Three Nigerians may participate in Obama’s govt
By Agency reporter
Published: Wednesday, 18 Mar 2009
Three United States-based Nigerian professionals may emerge as White House fellows under the Obama administration, the Empowered Newswire reports.

A White House statement obtained by a US-based Nigerian news agency on Tuesday stated that the Nigerians are among the 108 regional finalists being considered for the limited slots this year as White House fellows.

The Nigerians are Abimbola Omoniyi, Obinna Onyeagoro, who are based in New York and Chisara Asomugha, based in Hamden, Connecticut.

Also listed is an American, Joanna Katzman, whose current station is listed on the statement as Abuja.

But it was not clear as at press time what she was doing in Nigeria, since Abuja was listed as her address.

Asomugha, a pediatri-cian, also has a degree in History from Stanford University, an Ivy League School in the US.

She received her medical degree from Duke University, and a Master’s in Public Health from the University of North Carolina.

Omoniyi is a surgeon, while Onyeagoro is a business analyst with a Master’s degree from Harvard University.

According to the White House, the idea of the fellowship started in 1965 and it offers “a select group of outstanding people a year-long opportunity to participate in government at the highest levels.”

A very competitive selection process that draws from thousands of applicants, the programme has produced nearly 600 alumni who have become leaders in all fields of endeavour, and fulfilling the fellowship‘s mission to encourage active citizenship and service to the American nation.

The programme is regarded as America’s “most prestigious programme for leadership and public service,” according to the statement.

After a screening of applicants from all the states of the US, the selection process goes on to reduce the applicants on regional basis, from the regional basis, selection of regional finalists are made.

The statement added that “this year’s regional finalists represent a broad cross-section of professions, including technology; education; health care; state government; engineering; business; consulting; law; the non-profit sector, and the military.”

Later this month and in April, the regional finalists, including the three Nigerian-born Americans, will undergo further rigorous interview after which “approximately 30 candidates will be named national finalists,” according to the White House Fellows Director, Janet Eissenstat.

The Commission on White House Fellowships set up by the President will then interview the national finalists in June and recommend successful candidates to President Barack Obama for a one-year appointment as White House Fellows.

Those eventually appointed as White House Fellows will spend the next one year working as full-time paid special assistants to senior White House staff, cabinet secretaries and other top-ranking government officials.

Fellows also participate in an education programme, consisting of roundtable discussions with renowned leaders from the private and public sectors and trips to study US policy in action both domestically and internationally.

Eissenstat noted that selection as a White House Fellow is highly competitive and based on a record of remarkable professional achievement early in one’s career.

Besides, she said other criteria included evidence of leadership potential, a proven commitment to public service, and the knowledge and skills necessary to contribute successfully at the highest levels of the Federal Government.

The fellowships are awarded on a strictly non-partisan basis and some of the former fellows include former US Secretary of State, Colin Powell; CNN Chief Medical Correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta; Travelocity CEO, Michelle Peluso; and Dallas Mayor, Tom Leppert.

The Nigerian immigrant community, from which are many dual US citizens, supported the Obama campaign at different stages, including serving as campaign aides, raising funds and creating awareness, among others during the campaign for the presidency that lasted over two years.

http://www.punchontheweb.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art200903182441473

Hm! One Yoruba, two Igbo, zero hausa/fulani hopefuls in US govt. It is indeed clear that on a clean and equal ground, Igbo and to some extent the Yoruba are the best in Nigeria, and of the two, Igbos stand out. But in Nigeria where mediocrity and corruption is the rule, the dogs have taken over.

Afaukwu:

Hm! One Yoruba, two Igbo, zero hausa/fulani hopefuls in US govt. It is indeed clear that on a clean and equal ground, Igbo and Yoruba are the best in Nigeria, and of the two, Igbos stand out. But in Nigeria where mediocrity and corruption is the rule, the dogs have taken over.

It's common knowledge that if the president of Nigeria should be on merit then the hausa don't stand the slightest chance.

Yorubas are among the intelligence tribe in nigeria then follow by igbos. If nigeria happened to be a good country the ibo people will be the back bone of our technology becos they do grab and copy fast as the chinese.

hajifaty:

Yorubas are among the intelligence tribe in nigeria then follow by igbos. If nigeria happened to be a good country the ibo people will be the back bone of our technology becos they do grab and copy fast as the chinese.

Going by test scores

It's south east
south south
south west
then awusa people

chei
so them no shorlist me?

Why the fuc.k are all of you so fuc.king tribalistic?

The Nigerian Government should be ASHAMED,  that they cannot tap such brilliant minds to work for them.

But then, these are the same folks that go back home and become the "Dora Akinluyi" who want to waste quality time rebranding Nigeria rather than dealing with deal ISSUES.

OBVIOUS:

The Nigerian Government should be ASHAMED, that they cannot tap such brilliant minds to work for them.

But then, these are the same folks that go back home and become the "Dora Akinluyi" who want to waste quality time rebranding Nigeria rather than dealing with deal ISSUES.

who the fried fish is Dora akinluyi?

hajifaty:

Yorubas are among the intelligence tribe in nigeria then follow by igbos. If nigeria happened to be a good country the ibo people will be the back bone of our technology becos they do grab and copy fast as the chinese.

How can one be better than two (in this context, at least)? True, its the other way round.

.

they're being considered on the basis of their personal qualifications and eligibility, not their tribes.

I wonder

All of them na nigerians. You should not expect to see northerner there since their lives start and end in the north.

Afaukwu, hapu ihe igbo siri igbo asighi gi. It is not gonna put food on your table. We need a better nigeria.

agabaI23:

All of them na nigerians. You should not expect to see northerner there since their lives start and end in the north.

Afaukwu, hapu ihe igbo siri igbo asighi gi. It is not gonna put food on your table. We need a better nigeria.

You need to wake up, Bro. Take a peep here https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-241875.0.html
to see the need to promote your own in the jungle that is Nigeria. Onye ajuru adighi aju onwe ya.

A_K_O:

Why the fuc.k are all of you so fuc.king tribalistic?

dont bother yourself,its a genetic thing with nigerians

O ihe billi goat kwuru ka I na-ege nti.

We all know what's up. Nigeria knows the capability of the Igbos. Onye ji ihe nwata welia aka ya elu, aka fuba ya ufu o wetuo ya nye ya.

So gbachi fa nkiti.

having said that, what you are doing fuels sectionalism which does no one no good

agabaI23:

O ihe billi goat kwuru ka I na-ege nti.

We all know what's up. Nigeria knows the capability of the Igbos. Onye ji ihe nwata welia aka ya elu, aka fuba ya ufu o wetuo ya nye ya.

So gbachi fa nkiti.

having said that, what you are doing fuels sectionalism which does no one no good

So Billy goat's, BecomeRich's, Deb's and the gamut of anti-Igbo comments will not fuel sectionalism, while mine will. Nwanna, please if you do not know what to say, just be yourself ok.

Nwanna, what sets you apart is your ability to walk the uncommon path. Do you have to get down to their level? I believe you can do better than that. Besides all these guys prolly represent themselves.

Great things are not found in common path. May be I will have to shut up as you suggested . . lol

.

Hm! One Yoruba, two Igbo, zero hausa/fulani hopefuls in US govt. It is indeed clear that on a clean and equal ground, Igbo and to some extent the Yoruba are the best in Nigeria, and of the two, Igbos stand out. But in Nigeria where mediocrity and corruption is the rule, the dogs have taken over.

Immediately I saw the 3 names in the story, I knew this was what will follow.

Afaukwu:
Asomugha, a pediatri-cian, also has a degree in History from Stanford University, an Ivy League School in the US.

She received her medical degree from Duke University, and a Master’s in Public Health from the University of North Carolina.

Omoniyi is a surgeon, while Onyeagoro is a business analyst with a Master’s degree from Harvard University.

Inaccurate!

Stanford university is not an Ivy League school. Nigerian journalists make this mistake a lot, and have in the past included MIT, CalTech and Georgia Tech as Ivy League schools. There are only eight Ivy League schools (in alphabetical order):

1. Brown University
2. Columbia University
3. Cornell University
4. Dartmouth College
5. Harvard University
6. Princeton University
7. University of Pennsylvania
8. Yale University

Jarus:

Immediately I saw the 3 names in the story, I knew this was what will follow.

Trust Nigerians to filter everything through an ethnocentric prism. You cannot draw any reasonable inference from a sample of 3.

RichyBlacK:

Inaccurate!

Stanford university is not an Ivy League school. Nigerian journalists make this mistake a lot, and have in the past included MIT, CalTech and Georgia Tech as Ivy League schools. There are only eight Ivy League schools (in alphabetical order):

1. Brown University
2. Columbia University
3. Cornell University
4. Dartmouth College
5. Harvard University
6. Princeton University
7. University of Pennsylvania
8. Yale University

So I have been carrying misinformation all this while. Thanks for educating me.

Jarus:

So I have been carrying misinformation all this while. Thanks for educating me.

Jarus,

You're welcome.

Why oh why? When these guys were being appointed in the US, no one thought of tribes within the Obama Government. But simpletons and low thinking beings in Nigeria and elsewhere will rather read tribalistic sentiments into it.

We are our own greatest problems.

There are two shades of tribalism
1. Those who pull down people of other tribes
2. Those who promote their own tribes without meddling negatively into other tribes' matters (except when provoked to do so)
To which do you belong?

There are two shades of tribalism
1. Those who pull down people of other tribes
2. Those who promote their own tribes without meddling negatively into other tribes' matters (except when provoked to do so)
To which do you belong?

Please shut up. You have a very big complex issue. Your tribal rants is annoying and getting out of hand. Igbos should be ashamed of you.

@iReport
I would have agreed with you if not for this comment

igbos wont let us rest for here'

iReport:

Please shut up. You have a very big complex issue. Your tribal rants is annoying and getting out of hand. Igbos should be ashamed of you.

You are such an idiot; aren't you? Why should Ndigbo be ashamed of me when I am promoting and advertising them (and myself, by extension) in a country like Nigeria where people have shown envy towards them. You need to get your eediotic pear brain examined. People like you turn around in the night and kill their neighbours who do not speak the same language with them, and here you are in the day preaching for your father.

Talking about complex, without sounding immodest, you can never achieve half of what I have, or be able to pass through the roads that I have passed, in your lifetime. Pity we do not disclose our Ids on cyber.