Are 234Next.com crazy or has Aunty Dora gone the way of the dodos?
I put my money on 234Next.com editors being crazy.

By Musikilu Mojeed
November 8, 2010 12:19AM

The Nigerian government will investigate allegations of fraudulent claims levelled against Nigerian United States-based scientist, Philip Emeagwali, the Minister of Information and Communication, Dora Akunyili, has said.

NEXT had in a report on Sunday quoted some leading American scientists as describing Mr. Emeagwali’s claim that he was a father of the Internet as misleading.

In a telephone interview yesterday, Mrs. Akunyili said the allegations against Mr Emeagwali were weighty and disturbing and would have to be thoroughly investigated.

Mr. Emeagwali is among Nigerians that Mrs. Akunyili showcased to the world in the government’s effort to improve the country’s image.

The Nigeria Postal Service, which is directly under the minister’s supervision, has also put the embattled scientist on the Nigerian stamp.

“The allegations are unbelievable, but we cannot jump to conclusion,” the minister said. “Our government is a responsible one and so, we cannot disregard what has been published. We will pierce information together and if necessary, we will invite him to say his own side of the story. He is our son. When they tell you your child is a thief, you can’t just jump up and start celebrating. You will have to find out and establish the truth.”

Mrs. Akunyili said the government cannot afford to make mistakes on such a sensitive issue and would therefore take its time to do a thorough investigation.

She said once the investigation is completed, the government will issue a final statement, and then decide whether to remove him from the Nigerian stamp.

She did not say how long the investigation would last, saying it was not a decision she could unilaterally take.

Erroneous celebration

Meanwhile, a graduate student of journalism at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Adekunle Yusuf, on Sunday apologized for erroneously celebrating Mr. Emeagwali at an event in his university four days ago.

In a telephone interview with NEXT, Mr. Yusuf said at a “Taste of Nigeria” event, organized by the university to celebrate the culture and people of Nigeria, Nigerian students showcased Mr. Emeagwali alongside the likes of Wole Soyinka and Chinua Achebe as their country’s great human exports dazzling the world.

He said he became sad after reading the report of Mr. Emeagwali’s fraudulent claims in NEXT.

“We didn’t know he was just deceiving the world. I’m really depressed that he was among those we celebrated,” said Mr. Yusuf, a Senior Writer with TELL and Ford Foundation scholar at Wisconsin.

In 1989, Mr. Emeagwali won the $1,000 Gordon Bell Prize, which is awarded each year to recognise outstanding achievement in high-performance computing.

His award was for an application of the CM-2 massively parallel computer for oil reservoir modelling. Following the feat, Mr. Emeagwali proceeded to claim, for several years, that he was a father of the Internet; that he improved upon Isaac Newton’s laws of motion; that he owned the world’s first personal website; that American computer giant, Apple, uses the microprocessor technology he pioneered in its Power Mac G4 model, among many other claims.

But leading American and Nigerian scientists have faulted the claim, saying Mr. Emeagwali made no contribution to the evolution of the Internet as he had over the years made the world to believe.

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/Metro/Politics/5639794-146/government_to_investigate_emeagwali__.csp

This emeagwali thing is becoming a funny issue.

I think it is the right step for the govt to take. It is high time govt got interested in those who are talented, and it shouldn't stop with Emeagwali.
All Nigerians who have made claims to genius should be investigated and anyone found to be fraudulent should be declared so by govt and jailed as fraudsters whenever they step into the country; conversly, those genuine Nigerian talents that have cried for help over the years and only faced abandonement, ridicule and scorn must get the sort of support other nations give to their gifted ones.

Beaf:

I think it is the right step for the govt to take. It is high time govt got interested in those who are talented, and it shouldn't stop with Emeagwali.
All Nigerians who have made claims to genius should be investigated and anyone found to be fraudulent should be declared so by govt and jailed as fraudsters whenever they step into the country; conversly, those genuine Nigerian talents that have cried for help over the years and only faced abandonement, ridicule and scorn must get the sort of support other nations give to their gifted ones.

This is the most silly post ever. What will you charge him for when he steps into Nigeria? American govt where he lives has not even done anything how much less nig govt? So one does not have a right to brag and boast for himself again? I am yet to see anybody who has been hurt by Emeagwali's boasting.

Beaf:

I think it is the right step for the govt to take. It is high time govt got interested in those who are talented, and it shouldn't stop with Emeagwali.
All Nigerians who have made claims to genius should be investigated and anyone found to be fraudulent should be declared so by govt and jailed as fraudsters whenever they step into the country; conversly, those genuine Nigerian talents that have cried for help over the years and only faced abandonement, ridicule and scorn must get the sort of support other nations give to their gifted ones.

@Beaf
I disagree with you completely. What crime would you charge Emeagwali with? Or are you just being sarcastic?

Before the Nigerian government even remotely concern itself with people who fought within a high standard system and got honours, they would need to commit a mass purge of the fraud called government in Nigeria. If Emeagwali committed a crime the Nigerian government would not be called upon before he gets punished for it. At least his honorary degree was deserved, what about this open fraud below - if Aunty Dora has the guts let her march to the NA tomorrow, it is not too far from where she seats.

It is very obvious that some ppl want to see Emeagwali's downfall even if it meant reprinting their junks in hundred newspapers and site. . .na wa O. . .
This obviously is being done in bad taste, simple. Even the !diot  that calls himself yusuf is making inflamatory statements against the man based on the same capaign of calumies by some disgruntled Nigerian underachieved prof in the name of exposing sb without waiting to hear from the man or even making any attempt at all to hear the other part of the story, what a Mørøn. . . .Anyway, I like the fact that Dora and her ministry did not jump into hasty conclusions like the rest of the morons are doing and writing epistles in the name exposing him. Until the result of the investigation comes to light, those over produced rubbish articles in sahara and replicated in Next remain ridiculous attempt to drag sb down based on Nigerians' crab mentality syndrom.

koruji:

@Beaf
I disagree with you completely. What crime would you charge Emeagwali with? Or are you just being sarcastic?

Before the Nigerian government even remotely concern itself with people who fought within a high standard system and got honours, they would need to commit a mass purge of the fraud called government in Nigeria. If Emeagwali committed a crime the Nigerian government would not be called upon before he gets punished for it. At least his honorary degree was deserved, what about this open fraud below - if Aunty Dora has the guts let her march to the NA tomorrow, it is not too far from where she seats.

If you look slightly deeper, you will spot what I am saying. The govt is ready to probe Emeagwali, because he's been blowing his trumpet; thats highly ironic when genuine talents have cried out for govt and been left to their own devices to rot away and suffer in frustration, at home and even worse, in foreign lands.

This is a right step. Goodness, we were deluded into believing that he was the father of the internet. If this is not done, then our children will be imparted with wrongful information that this man founded the internet. This lies would compete alongside that of Mungo Park 'discovering' River Niger or Christopher Columbus 'discovering' America.

Your point got swallowed by the support for a government wasting its time attempting to investigate Emeagwali. He deserved his honor - it is not as if he stole it. So what if he blew his own trumpet - what you will discover is that it is the culture. Emeagwali may have taken it a bit too far, but that shouldn't concern the Nigerian government - he committed no crime and even accusers cannot point to any real fraud.

Emeagwali has not brought any disrepute to Nigeria. In fact, I would argue he has done more good for Nigeria than all our pot-bellied government officials put together. A hundred Emeagwali's, perhaps with a little toned down rhetoric, would do Nigeria wonders.

It is those trying to pull him down that are doing Nigeria no favors. Nigeria, no doubt, needs to concentrate on providing positive support to develop its scientific capital.

The other day someone cried out about our patent office stealing his invention - Aunt Dora can probe that for a start.

Beaf:

If you look slightly deeper, you will spot what I am saying. The govt is ready to probe Emeagwali, because he's been blowing his trumpet; thats highly ironic when genuine talents have cried out for govt and been left to their own devices to rot away and suffer in frustration, at home and even worse, in foreign lands.

Africans will never be satisfied by the ingenious of a black person.It is said to be untrue until proven that its is not done why a white man as most wish is.

So what if you were deceived into believing he was a father of the internet. Now you know better, move on - if he seeks your favor ever don't grant it because he "lied".

Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore insinuated that he was instrumental to the internet. Of course, he was ridiculed for it - but that was not a crime by any measure. He went on to be awarded a Nobel Prize.

Did it cost you a kobo or something? Worry more about the frauds allocating huge sums to themselves and calling themselves your leaders - they are the ones who will really stop your kids from seeing the 4 walls of a classroom. All the resources end up in their belly.

People are shipping deadly arms through your territory, and Nigeria is quiet over it, but the information minister is ready to bust a blood vessel over Emeagwali?

Ndipe:

This is a right step. Goodness, we were deluded into believing that he was the father of the internet. If this is not done, then our children will be imparted with wrongful information that this man founded the internet. This lies would compete alongside that of Mungo Park 'discovering' River Niger or Christopher Columbus 'discovering' America.

koruji:

So what if you were deceived into believing he was a father of the internet. Now you know better, move on - if he seeks your favor ever don't grant it because he "lied".

Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore insinuated that he was instrumental to the internet. Of course, he was ridiculed for it - but that was not a crime by any measure. He went on to be awarded a Nobel Prize.

Did it cost you a kobo or something? Worry more about the frauds allocating huge sums to themselves and calling themselves your leaders - they are the ones who will really stop your kids from seeing the 4 walls of a classroom. All the resources end up in their belly.

People are shipping deadly arms through your territory, and Nigeria is quiet over it, but the information minister is ready to bust a blood vessel over Emeagwali?

Well, take off his image from the Nigerian stamps if its proven that he lied, instead of according him a hero of Nigeria. Dont defend him, it's stories like this that also gives us a bad name abroad. The man has lied, despite being exposed as a fraud.

Well it has been a while since I saw a Nigerian stamp - so they put Emeagwali on one?

So now the Nigerian government has to go and eat crow for being deceived. An entire government deceived - that tells you the kind of fraud called the Nigerian government. Can we have more information on the procedure for doing such a thing? Was the Minister of "Postal Affairs" a friend, friend of a friend or from the same village as Emeagwali or relied on the same public media that is being used to crucify the guy now?

Ndipe:

Well, take off his image from the Nigerian stamps if its proven that he lied, instead of according him a hero of Nigeria. Dont defend him, it's stories like this that also gives us a bad name abroad. The man has lied, despite being exposed as a fraud.

The disgusting thing about this issue is the role of ethnic jealousy.I have never read where Emeagwali called himself anything.Nobody has come up with links where he claimed what he did not achieve.

Emeagwali's problem is that, he need money so he does speech , also for a living. And he trys to impress the people. If not, they would not call him back and he would not make money. They call it spin over here.  life may be hard for Emeagwali's than people think. television camera does not show your pocket. I dont think he should say some of the things he says. people make mistake , when they do speech and make up story.

When you look at internet content provider and software design, Philip Emeagwali  is not knew.


The internet was invented by the US Department of Defense in the year 1969 as a means of communication if it was attacked by Russia. Philip Emeagwali was born in 1954. In 1969 Philip Emeagwali was in nigeria , when the internet was invented.

Although many engineers worked in the 1950s and 1960s to create "supercomputers," the completion of the invention and design of the first supercomputer (CDC 6600 in 1964) is attributed to American electrical engineer, Seymour R. Cray.



is the satellite picture fake. No. Please contact google.

becomrich4:

Emeagwali's problem is that, he need money so he does speech , also for a living. And he trys to impress the people. If not, they would not call him back and he would not make money. They call it spin over here.  life may be hard for Emeagwali's than people think. television camera does not show your pocket. I dont think he should say some of the things he says. people make mistake , when they do speech and make up story.

When you look at internet content provider and software design, Philip Emeagwali  is not knew.


The internet was invented by the US Department of Defense in the year 1969 as a means of communication if it was attacked by Russia. Philip Emeagwali was born in 1954. In 1969 Philip Emeagwali was in nigeria , when the internet was invented.

Although many engineers worked in the 1950s and 1960s to create "supercomputers," the completion of the invention and design of the first supercomputer (CDC 6600 in 1964) is attributed to American electrical engineer, Seymour R. Cray.



is the satellite picture fake. No. Please contact google.

After all the sensible stuff posted for the first time in your history, you end it with google and satellite pictures?
Damn!
Dude, you don kolo bad bad!

Beaf:

After all the sensible stuff posted for the first time in your history, you end it with google and satellite pictures?
Damn!Dude, you don kolo bad bad!

I was surprised by that ending too!

Dora Akinyuli is an Igbo hater. She is trying to pull an Igbo hero down.

Or perhaps she is a self hating Igbo.

doyin13:

Dora Akinyuli is an Igbo hater. She is trying to pull an Igbo hero down.

Or perhaps she is a self hating Igbo.

She is NOT probing Emeagwali, the government is stupidly doing so and she is just its mouth-piece.

Can't she also tell them it is a stupid move?

slap1:

She is NOT probing Emeagwali, the government is stupidly doing so and she is just its mouth-piece.

slap1:

She is NOT probing Emeagwali, the government is stupidly doing so and she is just its mouth-piece.

Na wa oo. And the government is not made up of people

I reckon there are enough non Igbos on there to constitute a quorom intent on pulling this Igbo hero down.

Its an Anti Igbo Conspiracy I tell you. We should not stand for it.

How about armed robbers like IBB and co? How about the hundreds of !dIots working as ministers, senators, commissioners, L.G.A chairman, etc, with fake university certificates. What is being done about them. If Emeagwali is a fraud, why have the racist BBC, CNN et al not exposed him in grand style? Let them leave the man and face us. How does his being a fraud or not affect the millions of impoverished Nigerian lives? Baty, nasty, faulty folks, misplacing priorities here and there.

slap1:

How about armed robbers like IBB and co? How about the hundreds of !dIots working as ministers, senators, commissioners, L.G.A chairman, etc, with fake university certificates. What is being done about them. If Emeagwali is a fraud, why have the racist BBC, CNN et al not exposed him in grand style? Let them leave the man and face us. How does his being a fraud or not affect the millions of impoverished Nigerian lives? Baty, nasty, faulty folks, misplacing priorities here and there.

Help me tell them. That was exactly what I told the police when I snatched the bag from this old lady in Ba Shangisha three weeks ago. I asked why they insist on small fry like me. Why don't they go and arrest billion naira thieves like Babangida and Obj.

Is there a God?

koruji:

Can't she also tell them it is a silly move?

Her opinion may not be needed here. I think this has to do with the office of Odein Ajumogobia, the foreign affairs minister. Akunyili only has to carry out an order, not question it.

ocho cinco:

Help me tell them. That was exactly what I told the police when I snatched the bag from this old lady in Ba Shangisha three weeks ago. I said why the are picking on small fry like me. Why don't they go and arrest billion naira thieves like Babangida and Obj.

Is there a God?

Now are you SERIOUS?!

Goodnews even though it's coming late !

ocho cinco:

Help me tell them. That was exactly what I told the police when I snatched the bag from this old lady in Ba Shangisha three weeks ago. I said why the are picking on small fry like me. Why don't they go and arrest billion naira thieves like Babangida and Obj.

Is there a God?

So you be thief,thanks for the revelation anyways in my dictionary,thief na thief in as much as you take what does not belong to you.

ocho cinco:

Help me tell them. That was exactly what I told the police when I snatched the bag from this old lady in Ba Shangisha three weeks ago. I said why the are picking on small fry like me. Why don't they go and arrest billion naira thieves like Babangida and Obj.

Is there a God?

No comparison betw this case and your bag snatching. He stole nothing.

koruji:

No comparison betw this case and your bag snatching. He stole nothing.

He claimed what he is not ! Is that not 419 ?

koruji:

No comparison betw this case and your bag snatching. He stole nothing.

Of course he stole nothing. Not even an undeserved reputation.

Oh . .those are allegations yet to be proved of course.

But it really sucks that these allegations should surface against a prominent
Igbo son. Why are they no allegations against the likes of Wole Soyinka or Ahmed Yerima?

I am sure those two must have made some wild claims in their time. I think I heard somewhere
Wole claimed he got the inspiration for the National Theatre design while taking a shit in Okija Forest
during the Biafran war. He got it from the innovative Beret the Biafran comrades wore on their head.
All sounds very fishy to me to be honest. But no one said anything.

Now imagine if it was Chinua that made that claim. . All hell would break loose.

Ewu Hausa, Ewu Yoruba. Iti Bolibo

~Bluetooth:

He claimed what he is not ! Is that not 419 ?

Not quite. He did not cause anyone to give up their property fraudulently. He might have exaggerated, but it behoves the Nigerian govt. to do her homework b/4 putting someone on the stamp.

I see U are into comedy

ocho cinco:

Of course he stole nothing. Not even an undeserved reputation.

Oh . .those are allegations yet to be proved of course.

But it really sucks that these allegations should surface against a prominent
Igbo son. Why are they no allegations against the likes of Wole Soyinka or Ahmed Yerima?

I am sure those two must have made some wild claims in their time. I think I heard somewhere
Wole claimed he got the inspiration for the National Theatre design while taking a poo in Okija Forest
during the Biafran war. He got it from the innovative Beret the Biafran comrades wore on their head.
All sounds very fishy to me to be honest. But no one said anything.

Now imagine if it was Chinua that made that claim. . All hell would break loose.

Ewu Hausa, Ewu Yoruba. Iti Bolibo

koruji:

Not quite. He did not cause anyone to give up their property fraudulently. He might have exaggerated, but it behoves the Nigerian govt. to do her homework b/4 putting someone on the stamp.

His exaggeration brought him undeserved glory and now that the government is aware of his criminality,there is nothing wrong in investigating him.Btw,exaggerating once status as he did is equal to false pretence technique used by a yahoo boy sitting behind his laptop to defraud one oyinbo man !