I found this on Facebook page of one Ahmad AbdulQadir



After I had gained admission for a Ph.D program, I had to abandon it after seven years because of so many hurdles that arose and made it impossible for me to continue.

The first hurdle came from my employer: my Director General, DG, at the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, at the time, who denied me and other colleagues promotion for ten years, also put across a lot of hurdles on my path to ensure that I never completed the program.

There was a committee he set up to look into applications for study leave, shortlist and forward recommendations to him for approval. My source in the committee told me, one day, that they were perplexed at how the DG kept on skipping my name whenever the list was forwarded to him: he just ticked the ones he liked and returned the list in spite of the fact that I had met all the criteria for approval.

So, I decided to take a risk and continue with the program secretly, without approval, since it was research based and course work was not required.

When I thought I had found a way around it, he transferred me to a place far away from the school. Still, I persevered and continued with my studies from my new location. Somehow, he found out again and transferred me to another place further than my new location, after about two years. When I decided to quit, he was, mercifully removed as the DG. Excitedly, I decided to continue with the program, but other unforeseen hurdles arose.

I suddenly came up against corrupt departmental staff at the university, who wanted money before they did their work. They even, at a time, hid my departmental file and said there was nobody to go and search for it. They advised that I open another one and again pay the departmental charges. And they were openly encouraged by the course coordinator who said, to my face, that they shouldn't pity me because my organization had money.

Then, the same course coordinator, who happened to be my supervisor, made me open a file where I put my proposal because he said he wouldn't accept it by email as it would require him buying fuel to start his generator to download and print it. Whenever I went to ask whether he had gone through my proposal, he would ask me to go through a stack of files to find mine - sometimes I would find it after so much effort and waste of time. At other times, he would say he might have taken it home - after which he would give me another appointment as he was unable to look at it. And I normally had to cover about 400 kilometers to reach the school. The man seldom answered my phone call nor responded to my emails.

One of our staff who just completed his masters told me they had to contribute money to pay for accommodation and feeding for the external examiner!

At this stage, I got fed up and threw in the towel after seven years of trying. I just felt I wasn't destined to complete the program.

Is this a true reflection of the state of Nigeria's educational system

The struggle I am facing right now trying to complete my M.sc.

Too much stress is in the system.

This almost sounds like my M.Sc story, just that in my case. I swore to my late Mum to complete it and yes I did. My supervisor kept me for 7yrs, just because his wife did M.Sc for 7yrs in another school.
I covered more than 600km each trip and in some instances, they will postpone the date for presentation without any prior notice. Sometimes I will send my work with 10k each time for data as instructed, he won't acknowledge seeing the cash nor the work sent. Then maybe after some months he will send me a text that, he just saw the alert. But I will have to send the work again...
I suffered, but now I know better.
My candid advise will be that, you shouldn't give up. If you have the funds, try a private University in Nigeria, it's faster and better.

My brother it is the same even in the west. The only thing is they are organized and they are not corrupt. The standard of research is high but your supervisor will leave you to carry the burden alone. It will will weigh you down kilode

Read Proverbs 18:16
Most times your generosity may endear you to them and grant you favour before them.
A little "Sir, please use this to recharge your line" or "Ma, use this one to buy bread" might have done the magic.

I don't and won't encourage corruption in form of bribery. However, good deeds like these speaks volume for us.

hrykanu231:
This almost sounds like my M.Sc story, just that in my case. I swore to my late Mum to complete it and yes I did. My supervisor kept me for 7yrs, just because his wife did M.Sc for 7yrs in another school.
I covered more than 600km each trip and in some instances, they will postpone the date for presentation without any prior notice. Sometimes I will send my work with 10k each time for data as instructed, he won't acknowledge seeing the cash nor the work sent. Then maybe after some months he will send me a text that, he just saw the alert. But I will have to send the work again...
I suffered, but now I know better.
My candid advise will be that, you shouldn't give up. If you have the funds, try a private University in Nigeria, it's faster and better.

lol

ZiriMane:
Read Proverbs 18:16
Most times your generosity may endear you to them and grant you favour before them.
A little "Sir, please use this to recharge your line" or "Ma, use this one to buy bread" might have done the magic.

I don't and won't encourage corruption in form of bribery but good deeds like these speaks volume for us.

and you think is right? Mind you they are paid to supervise you.

jesmond3945:
and you think is right? Mind you they are paid to supervise you.

The secret is... you become friendly with them before they begin their demands, there by making them consider the option of not demanding, because you've been a "good boy".
It's best to be psychologically smart and experience progress than to be stagnated or experience regress because you chose not to be.

#SayNoToBriberyAndCorruption

My dear u are nt alone. Mine is d issue of accumulated sch fees. With d policy of yearly sch fees and no research grant, am not finding my phd programme funny.

ZiriMane:

The secret is... you become friendly with them before they begin their demands, there by making them consider the option of not demanding, because you've been a "good boy".
It's best to be psychologically smart and experience progress than to be stagnated or experience regress because you chose not to be.

#SayNoToBriberyAndCorruption

they would see your through your good boyism and know you are fake and become more wicked. Is it even better not to be friendly. Your good research would vindicate you

Don't dwell on assumptions. It is never better in any given circumstance to be unfriendly.
A little "how are you?" can make someone regard you as their friend not necessarily outrightly going out to please them but just by simply saying "how are you" at the right time. Anyways, what I mean is that you should have this warmth of care around you.
Now back to the original, I would like you to engage this concluding words not with their dictionary or whatever meaning, but try to 'circumspectively' analyze it with its idiomatic meaning and you'll see that they wouldn't see through you if you don't make them see:
" It takes a thief to catch a thief "

jesmond3945:
they would see your through your good boyism and know you are fake and become more wicked. Is it even better not to be friendly. Your good research would vindicate you

ZiriMane:
Don't dwell on assumptions. It is never better in any given circumstance to be unfriendly.
A little "how are you?" can make someone regard you as their friend not necessarily outrightly going out to please them but just by "how are you". What I mean is have this warmth of care around you.
Now back to the original, I would like you to engage this concluding words not with their dictionary or whatever meaning, but try to 'circumspectively' analyze it with its idiomatic meaning and you'll see that they wouldn't see through you if you don't make them see:
" It takes a thief to catch a thief "

see my brother I have been lecturing for 10 years before I ventured into something else. Students always act nice and lecturers see through that. What the lecturer cares about is 2 things; how to get money from you and how to get publications from you. Then some go further to want to sleep with you. The students knows this but they always want a soft landing incase they don't have money or they don't want to sleep with you. So no matter what you do the lecturer calls the shot. What's the point of being friendly when the lecturer would still sleep with you or collect large sums. So is better to just do your research and hope for the best. If it is good it might win him over.

jesmond3945:
see my brother I have been lecturing for 10 years before I ventured into something else. Students always act nice and lecturers see through that. What the lecturer cares about is 2 things; how to get money from you and how to get publications from you. Then some go further to want to sleep with you. The students knows this but they always want a soft landing incase they don't have money or they don't want to sleep with you. So no matter what you do the lecturer calls the shot. What's the point of being friendly when the lecturer would still sleep with you or collect large sums. So is better to just do your research and hope for the best. If it is good it might win him over.

It's all good... I understand your point

Takara:
Is this a true reflection of the state of Nigeria's educational system

That is true. Postgraduate degrees are now cash and carry in most of our institutions.

asunmoGGMU:


That is true. Postgraduate degrees are now cash and carry in most of our institutions.

Same as undergrad

I remember being forced to pay money to be considered for final year course registration last year. Every single one in class, and that's just a tip of the iceberg

Nigeria Educational system can frustrate you.
Corruption and inferiority complex are deep rooted in our educational system - everything can be traced.

Sometimes I wonder whether it will ever get better.

A relative that I know who is doing PhD in Law called my parents asking for 3million naira to help sort his external examiner, that that is the practice. Imagine, law profession oh.

Sorry about your travails OP, I wish you all the best.

Takara:
I found this on Facebook page of one Ahmad AbdulQadir



After I had gained admission for a Ph.D program, I had to abandon it after seven years because of so many hurdles that arose and made it impossible for me to continue.

The first hurdle came from my employer: my Director General, DG, at the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, at the time, who denied me and other colleagues promotion for ten years, also put across a lot of hurdles on my path to ensure that I never completed the program.

There was a committee he set up to look into applications for study leave, shortlist and forward recommendations to him for approval. My source in the committee told me, one day, that they were perplexed at how the DG kept on skipping my name whenever the list was forwarded to him: he just ticked the ones he liked and returned the list in spite of the fact that I had met all the criteria for approval.

So, I decided to take a risk and continue with the program secretly, without approval, since it was research based and course work was not required.

When I thought I had found a way around it, he transferred me to a place far away from the school. Still, I persevered and continued with my studies from my new location. Somehow, he found out again and transferred me to another place further than my new location, after about two years. When I decided to quit, he was, mercifully removed as the DG. Excitedly, I decided to continue with the program, but other unforeseen hurdles arose.

I suddenly came up against corrupt departmental staff at the university, who wanted money before they did their work. They even, at a time, hid my departmental file and said there was nobody to go and search for it. They advised that I open another one and again pay the departmental charges. And they were openly encouraged by the course coordinator who said, to my face, that they shouldn't pity me because my organization had money.

Then, the same course coordinator, who happened to be my supervisor, made me open a file where I put my proposal because he said he wouldn't accept it by email as it would require him buying fuel to start his generator to download and print it. Whenever I went to ask whether he had gone through my proposal, he would ask me to go through a stack of files to find mine - sometimes I would find it after so much effort and waste of time. At other times, he would say he might have taken it home - after which he would give me another appointment as he was unable to look at it. And I normally had to cover about 400 kilometers to reach the school. The man seldom answered my phone call nor responded to my emails.

One of our staff who just completed his masters told me they had to contribute money to pay for accommodation and feeding for the external examiner!

At this stage, I got fed up and threw in the towel after seven years of trying. I just felt I wasn't destined to complete the program.

Oga give them what Dey need and get what u want and get the Bleep outta dia.

Na so my mumu do me I go get C for bachelor thesis all in the name of say I no wan give bribe, ppl wey my work better pass dia own get A for 12 credit course and left with 2:1, my score further threw me below abyss

Las las na me Bleep up

Takara:
Is this a true reflection of the state of Nigeria's educational system

Yes it is especially in public universities. This is why am against schooling there

UbongCR7:
Nigeria Educational system can frustrate you.
Corruption and inferiority complex are deep rooted in our educational system - everything can be traced.

Sometimes I wonder whether it will ever get better.

A relative that I know who is doing PhD in Law called my parents asking for 3million naira to help sort his external examiner, that that is the practice. Imagine, law profession oh.

Sorry about your travails OP, I wish you all the best.

Your relation should have travelled abroad na

OP

Edit your post to name and shame all those responsible for your travails.
They shouldn't be happy while you are unhappy.

Name the DG, the University, your supervisor etc.

Here's someone trying to better his life and some irresponsible people tried to frustrate.

edoairways:

Your relation should have travelled abroad na

This was like d last stage of the programme.
Didn't follow it up again

PlsBanMe:
OP

Edit your post to name and shame all those responsible for your travails.
They shouldn't be happy while you are unhappy.

Name the DG, the University, your supervisor etc.

Here's someone trying to better his life and some irresponsible people tried to frustrate.

It might not still help him.
I don't think he should, it might open more wounds.

The only issue I have with my PhD program are the administrative staff.
When it comes to having good supervisors since my undergraduate days, I have been the number one in having excellent and understanding supervisors.
As a part time PhD student in Geology awaiting my final viva voce in a State University in Nigeria, my supervisor ensured that I had my proposal, progress and final Departmental, faculty and final University defense within four years.
Although I agree that some supervisors are really lazy to help their students, many students also sluggishly delay themselves.
However, other factors like lack of research grants and good laboratories are major causes of delay.
I want to urge us to push on and achieve our dreams even if it means dropping it in Nigeria and travel out to achieve it.
God bless our hustlings

Takara:
I found this on Facebook page of one Ahmad AbdulQadir





At this stage, I got fed up and threw in the towel after seven years of trying. I just felt I wasn't destined to complete the program.

This what religion does to you.
You outlined everything out and you are still talking about destiny?
This is not destiny but wickedness from People around

jesmond3945:
and you think is right? Mind you they are paid to supervise you.

Are you replying that guy? Mtcheww

BruncleZuma Pls Share Some thoughts

ZiriMane:
Read Proverbs 18:16
Most times your generosity may endear you to them and grant you favour before them.
A little "Sir, please use this to recharge your line" or "Ma, use this one to buy bread" might have done the magic.

I don't and won't encourage corruption in form of bribery. However, good deeds like these speaks volume for us.

and you think this is not bribery?