I am feeling kinda lucky right now, even though I have recently let go of my erstwhile lucrative ‘hustling ways’, and embraced a more economically sobering, but much more stable post in a leading UK private Healthcare provider. . .

You see; the bubble is bursting – nay exploding – around 'hustling' Doctors here at the moment, as the government continues to cut costs and contemplates shedding up to 50,000 jobs in the National Health Service over the next couple of years.

Everybody is gripped by the anxieties of the moment. From the tea-drinking executives of the so called Primary care trusts, which will all soon cease to exist, through the hospital managers, who have to justify why they need to be retained by the various Health Trusts they work for (so they have to cut down on the money paid out of their confers to the ‘hustlers’ to ‘save money’), down to the support workers and the cleaners. Everybody has bills to pay and know that they are probably only two pay checks away from being homeless - the reality of living in the Western world!  

Honestly, it’s become like a war zone here. Everybody is fighting for his own survival and is being compelled to justify why they are indispensable in these troubling times . . . so the more dispensable ones are crapping their soiled pants, already! 

I am feeling kinda lucky. As I glance through the windows of my office, now awash with the hesitantly warm late afternoon sunshine that is heralding the imminence of spring, I watch the traffic, snaking along the road in the pre-rush hour traffic jam, and it dawns on me, that I am spared the anxieties of a lot of people out there at the moment. I am saved the embarrassment of having to crap myself!

And I ask myself, what else can I call this. . . since I can continue to pay my own ever increasing bills and afford still a bit of luxury . . .in this ever deepening ocean of despair that encroaches around me?

Is this not contentment . . .?

EzeUche_:

The question you should be asking is if Ufomba has the support of the populace. He is very popular amongst Abians and his success in the business arena, may help him in his battle against T.A. Orji.

However, it seems like the Ngwa vote is going to be split, that is why he has to focus on Umuahia and the Bende zone.

I am not sure how much support Reagan Ufomba has been able to garner in the state so far. The hope is that he will benefit from a protest vote against T.A. To answer asha80's question; the structures they have on ground, to the best of my knowledge, seems to be skeletal. . .

With regards to the votes of the Ukwa/Ngwa axis being split; I am not so sure about that. Prince Ikonne has insignificant following. You probably may know that his father is not (was not) held in high regard in Aba. But having said that, the young man seems to be very determined and has been playing the Ngwa card subtley.

Akomas has the dark clouds of OUK hanging over him. He, in the eyes of many, has been stained. Unfortunately, PPA does have structures on ground and will give PDP a run for their money.

ReachRich:

T A Orji is the worst governor Abia state has ever had in its history.I just hope this booing will translate to less votes for Orji.Vote Chris Akomas for Abia Governor & Orji Uzor Kalu for Abia North Senate.PPA, prosperity to the people.

Very interesting!

So OUK wants to be a senator does he?! I laugh in unadulterated Ngwa!! Clearly the dude has the structures on ground to give PDP a run for their money in Abia state and he may even cause an upset in the governorship elections, but if Abia really wants to oust T.A out of office they should vote strategically, and go with APGA.

PPA should be a NO NO . . .

Even in his own constituency . . . Aba . . . Prince Ikonne lacks significant following.

He is a young lad, quite alright, but he lacks both the intellectual muscle and the political wherewithal to arouse enough confidence in people around him.

He also lacks vision and a clear objective for the state. The only thing he can 'boast of' . . . if that is boast worthy . . . is that he is a 'prince' - in community that hardly recognises 'monarchy'. He did not perform while he was a commissioner in OUK's government. He hopes that 'the Ngwa factor' will swing the political pendulum in his favour, but unfortunately for him there are two other Ngwa gubernatorial candidates - Chris Akomas, PPA and Reagan Ufomba, APGA - both of whom are better educated and possibly more politically connected than he is.  At least Mr Akomas is.

But unfortunately, the PDP will most likely win again in Abia state, whether thief T.A. Orji is unseated by Chief Emenike as the party flag bearer or not. This is simply because the PDP has the political structures on ground. That is the harsh reality in Abia state.

It is also the scenario that will repeat itself at the federal level come May 29 - it's the party that has the structures on ground that will carry the day. It's not down to the whims of the internet warriors or the huffing and puffing of those that have perfected the art of rhetoric without action!

It is about the structures you have and not about your ideology, good intentions or ethnicity . . .

lelouchan:

Hi not to sound ignorant here, but I want to know once and for all. When do you say Igbo and when do you say Ibo??

So is someone 'Igbo' or 'Ibo'? Is the language 'Igbo or Ibo' and lastly is the place 'Igbo or Ibo'?

Also if I want to say for example, 'this statue is not of yoruba origin, it is of 'Ibo' origin, is that correct?

Thank you!!

This is an interesting question that you ask!

While Abagworo has posted information that can be debated, I honestly think that the majority of informed Igbo people would be most inclined towards using ‘Igbo’ to describe the name of the people, the language spoken and the land inhabited . . . irrespective of what some of the 'erroneous' information out there say!

So in answer to your question the politically correct terms would be:
Igbo person
Igbo language
Igbo land

'This statue is not of Yoruba origin, it is of 'Igbo' origin’ . . .

The use of ‘Ibo’ to describe ‘Igbo’ people or language is increasingly considered irreverent. Some educated Nigerians . . . Igbo speaking or not . . .  even find the term very insulting since they are aware that its one of those patronising relics, spilling over from the centuries when the colonialists had gone about telling their subjects how they should call themselves!

But as we gradually shed ourselves of the 'odious' mentality of those years, most of us have come to agree that we are Igbo are not 'Ibo' -it doesn’t matter whether the Igbo person is from the Igbo-speaking areas of Rivers or Delta states, or the Igbo speaking states of Abia, Anambara, Ebonyi, Enugu or Imo . . . it is still Igbo!  And that is how we wish to be called . . .

The few people that persist in using 'Ibo' are either being deliberately mischievous – as you may have observed, perusing the politics section of NL - or are just innocently, or in a few cases. . . i dare say, even. . .  irredeemably, ignorant!

oyinda.:

bring a grandparent or illiterate relative to live with you and babysit your kids from early childhood.

God forbid bad ting - you wan damage the kids for life!

And yes, I'm sure he meant '2nd generation'. . .

alj harem:

but u do not see me making thrends about how the biafra army killed my relations because[b] it was about 50 years agos a distant past that everyone in nigeria has forgotten that it even existed[/b]

No, Alhaji, the war did not happen in 'a distant past that everyone in Nigeria has forgotten'.

The war was from 6th July 1967 to 15th January 1970. It was not 'about 50 years ago' - today is 41 years since it ended. And it may interest you to know that even here on NL you have a few people who actually fought . . . and were scarred. . . in that war.

If, like you hinted, you prefer 'to forget' such a tragedy that happened in your nation - and even in your own family, as according to you, your own relatives were also victims - you may want to know that a lot of people have not forgotten. They may have moved on, but they still carry the memories and the scars with them. . .    

Perhaps these pictures tell only the Biafran side of the story, as some are quick to mention. That's fine, but like I mentioned in my other post on this thread, these pictures tell part of our collective story. . . they are part of Nigeria's history, just like the other pictures the poster has been kindly posting in the politics and the culture sections of NL. And as a nation we should not - infact we cannot afford to - forget this part of our history, lest we allow it to occur again.

People who feel uncomfortable that only half of the story is being told, should endeavour to post their own pictures so that we can see our 'complete' history of the war in all its glory . . . and gory. That's what they should do. And not to continue to berate a hurting people.

The truth is that very few nations - infact hardly any nation - can heal if they do not talk about their pains. When they try to suppress it, it finds outlets, which ultimately force them to come back to deal with their issues. Personally I think that if Nigeria really wants to heal then it should confront the ghosts of its past and try to resolve the underlying problems.

Trying to sweep the problems under the carpet is not a good strategy at all.  

@ MzD@rkSkin, your observation is the reality - to some people it was - and always will be - about the oil. Human lives lost or destroyed means nothing . . .

These pictures speak volumes . . .

In all honesty, it is difficult to know how to respond to them. Clearly people born on different sides of the warring factions will have a tendency towards being defensive in their interpretations of the events that lead up to that tragic war  - that's human nature.

But when some argue that the pictures tell just one side of the story, the question that begs to be answered is; does that fact diminish from the tragedy revealed in them? Must we, like the people shown in the picture on page 1 (06:34;53) . . . apparently concerned more about the oil . . . shut our eyes to the fact that what happened between 1967 - 1970 was a Nigerian tragedy and not just a comeuppance for the 'arrogant and greedy Ibos (sic)'?.

As I look through the pictures . . . through the eyes of a person who was born in the last months of that war and who suffered Kwashiokor, but was among the few that survived. . . . I cannot help reflecting that January 15th - the anniversary of the day the sounds of that ugly war ended - is just 4 days away, yet we as a people refuse to deal with the things that lead to it. We allow the the same mistrust and the hating; the dirty power politics and yes, the bigotry, to fester. And I cannot help reflecting that Nigeria still boils. . .

As I reflect, I ask myself; how can a people full of so much potential become so phucked up and even seem to relish in it?! Our penchant for self-denigration in our ignorant attempts to appear better than our cousins from other ethnic groups within the Nigerian union is very very puzzling to me . . .

It puzzles me that people who lay claims to being educated do not understand that tribally motivated braggadocio only potrays one as being very ignorant! And I wonder why we can't be a little bit more circumspect in our utterances, especially when it concerns issues that the different sides consider sensitive.

In my opinion as a Nigerian - and not because I am a child of Biafra - a national monument should be set up on which should be inscribed in marble the words: Never again. . .

Honestly, this is wrong on so many levels.

Correct me if I am wrong but are you saying that this Tosin was legally married to your Uncle, she then elopes with another guy, who probably doesn’t know that she is a married woman, gets pregnant for this new guy and now wants to live happily ever after . . .? I don’t think so! Life does not work that way. Sorry!

If this was my call, Tosin would certainly not be allowed to get away with this. Bigamy is illegal. Deciet is morally reprehensible. She is committing bigamy and living in deceit with another man, who probably doesn’t know that his marriage to Tosin is invalid. . . and has already started having babies with this decieved man! 

I honestly wouldn't be advising Ms Whiteroses to become complicit in this despicable conspiracy of deceit that Tosin has set in motion. That too would be totally wrong. 

So Ms Whiteroses, the burden would be to do the right thing. I would.

The right thing is that you should ensure that your Uncle knows where his supposedly long lost wife is. And the best way to go about doing it, is to let Tosin tell him herself. For this to happen, Tosin should be made aware that you have ‘found her’ and that she should now come clean with her real husband. She should let him know what the situation is, so that he can divorce her properly. . . and then move on - if he is so disposed, that is.

If she doesn’t let her real husband - your uncle - to know that the marriage to him is over, then it becomes your responsibility to let him know. And if he prefers to make an issue of this, it’s his prerogative. After all he is still married to Tosin!  If Tosin decides not to come clean with her current partner, well that’s really her business. It’s not your call. But the way life works, is that he will certainly find out sooner than later!

When the right thing is done, then people can talk about moving on.  Deceit should not be allowed to flourish . . . that would be wrong.

Phew. . . .just had the conversation!

Fortunately the Children's Encyclopaedia and another book 'what's happening to my body' - which he had been reading had very good illustrations of the human body. That made it a lot easier!

Me: I understand you wanted to know some things about how the eggs and the sp*erm meet. Is that correct?  
Son: No not really . . .
Me: then what was it you were asking you mum earlier on then?
Son: nothing! He says and pretends to be playing with his DS .
Mother interrupts us. 'Son, put that DS down. You don't have to be shy. And your dad is not angry with you. . .'
Me: You know what, why don't you go and get those books you've been reading so that we can have a look at what's in there. . .
He gets both books and then starts looking for the pages he was interested in. 'It's after the bit about animals. . .' he mutters, leafing through the pages and then hands over the books to me.
Me: okay. Very interesting illustrations. So tell me what you already know about how babies are made.
Son: The sp*erm and the eggs meet, I think and that's how babies are made.
Me: Very good. Do you know where the sp*erm and the eggs are produced, and how they eventually meet?
Son: No. . .

I then explain about how the body changes at puberty and how the organs meant for pissing transform into s*ex organs. And then how adults lie together in order for the p*enis to meet the v*agina etc etc. I ended up by letting him know that though at puberty his body changes and teenagers can become parents if they were to lie together and engage in the sex act that it's very important for people to wait until they have had a good education, gotten a good job and then fallen in love before they think about making babies.

Thank God that he agreed with me!

My 6 year old son has started asking the dreaded 'birds and the bees' question. . .

His mum was taken aback this morning when he came to her with his little Encyclopaedia of Everything and started asking how the spem from the man manages to get to the eggs inside the woman! Embarrased, she took the book from him to see for herself what kind of information he had already gleaned from it. To her relief - and disappointment, i must add - the book had been miserly and very subtle with the information, possibly meant to arouse enough curiosity in the child for it to then go and have that unavoidable conversation with its parents.

Now I am stuck with having to have that conversation - after his mum washed her hands off it and told him that I would be explaining it to him when i get back from work!
On the phone she said; 'the time has come for you to start having the man to man talk with your son!'

To help me out in this rather difficult situation, I have had to do a bit of googling to find the best way to go about explaining sex to a 6 year old precocious kid!
The advise I am getting is that I should use appropriate words like 'p*enis' and 'v*agina' and then be as honest as possible . . yeah right - honest, indeed!

I don't know whether I should be looking forward or be dreading having that conversation this evening. . .

No, actually I am dreading the conversation!

ChinenyeN:

This sort of thing cannot happen unless: 1) A group of people highjack the situation and create such a position for themselves; becoming self-proclaimed representatives (i.e. that 'eze igbo' nonsense that was going on some time ago in Yoruba territory) or 2) A process by which people who have actually made serious efforts for the better gradually have such positions thrust upon them; making up a legitimate representative council, and that one will take serious time.

My money is on #1. It seems most likely to occur, in my opinion.

You're probably right. Obviously #1 is the most likely scenario that would unfold if the idea were to take root in the next year or two, given the present crop of power brokers in the land and how impoverished our youth have become, which makes them vulnerable to being bought over by the person with the deepest pockets. . .but then you never can tell what would happen to an idea whose time has come in a society where people are fed up with the status quo. . . 

Andre Uweh:

@Beneli, thanks for your post. There is a lot to learn from that wonderful piece. Especially to target the Igbo kids in the U.K. At the moment, an arrangement has reached an advanced level with BEN TV on how to air some of our programmes.
Am so glad your wife and kids are making progress in learning Igbo.

Learning Igbo is one of our priorities for the next year or two. They felt out of place not being able to communicate with some of the old people in the village when we went home recently!

I think that the challenges for Ndi Igbo in the Diaspora and the ones at home are slightly different. They may complement each other, but they are still fundamentally different.

'Diaspora' here includes those within Nigeria, but living outside of ala Igbo.

In the Diaspora one of the greatest challenges is that the next generation is losing - or have lost - the use of the Igbo language and have also become increasingly alienated from their Igbo heritage and culture . . . they find themselves, gradually slipping into the cracks between the culture of their new ‘homes’ and the home of their fathers. Many factors are responsible for this, including the nature of a lot of Ndi Igbo abroad to keep to themselves, while trying to build their lives; and also the penchant of some for acculturation i.e. the process of diluting one’s culture in order to fit in with the new environment in which they find themselves. The longer term effect of this effect is that the next generation, growing up abroad, loses its identity . . .or end up locked in the 'marginal man' syndrome. . .  

The things Andre and co are doing with the Igbo youth Cultural centre in London are very commendable. I know that with time they will gradually take it to the next level and would soon introduce well researched activities and programmes that target the minds of the children and the younger population. Perhaps they would soon also start producing books for children and that sort of thing. My wife currently gets books from America for our kids. The language thing is also very commendable. God willing, my wife and kids will soon enrol in the classes!   

Within the Nigerian context we don’t need any more ‘socio-cultural’ groups.

Our problem is our lack of political sophistication. Our nature of claiming to be ‘independent minded’, while eschewing the collectivist approach to crafting an Igbo destiny within the Nigerian union . . . because of a so-called ‘Igbo enweghi Eze’ philosophy . . . is not helping us at all. We fail and fall because we are divided as a people, politically. Our individualistic efforts and achievements become meaningless if Ndi Igbo as a group cannot become a political force to be reckoned with, within Nigeria. . .

So we need a re-working of our political strategies within the Nigeria context. ‘Igbo kwesiri i nwe Eze’.

The nature of that Ezeship. . . that leadership, if you will. . . could be an ‘acculturated’ version that comprises a council of those whom we see as having our best interest at heart. If the older generation have become too corrupted by the politics of the times, then the younger generation can jump start the revolution. They can float an Igbo Think Tank that comprises informed and politically aware ‘youths’ both in the Diaspora and at home, who will focus on the political destiny and strategies of Ndi Igbo within Nigeria. How this would work – its leadership, structure etc - needs to be thought through very carefully but it must have a political agenda. And I emphasise that it would be focused on strategies of becoming relevant ‘within Nigeria’ because one of the problems that have plagued Ndi Igbo has been the distraction some have had of nursing the option of once again breaking away from the union - which has resulted in our lack of diplomacy when associating with other nations within the union - when in reality a much greater destiny awaits us within Nigeria if we can get our acts right.

I believe the latter strongly . . .

Interesting topic to reflect on. . . 

I suppose that to answer the question of how one gets recognition and respect from ‘the big guns at work’, one would really need to ask oneself yet another (extended) question:

- Is the person actually enjoying the work they are doing . . . is this work what they really want to be doing for the rest of their lives. . . are they enthusiastic about it all?

If the answer is ‘yes’ then all the person would need to do is to let that enthusiasm show.  In most cases that enthusiasm would push them into becoming comparatively more creative and innovative in their work. They would without any hesitation go all out to acquire all relevant skills that would make them better workers - in other words, for want of a better way to summarise it, one can say they'd be manifesting 'the wow factor!'. And their colleagues would most likely notice this enthusiasm and dedication. . . and if they are not overtly envious - or are not in open competition with them - would probably show them the respect, they'd be deserving of. Even their bosses may ‘recognise them’ - that is, in an ideal world where subordinates are appreciated!

If, on the other hand, the answer to the question is ‘no’ and for that individual it’s even a burden to get up in the mornings . . . and when they do, they spend the rest of the day fantasizing about 'better' jobs they could be doing, or they find themselves just wondering how on earth their lives ended up so fu*cked up. . . . and yet for some perverse reasons they still want ‘recognition’ in their work place . . . then such a person would have to hone up their skills of sucking up to people, because that’s the skill they'd need the most!   

So, the ‘wow’ factor, if there is anything like that, has to do with whether you really like your job and also what your current state of mind is in relation to that job. . .

. . . as the velvet curtains start to draw on the stage of 2010. . . as the nostalgic tunes of Auld Lang Syne starts to rent the air . . . let me go and start honning those skills I mentioned. . .  

Meanwhile Happy New Year to everybody and may 2011 be all that we wish for and more!

'There's something about education that lends it to unshackle the cold chains of depravity . . setting the soul of the brute free. . . '
                                                                                                                                                                                  - E.Beneli!
But make I leave that turenchi. . . this is about 'university degrees', right? . . . and not necessarily about 'education'. . . or is it?

I know that in some societies, getting a university degree almost equates to becoming educated - 'almost', I say, because at the end of the day, it still depends on the one getting the 'degree'. . . and of course - if not more importantly - on the environment.

Once upon a time, I am told, it was almost the norm that when you passed through the four walls of a university, the metaphorical 'four walls of the university' also passed through you. I think these must have been the times when people who graduated from university came out refined, cultivated. . . and yes, educated - having given themselves to the cultivating influences of the 'four walls' wherein they got their degrees.

It appears that something then happened. Something that provoked us into qualifying the graduates of these four-walled institutions, as 'educated illiterates'. . . it happened insiduously; because we woke up one day and it started to dawn on us that our universities have become glorified local secondary schools!

. . .perhaps it had something to do with the walls. . . perhaps they started crumbling down . . .as we slept. . .as we sleep. . .  

Or perhaps this has always been the case and the degree acquisition exercise in Nigeria is just another charade, where we make believe that we are catching up with the rest of the world in our 'human development indices', while not recognising that in actual fact we are deluding ourselves . . . and like ostriches stick our heads in the ground, refusing to admit that we have not remotely started the process of nation building. And everybody,except us, seems to know this.

And If this is the case . . . that indeed this whole charade is all make believe . . . then one can understand the OP's arguement that it's really all about the bragging rights and that a 'university degree' - in Nigeria - has very little to do with becoming 'educated'.

But since the OP was not talking just about Nigera . . . or similar 'third world' societies that all seem to have lost their way . . .one can only be tempted to disagree with the assertion that he makes. Methinks that the process of getting a degree, should be an 'educating' process. It should give the one who enrols in it more freedom.

. . . it should create in the one striving for the degree an attitude of excellence that allows for better life choices to be made. It should empower him. . .

Yes, methinks that in an ideal case scenario, the 'educating process' - an integral part of getting a degree - should be able to thaw the baser instincts of the brute and allow the one it embraces to acquire that gentility of spirit that comes with refinement . . . and in the process transforms him into a true 'homo sapien' - a sapient being who is wise, thoughtful and insightful. . . a soul that has been set free to live a fulfilling life, bereft of the dark oppressive clouds of ignorance!

But alas! Not all degree holders are educated. . . and not all educated people have 'degrees', hence the problem, identified by the poster.

^

The vagaries . . . hmm . . . now that you ask me about them, I start to grope!

Perhaps I can go on a rant about the uncertainties in both the private and public sector services and the difficulty in building a fulfilling career in a society where you are pledged to try to achieve the right balance between the quality and affordability of the service you provide on the one hand, and not letting your conscience to get scorched. . . and lose its luminescence. . . .on the other hand; a society where it’s more preferable to yield to the seductive grips of mediocrity, as it is in some perverse way, better rewarded; a society, my sister, where our lunatics are not locked up in asylums, but are the ones that have been empowered to make our decisions for us. . .

But let me not go on that idle rant, less I be accused of prejudice. . . .and be advised to go and sort out my issues! Perhaps my view has been darkly clouded by what I read in the media and may not reflect the exact reality on ground but . . . . vagaries?. . . they are certainly there waiting to embrace you as you take the plunge. . .   

I hope it makes sense - If not, I am sorry . . .

Ochi_Agha:

I am still not surprised about this. Someone on NL predicted she was going to do this. And what did she do? She actually did it. I actually support APGA. I hope this party sweeps the entire South-East. Does anyone know who is running on the APGA ticket for governor of Abia State?

-Omenani

The two candidates for APGA are Dr Max Ndukwe Adindu and Reagan Ufomba. They're yet to go through the primaries though. They're not political heavy weights in the real sense but seem to have potentials - especially Dr Adindu who has been a commissioner in the T.A. government but from the news available to me, fell out with that notorious cabal on grounds of incompatible principles. He seems a decent chap. Reagan Ufomba doesn't sound bad either but there's questions about who his political godfathers maybe.

Either of them would be a better option for Abia. . .

Ladyrsky46:

Is there any prospect for a Diagnostic Radiographer in Nigeria/Africa in general?

It really depends on how you want to define the 'prospect' thing.

But as oga Ajanlekoko said, there is a need for Radiographers in Nigeria. . . and Africa in general!

Radiological and Imaging diagnostic services can also be big business if you can afford the equipments and go into private practice.
In the government sector a few of the teaching hospitals offer residency in that field, meaning that there should be a demand for it . . . albeit one that is subject to the usual vagaries that plague most clinical and other specialties in Nigeria!.

You can check out the website of the National Hospital in Abuja. They seem to have a reasonably functional Radiology department there. . . I would have posted their link, but I don't want the spambot to catch me again!

tensor777:

Again what has kidnapping of innocent people for money got to do with campaigning for political office? Yes some desperate politicians are prepared to visit satanic doctors in the course of a political campaign but what exactly is the link between that and filthy kidnapping for ransom business

Put it this way. If a person is 'desperate' enough to 'visit satanic doctors' then nothing is beyond such a person. Besides T.A himself has been implicating Mr Akomas, his former deputy, as one of the sponsors of the kidnappers, while some people in the opposing camp implicate T.A, saying that he has been funding them through some of his relatives. Now if they are all accusing each other of being the sponsors of these kidnappers, it would follow that there is something to be gained from all this, which is beyond the comprehension of those of us who have not been initiated into their strange ''political strategies'. Would you not agree?

tensor777:

I don't know what you're going on about there? What has kidnapping of school kids got to do with political campaigning. Confusing pure criminality with campaigning. SMH

No one is saying that this is not pure criminality. It certainly is.

What one is saying is that it is not beyond those politicians to invoke it as some sort of warped 'political strategy'. . . possibly gone - or going - wrong.
This is nothing new in Nigerian politics. And it's certainly part of the words on the streets, which you'd probably hear if you talked to some people there.

Why does this surprise you?

tensor777:

Away with these baseless conspiracy theories. I mean the very idea that a professional politician would get involved in something as dirty and implicating as kidnapping of all things is just too ludicrous to even talk about.

Perhaps, you didn't see the picture floating on NL of one of these same 'professional politicians', in his underwear at a witchdoctors shrine, involved in some sort of ritual of allegiance to his then godfather, who he has since fallen out with.
My broda, 'dirty and implicating' - and yes, even 'kidnapping of all things', assassinations, involvement in witchcraft/occult practices etc - is how most of these 'professional politicians' roll. It's their stock in trade.

Saying it out loud has nothing to do with idle 'conspiracy theories'.

@ omonija1

Okay, I am not a female Doctor so can’t offer any thoughts about balancing career and motherhood! But I will give my thoughts on the rest of the very profound things you’ve raised about career choices and what cards life eventually deals to us. . . 

First there are crossroads in our lives when one feels most saddled by such existential questions as ‘what’s the purpose of life’ or even the mundane ones such as ‘whether our career pathways are taking us in the right direction etc. At such moments it helps to take a few steps backwards to review where we’re at; why we chose the paths we chose in the first place; and then ask ourselves whether the current burden we carry is rooted in some other things going on in our lives . . . some other things that for whatever reason we hesitate to confront. But which we must to be able to make better decisions about the subsequent steps we take. . .

I am not ranting here – i myself was at those same existential crossroads several weeks ago, so when i talk about stepping backwards and taking stock of ones life, i was really ‘standing and talking in front of the mirror’ and hoping that there is somebody eavesdropping who may benefit from my soliloquy - you, perhaps . . .

. . . is this really the path of my happiness. . . ?

But back to the issues you raised. Why did you choose Biology and why the reluctance for further education, knowing that without it, ‘a degree in biology is useless’? Is it really useless? One wonders what has changed since the time, almost 4 years ago, when you enrolled for the course in Biology? One also wonders what enthused you then. . .

You speak of a lack of enthusiasm in spending another 4 years in medical school, though as you stated, you had previously ‘always wanted to be a Doctor’. Why the change of mind?  I am hazarding a guess that part of the ‘so much’ you went through, while trying to get your bachelors degree has to do with your other question about career and motherhood.   

In America, if you were to finish medical school and want a career pathway that allows you more time with the family then you could think about Family Medicine . . . and other subspecialties that don’t require you to be available 24/7. Of course other career pathways, like ‘Accountancy’, which you suggested, are still there. And one wonders whether they would be less ‘gruesome’ or, in the longer term, be more able to offer you a better balance in the career – motherhood equation.

But what would make you most happy . . . ?

I think that the question of happiness is the most important to confront. It always should be what guides us. What is it that would offer one the greatest satisfaction and feeling of relevance in life, say 5 – 10 – 20 years down the line?  Of course there is no easy answer to the question of happiness, so you don’t really have to even attempt one. It's for reflection really and more for the benefit of the 'man standing in front of the mirror and thinking out loud. . .'

emmatok:


THE SOLDERS DOING THE KILLING ARE LOOKING SAD, BUT GOVERNOR ORJI SEEMS TO BE THE ONLY MAN SMILING.

THAT CRIMINALS DEATH, IS A NICE COVER UP FOR HIM.

Spot on. But it's still a good thing that the rogue is dead . . .

The only way to achieve closure in this whole 'debacle' will be if Abians on ground ensure that T.A. - any of his stooges or any of the 'incarnations' of thief Kalu - do not come back to power in 2011.
We all know that it's a difficult task given how the power equations are unfolding in the state, but it is a task which must be done if we want any progress.

Osisikankwwu was a pawn who just happened to be 'demon possessed' - i suspect that most Abians knew this anyway.

^
The spambot caught me as i tried to post a response to you yesterday - I'm now checking to see if I am still banned!
You can still access my response to your questions if you clicked on my profile and checked my previous post.

I hope that helps.

lynxnoon:

@beneli
hi
pls wats the prospects in going for an online program in either MPH or MHA( Masters in Health Administration) and how useful are they in entering WHO/UN?
thanks for your response

Hi sorry for the delay in responding.

I see three issues that needs addressing:
1. An Online programme
2. MPH vs MHA
3. Getting WHO/UN jobs

Okay, i'll start bottom up -

3. If you're career aspirations includes to work for the UN through any of it's various organisations such as WHO, it's obviously very important to start acquainting yourself with the kind of jobs they have going, which are relevant to the skills/education you have or wish to obtain. I guess you already know all that, but just for the hell of it i think you could have a look at the links that i have provided below to see some related jobs and what they ask for. Why it's important to peruse such job vacancies from time to time is that it allows you to know what kind of things that they will be expecting from you and as such guide you in building a career profile that will make you compliant with some of their requirements. See some of the job vacancies below - 

In Abuja -
http://unjobs.org/vacancies/1291911395164

http://unjobs.org/vacancies/1289419949913

In Cairo -
http://unjobs.org/vacancies/1291121604451

http://unjobs.org/vacancies/1291881246253

2. If you check the unjobs site more often, you'll begin to see that they seem more attracted to the Masters in Public Health qualification as opposed to the Masters in Health Administration. So I am guessing that by the time you have perused some of the links, i provided the question of 'how useful' and 'MPH vs MHA' would have been answered. To summaries - they are useful. Of the two, MPH may be more preferred. Apart from that, I am of the opinion that the MPH offers you the opportunity to study different course streams such as Health Management, Health Promotion, Health Economics etc, so gives you more career options. So even if I didn't have access to the information on the unjobs site, I would have still voted for MPH. . . .

1. But of course, of greater importance to you would be whether an Online qualification would even be acknowledged. My honest answer is that I am not 100% sure. What I can advice though is that if you must do it online, you should do it with a reputable University that offers such distance learning programmes. I am sure that a Public Health degree from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, for instance, would be accepted by most employers. That's where i would do it if i were to consider such an option >  http://www.lshtm.ac.uk/prospectus/masters/dmsph.html. I am also sure that there would be other such reputable schools that offers the MPH by distance learning. You probably already would have done your home work, so let me not patronise you.

Good luck!

^

She's from Trinidad as her moniker suggests and as was rightly observed by Beaf. 'Trini' is how people from that country refer to themselves abroad.

Your question about where she comes from probably stems from the fact that, as a moderator, you may have observed that Trinigal posts from the same address as I do occasionally. That's understandable - we're married to each other and i do come home every night!

With regard to the Bk babe character, i find it unfair that after he e-assaulted my wife, the 'support' i provided was deleted alongside his inarticulate, yet offensive drivel. Why i find this unfair is that when you go to the thread in question, some of his uncalled for insults are still there in the quoted posts by those who tried to call him to order, while my kind words of support have been e-binned, as it were, with the original rubbish that the brute posted.

While Trinigal has moved on - she has a lot more important things to do with her life than to dwell on the e-grunts of a person of that level of intelligence - i do think, however, that it's only fair that you retrieve my words of support after which you could then lock that thread. That way posterity will have it on record that in her moment of need, i came to the support of my wife. So please retrieve my post in that thread. . . or if you want i can always post it again. . .and then lock that thread if you please!

The unfortunate thing about the Aba situation and the politics of Abia state in general is that everybody – whether Ngwa, Umuahia, Ohafia etc – are all fed up with the present governor.

Word on the ground is that if there is a free and fair election next year Mr T.A Orji would NOT win and that he would most likely be sent back to where he’d come to government house Umuahia from – jail. Everybody seem to suggest that he is complicit in the kidnapping saga that had briefly overridden the state a few months ago, which thanks to the heavy military presence in Aba has reduced considerably. This complicity whether factual or mere conjecture would have made him lose in the next elections, but Nigerian politics get as ee be.

Presently Mr TA Orji is busy canoodling with JEGA and the PDP people at Abuja and also demonising Mr Akomas, his former deputy, whom he sees as his major opponent. Mr Akomas on the other hand, who seems to have a lot of Ngwa sympathy being an Ngwa man, is not exactly a saint as he is viewed as an Orji Uzor Kalu puppet and were he to win, would most likely continue to morgage out the state to thief Kalu and his family.

People are now at a loss as to whom to pitch their tents with. The alternative is APGA. Two of their gubernatorial candidates have potentials – Reagan Ufomba a Harvard trained business man, who as a Ngwa man seems to be gathering a lot of Ngwa sympathy. Unfortunately he is assessed to be a neophyte politically and some even suggest that he may have the patronage of IBB. Then there’s Dr Max Ndukwe Adindu, a US trained economist who has considerable political experience in the state. Word on the ground is that he fell out with TA Orji because he refused to be complicit in the squandering of the state resources. This is a plus for him. The only negative for him, politically speaking, is that he is from Umuahia the same place TA Orji comes from, and would most likely not get a lot of sympathy from the Ngwa-Ukwa axis in Abia South, who already feel marginalised as all their governors have been from Abia North.

As an Ngwa man, my heart goes with Reagan Ufomba. . . . but my head goes with Max Adindu. Whoever triumphs in the APGA state primaries in January, should be a much better alternative than TA Orji for Abia state IMHO.

gowaga68:

it may not affect them and not all mallam that have office are registerd BDC.
Class A are those that have Large capital base.

Thanks.

Ones 'Nigerian-ness' is defined by their ability to legitimately obtain a Nigerian passport - everything else is irreleavnt, IMHO.

gowaga68:

CBN WITHDRAWS CLASS A BUREAU DE CHANGE LICENCES
http://cenbank.org/Out/2010/pressrelease/gov/Press%20Release%20on%20withdrawal%20of%20BDCs%20licences.pdf

US Congress Applauds CBN Banking Reforms
http://cenbank.org/Out/2010/pressrelease/gov/Press%20Release%20on%20withdrawal%20of%20BDCs%20licences.pdf
does this takes us to any where?

Which ones are Class A Bureau de changes? Will the BDC's at the airport be affected - the ones with the offices, I mean?