As I interviewed Gameboi, the realisation that one could actually have fun on the job hit me. He talked about IT like it was nothing more than a video game. I just want to say, for youths out there who have passion for something and are yet to gather their wits and guts to pursue it, START NOW. So I present to you, our Young person of the week, who is very much in charge of what he does, Oluwasheun Olumide aka Gameboi. Read and be inspired. Tell us about yourself.
My names are Adeyemi Oluwaseun Olumide aka
'Gameboi'
How was growing up like?
Whao! Growing up was crazy. Being the first and
only son of a family without a Dad (He died when I was 5years old.). So it was
really crazy.
Tell us about your educational background.
Okay. I went to Honey Comb Int'l School,
Akoka...then CMS Primary school for a year. My secondary education was at Ajayi
Crowther Memorial Grammar School, Bariga and Studied Economics Education in
Unilag (University of First Choice...Great Akokite!!)
What is your business all about?
Well! its basically all about Information
Techonology (IT) eg...computer softwares/programming, computer engineering,
networking, Web and so on. Sounds like a lot isn’t it?
How did you go from Economics education to being
an IT expert?
Laughs. My mum told me when I was
little, that she will take me to her office on weekends and all I would
do was sit in front of the computer playing games and all. So I guess that was
how it all started for me. So it was kind of naturale anytime I see a
computer...I just want to sit in front of it. So what I studied in school
(Economics Education) was just for additional knowledge basically.
What is your typical day like?
Wow! Errmmm.....it depends basically on what am
handling at that particular moment. Well! for thing I wakeup and pray, sometimes
I forget to brush my teeth and take my bath *Covers face* especially if am
working on a web job, I spend the whole time in front of my laptop working...sometimes
even forgets to eat. Mostly indoors all day.
What do you love most about what you do?
Its just fun...it could be crazy sometimes
especially when a client is on your neck. But its Fun and I love to have fun!
What is your best work ever?
I have to say I have no idea...cause am still
coming up. Every Job has its special feeling.
What are the challenges involved in IT business?
Well, The main difficulty is internet speed in
Nigeria. Secondly, People's conception about computer business. They believe
every young guy in Nigeria doing computer business is a fraudster. And People
still have not or should I say people still do not appreciate/understand the
relevance and important of computer in this present age.
If you were not involved in this what would have
been doing?
*Laffs* Playing basketball I guess. I was a very
good basketball player was I was in secondary school. And if not basketball
maybe Economics. *winks*
Have you ever felt like giving up on this
business?
Yes! So many times. But the fun of the job is
what keeps me going and the belief that nothing good comes easy.
Who or what inspires you?
Loads of people. First, my mum and my
brother/uncle "Mr Dipo Ogunade" and my biggest inspiration has always
been Bill Gates and Steve Jobs.
Considering the level of success you have
achieved so far, youths out there would be itching to know how old you are.
Laughs. Am
now old o! Am 26 years old.
What do you do for fun?
Whoooohoooo! Watch movies, Play games, love
listening to music, read books (any kind) and I joke a lot people hardly take
me serious sometimes*.
Advice to youths that wish to follow your
footsteps.
Well! All they need to do is have passion and
determination for what they do. If the passion is there...the rest is very
simple.
Where do you see yourself and your business,
five years from now?
Wow! Maybe Nigeria's version of Bill gates or
Steve jobs. Laughs, but basically spreading the gospel about what I do
and keep building the company. And also making lots of money too. *winks*
Now that we have heard from the IT expert, let pictures of websites he has created speak to us! enjoy.
Contact info:
Phone: 08062377483
Facebook: Gameboi Adeyemi Oluwahshewun (
http://www.facebook.com/shewunsmsb )
Twitter handle: @gameboi007 (
https://twitter.com/Gameboi007 )
      
Contact info:
Phone: 08062377483
Facebook: Gameboi Adeyemi Oluwahshewun ( http://www.facebook.com/shewunsmsb )
Twitter handle: @gameboi007 ( https://twitter.com/Gameboi007 )
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Monday, February 25, 2013
Young and In Charge: Oluwasheun Olumide aka GAmeboi
Friday, February 22, 2013
NIGERIA IS THE SADDEST PLACE IN THE WORLD???
On 10th January, 2013, the
dailies were awash with this :
“Forbes has ranked Nigeria as the 20th saddest place to live in the
whole world.
In its analysis, it said: “The best of the worst, Nigeria ranks 123rd
overall on the Legatum Prosperity Index.
Decades of corruption have squandered great oil and gas wealth, while
new concerns involve sectarian violence.
The list of saddest countries on earth is dominated by African and Asian
countries and the top 20 are:
Central African Republic (1st),Republic of Congo (2nd),Afghanistan
(3rd),
Chad (4th), Haiti (5th), Burundi (6th), Togo (7th), Zimbabwe (8th),
Yemen (9th), Ethiopia (10th), Pakistan (11th), Iraq (12th), Liberia,
(13th),
Angola (14th), Sierra Leone (15th) Guinea (16th),Ivory Coast (17th),
Sudan (18th), Mozambique (19th) and Nigeria in 20th position.”
Forbes is an American business magazine owned by Forbes, Inc. Published biweekly, it features original articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. Forbes also reports on related subjects such as technology, communications, science, and law. Headquarters are in Newyork. Newyork is a city in the United States.
I
expected Nigerians to raise dust, like speak out and either agree or disagree,
so I could make my conclusions before thinking about writing this. However, I
guess our silence is an admittance.
I do
not really want to care right now who is behind Forbes, or what informs their
decisions as to their rankings, but I really and most defiantly disagree that
Nigeria, my country is a sad place.
To be
sad or happy is not a feeling that is dependent on tangible things or
situations, it’s a decision!
Oh
yes! Nigeria is besieged with corruption, fiscal irresponsibility, flagrant
disregard of rule of law, economic mismanagement, security issues, darkness
orchestrated by PHCN…and would my fellow Nigerians list on! Amen!
Well,
when I look around me, I do not see sad Nigerians mostly, I see disappointed
Nigerians. Nigerians are disappointed but far from sad, I see us striving each
day to make an impact, thankful for life. Nigerians love life and even the
government and its inactions is not enough to make Nigerians give up. I know a
lot of Nigerians have lost their lives and loved ones to bad leadership, but we
still move on.
To be
sad is extreme. Wikipedia says :
“Sadness is emotional pain associated
with, or characterized by feelings of disadvantage, loss, despair, helplessness
and sorrow. These feelings of certain things are usually negative. When one is
sad, people often become less outspoken, less energetic, and emotional. Crying is often, but not
necessarily, an indication of sadness.
Sadness
can be viewed as a temporary
lowering of mood, whereas depression is more chronic.
Sadness
is one of Paul Ekman's
"six basic emotions –happy sad, angry, surprised, afraid, disgusted …"
Being the 20th saddest place to live in the world, and
looking at the above definition,one would have expected Nigeria to be heavily
characterized with suicide deaths and depression. Sadness can make one want to
give up on life, if you disagree please do a quick survey. So, I went online
and looked up World Health Organisation's (WHO) statistics for ‘suicides rates by country’, lo and behold!
Nigeria didn’t make the list at all. South Korea is 1st on the list,
China 6th, United states 34th, United Kingdom 38th,
Denmark 36th, Sweden 35th, Canada 39th, Norway 91st, all out of a total
list of 107 countries.
The same WHO did a recent study in 2011 as to what countries have the
highest rate of depression:
“The study,
sponsored by the World Health Organization,
found that 21 percent of people in France and 19.2 percent of people in the
U.S. reported having an extended period of depression within their lifetime. On
average, 15 percent of people in high-income countries reported having an
episode, compared with 11 percent in low-income countries, according to the
study, published July 25 in the
journal BMC Medicine.
Depression
affects nearly 121 million people worldwide and is the second leading contributor
to shorter lifespan and poor health for individuals 15-44 years of age,
according to the Geneva-based WHO. The higher percentage of depression reported
by people in wealthier countries may reflect differences in societal
expectations for a good life, said study co-author Ronald
Kessler.
“There
are a lot of people in the U.S. who say they aren’t satisfied with their
lives,” Kessler, a professor of health care policy at Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts, said in an
interview. “U.S. expectations know no bounds and people in other countries are
just happy to have a meal on the table.”
Now, am not saying we should be happy not being termed as a as a wealthy country or that we should be happy the way things are in Nigeria or we should fold our arms and not do anything to help the situation. I an just trying to buttress the fact that that contentment is a major key to happiness.
Okay, so maybe we are sad and we are using other means
to cover up our pain, means like hard drugs (I went that far in my thoughts). So I
checked for the countries with the most use of hard drugs and found this out :
“In
spite of the most stringent drug policies and punitive laws in the world, the
United States also has the highest levels of lifetime illegal cocaine and
marijuana use, according to a study of more than 54,000 people in 17 countries.
The
United States also has the highest rate of lifetime tobacco use but comes in
third in alcohol use, behind the Ukraine and Germany. The study, by Louisa
Degenhardt of the University of New South Wales (Sydney, Australia) and
colleagues, is based on the World Health Organization's Composite International
Diagnostic Interview (CIDI).
Cocaine
and Marijuana Use: The
survey, which asked participants about their lifetime cocaine, marijuana,
tobacco and alcohol use, found that 16.2% of people in the United States have
used cocaine at some point during their lives. This rate was almost four times
the rate of the second-place country, New Zealand, where 4.3% said they had
tried cocaine.
The
researchers also found that 42.4% of people in the United States reported
marijuana use during their lifetime. New Zealand was second with 41.9%, but the
two countries were far ahead of the other 15 in lifetime marijuana use.”
So, my dear Nigerians, in as much as we are facing a lot of negativities,
we are not sad. We are the most grateful people around who are thankful for
life, we are most receptive, we don’t do racism, even though religiousity not
spirituality is being more emphasised these days, we still have a measure of
regard for GOD. We can still party, buy aso-ebis not because we are very
buoyant, but because we know the essence of support and even if we can not buy
, we go for occasions and enjoy ourselves. We don’t have
high rates of alcoholism and addictions so much that ‘Associations for Alcoholics’
societies are almost extinct in our country. We are not mostly found to be high
on heroine because we cherish memories and are not looking for ways to escape.
Most importantly, we are a people of hope!!!!
So I strongly advise that we stop taking in every rating we see and to
stop applying these ratings to our selves. Happiness is a feeling of
contentment. Money (good things of life… you can make your list) or the prescence of it would not make you
happier. Yes, other countries are doing well but they fought for it. many Nigerians are yet to find a reason out of a lot of reasons to speak up for their country let alone fight. We aid the world in under developing us by admitting to everything and seeking to run to them. The money and good life we are running to go and experience in some of these countries, is here in Nigeria and even in abundance, so much that they do not want us to leave their apron-strings so we would not see clearly to fully enjoy the blessings in this country.
By the way, Norway ranks the happiest with Denmark
(2nd) and Sweden (3rd) closely behind. Canada ranks at 6th, The US at 12th and
UK 13th. From the foregoing statistics, do you agree with this?
GOD bless Nigeria.
Monday, February 18, 2013
Young and In Charge: Ehidiamhen Uabor (Eazybwoi)
Posting this interview today has me grinning like a cheshire cat not only because this is the blog's first foray into the entertainment industry but also because I saw this talented musician grow. Meet our young person of the wee Ehidiamen Uabor aka Eazyboy, a fast rising Abuja Musician. Listening to Eazybwoi's music all I can say is, 'move over Davido, there is a new 20 year old in town'.
Tell us a little about yourself?
My name is Ehidiamhen Uabor, I am come from Edo state. Am an artist and my stage name is Eazybwoi.
What was growing up like?
Growing up was cool. Was born in Benin Edo state, moved to Lagos for some years, then ended up in Abuja.
Tell us a little about your educational background?
Went to Nursery and part of my Primary School at Crown Gate School Shomolu Lagos State. Then started Primary 3 at Madonna International Nursery and Primary School Gwagwalada Abuja. I graduated from Christ The King College Abuja, where I had my Secondary education. Now I am in the University of Abuja studying Economics. I am almost done though.
So how did you go into music? Why did you choose music over say acting? How did you come up with your stage name?
I have been doing music since I was in my mothers tommy. When I was younger I was always on stage at one point or the other, either dancing, singing, talking or acting, I was also in a choir. In secondary school I was in a music crew called Effect Zone that's were I got the name Eazy. The Bwoi in the name came up later. Went into music professionally about 2 or 3years ago. Chose music over every other thing cause its my talent and its something I love to do and can do comfortably.
How do you handle music and school?
Well, its not easy but I always have to schedule my time. And it is working out for me.
How did your parents take it when you told them of your decision to take up. music?
They have been quite supportive ever since.
What is your typical day like?
Well, am in the studio most parts of the day. I usually go to play basketball in the evenings. Then I am back to the studio or I just hangout. And that's it.
What do you love most about you what you do?
What's there not to love about what I do. I love everything about it. I enjoy doing it, its fun and so much more.
Of all the songs you have put, which has been your best?
Emmm I cannot really pick out my best. I love most of my songs. Not all trust me.
What are the difficulties involved?
Some times inspiration could be a problem. Some times studio sessions could get stressful. But its all good.
If you weren't doing this, what would you have been doing?
If I wasn't doing this I would have been doing this. But seriously I really don't know what I would have been doing.
Have you ever felt like giving up on your music?
Nope. Not once.
Who or what inspires you?
God inspires. And also my love for the music. The dream of becoming a music icon some day also inspires me.
Considering the level of success you have attained, youths out there would be itching to know how old you are.
Well am really young. Am 20years old
Asides work, what do you do for fun?
I do work for fun. But also play basketball, video games, dance, go to parties and so on.
Advice to youths that wish to follow in your footsteps.
My advice to them is never give up. Keep pushing until you achieve your goals and have fun with it.
Where do you see yourself five years from now?
I see me closer to becoming a music icon.
Some more Pictures of Eazybwoi
Listen and download songs by Eazybwoi below:
Tell us a little about yourself?
My name is Ehidiamhen Uabor, I am come from Edo state. Am an artist and my stage name is Eazybwoi.
What was growing up like?
Growing up was cool. Was born in Benin Edo state, moved to Lagos for some years, then ended up in Abuja.
Tell us a little about your educational background?
Went to Nursery and part of my Primary School at Crown Gate School Shomolu Lagos State. Then started Primary 3 at Madonna International Nursery and Primary School Gwagwalada Abuja. I graduated from Christ The King College Abuja, where I had my Secondary education. Now I am in the University of Abuja studying Economics. I am almost done though.
So how did you go into music? Why did you choose music over say acting? How did you come up with your stage name?
I have been doing music since I was in my mothers tommy. When I was younger I was always on stage at one point or the other, either dancing, singing, talking or acting, I was also in a choir. In secondary school I was in a music crew called Effect Zone that's were I got the name Eazy. The Bwoi in the name came up later. Went into music professionally about 2 or 3years ago. Chose music over every other thing cause its my talent and its something I love to do and can do comfortably.
How do you handle music and school?
Well, its not easy but I always have to schedule my time. And it is working out for me.
How did your parents take it when you told them of your decision to take up. music?
They have been quite supportive ever since.
What is your typical day like?
Well, am in the studio most parts of the day. I usually go to play basketball in the evenings. Then I am back to the studio or I just hangout. And that's it.
What do you love most about you what you do?
What's there not to love about what I do. I love everything about it. I enjoy doing it, its fun and so much more.
Of all the songs you have put, which has been your best?
Emmm I cannot really pick out my best. I love most of my songs. Not all trust me.
What are the difficulties involved?
Some times inspiration could be a problem. Some times studio sessions could get stressful. But its all good.
If you weren't doing this, what would you have been doing?
If I wasn't doing this I would have been doing this. But seriously I really don't know what I would have been doing.
Have you ever felt like giving up on your music?
Nope. Not once.
Who or what inspires you?
God inspires. And also my love for the music. The dream of becoming a music icon some day also inspires me.
Considering the level of success you have attained, youths out there would be itching to know how old you are.
Well am really young. Am 20years old
Asides work, what do you do for fun?
I do work for fun. But also play basketball, video games, dance, go to parties and so on.
Advice to youths that wish to follow in your footsteps.
My advice to them is never give up. Keep pushing until you achieve your goals and have fun with it.
Where do you see yourself five years from now?
I see me closer to becoming a music icon.
Some more Pictures of Eazybwoi
Listen and download songs by Eazybwoi below:
eazybwoi-JEKAJO.mp3--http://www.hulkshare.com/6l6y32qbiiop
Sleamy-C_Ft_Eazybwoi _She Bad - http://www.hulkshare.com/svnnilmwfcao
Like a star.-EAZY BWOI - http://www.hulkshare.com/cojl0t6dps3h
Lets go=EAZY BWOI--ft-=PARANOMAL - http://www.hulkshare.com/uofwozrs5jj2
Celebration-- http://www.hulkshare.com/lbc9r28uvshs
Sexy Lady- http://www.hulkshare.com/7wwktrnbyi68
Eazybwoi can be reached on:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/eazybwoi
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dominic.uabor
Email: eazynick@yahoo.com
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Just my 2kobo: And Lessons Were Learned
BY IPHIE MANUELZ
I learned some important lessons about surviving in Nigeria yesterday, I learned some pretty important things about the change I had been screaming about yesterday.
I got back to Nigeria recently and I had to go renew my driver's license because it had expired on my last birthday. So I go to renew my license on my second day back and without going into any story, my examiner already failed me the moment I sat down, but I also didn't have answers to his question so I had a role to play in his failing me. He asked me to come back on the 12th of February, after asking me to buy the VIO Road Sense to study and come back for an examination, which to me was fair enough, the only thing I had a problem with was the 12th February date.
I returned on the 11th of February as I had my date mixed up but he was kind enough to oblige when I asked politely if he could examine me on the 11th instead. And that was when my lessons in: Naija Survival 101 began. Yesterday I learnt that the only way to get things done in Nigeria was by flirting, kissing ass, having a phony British or American accent and by contributing to the 'ministry' called 'building for the Lord'.
I learnt these lessons yesterday in a matter of a few hours I spent in the VIO office. I was at the VIO office for less than two hours and I got my temporary driver's licence, a quest that some of the people I spoke with while I waited had been on for at least a few days. Ordinarily when things started getting difficult to get done, I would have called my Mum or Dad, who in turn called someone that works in that office to help me get what I wanted done for me easily. But this time I decided to do things on my own, I decided it was time to practice what I had been preaching, it was time to follow due process.
Due process failed me yesterday. If there is anything I learned in the year that I have been away, it is patience and respect for order, belief in first come first served. And I tried to observe these yesterday, but I quickly learned that I wasn't going to get anywhere. I quickly found out that in Nigeria, the only way to get things done was to flirt with the guys and kiss the ass of the ladies I happened to come across in my quest for a temporary driver's license. I learned that where ass kissing and flirting failed you, you switch to a phony British or American accent, it could even be a mix of both, its not like they would notice. The phony accent did the trick when ass kissing and flirting failed, it tripped a switch in d heads of these public servants, it was like they didn't want to mess with any one a foreign accent, phony or not. I also learned that before I could get my temporary driver's license printed I had to contribute to the 'Ministry', and by ministry I don't mean a government ministry, it was an appeal fund for a church building project. I am not even going to go into how many types of wrong it is for a public office to have envelopes for appeal for her church's building project out on her table and insisting that applicant contribute to her church building fund before she does the job she was been paid for anyway. I am very sure the Lord would not approve of this source of funding for his House. Did I mention the lady that told me that the cost to laminate my temporary license was a hundred Naira but that she was going to take two Hundred Naira. I think I almost lost it then because I went 'what???' but it was the expression on my face that encouraged her reply ' I am just joking oh".
Yesterday I was lucky enough to walk out of the VIO office with my temporary license in under two hours, but I walked out with a few lessons. The most important lessons yesterday was that, Nigeria is ready for Change but Nigerians are not ready for change or to change. Until we are willing to change our ways, we should stop complaining about everything that has gone wrong with our country, we should stop cursing out our leaders. Truth be told our leaders are bad but we are no better either, we don't want Nigeria to move forward, we find ways to pull down anyone that threatens what we are used to, someone that wants things to be done differently, someone that wants to do things the right way. Until we are willing to change, we might as well shut up about Nigeria and her problems, complaining never got anyone anywhere. Getting my license yesterday shouldn't have been about luck, it should have been about a fully functional system that provided a replacement for a license that had expired after due process had been followed.
Lessons were learned yesterday: Nigeria would stay stagnant for as long as we remain opposed to change.
I learned some important lessons about surviving in Nigeria yesterday, I learned some pretty important things about the change I had been screaming about yesterday.
I got back to Nigeria recently and I had to go renew my driver's license because it had expired on my last birthday. So I go to renew my license on my second day back and without going into any story, my examiner already failed me the moment I sat down, but I also didn't have answers to his question so I had a role to play in his failing me. He asked me to come back on the 12th of February, after asking me to buy the VIO Road Sense to study and come back for an examination, which to me was fair enough, the only thing I had a problem with was the 12th February date.
I returned on the 11th of February as I had my date mixed up but he was kind enough to oblige when I asked politely if he could examine me on the 11th instead. And that was when my lessons in: Naija Survival 101 began. Yesterday I learnt that the only way to get things done in Nigeria was by flirting, kissing ass, having a phony British or American accent and by contributing to the 'ministry' called 'building for the Lord'.
I learnt these lessons yesterday in a matter of a few hours I spent in the VIO office. I was at the VIO office for less than two hours and I got my temporary driver's licence, a quest that some of the people I spoke with while I waited had been on for at least a few days. Ordinarily when things started getting difficult to get done, I would have called my Mum or Dad, who in turn called someone that works in that office to help me get what I wanted done for me easily. But this time I decided to do things on my own, I decided it was time to practice what I had been preaching, it was time to follow due process.
Due process failed me yesterday. If there is anything I learned in the year that I have been away, it is patience and respect for order, belief in first come first served. And I tried to observe these yesterday, but I quickly learned that I wasn't going to get anywhere. I quickly found out that in Nigeria, the only way to get things done was to flirt with the guys and kiss the ass of the ladies I happened to come across in my quest for a temporary driver's license. I learned that where ass kissing and flirting failed you, you switch to a phony British or American accent, it could even be a mix of both, its not like they would notice. The phony accent did the trick when ass kissing and flirting failed, it tripped a switch in d heads of these public servants, it was like they didn't want to mess with any one a foreign accent, phony or not. I also learned that before I could get my temporary driver's license printed I had to contribute to the 'Ministry', and by ministry I don't mean a government ministry, it was an appeal fund for a church building project. I am not even going to go into how many types of wrong it is for a public office to have envelopes for appeal for her church's building project out on her table and insisting that applicant contribute to her church building fund before she does the job she was been paid for anyway. I am very sure the Lord would not approve of this source of funding for his House. Did I mention the lady that told me that the cost to laminate my temporary license was a hundred Naira but that she was going to take two Hundred Naira. I think I almost lost it then because I went 'what???' but it was the expression on my face that encouraged her reply ' I am just joking oh".
Yesterday I was lucky enough to walk out of the VIO office with my temporary license in under two hours, but I walked out with a few lessons. The most important lessons yesterday was that, Nigeria is ready for Change but Nigerians are not ready for change or to change. Until we are willing to change our ways, we should stop complaining about everything that has gone wrong with our country, we should stop cursing out our leaders. Truth be told our leaders are bad but we are no better either, we don't want Nigeria to move forward, we find ways to pull down anyone that threatens what we are used to, someone that wants things to be done differently, someone that wants to do things the right way. Until we are willing to change, we might as well shut up about Nigeria and her problems, complaining never got anyone anywhere. Getting my license yesterday shouldn't have been about luck, it should have been about a fully functional system that provided a replacement for a license that had expired after due process had been followed.
Lessons were learned yesterday: Nigeria would stay stagnant for as long as we remain opposed to change.
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Better Nigeria: Undereducated Nigerians?!!!!
BY ADESUWA
I was opportuned to attend a civil society session and its theme was : 'Revitalizing Nigerian Tertiary Education for 21st Tertiary Challenges'.
I must say that whilst listening to the panelists like Mrs Yemisi Ransome Kuti, Dr. Nasir Fagge (president, ASUU) and a host of others, and contributions from the audience, I became outraged. Maybe because they were saying the very things I have observed and have been suppressing, because I have had no avenues to express my disappointments.
I am a lawyer, I graduated from the University of Abuja, gone through law school and now called to the Nigerian Bar. These took seven years of my life and so I can talk authoritatively about the decaying tertiary education in Nigeria.
The rude shock I got when I left school, is that, after all studied and achieved on paper, I could not impressively express myself as an individual, as a graduate, and a lawyer. I have discussed with my colleagues...their stories are no different. So I found myself undergoing some sort of self development education, to learn those informal things that I lacked by leeching on my seniors and gathering informations from all sources.
Another rude shock was that, alas! all I learnt is not what is actually in practice. Now let's disabuse our minds of my area of study, this crisis is prevalent in every area of study. Let's be sincere.
We are be-crying the issue of unemployment and I must confess my dear youths that we are not fully equipped to take on most of the vacancies out there. We have been poorly educated. That's the harsh truth. The requirements for vacancies these days surpass the education we received. That is why most of us have to be shipped abroad to do masters and phd...to better compete with our peers. Masters used to be some sort of feat in the old days. Today, it has become a necessity, which does not guarantee anything though. Soon enough, a degree would just be nothing till you have masters, that is if we have not reached that stage already.
Anyway, I still feel flying away to do masters is going to further worsen the problem. By so doing, we are admitting our deficiencies, fueling another's economy (and the fees would keep sky rocketing, afterall we want to do masters abroad), and Nigeria would not grow. Besides our leaders' children are all abroad studying, so that our educational system is rottening has not gone unnoticed. Who are we fooling anyway? Now am not saying do not go abroad oh! Afterall, we are trying to help ourselves. I am just gently reminding us, that the mess awaits us when we get back, after all if you won't clear the cobwebs hanging from your ceiling it would soon touch your head.
Government's irresponsibility and rascality is the main challenge and threat to our education. Corruption fuels it. Our institutions are ill-equipped, the curriculum is not self developing, its a cram-and-pour sort of curriculum. Practical exercises are not done, our lecturers would not go through the stress, and I do not blame them, if you lecture a class of about 300 students..to do practical exercises is to pass out. So a note or material is produced, the students are expected to read it, cram it and pour it out as it is, because most atimes if you deviate from it, you will fail the course and that's all. Education has gone beyond this. Through all my confusion and strive to gain a balance and to assert myself in the society, I have learnt witout being told that tertiary education is not an end itself, its a means to a whole world of opportunites. We need to start thinking, innovating, creating and working outside the boxes of our degrees.
I like a statement made by Abdulrazaqque Barkindo (Publisher, The Road Newspapers) at the the above forum : "Nigeria is a certificate reliant country...Education is not for you to graduate and get a job! its for you to be able to live successfully with others.."
The teaching conditions are not attractive, so most lecturers are now after becoming Vice Chancellors or atleast close to Vice Chancellors, so they can partake in the booty. So politics has entered the system, and no ground breaking change can occur if the main officers of a University are controlled by a VC who was appointed politically by the very Government that seeks to cover up its irresponsibility.
Another neglected aspect of tertiary education is, vocational. And technical education. So now we import chairs, tables, clothes, fabrics, food, ideas, creativity, and so on because we are running out of professional carpenters, farmers, cloth weavers, we would rather not think but tap from the creativity of the western world, because we have been taught not to think outside our lecture notes or materials.
Its such a sad situation.
Although I do believe things could change. That is if we youths, can arise and clamour for a better education. If our parents would demand that government give their children the best education and not wait for ASUU everytime to do so. Our parents should be able to leave their busy lives and visit our schools and demand from lecturers why their children are not performing well. Should a lecturer threaten a class or an individual, the struggle should not be left for their children alone, parents! Get interested, so as to get value for your money.
The governing councils of Universities, should begin to involve students more in their deliberations..the Senate of Universities are not left out in this. ASUU should try to hold training programmes for our lectures, maybe some sort of retreat, so they talk to themselves, because 50% of the change we really seek in our Institutions can be helped by our lecturers.
As for our Government, that has now taken shield under private institutions, arguing it cannot bear the burden alone and all that. I say, that it can not shy away from the responsibility of educating its citizens. No country can develop with private education. The best schools in the world are public schools. The best schools in the world are public schools. Government must see to it that our institutions have adequate infrastructure, lecturers are well paid, students study under good conditions and with proper security. Yes, this has been over-emphasised but should we stop saying it? No.
There should be a law that prohibits Government officials from sending their children to schools abroad. This would help our educational system a whole lot.
Bans on Student Union Groups should be lifted, so students can actively air their views.
In all these, I would not go into primary and secondary education today. These are near extinction, and I mean quality primary and secondary education is near extinction, before you argue, just visit a primary or secondary school and compare to what was obtainable as at 5years ago. Yes, five years ago so as not to go too far, so that we can guage the steady decline of education in Nigeria. This would be a topic for another day. Maybe the reality that after tertiary education, we embrace the world is what gnaws me most at the moment.
The Committee on NEEDS Assessment on Nigerian Public Universities 2012, is an eyeopener for Nigerians. Try to get hold of it, read it! That report is not good for the image of Nigeria, but sadly, it is the truth. I would also not dwell on this report, as I need to digest and dissect it before making any conclusions.
As 2015 draws near, let's begin to psyche our minds and be sincere, and put the right leaders in power.
GOD bless Nigeria.
I was opportuned to attend a civil society session and its theme was : 'Revitalizing Nigerian Tertiary Education for 21st Tertiary Challenges'.
I must say that whilst listening to the panelists like Mrs Yemisi Ransome Kuti, Dr. Nasir Fagge (president, ASUU) and a host of others, and contributions from the audience, I became outraged. Maybe because they were saying the very things I have observed and have been suppressing, because I have had no avenues to express my disappointments.
I am a lawyer, I graduated from the University of Abuja, gone through law school and now called to the Nigerian Bar. These took seven years of my life and so I can talk authoritatively about the decaying tertiary education in Nigeria.
The rude shock I got when I left school, is that, after all studied and achieved on paper, I could not impressively express myself as an individual, as a graduate, and a lawyer. I have discussed with my colleagues...their stories are no different. So I found myself undergoing some sort of self development education, to learn those informal things that I lacked by leeching on my seniors and gathering informations from all sources.
Another rude shock was that, alas! all I learnt is not what is actually in practice. Now let's disabuse our minds of my area of study, this crisis is prevalent in every area of study. Let's be sincere.
We are be-crying the issue of unemployment and I must confess my dear youths that we are not fully equipped to take on most of the vacancies out there. We have been poorly educated. That's the harsh truth. The requirements for vacancies these days surpass the education we received. That is why most of us have to be shipped abroad to do masters and phd...to better compete with our peers. Masters used to be some sort of feat in the old days. Today, it has become a necessity, which does not guarantee anything though. Soon enough, a degree would just be nothing till you have masters, that is if we have not reached that stage already.
Anyway, I still feel flying away to do masters is going to further worsen the problem. By so doing, we are admitting our deficiencies, fueling another's economy (and the fees would keep sky rocketing, afterall we want to do masters abroad), and Nigeria would not grow. Besides our leaders' children are all abroad studying, so that our educational system is rottening has not gone unnoticed. Who are we fooling anyway? Now am not saying do not go abroad oh! Afterall, we are trying to help ourselves. I am just gently reminding us, that the mess awaits us when we get back, after all if you won't clear the cobwebs hanging from your ceiling it would soon touch your head.
Government's irresponsibility and rascality is the main challenge and threat to our education. Corruption fuels it. Our institutions are ill-equipped, the curriculum is not self developing, its a cram-and-pour sort of curriculum. Practical exercises are not done, our lecturers would not go through the stress, and I do not blame them, if you lecture a class of about 300 students..to do practical exercises is to pass out. So a note or material is produced, the students are expected to read it, cram it and pour it out as it is, because most atimes if you deviate from it, you will fail the course and that's all. Education has gone beyond this. Through all my confusion and strive to gain a balance and to assert myself in the society, I have learnt witout being told that tertiary education is not an end itself, its a means to a whole world of opportunites. We need to start thinking, innovating, creating and working outside the boxes of our degrees.
I like a statement made by Abdulrazaqque Barkindo (Publisher, The Road Newspapers) at the the above forum : "Nigeria is a certificate reliant country...Education is not for you to graduate and get a job! its for you to be able to live successfully with others.."
The teaching conditions are not attractive, so most lecturers are now after becoming Vice Chancellors or atleast close to Vice Chancellors, so they can partake in the booty. So politics has entered the system, and no ground breaking change can occur if the main officers of a University are controlled by a VC who was appointed politically by the very Government that seeks to cover up its irresponsibility.
Another neglected aspect of tertiary education is, vocational. And technical education. So now we import chairs, tables, clothes, fabrics, food, ideas, creativity, and so on because we are running out of professional carpenters, farmers, cloth weavers, we would rather not think but tap from the creativity of the western world, because we have been taught not to think outside our lecture notes or materials.
Its such a sad situation.
Although I do believe things could change. That is if we youths, can arise and clamour for a better education. If our parents would demand that government give their children the best education and not wait for ASUU everytime to do so. Our parents should be able to leave their busy lives and visit our schools and demand from lecturers why their children are not performing well. Should a lecturer threaten a class or an individual, the struggle should not be left for their children alone, parents! Get interested, so as to get value for your money.
The governing councils of Universities, should begin to involve students more in their deliberations..the Senate of Universities are not left out in this. ASUU should try to hold training programmes for our lectures, maybe some sort of retreat, so they talk to themselves, because 50% of the change we really seek in our Institutions can be helped by our lecturers.
As for our Government, that has now taken shield under private institutions, arguing it cannot bear the burden alone and all that. I say, that it can not shy away from the responsibility of educating its citizens. No country can develop with private education. The best schools in the world are public schools. The best schools in the world are public schools. Government must see to it that our institutions have adequate infrastructure, lecturers are well paid, students study under good conditions and with proper security. Yes, this has been over-emphasised but should we stop saying it? No.
There should be a law that prohibits Government officials from sending their children to schools abroad. This would help our educational system a whole lot.
Bans on Student Union Groups should be lifted, so students can actively air their views.
In all these, I would not go into primary and secondary education today. These are near extinction, and I mean quality primary and secondary education is near extinction, before you argue, just visit a primary or secondary school and compare to what was obtainable as at 5years ago. Yes, five years ago so as not to go too far, so that we can guage the steady decline of education in Nigeria. This would be a topic for another day. Maybe the reality that after tertiary education, we embrace the world is what gnaws me most at the moment.
The Committee on NEEDS Assessment on Nigerian Public Universities 2012, is an eyeopener for Nigerians. Try to get hold of it, read it! That report is not good for the image of Nigeria, but sadly, it is the truth. I would also not dwell on this report, as I need to digest and dissect it before making any conclusions.
As 2015 draws near, let's begin to psyche our minds and be sincere, and put the right leaders in power.
GOD bless Nigeria.
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