ulonnaya21: Some of us are feeble minded. How could one cook up something that is untrue and think they can shove it down our throats. Anyway, I know enemies of Abia state are the ones behind this senseless report. You cannot stop what the governor is doing in the state, because he is dedicated to moving the state to a greater height and we are solidly behind him.

@ the bolded - most people on here already know that about you and your ilk!

Abali1: @Poster, am from Abia and I have not heard of any Abia awakening social network/page. But, all I want to say, is Thank You for making me aware of it. I will google it, and lend my voice in criticizing your Ochendo. Watch this page , cos I will be posting quotes or opinion from the network.

Here - http://theabiaawakening.com/ You can access their facebook page via the 'links' section on the site provided. They are clearly gathering some momentum . . .

Below is a Youtube clip that shows what can be done at the level of the state(s) when there is executive will to do so. Clearly, the only thing limiting our development as a people - and indeed our progress as a nation - is we ourselves . . . and the demons such as T.A Orji governors we are burdened with! After watching the clip, I felt overwhelming sorrow for my state, Abia . . .

Enjoy -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjgZAW5j7us&list=UU44hqJiIK_HYYflwAkOqAQQ&index=1&feature=plcp

Bliss4Lyfe: The southeast states should pair up and commence work on international airport projects with private partnership. There is no reason for such projects not to be set into motion. We want bold steps with vigor. Just start the project. No federal gov can tell a state gov not to build international airport wen the feasibility study proves they are viable. Rather they compete to fund such project as it is a guaranteed source of income for the state.

I think that nominating Jarus, who is one of the moderators of this section, is not right. The position, if he were to be elected, may compromise his role as a moderator for obvious reasons.

Katsumoto, by his own submission, is not Yoruba. So one wonders how a non-Yoruba can be nominated as the Aare Ona Kakanfo of NL. If he is eligible, then Beaf should also be eligible!

Unless he has other ID’s that he uses to articulate his thoughts more coherently, Musiwa is too all over the place to be taken seriously.

When not engaging in his Igbo – Igbo drivel or coming up with irreverent titles for non-Yoruba elders, Dayokanu has occasionally shown some lucid moments of brilliance.

In the other thread, the only person who actually campaigned to be elected was Negro - Ntns.

So I nominate Negro-nts and Dayokanu.

logicboy:




Who is talking about creativity? Point is that people should realise that saying athiest will burn in hell when using products made by atheists is just laughable!

I couldnt care less about what people believe but christians are a bunch of busy bodies- I have jehovah's witness and mormons disturbing my house on sundays and I have evangelists preaching in buses and market squares. You want me to hear your Jewish god's message? Then listen to my atheistic opinion first!

@ the bolded, you are!

'The other question is why does religion especially Christianity and Islam contribute less to the solutions of human problems of today in terms of technology, science and better government compared to atheism and agnosticism? (most peaceful countries are less religious)'

The part in itallics was your second question in the original post.

Developments in science, technology etc are products of man's creative genius. So I was indeed responding to you. People coming to your house and telling you that you will burn in hell, when using products made by intelligent man whether atheists or not are NOT true believers!

Religion is only a shadow of the truth. True believers are not religious . . .

It’s not belief – or unbelief – in God that makes humans creative.

Creativity is integral to human nature. That’s what we are: creative . . . intelligent . . . beings. And that’s why our kind is called ‘homo sapiens’.

Man, to a large extent, inhabits a material world. So any worldview that is founded on trying to apprehend better the material world will certainly lead to discoveries in the material realm. Science by its nature is materialistic. It deals with those things that can be seen and measured. So it is only logical that scientific discoveries will be made by those that try to understand the material world they inhabit.

But when you break the essence of material man down to its component parts, you begin to discover that what is left is an intangible essence that is not subject to any known laws of Physics. Indeed break reality down to its most elemental units – break away the subatomic particles, down to the very essence of reality – and you will be left with something that is completely intangible and, by all powers of logic, would not be considered a material essence at all!

Material scientists tell you that they don’t understand what happens when the things that we see and take for granted is stripped away of its material layers. In fact they tell you that things happen at that level that begs the question about the exact nature of reality . . .

The everyday believer does not dissipate himself in trying to understand such scientific jargon. To him when they say that a quanta particle is a ‘chameleon’ or that at the level of intangible particles space and time is meaningless, you could so easily be describing what he already knew of the nature of reality – man is made up of the tangible and the intangible. The tangible is subject to the laws of space and time. The intangible – the spirit realm – is not.

Theistic scientists who understand the true nature of man, while worshiping God ‘in spirit and in truth’, also lend themselves to asking questions about the material essence of man. Perhaps because it’s their job to do so. And there is no evidence that they fair any worse than the atheistic scientists. Both theists and atheists contribute to the vast knowledge and resources accumulating in the physical realm with which intelligent man is conquering the known and the unknown universe. That is the purpose of man - to conquer the physical realm.

So when you ask; ‘where is God in Our everyday life?’, my simple answer to you would be;’ take a look in the mirror’. As long as you are a creative being – an intelligent being – you are moulded in the image of the creative essence. What you then choose to do with that revelation . . . to believe or not to believe . . . is your call!

So @ logicboy, this topic is, quite honestly, illogical . . .

ndu_chucks:


I think you mean El Rufai/Soludo ticket for any party, and Fashola/Ngige ticket for ACN.

I don't believe anyone would be able to stop a El Rufai/Soludo ticket, but the likelihood of such a ticket is probably 0.00001%

Sadly, the powers that be are not yet ready for a Igbo President, we'll have to wait for the civil war generation (60 years and above) to die off before we can have a Igbo President. That is , unless there is a divine intervention.

@ Nduchuks,

One is not ignorant of the lingering triumphalism that makes a section of the country to continue believing that they are the ‘powers that be’. After all, for decades – since they defeated Ndigbo in war - that section of the country has continued to determine whom power is given to.

What I think should merit more than superficial concern for those people who think that it is their birthright to decide who rules Nigeria, is the fact that the outcome of the 2011 presidential elections was certainly not what they anticipated. This would suggest to me that the political landscape of Nigeria - and indeed the power structures within Nigeria - has changed. And a new reality has dawned upon us . . .

Would this not suggest therefore that the ‘powers that be’ have been demystified and are no longer as powerful as they’d like people to believe they are? I would certainly think so.

In view of this emerging reality, one would suggest that people start shedding themselves of whatever delusions assumptions of grandeur they have about the ownership of Nigeria. It is no longer tenable.

Nigeria belongs to all of us equally . . . and that includes the Igbos ‘who are 60 and above’ . . .

texazzpete:


Ohakim attempted to rig in Imo State too. the people would have none of it.
truth be told, a concerted rigging effort would still be thwarted if the people are against the candidate. The simple truth is that Abians wanted TA and now they have him they should stew in the fruits of their cowardice. let them continue to glance enviously at Imo State's Rochas Okorocha.

How can Abians be cowards if they got what they wanted by 'voting' T.A. Orji?

Abians - even if their votes were to have counted in the last gubernatorial elections - did not see a credible alternative to the current clown in office. Most Abians were largely indifferent - some were outrightly ashamed - because they considered all the alternatives to be in the same league as T.A. I doubt that any of the pretenders would have been actually worse than T.A . . . nobody would be that cursed . . . but certainly none of them gave off the vibe of somebody who would end up being any better than him!

Given that reality, it's hard to reconcile the use of the word 'cowardice' with the behaviour of Abians during that election. 'Complacency' may be a more appropriate description. I am sure that if there had been somebody in the mould of Rochas Okorocha, the outcome of that election would have been a lot different. 

One agrees however, that now that he - the one that dances with witchdoctors - is there, there's pretty much nothing that can be done other than surreptitiously 'glancing enviously at Imo states Rochas Okorocha . . .'

waoh!:

Hello guys,
I'll be graduating from medical school in june, i plan to come back to Nigeria,but i need advice; especially from doctors,,,is coming back home a good move?, how much are doctors paid? in which  places  can i work apart from  hospitals?, (e.g. navy,army,oil sector,sports). And as a woman,,how can i combine my career with family/marriage?
i really need all the help i can get. Looking forward to helpful replies.Thanx!

Coming back to Nigeria with just your basic medical qualification is not an extremely good idea. . .

Irrespective of where you got your MBBS/MD, you will still need to do the Exam for foriegn trained medical graduates before you can be allowed to do your housemanship and so on in Nigeria. 

If you have the resources - and that's if you haven't yet caught the bug to leave clinical practice - finishing some sort of residency programme before you come back would be advised. The truth is that without a postgraduate medical qualification, you will just have to join the ever lengthening queue of struggling junior doctors, walking about with a dark cloud of frustration . . . and regret . . . hanging over their heads . . . wondering what on earth their lives have turned into!

With regards to the issue of combining career and family - a lot of women have done it and continue to do it. You will have to find your own balance.

I will let others who are better informed respond to the issues of where you can work in Nigeria and how much you can earn.

All the best.

@ Dr Messiah

This is a continuation of my response to your questions.

3. Would you advise someone like me to even consider going to the UK? I hear getting in there is becoming harder by the day. (I neither have a UK or an EU passport).

Not really to be honest . . . not if you want to get into a residency programme. I have already given some of the reasons in response to #1. I would focus on North America, if i were you . . .

4. Do you think or know of any NGOs that are interested in residents?

I don’t know any NGO’s that are interested in residents.

There are a lot of NGO’s out there though. Health-related NGO’s have clearly defined areas of interests, ranging from infectious diseases, maternal and child health, refugees and post war situations, public health etc. You may consider browsing the unjobs website – just google unjobs - to see what they have going. This would allow you to tailor your skills set to their needs, if that is a route you wish to explore.

If you do wish to explore this route, I would try to do some volunteering work during my holidays with any of the international NGO’s. I suspect that some may have such opportunities, usually referred to as ‘internships’. This option can open up new career opportunities for you, which you probably would not have initially contemplated.

P.S: Is it possible to get your email so that I can ask other questions I may have? I will understand if you don't want to and respect your privacy. Even communication here can help others that may have similar questions.

My ‘official’ email is elias underscore beneli at yahoo dot co dot uk, but it’s one that i rarely access these days. So if you were to send me an email there, you may not get a reply for weeks . . . whereas i am almost addicted to nairaland - spambot and all - and hardly a day goes by without my visiting the damned site. . !

All the best!

^

I see that I have my posting priviledges back - this spambot thing na wa o!

Let me try to post the rest of my response to Dr Messiah . . . If it doesn't show then it'll mean that the spambot struck again!

^^

‘I am a very patriotic Nigerian and would love to practice back home. But unfortunately, whenever I go back for summer clinical hands-on practice, my disdain for our poorly-equipped hospitals (at least in the North where I live) grows. And the conditions in which the medical team works is, to put it lightly, appalling! So, I've decided not to go back home immediately until I've tried other countries for better exposure during my residency and early medical career.’

You said some very interesting things up there. I think your decision to try to get better exposure at the beginning of your medical career is a very pragmatic one.  I too was filled with a lot of naivety ‘patriotism’ when i finished medical school and returned to Nigeria, but this made me to eventually waste nearly 8 years of my life and career!

You can say that’s why i am interested in preventing others from making the same mistakes . . .

Now let’s try to address your questions. It’s a lot of information, so i will break it down into 2 – 3 posts to beat the spambot:

1. On a scale of 1-10, w/ 10 being an absolute guarantee, what are my chances of getting into a residency into the UK immediately I finish from here, assuming I fulfil all requirements (PLAB etc). I'm a bit jittery cuz I have friends here w/ a UK passport but even they complain of how competitive the UK has lately been.

On a scale of 1 – 10 I would put your chances of getting into a residency programme in the UK, immediately you finish, at less than 4!

The truth is that it’s become extremely difficult for Overseas Doctors to get into training programmes (residencies) in the UK these days. This trend started sometime around 2005 – 2006 when recruitment into the training programmes became centralised. Prior to this the different NHS trusts handled their own recruitment, and as a result of that, overseas doctors found it easier to get posts in the hospitals where they would have done a period of clinical attachment.

You see, the clinical attachment not only offered you exposure to how things are done in UK hospitals and your expected competencies as a junior Doctor, it also gave you the opportunity to get a UK Consultant to act as your referee, who would also sometimes sponsor your application to join their hospital. At least that’s how i . . . and a lot of guys i know . . . got my foot into the door here. Now everything is based on the ‘strength’ of the application alone – this would include things like what your visa status is, whether you are believed to be of the right ‘cultural mix’ etc . . . 

For a lot of overseas doctors, the truth is that their applications lack the required ‘strength’.  When they do get the interviews, their ‘cultural mix’ - the way they look, sound etc – don’t always work for them, unfortunately!

However, overseas doctors are still occasionally offered non-training posts, which leads nowhere career-wise . . . 


2. The same for USA, let's say I get 240+ in the USMLEs (wishful thinking!)

Getting 240 in the step 1 is not wishful thinking, if you give yourself 1 - 2 years to prepare - especially seeing that you’ve not too long finished the ‘basic sciences’.

Some useful resources that you may wish to explore if you consider going down the USMLE route include the following online tools;

i) Dr Najeed lectures. This includes over 400 hours of online lectures tailored specifically for the USMLE. You may find it useful for the rest of your training as well.  It’s of course not free, but people say it’s worth every cent spent. He has about 30 hours free lectures that gives a taste of the quality of material. http://drnajeeblectures.com/

ii) USMLE WORLD – this site is a very useful preparation resource for the USMLE. It’s made up of question banks for th different steps of the USMLE. This gives you a flavour of the level of knowledge expected for the different steps of the exam. http://www.usmleworld.com/

iii) The USMLE First Aid series are like your USMLE bibles!

iv) The various usmle online forums, like http://www.usmleforum.com/


You can actually get into Internal Medicine and similar specialties with less than 240 though. 220 is still considered a reasonably competitive score.

uche13:

Generally, a judge requires the use of experts in different fields whenever a question of law peculiar to that field arises because the judge is not required to possess knowledge of everything. For example, the court makes use of forensic consultants whenever the issue of statement of account arises in a customer's account. Also surveyor's are used to interprete survey plans etc.

Back to the issue on ground, the judge relies on the certificate issued by a medical doctor to ascertain whether or not an accused person is of unsound mind. The procedure when an accused is suspected to be of unsound mind is provided for in Section 223 of the Criminal Procedure Act thus:
“When a judge holding a trial or a magistrate holding a trial or an inquiry has reason to suspect that the accused is of unsound mind and consequently incapable of making his defence, the judge, jury or magistrate as the case may be, shall in the first instance investigate the fact of such unsoundness of mind.
Such investigation may be held in the absence of the accused person if the court is satisfied that owing to the state of the accused’s mind it would be in the interests of the safety of the accused or of other persons or in the interests of public decency that he should be absent, and the court may receive as evidence a certificate in writing signed by a medical officer to the effect that such accused person is in his opinion of unsound mind aAs regards whether a consultant would be required by the court, the Act in its interpretation section limits the medical officer to one attached to any asylum or any medical officer from whom a court requires an opinion. The issue involved is that I am not sure if a medical doctor attached to an asylum can ascertain whether those with learning disability are actually persons of unsound mind but that is where a good defence lawyer is needed. The act does not limit the medical drs to those attached to an asylum but also covers any medical officer from whom a court requires an opinion. It is therefore the responsibility of the defence counsel to prove to the judge that a special consultant is required to really prove that the accused is of unsound mind. Also the word unsound mind was not specifically defined in the act therefore the act does not limit it to any specific ailment like insanity or what not. nd incapable of making his defence .

That was useful, Uche13!

The bolded parts should stimulate further discussion. . . .but I am aware that some people may already be finding this distraction to be a bit tedious, so I won't burden you with any more questions!

Thanks again . .

@ Yamakuza, thanks for bringing up the issue again!

@ Uche13,

I appreciate your response.

At least you have attempted to answer the question about the existing legal framework. I am however, still curious about how the Nigerian system actually goes about ascertaining that somebody is of 'unsound mind'. At what point do they get a specialist opinion?

This is of great significance seeing that there are some cases that are not so straight forward. Yamakuza raised the issue of two types of cases:

1. Those with 'learning Disability'. . .Yamakuza, my brother, the term 'im.becile' is a rather, shall we say, 'insensitive' description, so the 'politically correct term is Learning Disability. Having said that you still find it described as 'Mental Retardation' in a lot of serious documents!

2. People who fall within the Autistic spectrum disorders.

Both categories of people are so easy to miss. Those with mild to moderate learning disability can actually lead a 'normal' life. And then you have those with high functioning autism spectrum disorders (such as Aspergers) who also don't 'look' to be of 'unsound mind'! I am sure that even here on nairaland there'd probably be a few guys that would meet the criteriae for either of those diagnoses. . .! 

When i first asked this question in 2009, i had also wanted to know whether practising lawyers - especially those working in criminal law - felt the need . . . or relevance . . .for some level of consultancy in this aspect of the law. The question still stands . . .

Thanks again for your effort!

Well done, Eze Onlytruth! 

Anyi bu ofu . . .

igbo-boy:

Thanks beneli, you're a godsend.
I wouldn't say clinical medicine is scary;i personally find it interesting. The problem is knowing which area to plunge into and whether I would forever remain happy practicing it. Imagine, for instance, a paediatrician who becomes disenchanted with children! During my clinical postings, I've had love-hate relationships with almost every discipline/specialty.
I feel strongly drawn to academics and health administration( mark my words, I WILL become Minister of Health someday!!!) but I'm not sure about its economic value in this climes. All book and no pay . . .
Nevertheless, the future is an open book and things may change. I am just trying to get all the info and help from the elders on this forum so that I can properly chart my course.
P.S , Sorry for 'disappearing' after the usmle stuff. School is tedious. Grateful for the help
P.P.S, Just out of interest, at what point in your career did you decide to take the plunge and specialize in one area.

I know how you feel about the love-hate relationship thing! Below is a rather long rant . . . but bear with me!

To understand where I am coming from . . . and also to answer some of your questions . . . it’s perhaps relevant to highlight that I was drawn into medicine because my ‘old man’ wanted me to become a Doctor. At the risk of boring you, you can say i then grew up knowing that’s what I had to be. Though i found the sciences interesting, in medical school, my pulse really got racing only after I attended a conference organised by the surgery department to discuss the gender reassignment surgery of a young ‘woman’ who believed she was a man trapped in a womans body. . .

The whole idea of how a person could be something other than what was presented to the outside world resonated with some of the existential questions that had started to gnaw at my soul from my rebellious mid-teens. These were the days when they had started talking about hemispheral dominance and its influence on sexual identity and I started reading about some of the interesting stuff that was coming out in the neurosciences. . .

Excitedly I wrote my ‘old man’ (in those days there were no emails and mobile phones) to let him know what I was gradually becoming enthused by . . . and about the fact that I was considering a career in Neuropsychiatry. But from the response I got almost 2 months later, he must have almost thrown a fit on learning about my career interests! You see, my dad though well educated, belonged to the old school that believes that if you’re not a Surgeon or a Gynaecologist, then you’re not a doctor. A paediatrician could pass, but a Psychiatrist? You had to be having a laugh - why on earth would a person want to spend his life treating ‘mad people’?! 

On getting my MD 4 years later, I returned to Nigeria and resigned myself to becoming a ‘proper’ doctor. But deep down . . . in the matrix of my being. . . I knew that ‘business as usual’ wasn’t really for me.

Fortunately, fate had other plans for me . . . !

On finishing my youth service up north, I came down south and got drawn into the human rights circuit in Lagos. I subsequently started volunteering for an NGO that provided medical ‘rehabilitation’ for torture victims and ex-prisoners. Shortly afterwards I started working with children and Young persons in remand homes. My remit was to attend to their ‘psycho-social’ needs. And that’s how I found myself on the path that lead back to my first love.

I left Nigeria 2 years later with the objectives of specialising in Adolescent Forensic Psychiatry but have ended up a General Adult and Rehabilitation Psychiatrist working with those involved with the criminal justice system.

Am I happy with where I am? Let's say that I am aware that happiness is a very strong word; however my career has provided me financial security and that sort of thing.

Do I feel fulfilled? I am not so sure, to be honest: in secondary school, my personal motto was; ’quo non ascendum?’ , which is Latin for ‘how high will I not rise’? And with those words still imprinted on my mind’s eye, I am aware that there are a lot higher heights to be attained . . . and I am nowhere near the top. . .

I hope that somewhere in the above rant, your question about what point in my career I decided to specialise would have been answered. But I would say that a person should specialise in a branch of medicine that really enthuses them once they have found that area. Some people find out quite early in their training. Others find out after their housemanship or youth service. I would advise that a person should not waste any time, once they have decided what they want to do. Don’t get distracted by the petty cash you make, doing locums or working as a junior doctor. Your life is worth a lot more than that! 

With regards to the economic value of academic medicine and health administration, I can only say that each person’s call is different. A lot of opportunities abound out there, if you only dare to think outside the box, no matter what you do. . !

^^^

Igbo boy, I remember you from 2 pages ago when you had asked some things about the USMLE and the possibility of exploring residency opportunities in the USA . . . and then disappeared. On that same page somebody also asked about options open to Doctors with MBBS, who are not interested in clinical practice. Check posts # 376 – 377 here: https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-260875.352.html

In summary, the options and career pathways include:

1. Public Health – You’ll need an additional MPH or similar qualification for this. You can end up working with NGO’s, government parastatals etc

2. Academic Medicine – You’ll need to get a Masters in something else and possibly a PhD. You may end up in research or lecturing at a University or working for a Pharmaceutical company.

3. Health Management and Consultancy – You will need an additional degree or experience in Management. There are opportunities for work with local and international Consultancy firms. See here; http://www.mckinsey.com/Careers/Your_background

You could also start your own Consultancy service, if you have a service or skill sets that people are willing to pay for!

Going by the current global economic climate, I would say that your colleagues who plan to start preparing for their primaries on leaving medical school, and getting into residency programmes, are not entirely off-track. From my experience there is a lot of job and economic security in clinical practice . . . even in Nigeria . . . if what is listed by Sartorius at post # 237 on the thread below, reflects the current earning potential for Consultants in Nigeria:  https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-3022.224.html

Those doctors in clinical practice abroad on average earn more than their colleagues in Public Health and in the Academia. Those that are fortunate to be recruited by well established firms like McKinsey and Company may earn a bit . . . actually a lot . . . more. http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forums/how-much-does-a-director-at-mckinsey-make

But out of interest, what is it about clinical practice that is scaring people like you away?

^^^

I think it’s important to first ask yourself why you enrolled for a biomedical degree in the first place.

What exactly was your desired outcome when you first enrolled for that course?  The next set of questions would be; ‘what do you really want . . . what is your ‘game plan’ for life . . . and how would a medical degree give it to you?’

Pursuing a career in Medicine after a biomedical degree - or any other degree for that matter - is in itself neither a new thing nor a bad thing. So I doubt anybody would seriously advise you against it, if that’s what you think you need. I also doubt that anybody would stick out there neck and say; ‘go for it!’

Two people – out in the public domain – who come to mind as having completed other degrees before going into medicine, include Chidi Achebe (Chinua Achebe son) and Uzodinma Iweala (our finance ministers son). I am sure there are many others out there. But ultimately, the decision is yours to make!

All the best in your final year exams though. . .

Ch@nges:

Are aspirants welcomed here

. . . as in aspiring medical doctors, right?

I don't see any reason why not - nobody is too young to learn from!

uche13:

Yes oh, once you are armed, the minimum sentence is DEATH . It does not matter if you did not even steal a dime. So if you commit any offence whether violation or anything crime at all, you would be sentenced to death. That is the law.

@Uche13, first of all, compliments of the season . . . 

Nice thread. I do hope that my question doesn’t derail the objectives of this thread, but following from what you mentioned above, I am curious about the position of the law in Nigeria with regards to the offender who has underlying mental health issues. 

Mind you, I am not on about the ‘raving lunatic’ here. . .  

I am particularly  interested in the fate of those people who are not . . . at first glance . . . of unsound mind - say somebody with a degree of learning disability or some other developmental disorders that impair their judgement. Do some criminal defence lawyers in Nigeria consider diminished responsibility as a likely plea and invite a mental health expert witness with the view to exploring other disposal options? Or is it a done deal that such a person would be automatically sentenced to death if they commit a crime, whilst armed?

In short, what functioning legal frameworks exist at that interface of crime and mental illness in Nigeria? I am almost lead to believe that there isn't any. Is that the case?

Of course, it would still be interesting to know what would happen to say a dishevelled dreadlocked man, enrobed in rags . . . that intermittently exposes his ‘sensitive regions’ . . . who believes that he is commissioned to rid the world of all short people, unfortunate enough to be saddled with hunchbacks . . . who then goes ahead to commit a crime, using a weapon, on an innocent hunched back stranger on the streets of Ojuelegba. . . 

FACE:

I also have relatives that fell in battle and those that fought from the beginning to the end. My home town, Umuahia was a major war zone and you can imagine the level of destruction, carpet bombing and blind artillery barrage that we suffered, which led to the death of many. All people that I know that were involved in the war do not regret fighting the war, they only regret losing the war. If we were to face the same circumstances leading to the war, we would fight again with no regrets.

Now about General Chukwuemeka Odumegwu (translated:am I surprised/afraid ? or fierce lion) Ojukwu. The best thing that happened to NdiIgbo and Nigeria was that he did not fall in battle. That would have been the ultimate humiliation and would have led to several factions, who would have carried on the battle. It would have given the feds a sense of triumph and I am glad that it did not happen.

The fact that he left the scene, was like a hovering spirit which prevented Federal troops from causing further punishment to Ndi Igbo. Following the surrender of Biafra, the feds declared "No Victor no Vanquished" situation for a good reason. The Biafran soldiers were not disarmed when the war came to an end. The federal govt had to at least pretend to be acting in good faith, lest Ojukwu reinforced and launched another uprising from exile. His departure ensured that the feds walked on an egg shell while dealing with NdiIgbo as he was like a time bomb waiting to happen.

Ojukwu was only human and he made some strategic and tactical mistakes during the war, but which General doesn't make mistakes ? The war was foisted on us and Ojukwu did well to answer the call of duty at that age.

Odumegwu, may you rest in peace and find rest in the bosom of our Lord.

Rest in peace all Biafran soldiers that fell in battle.

Rest in Peace all Biafran vets that have departed in peace time Nigeria.

Rest in peace all civilian casualties that died of starvation, artillery and bomb shells in markets, hospitals, their homes and those that were executed by federal troops.

My tribute to my uncle Martin, who passed away not too long ago. He fought in many sectors of the war. He saw war and war saw him.

My tribute to living vets like Dee Eziachi.

Tribute to all those who believe that we had to fight to survive. Those that understand that our backs were to the wall and the only way was forward.

We lost the war but not in shame. We did not achieve our goal but we kept our dignity. We earned our respect, wrote it in blood and set it in stone.

To Nigeria, Ojukwu was an elusive trophy, but to Biafrans, he was a fence between the devil and the sea and we are glad that the fence did not fall.

Thanks FACE - you have 'spoken' well . . .

If the diagnosis of 'mental illness' is based only on assessments made in the 70's, then the detractors of the gentleman in question, quite honestly have no case at all.

For those who care to know, a person’s overall level of functioning is significant in the decision about whether a person has a mental 'disorder or not. Another factor to consider is the duration of the so called ‘psychotic experiences’.

In other words, the rather vaguely termed 'psychosis' has to persist for a reasonable duration of time - in Schizophrenia it has to endure for at least 6 months  - and be associated with deterioration in overall level of social functioning.

In the case of Capt Wada there is clearly no deterioration in his level of social functioning, going by the CV presented by kalakutta. . . 

I also can’t help noticing that in the article, Capt Wada was given a diagnosis of ‘acute psychotic episode and paranoid psychosis’. As a diagnostic formulation this is ever so archaic, and quite frankly neither here nor there. In other words the said 'diagnosis' is not saying much. To start with, the fact that they qualified the psychotic episode with ‘acute’, suggests that by its nature, the experience Capt Wada must have had, was ‘transient’. 

Highlighting the transient nature of the experiences is important. People suffering from things such as cerebral malaria, typhoid and any other physical health conditions – which can all lead to an acute confusional state - can, in some cases, also present with paranoia. Even banal things like sleep deprivation, food deprivation - say after you've visited your witch doctor . . . or pastor. . . and been advised to go without food for 7 days - or harmful things like the use of psychoactive substances, can all cause ‘transient psychoses.  But that doesn’t mean that the person would be given a definitive diagnosis of a ‘paranoid psychositic illness’ . . .

. . . unless of course they are being consulted by somebody who has limited knowledge of mental illness. . . or God forbid, a quack . . . or even worse the witchdoctor!

Of course one can cut the people who made the diagnosis some slack. After all the records unearthed date from the 70’s – a time when Psychiatry was still in its infancy, so people could be excused for making wrong diagnoses!

What cannot be excused, however, is the apparent eagerness of people here  to belittle a man’s achievements, simply because they assume – clearly ignorantly - that the man has mental illness. They come to that conclusion because an unearthed document, from 35 years ago, says so . . .  in spite of the fact that the man’s level of functioning from the evidence available - since that likely erroneous diagnosis was made - suggests otherwise.

Na wa O!

inquisito:

@beneli, thanks for responding.
Guess I still have a lot to go thru.but the mistakes part mennnn!doesnt sound fun.Mistakes in life haunt me alot and I thus dont like making mistakes. Presently am trying to lead a life with zero mistakes,that is if attainable, by always having plans and contigency plans, as well as scrutinizing my thoughts before carrying them out. Anyways, thanks. guess I will work with your other points.

It probably is attainable.

But one thing that could be added to your list would be to identify a life mentor for yourself. A Life mentor would be somebody, preferably a person who is already doing what you wish to do in life, who takes you under their wings and guides you in your chosen career pathway. Such a person would have already made those mistakes for you - and would wear the badge to show!

Inquisito, I am assuming that you are still young and just starting off in your career. If you're old and life worn, then my apologies as you would already know what i am saying!

To clarify that we are eating from the same pot of soup; by ‘mistake,’ I am talking about having an outcome that is different from the one we hoped for or intended. . .

Now, having sorted out the definition thing, let me state that no matter how airtight our strategies for avoiding ‘mistakes’ in life are, the metaphorical thread of life – our destinies, if you prefer  - is still woven by forces beyond our control. So OUR WILL, my good friend, does not always prevail. Hence, mistakes.

You see, for all people who do dare to take risks in life - for those who dare to lock horns with destiny to create realities out of their dreams . . . or people who just desire to simply grow in their personal lives - ‘mistakes’ are almost an inexorable part of the journey . . . !

Wisdom, however, is in being able to get up, dust ones bottom and then to keep on striving, in spite of those mistakes . . . while reflecting on how not to repeat them ever again. In other words, ‘wisdom’ is fertilised by the mistakes - ours or those made by other people - from which we have subsequently fashioned our desired life outcomes. . . 

Good luck in life!

inquisito:

@beneli, i jst stumbled in2 this thread and i have really enjoyed it. My inquisition is that how come u have some amount of knowledge about everything. I will really like to be like you. How can I achieve that in my field (Engineering).

Bros (or sis) as the case may be, I respond to your question with a smile on my face! First of all I must say thanks for the compliment – my sons really have to hear this - you know, that bit about wanting to be like me and all!   

To be honest - and with all sense of modesty! - I think some may say that I fall into that category of people who are naturally 'adventurous' and curious about life . . . and about people. But I must say, that with the adventures have come a lot of mistakes - mistakes, which sometimes are so foolish that on remembering them, my brows now crease over in rubbery blushes! 

Professionally, I don’t know how it works in Engineering, but in Medicine, 'General practitioners' know a bit of everything! And I did practice as a General practitioner in Nigeria for quite some time, both in the private and public sector, in different parts of the country (the East, the West and the North) before I left for the UK almost 10 years ago. I have also had some dealings with the Voluntary sector (NGO’s) and International funding agencies, so have a bit of knowledge of different aspects of healthcare provision. Not to mention that life has been kind to me, so I have made a lot of really good and knowledgeable friends of all sorts of backgrounds who tell me what's going on in their corners of the world . . .   

On a personal level, I have at different times had to research into different things that pertain to my own career pathway, and even until today, I do continue to search and to revise where I am going. In the process, I have picked up snippets of knowledge here and there that do occasionally come in useful to me and to others!

And, I suppose my current role as a Psychiatrist has kept me interested in people – and also in my own 'soulical development'. So, I sometimes do make the effort to learn something knew to help those that I am involved with - in an ‘altruistic self-interest’ sort of way, if that makes any sense to you.

But if I really were to attempt advising anyone on how to become 'versatile' in life - or dare I say, advise someone on how to become slightly more knowledgeable than the average Joe . . . yeah right! . . . I’d say; ‘don't be afraid to learn something new; don’t be afraid to take risks in life’ and don't be afraid to make mistakes either, because once you prevail, you come out a better person!

Mind, I said; 'once you prevail'! You see, some mistakes live with you for the rest of your life, so beware! 

Like i said, i don't know how things work in the Engineering field. My cousins who are Engineers are more interested in the money making, and have at different times dismissed my 'adventures' as a joke. . . so what i have written would only appeal to a certain personality type!

I hope it all makes sense to you, though. If not, my defence is that I am just an aging shrink that also happens to be a bit eccentric. . .

afrodoc:

hello house,oga beneli i salute
pls[b] i would like to know the top 3-5 Public Health schools in the U.K[/b].I am planning on going for an online mph n someone in an earlier post advised dt online mph should preferably b done in a top skool.thanx,expectin helpful input from every1

Hi there afrodoc, I only just saw your post. 

I am not sure of the top 3 - 5 Public Health schools in the UK. I suspect that some of the posters on this link here - https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-710704.0.html.) may be in a better position to answer your question. 

I do know, however that the London School of Tropical Health and Hygiene - which happens to have a reasonably good reputation - offers an online MpH programme. Here's their link for your perusal -  http://www.lshtm.ac.uk/prospectus/masters/dmsph.html

All the best!

drt:

Please I need sincere advice. I'm currently a house officer @ Usmanu Dan Fodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto State. I'm halfway into my 2nd posting but just last week, I got another internship offer in LASUTH, ikeja, this has always been my dream place of doing internship. I am primarily based in Lagos, graduated from UNILORIN last year october & the only reason i'm in the north now is because I didn't get internship placement down south. Here i'm missing out a lot because of language barrier( I don't speak hausa & sometimes in emergency, when patients come we'll just be looking @ each other until an interpreter comes cos most people here are illiterates and can't speak or understand English @ all). Now i'm so confused, if I say I should take the offer in LASUTH, i'll miss july 2012 NYSC + LASUTH pays less, but I think i'll have a better experience there. Please i need the opinion of those that are ahead of me. Thanks.

I think the issue is really about what ‘better experience’ you are really talking about here, Dr T . . . 

If it’s clinical experiences, then the fact is that different places offer different sets of useful clinical exposures and experiences. So, I would embrace – rather than alienate myself from – the new set of experiences offered by the different culture wherein I find myself. To be honest you can never know when that exposure will come in really handy!

The language barrier thing can almost be dismissed as an excuse for something else, to be honest . . .

The ‘illiteracy’ thing is also something that you will not be able to really run away from in your career, no matter where you find yourself in Nigeria, so unless you are after some other ‘experience(s)’, I would complete the Internship up there, learn some Hausa in the process and then go for the NYSC in 2012, if i were you. Chikena! 

All the best.

PS: During my NYSC ‘up North’, most of us non-Hausa speaking Doctors learnt passable Hausa within 3 months, (and in emergency situations were able to take reasonable history from the locals without having to be ‘looking at each other until an interpreter comes’); so Dr T, it’s really do-able, if you really wanted to. . .

igbo-boy:

Hello, I'm a 500l med student. I have been considering going to the US for a residency program in Internal Medicine when I graduate. I've done a little research and an exam called USMLE seems to be pretty important. Other stuff like US Clinical electives seem to be necessary. My questions are
1. How exactly do I transform from Naija med student to US resident?
2. Can I finish the American residency and still work in Nigeria as a consultant?
3. Is it possible to work in the UK after my NYSC while preparing for the USMLE? How?
Thank you for responses

There is no other route of getting into the US health system other than the USMLE route. USMLE stands for the United States Medical Licensing Exams. Google USMLE and it will take you straight to their official site for detailed information.

US Clinical electives are helpful as they offer you a US letter of recommendation, which would boost your application for the residency, but they are not indispensable; however seeing that the Residency is very very competitive, anything that will boost your application should be considered. If you can get a few weeks of clinical electives in the US, especially when you go for the Step 2 CS exams (see below) then it would be advisable to do it. . .

1. How exactly do I transform from Naija med student to US resident?

To become a US resident as an International Medical Graduate, you will need to complete the following:

i) Do the various steps of the USMLE - there is a total of 3 steps: step 1, step 2 (which is divided into Clinical Knowledge - CK and Clinical skills - CS) and step 3. 
ii) To start residency you need only complete Steps 1 and 2 (i.e. 3 exams).
iii) The 4th exam (step 3) is necessary if you will be applying for a H1 Visa (which leads to a Green card). Without it, you can only apply for a J1 visa (which does not lead to a Green card).
iv) For the Step 2 CS, you will need to travel to the US for the exams.
v) Most people will recommend the usmleworld website as a major resource for the exam preparation. It has a very good question bank for all the steps and an active discussion forum.
vi) Once you are done with the exams (steps 1, 2CK & 2CS), you can then proceed to match for the residency programme of your choice. 

2. Can I finish the American residency and still work in Nigeria as a consultant?

Yes, but you will still be required to register your qualification with the Nigerian Dental and Medical Council. They will assess whether you can start work immediately as a Consultant. On their site there is a list of registrable post graduate qualifications. Google Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria. You will find the relevant information under MDCN recognized Additional qualifications on the ‘Quick Links’ section. 

3. Is it possible to work in the UK after my NYSC while preparing for the USMLE? How?

Yes it is possible; however to work in the UK you will still need to pass the Professional and Linguistic Board (PLAB) exams.

The energy and resources to prepare for it might as well be expended in preparing for the USMLE.  Having said that, quite a lot of people travel to the US from the UK after having worked in the UK for some time.

All the best!

gmyguy:

whats your take on migrating to greener ventures, America vs Australia>>>seeking Residency training?

It depends on what you want to do your residency in and your definition of ‘greener pastures’. . .

Of the two places you’ve mentioned America, still stands out as the best place for an International Medical Graduate (IMG) to migrate to for residency. Some say you may achieve a reasonable quality of life, in Australia, but the reality is, it’s not been known to be exactly IMG friendly. That’s what i am told.

I am more familiar with America and their needs. Over the next 10 – 30 years their demand for Psychiatrists and Primary Care Physicians will not be met by the local supply, so they will be relying on IMG’s . . .

The fact is, it’s become increasingly more difficult for International Medical Graduates to do Residency in fields other those for which they cannot meet the demands locally. The local interest in Psychiatry and Family Medicine is poor because of the pay disparity between them and the more fashionable Dermatology, Anesthesiology, plastic surgery etc. The remuneration for these less glamorous are usually at the bottom of the pile! The locals are usually in a hurry to offset their debts from medical school which iusually runs into the hundreds of thousands, so naturally they gravitate towards maximising their earnings as soon as possible. . . 

A surgeon would earn from about 220k. Dermataologists and Anesthesiologists earn even more. Psychiatrist earn from about 180k per annum, whilst Family Physicians earn a little less, on completing residency. But then, you are more likely to get a Green card a lot quicker with Psychiatry and Family Medicine than say, Surgery.

I hope that answers your questions.

imconfused:

i'm sorry sir.I love psychiatry already and it's what i had planned  to specialise in but my whole family and hubs are against it.They have named psych docs back home and truly truly,there's something a bit off about all of them.

The same ol’ stigma thing going on here, i see . . . But that’s ever so  last century.

Honestly, there’s nothing inherently ‘off’ about Psychiatrists. The perceptions held by some, have more to do with (their) ignorance . . .

imconfused:

Beneli has been mia,even mailed but no answer so i am seeking advice cos i am confuseddd.
Where are all the doctors on NL??

I didn’t get your mail. I would have taken time off to respond to it.

imconfused:

What options are open to me if i don't want clinical medicine and what do i do to start off??

Some of the options include;

1. Public Health
2. Academic Medicine
3. Health Management

Psychiatry, believe it or not,  is still clinical medicine. The bulk of the work is more 'integrative' or 'holistic', if you prefer, so encompasses the biological, psychological and social aspects of diseases and their manifestations. There are few Psychiatrists who are Psychotherapists so spend most of their time just ‘talking’. . .

imconfused:

Just a quick question,
  Finishing med school in a few months,i have started thinking that the clinical route may not be the best for me.I am truly confused.
What is the best option for me to take,i have zero skills except reading text books.Where and how do i start developing the skills?Let's say i have an interest in working with an NGO or something in health management,Do i have to study something new?Am i doomed to giving injection?
What do i do?Married so movement is limited.
  Final abode UK.Helllp!!!

Finishing med school in a few months, i have started thinking that the clinical route may not be the best for me. . .

The fatigue thing is setting in a lil’ bit too early in your career don’t you think!  Honestly a lot of doctors from all subspecialties have felt that way at some point in their careers, but your own get as ee be! 

I was trying to be humorous in case you missed it – so no offence meant . . . !

Now to the things that burden you . . . 

1. What is the best option for me to take; i have zero skills except reading text books.

I believe that you should be guided by what you perceive to be your strengths. Doing a SWOT analyses of your personality will, to some extent, help you decide what exactly you should consider pursuing as a career.

If, as you said, you like reading (and perhaps research), you can consider academic medicine in any speciality. I am sure in Medical school there would have been some specialities that you found a bit more interesting than the rest. Explore that specialty a bit further and see how you feel about it during the Foundation years (Housemanship in Naija). If you still fancy that specialty enough then consider getting a PhD etc in it and possibly engaging in research in that field.

Medicine is in need of Academicians at the moment. . .

2. Where and how do i start developing the skills?

Start by deciding what it is you are good at already, then follow-up on it by exploring the things that you hope to subsequently do. If you’re good at ‘reading’, then consider acquiring skills in critical appraisal of academic papers. You could get a Masters in Public Health with a lean towards epidemiology or any other such areas that will enable you to improve on research methodologies.

3. Let's say i have an interest in working with an NGO or something in health management, Do i have to study something new?

Yes, you’ll need to study more. Perhaps not exactly something new.

I have given a lot of information previously about how to go about getting a job with the International NGO’s. In summary you’d probably need to get yourself a Masters in Public Health at least. 

4. Am i doomed to giving injection?


Though I am still in clinical practice - despite what people may say about us Psychiatrists, and the whisperings that we are charlatans or quacks – i have not given injections for almost 10 years!

Here in the UK it’s usually the nurses who administer the injections. Our role is to prescribe the treatment, monitor the patients response to it and deal with any adverse effects from it. We don’t give the injections.

Even my friend who runs his own GP practice (so is a ‘genuine’ Doctor) get’s the nurses to give the injections!


5. What do i do?

The choice is ultimately yours, my dear. Whatever you do, follow the path of happiness . . .

@ ChinenyeN,

Very interesting stuff, i must say!

The bit about 'concerned Ngwa', lends it a bias towards any view that would be considered Ngwa-favourable!
So, leaving it there, given the content - and yes, i read it all - may erode a bit of its credibility, in my opinion!

But well done. . .

. . . beneli, chuckles to himself. . .

I was having a discussion with a colleague of mine today on the same topic. He asked me how old i was and when i told him my age (41), he said that he was about a year older than what i am now, when he decided to try to chart a new course for his own life, which would take him in direction different from where his life was otherwise headed. At the time of his own 'crises', he was already a director- level health practitioner in his countries ministry of health; you could say he wasn't doing badly at all, but something about the role and the prospects wasn't really satisfying for him.

So he braced himself and embarked on a new journey - came to the uk, got a PhD, did a bit of research here and there in things that really interested him, and then explored the new challenges (adventures, perhaps) that life was waiting to throw at him. 15 years down the line, he doesn't regret making that move he made. He feels fulfilled and happy. His wife and kids are comfortable. . .

The lesson - the restlessness that overcomes some people as they hit 40, for some, may be more to do with the pusuit of 'happiness' and 'life satisfaction' than prosaic considerations such as 'money'. . .

@OP, do what it is that will make you feel fulfilled and 'happy'. . . 15 years from now. . .

If it helps - you are not alone!