₦airaland Forum

I think most people posting are not seeing the opportunity being presented by CNN. It is no longer news that things are going wrong in Nigeria; everybody knows how corrupt the country is. However, what’s not known are the redeeming qualities that make Nigerians proud of their country.

Don’t miss your chance to show the world the Nigeria that doesn’t make the news.

meetagape:
Hello friends,
I have been working and praying alongside to produce a machine, device or stuff that can generate electricity for 24/7 without input, and finally its here. Am not referring to the much advertised fuel-less generator with dc motor + alternator. My Invention is electronic and not mechanical. It could generate constant electricity (AC) for 24/7 and can work a whole month before its being switched off the first time.
I do not want to go into mass production of this device for some reasons including that am still a student, i want to sell the idea off to few companies who are in the system already that would commercialize it or for any purpose of their choice. Materials used for my device were locally sourced, the working prototype that has been on for some time now is very portable, no noise, smoke or fuel. I do not want to give much details or the working principle here.
I believe in this invention and as i have searched through the internet, i have not seen any like it.
If u are interested in buying this business or invention, please feel free to call me now or send me e-mail:
07032117108, meetagape@yahoo.com.

Hello meetagape! I’ve been waiting for your invention all my life; however, I’m confused as to the significance of your prayers. Were the prayers for inspiration?

You said that your machine is not mechanical and does generate AC? I really think you’re onto something and I wouldn’t mind buying it from you. The only catch is that you have to disclose why your invention does not violate the 1st and 2nd laws of thermodynamics.

Also, you seem to contradict your self by saying that the “device or stuff [] can generate electricity for 24/7 without input” but can only work for “a whole month before its being switched off the first time.” Why do you need to switch it off if it doesn’t require any input? How do you get it started once switched off?

I have several hundred thousand dollars from selling my share of the Brooklyn Bridge and I wouldn’t mind sharing it with you.

I guess it depends.

If the person is a serious-confident-type that knows me, I would think because they see companionship, friendship, sincerity, conversationist, a slight dose of cockiness and confidence but not overwhelming, maturity, stability, and being able to play whatever my role calls for at any moment.

If the person is seeing me for the first time, then their opinion is probably based on my looks, demeanor, and ride.

If the person heard about me, then I guess my reputation/notoriety precedes me. lol

At least, that is what I like to believe but my ex’s might see me differently!

SanFranc:
,  For instance, Glo. On appointment, you are not told about the 50/50 rule, but once you start work, you will be paid 50% of your salary when due, but the remaining 50% is tied to your target performance, so if your salary is 200k, you get 100k automatically, then whatever percentage achieved in your monthly target is paid you as the balance! And this gets paid so deep into the next month. Whats that??
God help you if you score below 50% of your ever increasing target, na hunger and debt go kill you.

Abeg help me pray that my August salary is paid by Wednesday oooooo

SanFranc, I’m afraid Glo’s practice does not fall within the same issue as not paying workers on time. There is nothing wrong in tying performance to pay and it is actually a preferred method of payment by most professional companies in the US. How else would a company guarantee that people are not just loafing?

However, what differs is that companies over here typically wait till the end of the year to pay you the “bonus” for meeting your goals. For example, one of the companies I worked for will pay you your monthly salary and another 20% depending on your performance.

A way of looking at Glo’s practice is to say that your salary is 100k and you CAN get another 100k bonus if you bring value to the company. I’m actually impressed that Glo has such a structure; it shows that they’re forward thinking.

The issue seems to be that of cash flow. Like most said, most sole proprietors don’t know how to properly run a business. I wonder how many of those people will be able to tell you exactly how much income they need per month to generate X naira at the end of the year after all overhead (salary, rent, utility etc) is paid.

Unfortunately, mostly both! Looks get you past the front door and personality keeps you there.

Hmmm….I think this issue was more of a political calculation than that of financial sense. I’m not going to debate whether keeping the account was illegal ab initio but since the account is already in existence and the money already there, I think a prudent person will make sure it doesn’t get squandered. What do you think happens to alcohol given to a drunkard for safekeeping?

To people saying that the money should be returned in its entirety, what should the govt do for money if the price of oil crashes? Go back to the IMF to borrow money to pay salaries and fund capital projects?

Why are we so content in taking one step forward and two steps backward based on our blind allegiance to a political party, particular tribe, or person? What’s wrong is wrong and I must say that I’m very disappointed in GJ but I guess that doesn’t matter because he already pandered to those that can get him elected.

I also don't think that it can detect drug couriers because the wavelength of the full body scanner (tetra hertz) cannot penetrate the body like an X-ray. But who knows, they might be able to switch from T-rays to X-rays.

Dolaapo:
Also the body scanners releases radio active waves that inceases the risk of cancer (so frequent fliers are in trouble). Just search for "airport body scanners" in google and see n.a.k.e.d pictures of fliers. So sad.

It does NOT emit radioactive waves (think nuclear material). You probably meant electromagnetic waves and it is no more dangerous than x-ray machines. Prolonged exposure to any electromagnetic wave can cause cancer.

What people should be more concerned about is that images can be stored unmasking your “privates” especially if the image is inverted.

oyb:
to be honest, after a stage in your life, you will find exams very difficult, no matter how smart you are

more to the point, once you've reached a particluar point in your career, tets are an insult

tests are typically for entry level staff into orgnisations

The questions in the test should reflect their directorial level. In other words, they shouldn't be asked college type questions but questions that are more abstract similar to what they will face daily while doing their respective jobs.

kemisuga:
…It is a thing, to know how to speak good English, it is another thing to know how to use it correctly. Most people who correct Spoken English, cant write down good English.

WHO AMONGST YOU, HAS NOT MADE A BLUNDER B4 SHOULD SIMPLIFY HERE

Kemi, I think it’s the other way around. It is a lot harder to speak “correctly” than to write especially if English is not your first language.

Also, everybody makes grammatical mistakes even people who only speak English and it is somewhat acceptable depending on the setting. Written grammatical errors, however, are seriously frowned upon in almost any setting.

This is a radioactive topic but I’ll go ahead and touch it any way.

I think it is very important for public figures to communicate effectively. Things that detract from your message should be avoided at all cost except if there’s no message to begin with.

It is true that English “came” to Nigeria on a boat but since its arrival, it’s being our national language. People educated in Nigeria are taught in English and the books they use are also in English. A graduate should be able to speak without grammatical errors or at the very least, recognize the errors when they’re made. The inability of a college graduate to speak without grammatical errors is a reflection of the school(s) he/she went to.

Mind you, it is ok to speak with your tribal accent.

Do you know that at the graduate level (masters), some textbooks that French speaking Canadians use are in English? Can you imagine studying from a textbook in a language you took in secondary school?

kabukabu:
no its not a joke, kids playing Xboxes and PC games are the same kids that brought you Facebook,Myspace and Twitter.American.Japanese and eurpoean children are encouraged to enhance their Cognitive abilities by playing complex games on PC's,most games that inolve problem solving,networking.who do you think develops these games,the same kids who play them, its a multi billion dollar industry,while we send our kids to school to cram volumes of nonsense material from books.They can't cope in real life situations that involve the internet/technology because they have not experimented with them before.

About the only thing playing video games will do is to improve your hand-to-eye coordination. It does nothing to prepare you mentally for a high tech job (whatever that means) except if you want to fly airplanes or things that require hand-to-eye coordination.

But if you’re curious enough to wonder how you go about moving the animation on the TV screen through your xbox controller, you might be onto something.

Of course there could be games that improve your cognitive skills but most of them are developed specifically for such a thing (think simulations). Simulations are used HEAVLY in the air force.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that having an inquisitive mind or being a tinkerer has nothing to do with playing video games.

AjanleKoko:
I went to use an ATM today, and could not help noticing how everyday ordinary people struggle with the machine.
,
Why do you think this is so? Comments pls.

I think there are two main reasons:
       1. Familiarity  - the only way to solve this is through exposure and time.
       2. Bad user interface – I think the engineers are to blame for not developing an interface that is understood by their clients.

mecussey:
Somebody like me would pay less because, I know how to save energy; got energy saving bulbs as low as 26watts, got LCD TV as low as 40watts, got inverter to support etc. At the end of the day, I may not use up to 2kw. Unfortunately, most of our people don't know this; some people waste energy like hell. I've been to a flat where all they use are 200watts tungsten filament bulbs in every room and toilet, I wonder.

Kudos to you for curtailing your power usage! Even in the US, we do curtail our daily usage especially when it comes to cooling and heating. During winter months, it is not uncommon for energy bill (gas and electricity) to go as high as $400 in a moderately sized house where the heater is set to a very comfortable setting all day. The bottom line is that you pay based on your usage.

I highly doubt that the use of inverters can save you energy cost except if you’re charging the inverter through solar, wind, or hydro. You will actually waste energy due to the inefficiency of the battery if all you do is plug the inverter into the wall socket. Efficiency is less than 100% and further degrades with time.

Thanks to my dad for giving me the one and only whopping I remember for skipping lessons after school…
Thanks to my dad for encouraging my hobbies…
Thanks to my mom for the prayers that kept me on track…
Thanks to my mom for the words of encouragement when I needed it…
Thanks to my boss Jim for believing in me…
Thanks to my sister for always being there…
Thanks to my friends for entertaining my crazy ideas…

Finally, thanks to God for providing the opportunities and the courage not to take the path of least resistance.

This is good news; although, I’m worried that it will happen after elections especially in a country like Nigeria where new administrations never continue policies of the prior administration.

My guess is that foreign companies will be non-committal until the new administration comes in and signifies that the prior power policy will be continued. Can you imagine a company sinking 100s of millions only to realize that the new government wants no part of the privatization?

[quote author=paddy_lo link=topic=472304.msg6325992#msg6325992 date=1278168814]The issue is that the Nigerian GOVT should not run things like power,refineries and so on
They should not be spending and wasting money on such things. . .
[/quote]I don’t know o! Why does it seem like we’re running around in circles even though we seem to be saying the same thing? Who said that the govt should run refineries, power and the like?

I think people clamoring for zero regulation of a public private partnership are being shortsighted. "To see what is in front of one's nose requires a constant struggle." Do you know what will happen if we’re being shortsighted?

1. Take a look at the oil-producing region for a clue. Despite the profits being made, you have catastrophic environmental damage, mostly foreign skilled personnel, highly underdeveloped region etc. Compare the Niger Delta to the Gulf of Mexico to see what the right amount of regulation can achieve.
2. Not long ago, people were complaining about Ericsson or some other company outsourcing most of their technical job to India. The only reason they can do that is because there are no policies in place that will prohibit or mitigate the outsourcing.
I’m neither advocating for the government to deliver power nor for over-regulation. All I’m saying is that we can’t be shortsighted by just looking at the immediate gains and not thinking long term.

A good policy is a balancing act that allows companies and competition to thrive while ensuring that some of the profits being made are benefiting the local populace in areas like development, employment, knowledge transfer, corporate responsibility and accountability.

All I’ve said would seem common sense.

I really don’t know Dangote but people like him that are highly successful are usually d.i.c.k.s. It is nothing personal but business and all they care about is ROI. Read about the beloved Steve Jobs, Donald Trump, Carly Fiorina, Meg Witman etc.

For you to be an effective leader you need to have a cold heart to make tough decisions.

kalokalo:
Government has to hands off power in the sense that they should have no involvement in the provision of electricity service. Their role should be strictly limited to regulation NOT service provider (similar to a state public service commission in the US). If government remains a market player, we will pray for electricity till eternity and nothing will change. PHCN has been a government monopoly since independence and still cant boast of efficient power delivery. Just imagine if Nigeria had to depend on Nitel for all the progress we're seeing in the Telecom sector!!!

In the US, investor owned utilities are allowed to charge prices that are cost reflective. In other words, they can earn a profit premium of no more than 18% on their running costs. I know this because I was an engineer at Consolidated Edison in NYC and I made rate case interrogatories with the NY PSC. A situation where PHCN can not charge end consumers more than N6 (due to NERC Multi year tariff regulations) per kwh while their generation cost alone is N22 per kwh is unsustainable and not bankable. I definitely won't get a bank to lend me money to build power plants when the person I'm selling power to can't recover his costs to at least pay for my service. I'd rather prefer to distribute myself and recover my costs but the law specifically bars generation companies from distributing.

With this scenario, power supply in Nigeria will remain a pipe dream. Power is highly capital intensive (i.e high investment risk) and the ROI must justify investment of such magnitude. The existing regulatory framework is NOT conducive.

I agree 100% with what you've said and that's way I said the right policies have to be in place.

[quote author=paddy_lo link=topic=472304.msg6323808#msg6323808 date=1278114225]I dont buy that basic amenity B.S. . . .Let there be light and if ppl can only afford it 3hrs a day. . so be it

but GOVT must hands off power in NIGERIA. . .[/quote]Can you name a country that has done it the way you're advocating and how's it working out for them?

kalokalo:
How I wish the electricity sector would be deregulated so that the gains we're all seeing in the telecom sector would be replicated there. No one has to beg private individuals to invest in telecom infrastructure like we are begging private investors to biuld refineries and power plants with no success. They invest because the regulatory environment is conducive and government does not dictate the prices they can charge as we are seeing in the power and downstream petroleum sector. The day Nigerians can have electricity in their homes and businesses without subscribing to PHCN marks the day PHCN will go moribund like Nitel and the beginning of our national revival.

So folks, when you keep asking government to run sectors it has no business in, remember we all suffer like we're suffering now with electricity.

Power is inherently different from the telecom sector because it is a basic amenity and the price has to be somewhat regulated. Even here in the US, the prices are regulated and the providers cannot raise prices without going through some oversight committee.

But you’re right that what will bring about PPP is a well laid out policy.

Guess I’m late to the party. I think a combination of fiber/copper and WiMAX is the answer. I doubt that the available WiMAX bandwidth (channel width) will be able to sustain the number of concurrent users that will be required, in a state like Lagos, if the last mile were to be strictly wireless.

^^ No, my parents weren't engineers. We didn't even know any engineers growing up but I've always been a tinkerer and my dad encouraged me. As a kid, I had electrical engineering tool kit but didn’t do much with it because my knowledge was lacking and there were no hobby shops to take advantage of.

As a teenager, my dad tried to get me to learn electronics from an electrician during the summer holidays but I refused to go because girls might think it wasn’t cool:-) So till today, I can’t solder worth a dime if my life depended on it.

But I’m still a tinkerer especially if I can find some Do-It-Yourself instructions on the internet. My cars end up suffering the most from my mechanical skills

@OP – Don’t really blame the previous posters for focusing on one of the equally-emphasized-enumerated-qualities that you outlined as being important to your graduate study. Next time, it is a whole lot easier to clarify your post than to be “brusque.”  Kudos to you for apologizing; you’re already a step ahead of most people! 

With respect to your question, I will say it depends on if you don’t mind the additional year of schooling (prerequisites) that will probably be required for an EE program. You might have to take calculus based physics, more calculus classes, electronics, and circuit theory.

Assuming you can be admitted to all three programs, I will say go for EE because it gives you the most flexibility and latitude. With EE, you can do/learn what a CE or SE does, and it even becomes easier if you choose software related electives to satisfy your MSEE degree.

CE is just a combination of EE and CS.

You seem to suggest that you’re interested in a program that allows you to “analyze/figure out stuff” while also employing your “analytical skills”? The programs you listed can fulfill those needs depending on the level at which you work (being spoon-fed or feeding yourself).

Imagine writing codes to decipher the RSA algorithm used in cryptography, or to analyze some frequency spectrum (phone tap), or programming an autonomous vehicle to navigate an obstacle course etc. These examples can be accomplished by any of the fields you listed; although, a CS person might run into problems when dealing with the math heavy theoretical stuff (probability, calculus).

I think it might be a little difficult to combine CS, CE, or EE with “human-related issues” in Nigeria as your employment opportunities will be very slim. But since you want to go all the way (PhD level), you can very well blaze your own trail. Biomedical Engineering allows you to combine human physiology with EE. 

My advice is for you to figure out what you REALLY like doing because that is what you will be best at, which means that you’re likely to succeed.

PS: You might have thought Ajanlekoko was being tongue in cheek about getting a law degree; he’s not. The practice of law checks all your enumerated qualities. It is funny how people start using “sir” when they realize that I’m an attorney, which never happened when I was “just” an engineer.

@OP – Don’t really blame the previous posters for focusing on one of the equally-emphasized-enumerated-qualities that you outlined as being important to your graduate study. Next time, it is a whole lot easier to clarify your post than to be “brusque.”  Kudos to you for apologizing; you’re already a step ahead of most people! 

With respect to your question, I will say it depends on if you don’t mind the additional year of schooling (prerequisites) that will probably be required for an EE program. You might have to take calculus based physics, more calculus classes, electronics, and circuit theory.

Assuming you can be admitted to all three programs, I will say go for EE because it gives you the most flexibility and latitude. With EE, you can do/learn what a CE or SE does, and it even becomes easier if you choose software related electives to satisfy your MSEE degree.

CE is just a combination of EE and CS.

You seem to suggest that you’re interested in a program that allows you to “analyze/figure out stuff” while also employing your “analytical skills”? The programs you listed can fulfill those needs depending on the level at which you work (being spoon-fed or feeding yourself).

Imagine writing codes to decipher the RSA algorithm used in cryptography, or to analyze some frequency spectrum (phone tap), or programming an autonomous vehicle to navigate an obstacle course etc. These examples can be accomplished by any of the fields you listed; although, a CS person might run into problems when dealing with the math heavy theoretical stuff (probability, calculus).

I think it might be a little difficult to combine CS, CE, or EE with “human-related issues” in Nigeria as your employment opportunities will be very slim. But since you want to go all the way (PhD level), you can very well blaze your own trail. Biomedical Engineering allows you to combine human physiology with EE. 

My advice is for you to figure out what you REALLY like doing because that is what you will be best at, which means that you’re likely to succeed.

PS: You might have thought Ajanlekoko was being tongue in cheek about getting a law degree; he’s not. The practice of law checks all your enumerated qualities. It is funny how people start using “sir” when they realize that I’m an attorney, which never happened when I was “just” an engineer.

The average age of Camry buyers is 52, which is about 10 years older than Honda and Nissan buyers, at least in the US.

Kobojunkie:
Now do you see how that could also apply in this case? Honestly, if this story is true, I think the gals would have already gotten all this and maybe had months to accept it before we the public got the news. Just wondering if we could get the news verified by some other source and probably get more info on what they actually did in all this.

Not really, what I said turns on the meaning of "receiving." I doubt if their father gives them pocket money that would be considered as receiving stolen goods but helping their father launder or hide money is deemed “receiving”.

Sounds like semantics but it is not because one perpetuates a crime and the other merely derives benefit. At worst, you can make the one that derives implicit benefit refund said benefit.

netotse:
you've really piqued my curiousity, a girl with two years power experience, i'm salivating . . .seriously sha. . .where and what's your experience been?

lol, female engineers are not as common but I have two in my family! One has her bachelors and masters in electrical engineering, and another masters in engineering management. The other switched fields to a medical line after her first bachelors in EE.

Kobojunkie:
Well, define INVOLVED. Ibori's own sister and wife abroad have been sentenced in the UK. I think what the one did was help recieve the stolen money and that was enough to send her to jail. I am certain she did all she could to deny it, but that apparently didn't fly.

Receiving stolen goods is a crime that could land one in jail if a reasonable person should have known that the goods were stolen. So yeah, they're guilty.