EDUNAIJA II: THE NIGERIAN STUDENT

Majority of our students have learning as the secondary reason why they are in school. Primary reasons range from: freedom from home, fun, status symbol, and the like. I know because it was the same for me, that's why I was so sad when I had to wait an extra year to get into school, and so surprised and angry with the level of work I had to do when I got in. "Is this what I have been struggling for"? I asked myself a couple of times, assignments, tests, pop quizzes, the thing tire me.

Learning became something I had to do, not the reason I was there. My head correct after some poor performances sha, them no dey tell blind man say rain dey fall na. But a lot of students, get stuck in this mode and hardly breakaway early enough to come out well, if they do at all.

if and when they do, they now have the unenviable discovery of being matched to the wrong course, either under or over challenged, but usual the later. Why? More often than not the reasons range from the student over estimating his/her own ability or underestimating the level of work needed to study the course (in addition to the choice of course being the handy work of someone else: parents). 

Rarely is it borne out of an interest in the course.Some even see it as a natural progression: science students naturally progress to read science related courses. So if there is an interest in the arts or social sciences, it does not matter, that has been reserved for the less "intelligent" students.

Distractions, let's not even go there. Them plenty, with the social kind being the most prominent chiefly among them, different forms of relationships. It is not unusual to see a girl being unable to do anything, and having her friends trying to console her inconsolable soul because her boo don break her fragile heart and don't for one minute think this is localized to the females alone, I don see correct bòbò when all men get to encourage on top heart break matter too. Others include recognition, occasionally business, and of course the new craze: social media.

 The average Nigerian student is content with doing just enough to pass. Unfortunately this has been brought about by the system most lecturers adopt. Research, innovation, discovery, and the like are rare. Holidays are a time to rest, not to brush up on what was learnt in school either in theory or practice. I cannot remember picking up my lecture notes to read during any of my holidays. It was just a time to rest from the “hectic” school schedule, party, play, and trade stories with other students from different schools. 

 Very few review their performance in their exams, seeking out correct answers to missed questions. Lecturers don’t, neither do the students, until they get to the carry-over class to take a second swing at it.

Ideally, students must be ready to face their studies, and come out with good grades and the ability to compete favourably with other students in the same field from other higher institutions. Sadly for the Nigerian student, this now includes students from foreign universities as more Nigerian students go abroad for studies and much more are coming back due to the lack of opportunities out there due to the global crisis. Now at days, the ease with which people move and interact makes it easier for them to end up on your turf or you on theirs. Whichever happens, there needs to be an acquisition of an appreciable level of competence to remain competitive and relevant in this continually shrinking world.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not suggesting that school is just about books. Enjoy your stay, party, play, pray, and all what not, but not at the expense of your studies. Nothing available is worth trading for your studies, nothing I say. More so when your educational competence is the criteria with which you will most likely be judged by.

 People like Bill, Mark, Steve and a host of others who dropped out of school threaten to turn this post on its head, and make it a whole lot of crap; but it should be noted, that they had already acquired an appreciable level of required knowledge, competence and skill from high school coupled with an enabling environment for their reputable success. A luxury we don’t have in this part of the world as such, DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME.

  So as you decide to show up, make sure you show up ready to be counted and not just to make up the numbers. Here is a tip my uncle taught me when I was in school, it worked for me, and I bet it will for you too. STAY ON THE FRONT ROWS IN CLASS (preferably the first 3). To mention a few reasons why:

• You hear directly from the lecturer’s mouth.
• Distractions are limited if they exist at all.
• You have a better chance of being asked a question, which will gauge your level of understanding of the topic.
• Somehow, it helps you build a network of “efiko” friends that will come in academically handy.
• It helps you build discipline and other like traits that come in handy later in life.

Greatest Nigerian student! Be more than all you are allowed to be and the sky will end up as your trampoline.

It is well with you. 

2013 Billionaire list

With glee I received the news that Forbes had released their 2013 billionaires list, so I decided to check if I had made the list this year. Just as I was about opening the list,Prince al-Waleed bin Talal, the Saudi investor called me to inform me that he had been listed at number 23. You cannot begin to imagine my surprise. 23^rd richest man in the world, how could they? What insolence?!

After commiserating with him, I proceeded with my check. Incredible! See the message I got:

This list is not complete oh. I am not on it. Certainly Al-Waleed was right. There is something wrong with the list. I called him back quickly so we could strategize on what to do next. Courts, occupy, boycott, what do we do? We wanted to show these Forbes guys that they cannot and should not mess with us.

How could they not recognize all my BILLIONS (in the making)? This is a travesty!

Even though being on the list at all, at whatever position still confers on us FIRST place status when compared to the other 5,999,999,000 other inhabitants of earth that did not make the list. That would mean we are part of the 1.66% of people that control the greatest share of wealth in the world; so what?  Greedy and egotistical, what else is there to be? We have more than all the money we will ever need.

Forbes shall hear from us big time, while we make haste to state our case………….. my alarm  goes off on my phone, time to wake up for work.

It has all been a dream (at least for me).

Mcheewwwwwww!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"I cried when I had no shoes, until I met a man who had no feet".

“MY OGA AT THE TOP”

As I watched the video of the interview of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps chap on channels television, a plethora of feelings and emotions flooded through me. Unbelief, disbelief, anger, and the like, all expressed in laughter. I just dey laugh, who be this ekpa? It even became funnier when I was wrongly told he was the Public Relations Officer, he actually is the Lagos State Commandant ( NSCDC) Mr Obafaiye Shem (from here on known as Shame). Incredible! But na Naija be this. Anything can and does happen.

A lot of people do not know why he was there in the first place, but who can blame them. There are certain situations that are so monumental; they overshadow anything and everything before and after it. This was such, though in a negative way.

Mr Shame was there to clear the air on the purported employment into the NSCDC. Let me give you copied examples of various fraudulent mails and sites with this information making rounds:

Nigeria security And Civil Defence Corp NSCDC Recruitment For 2013/2014Both Junior And Senior Cadre.people who really have a passion to become a perponnel and want to apply for any of this placement should visit or NSCDC At http://nscdc.wapka.mo bi for e-Registration......contact Mr Adewole michael On +2348167978763 for further enquiries and process.Also Empowered By The Federal Ministry Of Interior And Federal Ministry Of works Suleja Abuja.

Dr Musa Nigeria Security And Civil Defence Corp NSCDC Recruitment form For Both Junior And Senior Cadre. The Federal Ministry Of Interior As Announced The Registration Process For NSCDC Recruitment 2013. People who really have a passion to become a perponnel and want to apply for any of this placement should visit http://www.federaljobs.tk for e-Registration...... Or Contact 07085717135 for further enquiries and process. Empowered By The Federal Ministry Of Interior Wuse Dr Musa Nigeria Security And Civil Defence Corp NSCDC Recruitment form For Both Junior And Senior Cadre. The Federal Ministry Of Interior As Announced The Registration Process For NSCDC Recruitment 2013. People who really have a passion to become a perponnel and want to apply for any of this placement should visit http://www.federaljobs.tk for e-Registration...... Or Contact 07085717135 for further enquiries and process. Empowered By The Federal Ministry Of Interior Wuse Zone:5 Abuja. Zone:5 Abuja.

The federal government is commencing the anual recruitment for the Nigeria
Security And Civil Defence Corp for six different positions. For those
people who want to apply should prepare their CV and contact Dr Linus on
08143612486for their application form. Registration is ending around
December.

So you see there is an issue here. As hilarious as Mr Shame’s performance was, we need to really ask his oga at the top some questions other than the website address:

A.      How can you convince us as a people that employment into NSCDC is not being sold/given to undeserving people when you have someone in the mould of Mr Shame as a state commandant?

B.      Now that Mr Shem has not only brought shame to the NSCDC but has successfully deprecated the organisation in our eyes and those of fellow paramilitary and military organisations, what is his punishment; how is he going to be held accountable?

And to channels television:

A.      Why did you not get the PRO to come and answer these questions?

B.      Did you interact with this man before putting him on television?

C.       Why did you not just let him be when it was obvious he did not know what he was saying? Una follow the man until him fall. That was brutal.

D.      Finally, do you plan to ask for royalties for the Internet/musical/t-shirt/every-other hit the show has produced?

To Mr Shame, when next them ask you to come TV, do your homework, research, or send someone else, or better still ASK YOUR OGA  AT THE TOP before you go!!!!!!!

"Village Trouble"?

If you want to see an example of "village trouble", look no further  than Jennifer Lawrence. If to say na Naija babe, she for don send prayer point to her pastor, Imam, or her Babalawo.

I can’t remember anyone having so many fashion mishaps in one award season.

First at the SAG awards her dress came apart:

At the Oscars, she tripped on her dress and “crawled” halfway to accepting her award.

Who be your tailor sef? Or should I ask, “who are you wearing” (or not wearing well)?

Better still, come to Naija for prayers oh, cos we no know wetin dey for front.

Just for the laughs people.

Gob bless Naija.