₦airaland Forum

I highly doubt you can transition into graduate school (least of all, abroad) without taking the fundamental classes geared toward a first degree. Schooling abroad? NO short cut, all what you have to do is to apply. Luckily we live in the 'google age', so you can get more information on the internet.

Goodluck.

But in what capacity can I render my services to my country, Nigeria, when the odds are just stacked against me. Number one, I am a minority of the Ibibio tribe, and the ruling junta would regard me as "inconsequential". Then, lets look at the educational system in Nigeria, can I just walk into the Ministry of Education and plead with them to overhaul their curriculum some aspects of it is completely irrelevant in today's world? How can I stop corruption? What of crime? Ok, what of the payment of salaries to teachers? How can I prevent that from occuring when I am not even a member of the ruling party? Sure, people do dream big but we gotta be realistic, that it will take more than one person to bring in progress in the country.

Dont get me wrong, I love Nigeria very much, because I grew up there, and have wonderful memories of my beloved country. No doubt about that. At Naija parties out here, I rarely miss it, because my attendance at those gatherings is like living vicariously in Naija. It is an attempt for me to reconnect with folks, reminisce about old times and all that. I wish Naija could change, but if I were to drop everything now in the USA and move back home, would it be possible for me to get a job without resorting to bribery or engage in other fraudulent behaviors that is not so prevalent here?

@Coco, in as much as your story is inspirational, are you implying that if the pregnancy was not advanced, then it would not have been a sin to terminate it?

Never a divorcee!!!.

Winters in Chicago? Forget it. It is brutal. I read in Chicago defender message board that about 5 homeless men died due to the cold weather. The shelters in Chicago, some of them are not opened 24 hours, so it is tough. And the bill for electricity is astronomically high, according to what I read , 600 dollars? That's a lot of money.

@Toniaslim, try preaching it to a civil servant back home who has been owed three months salary, and he will 'reason' with you for choosing to stay back in Naija, even if he wins the green card lottery. Try explaining your discourse to a pensioner, who has not received his benefits, for no apparent reason. Try and convince a University student in Nigeria who has lost an academic year, because of ASUU strike, and is desperate to come to America and further his education. And moreso, tell a university graduate who has been unemployed for 4 years, because he has no connection, that he should stay back home, because Nigeria stands to lose a lot, if he 'checks out of the country' to America for economic reasons.

4real, Duke is not a Christian, but a member of the Grail movement, yet, are Christians fasting for him to be the PDP leader? Enlighten me more, for if it is so, then that is a contradiction.

Depends though. I have acclimatized (to some extent) to the ways of life in America, and enjoy it, but at the same time, I miss Naija. If the opportunity strikes, why not, I will take it. It may be in Naira, but sometimes the benefits can outweigh the value of the dollar.

This webpage claims that Houston has the largest concentration of Nigerians over any other cities in America.

Here is the link

http://grandioseparlor..com/2006/06/cnns-how-to-rob-bank-nigerian-image.html

By LAURAN NEERGAARD, AP Medical Writer 1 hour, 1 minute ago

WASHINGTON - Malaria is fueling the spread of
AIDS in Africa by boosting the
HIV in people's bodies for weeks at a time, says a study that pins down the deadly interplay between the dual scourges.
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It's a vicious cycle as people weakened by HIV are, in turn, more vulnerable to malaria.

University of Washington researchers who estimated the impact of the overlapping infections concluded that the interaction could be blamed for thousands of HIV infections and almost a million bouts of malaria over two decades in just one part of Kenya.

The research, published in Friday's edition of the journal Science, highlights the need for a joint attack on both epidemics.

"It's an important paper," said Dr. Anthony Fauci of the
National Institutes of Health, the government's leading infectious disease specialist. "We really need to be much more serious about what we do about malaria at the same time we're serious about what we do about HIV."

Anti-malaria programs, such as a $1.2 billion U.S. initiative in its early stages, "assume a much, much greater imperative when you realize not only are you going to have an impact on one disease, but you might impact another disease," Fauci added.

Malaria sickens up to half a billion people annually and kills more than 1 million, mostly young children and mostly in Africa — which also bears the biggest HIV burden. Sub-Saharan Africa is home to 24.7 million HIV-infected people; about 2 million died this year, according to the latest U.N. update.

Scientists long have suspected the two diseases fuel each other. The new study created a mathematical model to figure out just how much they do.

HIV is most easily spread when patients have high virus levels in their blood. A bout of malaria causes a temporary surge — a stunning sevenfold increase — in those levels, said lead researcher Laith Abu-Raddad, a scientist at the University of Washington.

The surge may last six weeks to eight weeks. That is longer than it takes adults in intense malaria areas, where people get the parasitic disease once or twice a year, to recover from a typical bout and feel up to sexual activity again, he said.

Moreover, HIV patients are more susceptible to malaria reinfection because of their weakened immune systems.

Armed with that information, Abu-Raddad turned to Kisumu, Kenya, a region where he found good data tracking HIV and malaria prevalence over decades, and even information on sexual behavior such as average number of partners and volume of sex workers.

In regions where both diseases are common, malaria may be responsible for almost 5 percent of HIV infections, and HIV may be behind 10 percent of malaria episodes. In Kisumu, that translated into 8,500 extra HIV infections and 980,000 extra malaria bouts over two decades, he concluded.

"It's a substantial impact," Abu-Raddad said, adding that it helps to explain HIV's explosive spread across southern Africa.

"We were very surprised" the numbers were so high, added study co-author Dr. James Kublin, an HIV researcher at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle.

Avoiding sex for eight weeks after malarial fever would considerably lower HIV's spread but "is probably impractical to implement," the researchers wrote.

So Kublin stressed that anti-malaria programs — including insecticide spraying, bed nets to block mosquitoes at night and malaria treatments — must target HIV patients. Increasing access to HIV medications that lower viral levels means if they do get malaria, they may not have such an infectious spike, he added.

Global campaigns, including a major U.S. program, in recent years have focused on AIDS medications for Africa, and more than 1 million HIV patients in developing countries are now thought to be getting them. Still, that is a fraction of the need.

Next week, the White House will hold a summit with international experts to discuss strategies to combat malaria.

Culled from: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061207/ap_on_he_me/hiv___malaria


Ndipe's comment: I think it is true. What are the chances that a mosquito, biting an HIV positive person wont transmit the virus to an otherwise, HIV negative individual?

Grouppoint, I would have to disagree with you on that. Jesus Christ preached about the Love of God to mankind, He, being an example of God's Love to die for our sins. That was the essence of his preaching, in addition to repentance. Please dont let anybody deceive you into believing that Jesus Christ preached about prosperity. He even gave us this warning.

“Don’t store treasures for yourselves here on earth where moths and rust will destroy them and thieves can break in and steal them. But store your treasures in heaven where they cannot be destroyed by moths or rust and where thieves cannot break in and steal them. Your heart will be where your treasure is.” (Matthew 6 v 19-21)

And another one. "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God." (Mark 10:25)

Not only in Nigeria, are these false prophets found, but also in America. Peter Popoff was exposed as a fraud in wikipedia. Stay away from them and diligently seek the Salvation of God, for that is the most important gift for mankind. These false prophets have turned the House of God into a warehouse, for the benefit of their bank account. Their oestantatious lifestyle is sometimes showcased in magazines in at least a few magazine that I have read. There is no way they can justify their lavish lifestyle when some of their congregation are living paycheck to paycheck. I am not an advocate of poverty, dont get me wrong, but at the same time, too much wealth is a distraction itself. I'd rather be comfortable in life, than be wealthy. Jesus Christ had warned us in His Holy Book, The Holy Bible, that it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God.

Unfortunately, some people have equated the Blessings of God to excessive prosperity, and more than a few of them, have forged ahead in life to establish their own Churches to whet their appetite for avarice. May God save us in the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Not only in Nigeria, are these false prophets found, but also in America. Peter Popoff was exposed as a fraud in wikipedia. Stay away from them and diligently seek the Salvation of God, for that is the most important gift for mankind. These false prophets have turned the House of God into a warehouse, for the benefit of their bank account. Their oestantatious lifestyle is sometimes showcased in magazines in at least a few magazine that I have read. There is no way they can justify their lavish lifestyle when some of their congregation are living paycheck to paycheck. I am not an advocate of poverty, dont get me wrong, but at the same time, too much wealth is a distraction itself. I'd rather be comfortable in life, than be wealthy. Jesus Christ had warned us in His Holy Book, The Holy Bible, that it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God.

Unfortunately, some people have equated the Blessings of God to excessive prosperity, and more than a few of them, have forged ahead in life to establish their own Churches to whet their appetite for avarice. May God save us in the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Engaging in a heated discussion over someone with a flawed opinion of Nigeria is not worth it. You should have just ignored him. Aint worth it to debate over such an inconsequential topic.

However, that guy might beat you to it, by updating you on the recent arrests of Nigerians in Houston for Medicaid fraud.

And how about IBB declares his first?

How can it generate buzz on Nairaland, when this incident is a common scenario day in and day out in Nigeria?

Mr. Sammie, which residential area is ritzier, Lekki Beach of Lagos or Cocody of Abidjan?

Like, is this a new precedent in Nigeria?

Does anybody here like Eternity by Calvin Klein? As popular as it was in the 90's that cologne was a no-no for me.

I even watched a montage of one of the suspect's arrest in Houston. It is on www.Nigeriavillagesquare.com. The scandal is another blow to the image of Nigerians, especially coming on the heels of the damaging CNN report on Nigerians some months back. Some Nigerians protested and went as far as sending a protest letter to CNN over the incendiary documentary. Now, the tables have been turned again, and of course, CNN is having the last laugh.


http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/articles/nvs/medicaid-fraud-in-houston-31-naijas-in-the-net.html

7 Nigerians arrested in US for medical fraud By Our Reporter
Monday, December 4, 2006

Details about the US-based Nigerians indicted in Houston, Texas on fraudulent charges are now emerging over the weekend, with the release of the names of over 31 individuals, males and females accused in the medicaid fraud, Empowered Newswire reports.


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Going by the names, 22 or more of them are likely to be Nigerians. There is a huge Nigerian community in the state of Texas, especially in Houston, where the news broke Friday. The fraud for which the Nigerians and others are being accused has to do with the US Medicaid system, a form of medical insurance for people who cannot afford individual health insurance. It is funded by Americans’ tax dollars.

Last year alone, it costed the state of Texas $17b to fund its medicaid obligations. This particular fraud is believed to have milked the state of Texas $7.7m in an investigation that lasted 6 months.

Most of the evidently Nigerian names can be traced to the Riverine states of Nigeria. But there is also at least one name from the Southwestern part of Nigeria.

According to the Texas Attorney-General, Greg Abbot, 17 of the over 31 indicted individuals have already been arrested, but contacts are now being made with the Nigerian government through the US embassy and consulates, to forestall suspected escape of some of the suspected criminals to Nigeria.

Many US-based Nigerian professionals are concerned that such developments like this Texas Medicaid fraud continue to stain the mostly good records of Nigerians in this country.

One of them, who is also a public commentator, Professor Bolaji Aluko said he expects the Nigerian government to fully cooperate with FBI authorities in bringing to justice those who might have escaped into Nigeria.

Said he, “we cannot allow Nigeria to be a haven for run-away suspected/confirmed criminals - that would not be consistent with the budding “Heart of Africa” project being launched around the world by the Nigerian government.”

Specifically, the suspected criminals used about 32 companies in the state to falsely make phoney medical financial and supply claims that did not exist. Throught the Medicaid system, these firms took money from the state of Texas for adult diapers, wheelchairs, and other medical supplies that were never delivered. According to the indictments, the suspects accepted reimbursements, based on billings for supplies that were never delivered to patients as was meant to be.

For instance, one of the Nigerians whose arrest was prominent and recorded on video, currently available on the internet and shown around the world is Ededem Edem. He has been indicted by a Harris County(equivalent of a local government area) grand jury on Nov. 27, 2006, for second-degree felony aggregate theft by a government contractor for billing and receiving payments of over $100,000 from the Medicaid program for adult diapers that were never delivered to Medicaid recipients. If convicted, Edem and others may face a 2-20 years jail term and a fine of up to $10,000.

The list of the names of the 31 suspects aslo indicated that most of them were linked with one of the 32 medical supply businesses involved in making the fraudulent and phoney medical claims. Some of such compnaies include Interstate Medical Supply, Edima Health Management Group, Essential Healthcare Clinic&Supplier, Ollie Ross Medical, Edison Medical Supply, Semeds Medical Equipment, Citizens Medical Equipment, EMCO Medical Supplies Inc., Goldnet Medical Supplies Corp, Sinex Medical Supply, all in Houston.

Outside Houston, there are several other companies involved. They include Sam’s Medical Supplu in Richmond, Blue Rose and C&M Medical Equipment in Missouri City, Pinnacle Medical Supply, in Katy and Perfect Medical Equipment in Sugarland.

Of all the 31 indicted suspects, 5 are females, some of which may include Non-Nigerians judging from their names. Phone calls by Empowered Newswire to the homes of several of the suspects did not produce any substantial reaction as many of the families of the suspects feigned ignorance of the news.

Aluko, a university professor based in Washington D.C. described the incident as a disgrace. According to him, “First, to have so many Nigerians involved in such a scam in the Houston area is a disgrace, particularly in the aftermath of the CNN report which was vigorously protested by both the Nigerian community in the US and the Nigerian government. “

He urged Nigerians in the Diaspora to take a more proactive role as a matter of must, in order to ensure “better role modeling by its fellow citizens.”

With the preponderance of names from a particular section of the country, Aluko called on US-based Nigerian ethnic and national organizations to ensur that their members with questionable wealth be put under the microscope.

Prominent among the Nigerians arrested is Ededem Edem, whose photo was displayed at the press conference on Friday by the Texas Attorney-General.


http://odili.net/news/source/2006/dec/4/552.html

Billings Method is perhaps the most accurate way of knowing your 'safe' and 'unsafe' days. For more information about it, look it up on wikipedia.

have used cool water and absolutely hated the scent. Did not like CK (the one in the black bottle) either. Estee lauder came up with a set of cologne for guys that I thought I would like, but still, it did not appeal to my senses that much. I guess I still have to scout around for one that I will like.

Hollywood hands down. Nollywood cant measure up with Hollywood when it comes to dialogue, suspense, picture, etcs.

Over the weekend, I read the biography of Ferdinand Oyono. He is a famous writer of Cameroonian ancestry who came from a polygamous home. His mother was a devout catholic, and upon learning that her husband (Oyono's father, a polygamist) was marrying a 2nd wife, promptly divorced him. I don't know when this incident took place, but might have been in the 30's or 40's. And during that time, you can imagine that divorce was met with condemnation, so for a lady to have resolutely rejected polygamy in an African culture, where multiple marriages is sanctioned, her decision to end her marriage could be considered a rarity.

Over to another tragic love story about Camara Laye when his wife, Marie, upon being released from jail divorced him because he had married a second wife. Her decision was justified because she was Roman Catholic. Her husband's excuse of being prompted to bring in a second wife, on account of his ill health (and even the woman admitted so in an interview that her husband was in poor health), the welfare of their children, the last born being 5 months old when the mother embarked on that ill-fated trip to Conarky from Dakar to visit her father) fell on deaf ears. Seun argued with me that the woman had options, that was why she left the marriage. Granted this was in the 70's but women's status in the society was stifled by our culture, sexism and a reluctance to compete with men, for fear of being branded a "stubborn woman"

In today's age, women have acquired visibility in the society. Some of them have traversed into men's domain and have been successful in that regard. Some major corporations in the country are run by female CEO's. This advancement is not just limited to the western world, but has spread to Africa. Sirleaf Johnson broke grounds when she became the first woman president in Liberia, the first of its kind in Africa, when even the USA, reknowned for its women's rights have not produced a female president (Is Hillary running in 2008)? So, this brings me to this question, why is it in today's age, there are quite a number of woman, including those who regard themselves as Christians would subject themselves to this arrangement? Ok, pardon me for a second, I lived in Nigeria, and I know of some people who practised polygamy, while attending Christian services. At that time, it never dawned on me that it was wrong, because my culture had completely taken over my psyche. As I have grown older, and gotten involved in Christianity and have been exposed to stories of women divorcing their polygamous husband, because of their religion, I would think that others in the same boat would adamantly reject it.

So, I was surprised to read this interviews of women, on NigeriaWorld, who, when asked if they would accept a rival as a second wife, confessed rather reluctantly, that they would accept the situation. The topic was about chiildlessness in the marriage, and while one of them told the reporter that she would pray over it, her answer was no different from the rest of her contemporaries who admitted a reluctance in accepting the situation. One even told the reporter (one might consider her proposal a brazen act, since childlessness in our society is usually regarded as a woman's fault) that she would make sure that it wasnt her fault, but in the end, it boild down to an acceptance.

Earlier on when I posted my short story titled "Double Tragedy" which gave one an insight into the plight of widows in Nigeria, one of the respondents, wondered why any woman would willingly accept to be a slave in their marriage. I thought times have changed back home, apparently, there are some women back home who are still stuck in the past.

You can access the interview on this link.

http://odili.net/news/source/2006/dec/2/315.html

@omofineboy, yeah, I remember when hostel accomodation was 90 Naira per semester. It wasnt that bad. It is a different scenario today with the skyrocketing prices of hostel fees. Probably as expensive as renting a bunk off campus. I just don't know how people survive in Nigeria nowadays. School fees is just way out of reach for a lot of people back home, including federal universities, that in my set, was quite affordable.

You know what? IBB even tried in ameliorating the situation in a way, by introducing DFRII to instal pipe borne waters and electricity in the village. It may have been a failure, but there were some villages that benefitted from it. I used to read Newswatch magazine that did a feature on the merits of DFRII (Directorate for food, road and rural infrastructures). Then, when my cousin was at a federal school in the East, he told me that the Federal Government (under IBB) was building new science laboratories for the benefits of science students. Who remembers all those contests, like "Jet" science contests, put in place to motivate creative minds into action? What exactly has OBJ done? I used to receive Bursary from federal and Local Government. That is not in existence any longer. I just can't think of any redeeming or innovative ideas implemented by the current regime of OBJ. He probably is the worst president of Nigeria, not that I am exonerating IBB either.

Shame!!!

California has a reputation for its soaring real estate prices, but at the same time, those prices are different based on the locale. The east bay, like the oakland hills, nice and picturesque city is quite reasonable. You can snag a 2 bedroom, 2 bath condo for under 400k. You just have to scout around for the best deal in a nice neighbourhood. And it pays also to haggle to bring down the price. Dont get me wrong, babyosis, I am not justifying the ridiculous prices of real estate in the bay area, but some people have choosen to live here rather than move out to other places. Atlanta, Detroit, and Dallas may be cheap but from news reports, the soaring rate of foreclosure in those three cities is probably above the national average. I was surprised when I read it, because one can get a decent house in Dallas for under 150k. It is a fact, since my cousin lives there. So, if the foreclosure rate is high, then that tells you their economy is not doing well.

While in MD last week, my aunt drove me around the city, showing me the prices of some houses in the Montogomery county area. She told me that a townhouse at her previous neighbourhood was going for 600k. No kidding. I was flabbergasted, because you can get a townhouse in the San Jose area for about that price, except the size would be relatively small. So, I'd rather choose to buy a 600k house in San Jose, with a relative spacious size and deal with the abundance of sunshine than be stuck inside my big mansion in the south, under gloomy weather.

Quite unbelievable that Luanda was a picturesque city.

When you visit California and experience the idyllic weather, the carefree nature of its inhabitants, the gorgeous scenery and the fact that earthquakes occur randomly, perhaps, that may convince you to quickly call(1-800-Go-Uhaul) to ship your belongings to California and live in a 'tiny old house'

True Christianity lies in the knowledge that Jesus Christ, the Creator of the World, the Son of the Almighty God, died for our sins on the cross, and rose again on the third day. He resurrected into Heaven and would come back to the world the 2nd time. Our belief lies in the fact that our sins can only be cleansed by the Blood of Jesus Christ, and that He alone is the Way to God.