₦airaland Forum

Jeez. New list is out. http://www.nddc.gov.ng/shortlisted2/index.html

Stop asking for list to be forwarded to your mailbox! Just get online and check it out yourself!

New list is out. http://www.nddc.gov.ng/shortlisted2/index.html

Wow, Nigerians have finally lost it. My guess is that years of bad leadership have reduced us to the most incomprehensible people on earth. Or is it Internet etiquette? People really have to open stupid threads, right? I don't even want to blame GEJ. The vice president is from the North! Infact he is from Kaduna. If he can't stop the crisis with the amount of resources and power at his disposal, then let him get his corrupt butts out of office for people with better ideas. Blaming El-rufai is actually pushing our stupidity to another level. Nigerians sha, una too much with una thought processes.

If the MBA is not from a top school, ala HBS, Stanford GSB, Kellog and the likes, abeg forget it and work for a while at GTB

I have never seen such baseless religious and tribal bigotry in my life. What has become of Nigerian youths? Where have we kept our brains? Are our brains just good for fraud and 419, and incapable of coordinated reasoning and judgment?

I am not standing brief for Buhari because I think (and I hope) someone younger (with as much zest against corruption as Buhari has) should step up. I hope that person will also get the support of Buhari. But the comments on this thread is so disturbing that my vision of a better Nigeria is becoming blurred and frustratingly lost.

We were all witnesses of the revolutions last year in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and now Syria. The people stood up and said enough was enough. In Nigeria, we have had Boko Haram and other equally terrorism organizations (MEND et al, kidnappers in SE) since the times of Obasanjo. BH started their spate of bombings during Yaradua's time and the trend was going up. I saw the trend then and complained that Nigerians should be worried about the trend which was pointing up. Now their menace has reached frightening levels and Nigerians, ignorant and weak in brain-power, have decided to blame Buhari. When will we learn to THINK first about our problems and figure out sound, strategic and custom-made solutions to our problems? When? Why are we so foolish, so dumb?

Th election violence was unfortunate. My younger sister was serving in Kaduna at the time and she was an INEC polling officer and I certainly feared for her. BUT, I have a very strong position against election rigging. Election rigging comes to me as RAPE and defilement and this is more painful because I see it as politicians raping my unborn kids and their generation. By rigging elections and consequently answering to the rigging machinery that brought them into power, these politicians destroy the very essence of our existence and create a country that is carefully crafted to provide absolutely no future for the next generation. We are building a very weak foundation for Nigeria until we realize that the RAPE called election rigging needs to stop. At the last count, 10 of my friends have shipped their wives to the US of A to come have their babies. Who wouldn't if your kids and their futures are constantly being raped by hoodlums? WE, the people of NIGERIA, have a right, an indelible right as a matter of urgent national interest and for the sake of our kids, their future and posterity, to rise up and fight for our votes. FIGHT against election RAPE! Fight for your KIDS. Stop being cowards and sellouts and stop blaming someone who reminds you of what you should be doing.

America's right to bear arms was introduced by their founding fathers for one fundamental reason. It was certainly not to protect themselves against one another. Americans have a right to bear arms to protect themselves against a repressive government. The founders reckoned that if at any instance, some form of repressive government comes into office, THE PEOPLE, should be able to protect themselves by the use of force. That is why the US, as big and diverse as it is, is where it is today. I wish Nigerians can learn this lesson.

In summary,

1. Stop blaming Buhari. If elections are rigged in your neighbourhood, you should rise up to demand otherwise even if it resorts to violence. You have a right to stop the rape of your kids.
2. Spend some time thinking about Nigeria's problems, writing your thoughts down, articulating what you think is a way forward, identifying political persons/organizations that can help push your agenda, and supporting them. Let's be practical and useful for once.
3. Start coordinating young people in your areas. Form pressure groups and youth political and economic thinktanks. Make a practical push for a better Nigeria.

Sorry for the epistle. I'm just so worried at the current shape of Nigeria that it brings tears to my eyes everytime.

I am so sad for this generation of Nigerians. We are certainly worse than our parents' generation. Ride on Nigerians, ride on to your destruction. There is no country on this planet with youths that have shown so much ignorance, selfishness and bigotry as the Nigerian youth. We fear revolutions, yet hope things will work by magic. Kidnapping, fraud and outright robbery is the order of the day. Yet we are proudly stupid, proudly hopeless and proudly clueless. We are a failed nation, failed youths and hopelessly failed individuals.

Until there is a semblance of a strong political administration ready to tackle the menace of corruption (which is the bane of ALL OF NIGERIA'S PROBLEMS), there is no way on earth we will make any economic progress. Meaning the youths will continue to get worse education and look more stupid to the rest of the worlld and ofcourse more ignorant. It also means NO foreign investors will put their money into this economy (energy, refining, infrastructure, etc). I have had the privilege of being a part of a number of high-end US Africa business fora and there are only three African countries getting the attention of the world - Ghana, Rwanda and Botswana (ofcourse SA already has it). Nigeria is feared like a plague and right now, only the Oil companies can survive in our business environment because of their peculiar business model.

Grow up Nigerian Youths, grow up. I challenge every Nigerian youth out there to do a simple exercise before hitting the internet with posts that reek of bigotry and sheer ignorance. In the comfort of your home (hopefully with electricity), write down everything you think makes up Nigeria's problems and what you think can be done to solve them (from your limited understanding). Put it down in ink and paper (don't just think it up). Write it down in bullet points - problems and solutions. Then step back, remove all ethnic, religious and socially bigoted cap and make a sane assessment of all political organizations and persons in our current political space. Which person/group of persons/organization has the capacity to fix the problem's'? Mind you, don't count yourself out of the equation because you could be the one person that can fix Nigeria. Write down your choices and begin to support them.

We have a responsibility to the next generation, to build a country that will look out for them.

Rest in Peace, Yekini!

Is it possible to see open slots like before. It looks like the new structure does not let you see the empty available slots until you actually have your GTBank receipt number. In the past, you could just go to the site and see available slots even before filling out the application forms.

Thanks in advance.

What bugs my mind is the definition of 'giving to God' in this context. How is giving tithe to the church equivalent to giving it to God? And if the answer is yes, then what constitutes a church? Is it when two or three gather in God's name? I have seen churches which are so few that 90% of the membership are the Pastor's family. At what point does a group of persons transform into a church and hence eligible for our tithes? Can I decide to make myself a church (ex. start fellowshiping with my family at home and collecting all the tithes)? At what point does a person (or pastor) become a custodian of the tithes to God?

My take is that New testament Christianity decentralized christian congregation and as such there is no one body that can claim ownership or absolute custodianship of collective contributions like tithes. We all are custodians and out primary responsibility is to our neighbors, needy people right next to us. This doesn't negate the need to give to the church but primarily, our responsibility is to our neighbors.

Also, there is little or no accountability for these sort of contributions. It is easy to assume that the average Nigerian pays about 10% tax to the government. As a result, we expect accountability from government, which we have never seen. Then there is another 10%, almost as much as government takes (atleast from christians) that churches collect and do not account for too. So, 20% of our income gone to unaccountable purses. The system needs some serious overhaul.

Very very poor ad. No description of location, no price, nothing meaningful. And you expect people to call you?

Mafious:
I wonder why anybody in Nigeria would kill himself over a first class when in reality you get a first class by doing assingments in time and cramming hand-outs written by a lecturer who all he knows about his course is what he crammed in his own time.

I did not finish from OSU but if I did I would have come out with a 3rd class with honours, but everything I know about computers I learnt from personal development and NIIT. All of us from Nigerian schools had to bury our certificates when we came to the states, I cannot tell you the number of first class people working odd jobs here in Texas. What ever anybody say Nigerian education is a sham, you degree is not recognised anywhere outside the country except you get a foreign masters to make it more responsible. Don't waste your time use you head and talent the bulk of the people who have made a name for themselves don't even have any formal education. I work construction on the side and what some people go to school to be taught by proffessors is what high school kids here use to play pranks.

Worthless degrees from a worthless country
Gbam!

Big lie. A first class degree from a Nigerian University will take you places. Yes, you have to garnish it with an MS or PhD, but you need that strong first class showing to get into top schools too. So, don't give me the story that many of them are unsuccessful. I know a ton and they are extremely successful in the US.

Bottomline: you don't need a first class to be successful in life (although it could give some competitive advantage). However, I can understand OP's frustration if indeed he deserved a first. Means the entire educational system needs complete overhauling. But who would you blame? Parents are not 'helping' their kids cheat in SSCE and JAMB. So, the system in itself, is patently flawed.

Pictures please!

What documents have you got for this land? Serious buyer

Although I don't agree with everything Malcolm espoused in this write-up, it got me seriously thinking nonetheless.

http://saharareporters.com/article/shut-and-move-arm-chair-revolutionaries-and-nigerian-problem-malcolm-fabiyi

Is this a joke?

http://www.punchng.com/news/fuel-subsidy-palliatives-not-possible-again-jonathan/

Please send pics to gerald.u.duru@gmail.com. This is a serious buyer

There is no law in Nigeria that pegs the minimum wage at N18,000. At best, it is the Fed. Govt. and some states that are currently implementing it. There is no set minimum wage for the private sector and people certainly earn less than N18,000. So setting our min. wage at N18,000 is actually being nice to Nigeria.

Until Nigerians realize that the greatest atrocity against our collective sensibility is Election rigging, we will continue to head south. EVERY responsible member of a decent society ought to FIGHT for their votes. We don't need to be reminded that we SHOULD fight for our votes. Voting is one collective right that gives us a sense of belonging/membership in our community and society. It is what makes for decency and sanity in any society - the fact that I can CHOOSE who leads my society. When that right is threatened, every responsible member of that society ought to know that fighting to reclaim that right is a FUNDAMENTAL responsibility.

Any call on Nigerians to protect their votes is a patriotic call. I made the call during the elections because in the past, I had seen elections manipulated and rigged right in front of me. I felt like a teenage being raped by bandits and was full of hate and disgust for election manipulators and riggers. I still stand by that call and dare Nigerians to stop being cowards, and come out and fight for their rights. Imagine Nigerians even remotely suggesting that the call to protect our votes was a bad thing. It is either we are sick as a nation or have just completely lost it.

Leaders are accountable to the systems that bring them in. If they are elected by the masses, they will be accountable to the masses. When an unwholesome political process brings them in, they will be accountable to that system. That's the bane of our political process and any call on Nigerians to protect their rights (including their votes) is certainly a patriotic call. Has anyone wondered why the founding fathers of the United States enshrined the right to bear arms? Incase we don't know, it wasn't meant for protection against one  another. It was for protection against a repressive home government. They posited that if the system fails and they end up with a repressive home government, Americans ought to be able to fight the government to regain their freedom. Imagine the founding fathers equipping their future generations to be able to fight oppressive and irresponsible American governments. That is a system that has fundamental freedom deeply enshrined in their political process. It is not too much to ask Nigerians (albeit unarmed) to protect their votes. I am so sick of people blaming Buhari for the crisis, based on this one call even when other well meaning religious leaders made the same call. The argument is a disservice to the country.  

Just for the records, my kid sister was serving in Kaduna during the elections and I still supported  the call for Nigerians to stand there, make sure their votes are counted and escort their votes to all the collation centers. This is not personal, we are trying to build a decent society here.

Please people - today is Gen. Buhari's birthday. Let us be courteous for once. It is not too much to ask that we keep this thread as positive as possible. Today's the man's birthday for heaven's sake. Share only positive experiences about him! You have the rest of the 364 days left in the year to bash him to hell if you want to.

Like any human, he is not perfect and has his many flaws. Some people may feel strongly about these flaws and that is perfectly fair and understandable. I too, have my reservations about Buhari, but today I'll say the positive things for which I'm proud of him: In a country bereft of integrity and men of unquestionable character, Buhari undoubtedly stands tall. For that, I'm proud of him. Happy birthday M. Buhari

A big happy birthday to a decent Nigerian - Gen. M. Buhari. Only few past leaders have the moral standing that you exude and it still boggles my mind that despite the numerous high-stake positions you have held in government, you are still the ever simple, incorruptible man of the masses. Your strong stance on discipline, accountability, and truth will forever be an example in a country that is bereft of moral eptitude and social justice. There are still some Nigerians left, who are proud of you. Happy Birthday!

Not sure if this will be too much to ask for but I'll ask anyways - is it possible to get some pictures of the building to have a feel? Thanks

Wow, there we go again, arguing over irrelevant things. Doesn't it bother us, that even with our so called 'knowledge' and grasp of the word of God, we are still the most unwholesome country on the planet? We are just busy arguing like the Pharisees, Sadducees and people like Peter who wanted to stand by the law (when he suggested that gentiles can not be saved?). These symbolic things like Baptism are not in themselves what will save a Christian. The symbolic pouring of water (as in infant baptism) or immersion (as in adult baptism) are not in themselves acts that will save you. Baptism as Christ envisioned it is a personal relationship with God. As long as you believe in Jesus, accept him as your Lord and Savior, you are saved (irrespective of whether you went about getting immersed in water or not). My point is: Salvation, the kind that gets one to heaven, does not come by either sprinkling of water or immersion. You can do either and still lose heaven. Salvation comes by establishing a relationship with God and living out his grace. Just do this and you won't need the water immersion, the water sprinkling or the age factor.

I can certainly relate with this. My experience was this:

I finished with a first class in Chemical Engineering and went on straight to do an MS in Pet. Engineering in the US. Months before graduation, I had a numbers of good offers from Chevron, BP and Conoco, to work in the US. Then I also had an offer to continue on with a PhD in the same university (I didn't bother applying to other schools). I had to make a decision and I decided to continue with the PhD. I graduated in June and I have since started work with Exxon. I got the Exxon job more than 1 year before I graduated.

In my opinion, staying back to do the PhD was a very good decision. Although my reasons might not apply to you, you might want to consider them in making your decisions:

1. I was already in a good school (2nd only to MIT in Engineering) and I had a lot more to learn from those great professors. I didn't want to pass on that opportunity. You will have to think about this - Is it worth it for you (I wish you applied to schools in the US too)

2. Beyond my MS, the PhD was going to take 3-4 years and I did it in 3 years. The choice for me was the marginal advantage of 3years of work experience over 3years of PhD academic experience. I came to the conclusion that the PhD was a better option for me. Although I stood to lose 3 years of good pay, I figured in the long run, everything will tapper down. In the industry, there isn't much difference between a '5-years' experience and an '8-years' experience. But when one comes with a PhD and the other doesn't, that may make a lot of difference in some environments.

3. It is easier to teach (I don't like teaching so I'm not even considering it) with a PhD and of course consult too. Two months into my job, I was almost bored to death and I realized that I wasn't not used to routine life. Although I am getting used to it now, I know I have the flexibility to go into academia anytime or do consulting. Infact consulting is more lucrative than any paid position out there in any IOC - I have many PhD friends who made the switch recently and are having the most exciting phases of their career.

4. I did a number of internships during the summers. So I got a chance to get more work experience (cumulatively, my 4 summer internships amounted to 12 months experience). That was very helpful too. If you get to do internships during the PhD, it would add a lot of value (and money)

5. Some companies regard the PhD research as work experience. My company does, atleast for purposes of benefits.

6. Pay is higher, significantly higher with a PhD. That is my experience

7. The 3-4 years happen faster than you think. I was out before I knew that I was in. And since you are smart, that should be a piece of cake for you.

8. I get people's fears about the job outlook. I don't know how bad things are in Europe but the outlook in the US is still very bright in the energy industry. Just like I experienced, my juniors have started receiving multiple job offers too. So, yes the job outlook is still bright.

To wrap this up, I tend not to let short term factors affect the decisions I make about long term interests. If you want to do a PhD, then do it. Trying to model the economic outlook for the next 4 years might be a difficult task (considering the realities and uncertainties). But one thing is for sure: At the end of your program, there will still be an energy industry ever recruiting and the top brains will always have a place (or multiple placements). Since careers are multi-decade endeavors, it's always best not to allow decisions around the first few years affect the choices/paths for the next 30 years. Decisions made in these early years will even out, one way or the other - they always do. Just go for what you think will make you happier, feel more accomplished, give you better flexibility and probably put more money in your savings in the long haul.

I hope this helps,

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/world/2011/08/30/prism.libya.africans.cnn

Migrants live in fear as rumors persist that Gadhafi used African mercenaries to commit atrocities.

These Nigerians may have barely escaped execution. What is president Jonathan doing about these Nigerians?

Nice write-up poster. I have been slightly behind on Nigeria news. Do we really spend $500m per month on fuel subsidies? From my background, I know we can build a 100,000 bbl/d capacity refinery for anything between $1B and $1.5B. That is subsidy for just 2-3 months (on the high end).

I may have to do a little research on this but it will be nice to know how much it costs Venezuela to produce 1 litre of PMS. If the landing cost to Nigeria is about N120, is it fair to say the total production cost is in the neighborhood of N80? (Again, I need to do some homework here). My point is: If it is anything in the range of N80 to purchase and refine crude (plus the profit margins) for 1 litre of PMS, then it makes so much more sense to divert the so-called subsidies to the construction of modern and easier-to-manage refineries in Nigeria. Besides the jobs that will be created and the foreign currency flight that would be averted, govt. will actually be saving more money (which is needed in other sectors).

Although I am strongly against government ran companies, one possible thing govt. can do is to guarantee loans (cheap loans) for individuals to do this. But like the OP said, there seems to be loads of special interests in Abuja. So yeah, we may be on this importation and subsidy thing for a while.

On another angle, WHY (and this is really in CAPS) would a govt., shamelessly opt to withdraw subsidies from products as important to the average citizenry as PMS (and its likes) without doing something first to fix the reasons behind the subsidies? If we had functioning refineries, there wouldn't be any need for big subsidies (or any at all). So why not make concerted efforts to improve local refining capacity; that way we would be killing so many birds with just one stone: Importation will be gone, subsidies will be done with, employment will improve, tax revenue will improve, foreign revenue might improve (if we sell our surplus) and the bye-products of refining can be used in many other sectors like agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and construction. Phew! I tire for naija oh!

My little brother is a medical student at Madonna and is finishing his 2nd year. There were ~98 of them in his 1st year class and only 14 passed/were allowed to proceed to year 2. I was also told that the program is accredited. My point is: I haven't seen any post that has questioned the quality of the academic program. I'll be more interested in that than majority of what has been said here. So, to those complaining about the fees structure and the manner the school is being run, could you please say something about the quality of tutorship in the institution? Let's agree first that the programs quality is below par, then nail the coffin with the rest of our outbursts. But if the 'integrity' of the academic part of the education is intact, maybe the other complaints might be something that can be easily deal with.

These are just my thoughts. For the records, I did undergrad in UNILAG.

Hello Inspired, can you help with this VIN 4f2yz02z65km53300

Thanks 1,000,000 times!!!

mikeansy:
Free and fair election is not electoral results conforming with whatever projections you have in your head. The only institutions ordained by law to pronounce the result of any election or to cancel it are INEC and the law court respectively.

It is the duty of all responsible citizens to go and vote and then allow INEC to do their job. Dropping tantrums like if elections are free and fair then Mr A must win, otherwise it would have been rigged is simply shameful and irresponsible. There are so many legitimate reasons why election can swing one way or the other on election day. To assume that the result of the election can only have one outcome otherwise it would have been rigged, is the very reason people hacked their countrymen to death in the North believing that the electoral views of their friends or immediate community is somehow representative of the general view of the whole country.

This is why I say in order to sustain democracy, certain acceptable behaviours are expected not just of those in power but also of those seeking power.

There is absolutely no sense in what you have said. There is no democracy unless the wishes of the people have been done. People have been victims of massive rigging and the activities of unscrupulous elements. And we also know who thees people are and who they are supporting. So it requires common sense logic to figure who and where these elements are manipulating votes. I have said it over and over, until Nigerians are ready to defend their votes with their blood, we will continue to be taken for a ride. This is exactly what Imo people did. Go to Owerri and see the massive jubilation - not even one single fight broke out. Now imagine if Ohakim had rigged his way in, there would have been war in Imo by now. The point is - we have been bitten by these guys and we know who they are. We have seen our votes cast and collated at the PU, only to hear the announcement of a completely different result. We know these people, we know where they live and we know what they do. Elections have been rigged over and over and over in Nigeria. Ohakim won the first election by sheer rigging. He also rigged this present elections too. The evidences are there and the people (the real Imolites) know who these guys are.

@ DAY11: If you don't see anything wrong with your post, then you should be ashamed of yourself. The heading is an insult to our collective national sensibility. And to think I had a lot of respect for you from your previous posts---

Can you post some pictures please? I may be interested!

They have succeeded in derailing this thread. We had more responsible posts last week, but some bunch have been doing a lot of damage to the integrity of this thread. It's time to sign off.