₦airaland Forum

Praising GEJ is tantamount to accepting that people's mandate don't matter in elections and that electorates are at the mercy of the power that be. The fact that ACN won the election isn't a sufficient proof that he, through PDP, didn't attempt to subvert the process in favour of PDP. He might have met tough resistance from Edo state people. If however he didn't attempt to subvert the process (which I strongly doubt since he's not a neutral party in the process and he's in fact the leader of the major opposition party in the state), he simply obeyed the laws and acted responsibly as is expected of a leader in which case it is unnnecessary to role out the drums cos our President acted right. Doing so simply means we earlier doubted his integrity.

Thank you.

It is normal in Nigeria to build from the top to the ground when the right way is to build from the ground upwards. This is why we neglect primary education while proliferating universities, we relegate agriculture to the background while dreaming of massive industrialization, we shun social security and welfare of the masses while praying for National security and lastly among other misplaced priorities we continue to encourage the training of Scientists, Administrators and Managers in large numbers while discouraging the training of Artisans, Craftsmen, Technicians and Technologists through discrimination and at the same time hoping to advance technologically. If we all choose to be Managers and Administrators who will we manage or administer? Is it the quantity or quality of Researchers that matters? Is the research output of Scientists worth more than an academic exercise on a piece of paper if not implemented by Technologists? Is it not therefore obvious that we need to train more Artisans, Craftsmen, Technicians and Technologists than Administrators, Managers and Scientists? Why then do we discourage Technical and Vocational education through discrimination against graduates of Polytechnics and Technical colleges if we have not misplaced our priorities? These were the questions that struck my mind when I attempted to apply for the Presidential special Scholarship Scheme for Innovation and Development (PRESSID) and I discovered that HND holders are not eligible based on the requirements.

The scheme aims to offer full scholarships and exposure to deserving first class (another discrimination against university graduates with lower grades) graduates of Nigerian origin from Universities within and outside Nigeria to pursue various Masters and PhD programmes in top 25 Universities in the world in the areas of Engineering, Science, special aspects of Biology, Medicine and Economics. The Polytechnic graduates in these selected fields are exempted from this scheme. This is the case with similar scholarship scheme of other government institutions like Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) e.t.c. and those of multinational companies particularly in the oil and gas sector of the economy. This trend has greatly affected the result of such schemes negatively since the trained Researchers return to the country after expensive study abroad only to depend on the discouraged Technologists (HND holders) for the implementation of the outcome of their research.

Training more Researchers abroad without corresponding training of Technologists will not achieve the desired results. In fact the available Researchers in our Universities and research Institutes are capable of carrying out useful research with implementable outcome if properly motivated through adequate funding, revamping of dilapidated facilities and replacement of obsolete laboratory facilities in their institutions and re-training to catch up with new techniques and practices. This will achieve better results within a short period, due to the experience of the available Researchers, than the results achievable through training of fresh graduates from bachelor’s degree level to doctorate degree level as planned by the PRESSID. This is not to say that the PRESSID is a bad idea. It definitely has its merits in terms of producing more Researchers to complement available ones and fill existing vacancies. However, government’s priority should be on making the available Researchers in our institutions more productive and also ensure the proper implementation of research outputs for technological advancement of the Nation. Therefore if the PRESSID is truly designed to facilitate the attainment of the goals of vision 20:2020 in terms of technological advancement, Polytechnic graduates, who constitute the Technologists, should not be exempted from the scheme. The scheme should in fact train more Technologists than Researchers because there are many available research outputs, obtainable locally and internationally, that can be implemented by the Technologists to the benefit of the Nation. The major impediment to the technological advancement of the Nation is not the dearth of Researchers or research outputs but lack of implementation of available research findings and recommendations. China, India and Japan started their technological development through copy-technology and reverse engineering. They went from replication of existing technologies of high-tech Nations to the evolvement of their own customized technologies. These countries have functional Technical and Vocational education system backed by effective research institutes and Universities. The graduates of their Technical and Vocational institutions are not discriminated against in favour of their University counterparts.

If the PRESSID must meet its objective of facilitating the advancement of Nigeria technologically, the current lopsided education policy that favours only the University graduates and treat Polytechnic/Technical college graduates with disdain must be discarded and replaced with a proper policy that appreciates the essence and unique roles of the graduates of our different institution in the development of the Nation.

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They will hide under the Bible and Quran gods by insisting that they are ''born again'' or ''believing other gods except allah is haram'' so they can't swear using anything that contradicts their faith. We all know they don't believe the Bible and Quran. If you ask most of them to UnCloth, u'll find all sorts of incision and charms on them for their personal security (ever wonder why they don't take security issues seriously). A thourough background check on every one of them will reveal that most of them belong to evil cults and also offer sacrifices to some of these traditional deities for their protection! An easy way to make them take a valid oath is to place and conceal a formidable ''Olugbohun'', ''Afose'' or ''Epe'' (charms that make whatever one says comes to pass) at the place they will be taking the oath!

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Anyone, regardless of his/her tribe or origin, that believes and practices strictly the Yoruba philosophy of ''Omoluabi'' will be an epitome of righteousness. Being a Yoruba by tribe or origin doesn't make you an automatic ''Omoluabi'' unless you believe and practice this philosophy strictly. We've seen politicians of Yoruba origin, who are not ''Omoluabi'' steal public funds and exhibit other characters contrary to this Yoruba philosophy cos their chosen philosophy is materialism and hedonism! It is therefore possible Suleiman Mohammed is of Yoruba origin but of Boko Haram philosophy! QED.

@OP Good points. I will also like to add that it is very important to have the Curriculum of all your courses. In the Curriculum, you will find the learning objectives, learning outcomes, course contents, scope, assessment methods, recommended textbooks e.t.c for each course you'll be taking. Past questions are very very essential cos the truth is there are hardly new questions in the real sense of it but old questions in new forms! All past questions from the inception of a course are usually available in the exam office of the department, where such course is offered. With your points and those I emphasised here, excellence is guaranteed provided other factors such as sound primary & secondary education, appropriate choice of course of study, good mental and physical health, adequate funding, favourable learning conditions & enviroment, Integrity of the testing system and examiners e.t.c among other factors that may not be directly under the control of the student are FAVOURABLE! And for those who believe in God, the guidiance of the holy spirit is KEY!

The first step in implementing this reform should be the abolishment of the position od Minister of states, reduction in the number of the president's special advisers and special assistants, 80 percent reduction(if posiible reduction to the level of the civil service since governance should be all about service and not looting as we have it now) in the salaries and emoluments of the President, Ministers, Legislators(legislation should be on part-time basis) and other political appointees. If this first step is taken, the reform will be highly welcomed.

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Suppose their is a God then we may ask who created God? If we know who created God then we may also ask who created God's creator and we can continue like that without conclussion or choose to accept a final point as conclussion in which case the final point will still be God(the starting point)! If we are intellectually honest, we will agree that human reasoning is limited and some issues are beyond its comprehension!! The existence of the creator of the physical universe and the originator of biological life is a NECCESSITY and a CHALLENGE!!!

Judging and Evaluating people based on Race, Nationality, Tribe, Religion e.t.c is not only myopic but also obnoxious! Isn't it obvious that no one REALLY had a choice in deciding which Race, Nation, Tribe, Religion e.t.c he/she was born to blong too? If most of the Yorubas and Igbos (and other tribes in Nigeria) here really had such choice, they won't choose to be born in Nigeria where poverty rate is above 50 percent! As far as the world is concerned, there are only two types of people: The GOOD ones and the BAD ones. Being good or bad is a product of human volition and choice with conscience serving as the judge. Race, Nationality, Tribe, Religion e.t.c are mere parameters of human classification based on mostly selfish reasons which is why it is always controversial. Arguements about race or tribal superiority are not only evil as such classification is, but also never lead to a useful or logical conclussion. You are either GOOD or BAD! Your conscience is there to judge you.

amodu:
For you all commending this decision of the Ogun State Government, i don't think you are putting the affected student into consideration.
What will be the fate of the alumni and undergraduates of this Nigeria Premier University of Education?
Will the certificates of graduates from this school be valid again?
What will the certificates of the undergraduates carry?
These and some others are the question we need to ask oursleves before jumping into conclusion if it worth commending.

According to the report, the already admitted students will be allowed to complete their programme and would be issued Bachelor's degree of Olabisi Onabanjo University on graduation. As for the old students, their certificates will remain valid. Kano college of Technology was transfered to Bida Niger state and converted to Federal polytechnic Bida in 1977. The certificates of the defunct college remains valid. IJMB was replaced with JAMB but you can still gain admission with IJMB result. Like I said earlier, emphasis should not be placed on certificates but competence.

Good move. The psyche of the average Nigerian student has been damaged by over-depence on certificate. Aptitude and competence have been relegated to the background while certificates are glorified and seen as meal ticket. This damaged psyche fuels all sorts of desperate moves to acquire certificates (especially University degrees) regardless of the fact that the institutions issuing such certificates are ill-equipped and run outdated syllabuses that add little or no value to their students. No wonder Nigerian Certificates are worthless in the US and UK. Establishing more universities and polytechnics only proliferate such substandard institutions. The global practice is to maintain a single university with multiple campuses if necessary (campuses are usually established based on the need of its immediate community e.g the establishment of a technological institute of a university in a predominantly industrial area) under a vibrant and qualified staff. Havard University is an example. The Nigerian Tertiary education system, as operated presently, lacks purpose! Reforms like this is a step in the right direction.

It is true that African leaders are to be blamed for neo-colonialism and imperialism of the west. For example, the Libyan disaster could have been averted had it been Gadaffi left when his people demanded he should. His insistence on power and crackdown on protesters paved way for military intervention by the imperialist though there were indications that the protesters were sponsored by the imperialists. Re-colonisation of Africa is imminent if Africa continue to produce inept, corrupt and sit-tight leaders. The fall of Gadaffi is just one of the crucial steps needed to prepare Africa for the ''New World Order''. The next agenda is to disintegrate Nigeria and Boko Haram is already helping to achieve that. With the set of leaders we have presently in Africa, stopping re-colonisation is a pipe dream.

The truth remains the truth irespective of who is saying it and whatever selfish reasons for saying it. It is a fact that colonisation and slavery never stopped in Africa. We were only successfull in stoping PHYSICAL slavery but the whites were smart in replacing it with MENTAL slavery. We are still slaves Ideologically, Politically, Economically, Religiously and culturally!