holdings Limited/ ISPAT to short- change it from performing. To this end, Nigeria terminated contracts with Solgas. There were no minutes recorded to document deliberations engaging or terminating with Solgas.

GLOBAL STEEL HOLDINGS LIMITED (INDIAN) - the second Concessionaire

An Indian company first operating under the name ISPAT then changed its name to Global Infrastructure Holding Limited and now #Global Steel Holdings (GSH) were helped into Nigeria by Sen. Liyle Imoke and Gbenga #Obasanjo under President Obasanjo’s tenure in August 2004. The agreement was such that company would own 60 percent of the shares of the steel mill. The Federal Government would keep 30 percent while 10 percent shares would be sold to the public. This company GSHL owned by Mr. Primod Mittal is not affiliated with ArcelorMittal, which the world’s renowned steel giant. #ArcelorMittal is owned by #Lakshmi #Mittal and a cousin to Mr. Primod Mittal.

This concession which saw the taking over of ASCL and Itakpe is termed one of the biggest scams. The plant was hugely undervalued for $300m and GSH was to pay nothing to the government but inject its funds to revive the plant with a number of conditions some of which were:

- 1. That the Federal Government should give GSHL two oil blocks.
- 2. That GSHL be allowed to be lifting crude oil from Nigeria.
- 3. That the Sapele Power Plant be given to GSHL to operate.
- 4. Concession of Delta and Warri Ports to GSHL to operate.
- 10. The supply of Natural Gas to GSHL at “competitive and reasonable tariff”.(GSHL came up with this condition after it failed to sign a Gas Supply Agreement with the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Company. GSHL offered to pay N5.00 per cubic meter of Gas as against the market price of N30.00). It also inserted in its conditions that “Gas price should be kept reasonable and consistent.

After all these conditions, ASCL still deteriorated as equipments of ASCL were moved to Delta steel (which GSHL took over in 2005) while some to other private owned Indian owned steel factories in Nigeria in the name of “borrowing”.

The federal government under President Yaradua realized the huge mistake Nigeria once again made and sought to terminate the contract with GSHL. The then Director General of the BPE, Ms Bolanle Onagoruwa stressed that the approval of the concession of Ajaokuta by president Obasanjo was in violation of the BPE Act.

At Senator Ahmed Lawan led Adhoc Committee, Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Architect Mohammed Musa Sada also revealed that the federal government under Obasanjo single handedly sold ASCL to GSHL and that GSHL ruined the Ajaokuta complex by stripping it of all valuable equipment and machineries. It led to the cancellation of the entire process by the federal government.

This act didn’t go too well with GSHL and they dragged Nigeria to the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) in London, UK and demanded Nigeria pays them $1B for termination.

In 2013, after 6 years of heated negotiations at the ICC, the Jonathan’s administration successfully took back ASCL. GSHL also lost their $1B demand.

2013 TILL DATE – INDIANS HOLD AJAOKUTA TO RANSOM

One would have assumed the drama over in 2013 but alas, the Federal Governments hands are tied on progressing with ASCL. GSHL shrewdly crafted an arbitration clause in the contract between the government and GSHL which prohibits Nigeria from dealing with anybody until all matters with GSHL are resolved. In other words, the Indians do not want Nigeerian government to proceed on completing Ajaokuta until an unreasonably selfish condition is met - they want the Nigerian government to give Itakpe Iron Ore company to them free for 25 years.

At the moment of this report, there is a modified contract containing such ridiculous terms before the minister of solid minerals in favour of the Indians. GSHL wants to tap Iron Ore from Itakpe and move to Delta Steel which was in June 2015 taken over by Premium Steel, a company set up just months before the purchase of Delta Steel . Premium Steel is owned by another powerful Indian conglomerate headed by the #Vasuwani brothers (owners of the controversial Stallion group).

Truth is that Itakpe was set up as a captive mine to ASCL. The original plan holds that iron Ore would be moved from #Itakpe to ASCL which will in turn distribute to other smaller rolling mills, Delta Steel inclusive.

If GSHL succeeds in its bid to take charge of Itakpe, ASCL will become a sad history as there will be no Ore to feed from. That means Kogi state will have no steel plant of its own ever again. So no matter that amount of pacifying information the government publishes for the public on the urgency and good intention they have towards ASCL, nothing shall be done until the arbitration is terminated.

Patriotic Nigerians must call on the Nigerian Government to immediately terminate every agreement in whatever form with GSHL. Nigeria is too big a nation to be held captive by an Indian company. TPE, a whole Russian government owned company who built the complex did not cause this much pain to Nigeria… why would a private Indian Company who has never operated any steel plant in its own country India do such a thing to us? A more worrisome question to answer is – Who’re the heavyweight Nigerians behind GSHL selling us this cheap? I don’t believe Mr. Primod Mittal would have the courage to stand alone and dare this much pandemonium; so who are the greedy Nigerians toiling with the present and future of Kogi state and Nigerians? No matter what, Nigerians must remember that the masses are always majority and the power to determine our future truly lies in our hands. Our silence and ignorance has only cost us this much.

RUSSIAN TyazhPromExport (TPE) IS BACK WITH HOPE FOR NIGERIA

The Sole Administrator of ASCL Egnr. Onobere has repeatedly said that since the Russians left in 1994, no progress has been realized on the project. The following questions kept hovering my mind :

- the moment Nigeria realized their mistake in not completing ASCL and were ready to commence completion, why were the Russians not called back to resume works? Why did we settle for SolGas and GSHL in the first and second instances?
- From the quality of work evident in Ajaokuta, is there any doubt on the expertise of TPE that questioned their invitation?
- Could it be that TPE wasn’t invited because the Russians are too straight forward and don’t engage in “smart business”?

My research led me to uncover a lot of conspiracies on how TPE is no longer interested in doing business with Nigeria and some even said TPE no longer exists. My curiosity took the better part of me and I decided to look them up the internet and initiate contacts.

...and there hasnt been much change as recomended by the post above.

nastydamus:


The premium videos are in a compressed file that is about 1.1GB large. The regular videos are not compressed into one file so you'll have to download them individually, they shouldn't be more than 2GB.

Sorry to bother you but I still haven't been able to download the videos, it isn't giving access for download - keeps asking to request for permission from the owner. Thanks.

Ajibade105:
Hello,

am new on this thread, I wanna write GRE in November and I need materials to prepare for this exam. I will be glad if anyone can help with any. Here is my email ajibade.kehinde@yahoo.com

Read through a few pages backwards for links to materials.

nastydamus:


Here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzH3jPJPYLjlRGl6STRmRExLMWs/view

I opened the link and saw the videos last night, didn't download due to poor network.

Been on it for like 30mins this morning and it says I do not have access to the files, would love to get them. Please help with the request for permission.

cuspy:

Posts like this inspires me

In this spirit of increasingly high optimism, I implore everyone preparing to take the GRE soon to work in unity dropping relevant tips that can be mutually beneficial on this thread.

For those of us preparing to write the exam, lets change the focus of our attention. Let our attention be more exam focused.

I am also preparing to write, got my eyes on the September 22nd date.
I got A MAJORITY of all the quoted materials from this link shared below, it wasn’t easy to come by but 5days of searching paid off! Let’s see if the link would appear -
https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0By9jKmOK17EVZmxsZ1BBX2J3enM&usp=sharing

If you intend to write the exam in say 6 months, draft out the reading schedule for the first month, spill your schedule out here, update us weekly or daily on your progress -positive or negative. Trust me, this will go a long way in increasing your commitment to your GRE prep. You'll inspire others by your progress and others inspire you by their progress.

I intend using the Magoosh “1 month DAILY reading plan”. If it doesn’t make much sense after day3, I would drop it and just focus on the Official GRE Guide.

So instead of sitting back there dropping wishy washy posts on here, create your schedule, spill it out here, work, update us, motivate others and also get motivated. Simple formula.

For starters I've printed relevant books recommended on this thread. I'll draft my reading schedule for the month of August and spill it out here. By God's grace, I'll also be updating you guys subsequently.

I do hope that someone gets motivated.
And more importantly, I hope that someone joins me in motivating others.

We shall all tell our success story in the end. Amen.

Amen, hoping to see more of you around.

nani212:
can I get the number please?

Here it is.

FCMB also dropped a whatsapp number yesterday.

Good development.

soloehis:
with long queue

That queue is longer than long. Was there (Forte Aba road) 5a.m last Saturday after parking the car for a whole week, I didn't even bother waiting.

In & Out gates of d station was blocked - 5queues leading in, reduces to 4 bending into aba road, cuts down to 2 towards Everyday supermart & a single line stretched into rumuibekwe.


I no ready for that kind suffer. Parked the car at home.

awiriwa:



Errr but this is not the USA Mobil-1.

I know it's the Nigerian edition, that was the one I could lay my hands on.

This is the real deal

Built to U.S specifications.

You dey try oooo, where did you discover this in Nigeria?

awiriwa:

Please let us know if you have the current prices for the Mobil-1 / Toyota oil

This oil currently sells for 9,500 naira at Mobil filling station at Garrison, Port-Harcourt. I bought two 4L gallons 2nd week of February.

^^4 Runner - my dream car . I see same vehicle in Alcon area woji....


It makes my heart skip a beat!

Tobiizzy:
Mobil 1 is nine thousand naira now,

Mobil1 goes for 9k in port harcourt, 1litre can is 2300 (+- 100 naira).

6. Hope you know over time no matter what, an engine loses its efficiency due to wear and tear?


It is a 12year old car, I average 14mpg. Wish I could get as high as 17mpg city driving.

I remember when I had an oxygen sensor issue, with the way the car drank fuel I started suspecting the sensor.

diportivo:


But anything is doable with an AK47

I have always loved the coupe version.

Tight ride! Need to search for interior pictures right away.

EVILFOREST:

Let's say ELECTROLYSIS abii.?

hahahaha!

Franklin's legs in water and his hands romancing electricity....


If it happens, no need to take him to a hospital. It's Strait to heaven!

End time politician

Afolabs101:
1. Mickey mouse
2. Daffy duck
3. Fred flintstone
4. Ren and stimpy
5. Bart simpson
6. Spongebob square pants
7. ??
8. Road runner
9. Marge Simpson
10. ??
11. Stuey of family guy
12. Popeye
13. Mr Krab from Spongebob
14. Charlie brown
15. Bugs Bunny
16. Wilma flintsone (fred flintsone’s wife)
17. ??
18. Bullwinkle from Rocky and Bullwinkle
19. ??
20. Goofy
21. Squidward from Spongebob
22. Dexter
23. Snoopy
24. ??
25. Olive Oil (Popeye’s girlfriend)
26. Pink Panther
27. Betty Boop
28. ??
29. ??
30. ??
31. Tazmanian Devil
32. ??
33. Pinky and the Brain
34. ??

My fellow ajebutter!!!