THE photos of Tunde Omotoye, Fola Aina and Dipo Awojide are widely circulated on Twitter and LinkedIn as they were offered a one-year sponsorship deal with the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) as brand ambassadors.

Their selection ticks off all the boxes for a model intellectual with a Gen Z fan base: Nigerian professionals in the diaspora with thousands of Twitter followers.

Awojide, a Senior Lecturer in Strategy at Nottingham Trent University, has over 900,000 followers on Twitter, while Aina is a Development Policy expert with over 113,000 followers.

And Omotoye, the co-founder of Humansquad, a Canada-based immigration tech startup, has over 327,000 followers on Twitter.

Brands and advertisers are attracted to influencers with high follower counts, especially on Twitter, because the more people influencers reach, the more money they make.

While Awojide and Omotoye had their contracts renewed from last year, Aina is a new entrant into the image-making enterprise of IELTS in Nigeria.

Their job description is simply to convince Nigerians seeking admission into universities or visa for jobs in European countries to take the IELTS tests and proffer strategies that project the brand in Nigeria.

While the brand ambassadors are paid to look at the positives of the IELTS, young Nigerians bear the brunt of its exorbitant charges.

The average cost of taking the IELTS test in Nigeria ranges from N83,000($200.5) for academic and general tests to N89,500 ($216.2) for UK Visas and Immigration tests.

This amount is twice the minimum wage of a worker in Nigeria, who earns N30,000 monthly.

Also, the shelflife of the IELTS test is two years.

IELTS is an English language proficiency test for non-native English speakers jointly managed by the British Council, IDP, IELTS Australia, and Cambridge Assessment English.

The tests are conducted multiple times a year and approved by United Kingdom Visas and Immigration(UKVI) for visa customers applying outside and inside the UK.

A Twitter user Olabayo Emmanuel who wrote the IELTS test in 2018, said he failed to gain admission into any of the schools as the validity of the test expired in 2020.

“I will never write that English language test again. I wrote in January 2018, and it expired (after two years) without having the opportunity to use it.

“English is our official language. I was taught in English right from primary school to university. These guys are cheats!!!” he said.

His reaction sums up the frustration of Nigerians who have made repeated calls faulting the IELTS test as being “exploitative” and “unfairly burdensome” for Nigerians.

READ MORE HERE: https://www.icirnigeria.org/ielts-uk-money-spinning-venture-rips-off-nigerian-visa-applicants/

The guys are all job men!

Running street!

Over 90% of people writing ielts will never use it!

Did they force them to apply?

Ok

Wetin no work for you fit work for another person....

No be say dem come drag u to come write am na choice....


Some people av gone to different countries in oda to boost dere traveling history so dat dey can procure the country of there choice Visa dem no still give dem the Visa so wu dem go hold...

Do you have to sit ielts to gain admission to UK schools?
No
Except perhaps you didn't pass English in waec, in which case, it's justifiable

Why must we make everything about ourselves?

The twitter user Olabayo Emmanuel shouldn’t transfer his aggression on the ielts managers.

For study, it’s not mandatory to write ielts, so I don’t get how it’s “unnecessary burdensome”. Many schools in Canada, UK and US do not require Nigerians to write ielts, some would waive it for you, if you can prove you’ve been taught in English. A few others will not, you don’t need to apply to those that will not waive the requirements. If he failed to gain admission into any of the schools he applied to, it has nothing to do with ielts.

Schools that require Nigerians to write English language exams also require other English speaking countries like Ghana, Kenya and others to write the exam.

The only people that are mandated to write ielts or any other English language exam are those applying for Canada or Australia PR because there are points attached to your English language ability. And everybody writes the general ielts for immigration, regardless of your country of origin. So it’s not peculiar to Nigeria(ns).

Yes it is expensive but what’s not expensive in Nigeria today?

To even write ielts in Canada for PR reasons is over 300 Canadian dollars. The exam isn’t cheap anywhere and it has nothing to do with exploiting Nigerians.

This test shouldn't be applied to Nigerians. A lot of Nigerians speak English fluently more than the native Americans, British or Australians.

kayuseful:
Do you have to sit ielts to gain admission to UK schools?
No
Except perhaps you didn't pass English in waec, in which case, it's justifiable

What is dis one saying bayii again? Use Waec to enter UK school as Par UK na capital of Nigeria… do u even know what Waec stands for? I’m not sure they even accept that nonsense exam in SA self u are talking about UK… that nonsense exam na only west African countries abeg

nairavsdollars:
Did they force them to apply?

No, they cajoled them to, thats what yahoo boys and pastors do.

For USA, you don’t actually need IELTS or TOEFL like that coz there are many universities that recognize Nigeria as an English speaking country.

I’m pretty sure there will be schools in the UK and Canada too that does the same thing.

But honestly this IELTS/TOEFL need to be scrapped for Nigerians. We were taught in English in our schools so I don’t know why we have to test on English again.

However no be only Naija dey write IELTS, so we can’t tell them to stop the exam we can only tell them to exempt Nigerians.

Sarmiz24:

What is dis one saying bayii again? Use Waec to enter UK school as Par UK na capital of Nigeria… do u even know what Waec stands for? I’m not sure they even accept that nonsense exam in SA self u are talking about UK… that nonsense exam na only west African countries abeg

Next time, do your own research and shut up.

Sarmiz24:

What is dis one saying bayii again? Use Waec to enter UK school as Par UK na capital of Nigeria… do u even know what Waec stands for? I’m not sure they even accept that nonsense exam in SA self u are talking about UK… that nonsense exam na only west African countries abeg

Lol they accept WAEC for undergrad in the UK. WAEC is not all that useless nao haba.

USA accept WAEC too and most schools also require SAT.

Nozino:



Next time, do your own research and shut up.

UK schools aceept WAEC.

kayuseful:
Do you have to sit ielts to gain admission to UK schools?
No
Except perhaps you didn't pass English in waec, in which case, it's justifiable

Clueless!

Why must Nigerians take IELTS when English has been our language of instruction?
Thats a WRONG one.

This examination is taken all over Nigeria every Saturday. In Lagos alone, more than 500 people sit for IELTS weekly. Do the calculations!

Via this examination, over N1B is jejely collected by UK government and Co yearly.

The average cost of taking the IELTS test in Nigeria ranges from N83,000($200.5) for academic and general tests to N89,500 ($216.2) for UK Visas and Immigration tests.

This amount is twice the minimum wage of a worker in Nigeria, who earns N30,000 monthly.

Also, the shelflife of the IELTS test is two years.

What is rip off there? It is meant for immigrants who want to live there to be sure they can speak English, understand it, and can write it well. It is the same price all over the world.

You should start thinking in this direction. Your naira is a mess. Your economy is messed up. This was what we told some people saying N400k salary is something. Everything is messed up. 400k salary is nothing again. Lol.

So, una eyes don dey clear small small. By the time subsidies and tax holidays are removed, then we will know the true prices of everything. Lol. The exact way those useless parents of ours killed Nigeria with subsidies which politicians keep using to loot is the same way we also want to keep having them. They are debt accumulation vehicles. Who will pay them? We do not waht to pay what our parents have owed, and we want to pass more to our children. Are we serious? The evidence is naira keeps depreciating. Other nations with good forex arent complaining. The price is the same all over the world.

The same person who pays the price gets there and start earning something reasonable and have access to good life .....is it not worth it? No......sidon there and dey blow grammar. Even its just £20 you save and send home...that's how much? Lol. When you start having the good condition of life Nigetia refuses to give you, the money won't matter again. Is it not the same price all over the world? Many losers are around. If you allow the writer here to manipulate and discourage you....hmmm you are the bigger loser. In fact, anyone who knows her right from her left wont fall for the trash.

Sarmiz24:

What is dis one saying bayii again? Use Waec to enter UK school as Par UK na capital of Nigeria… do u even know what Waec stands for? I’m not sure they even accept that nonsense exam in SA self u are talking about UK… that nonsense exam na only west African countries abeg

Na you no Sabi joor . You gas pass waec sir just like the guy you quoted said

Sarmiz24:

What is dis one saying bayii again? Use Waec to enter UK school as Par UK na capital of Nigeria… do u even know what Waec stands for? I’m not sure they even accept that nonsense exam in SA self u are talking about UK… that nonsense exam na only west African countries abeg

Lol…. It’s not about what waec stands for. These guys know that WAEC is a standard examination body for those of us from West Africa and it is recognized worldwide. So some schools use your WAEC English grades to access your language ability. They recognize waec and that’s what is important. It doesn’t have to be a UK exam for it to be accepted.

Sarmiz24:

What is dis one saying bayii again? Use Waec to enter UK school as Par UK na capital of Nigeria… do u even know what Waec stands for? I’m not sure they even accept that nonsense exam in SA self u are talking about UK… that nonsense exam na only west African countries abeg

You are the ignorant one here, UK universities accepts Credit in English language achieved in SSCE/GCE/NECO exams. I used my Credit grade in my SSCE like thousands of other Nigerians studying in the UK....so don't show off your ignorance with boldness.

LegendHero:
For USA, you don’t actually need IELTS or TOEFL like that coz there are many universities that recognize Nigeria as an English speaking country.

I’m pretty sure there will be schools in the UK and Canada too that does the same thing.

But honestly this IELTS/TOEFL need to be scrapped for Nigerians. We were taught in English in our schools so I don’t know why we have to test on English again.

However no be only Naija dey write IELTS, so we can’t tell them to stop the exam we can only tell them to exempt Nigerians.

The fault is on the quality of the schools, my sec school days we had the current teacher changed to a UK returnee and things fell apart, the English language class and exams got crazy, weird scores. Just saying we are not properly taught in our schools

You are right bro. I think the two-year validity of the test score is largely exploitative. I did mine in 2014, got an overall band 8, but never had the opportunity to use it. Why English tests dey expire is beyond my comprehension. The order exploitative scheme is WES, a credential evaluation scheme that costs hundreds of dollars but has a validity of only two years!

Tetrahedron:
The guys are all job men!

Running street!

Over 90% of people writing ielts will never use it!

mayorkun101:


The fault is on the quality of the schools, my sec school days we had the current teacher changed to a UK returnee and things fell apart, the English language class and exams got crazy, weird scores. Just saying we are not properly taught in our schools

What weren’t you properly taught in school? Please, stop this nonsense. Nigerians on the average are very good English speakers.

Lanspower:
You are right bro. I think the two-year validity of the test score is largely exploitative. I did mine in 2014, got an overall band 8, but never had the opportunity to use it. Why English tests dey expire is beyond my comprehension. The order exploitative scheme is WES, a credential evaluation scheme that costs hundreds of dollars but has a validity of only two years!

Please, say only what you’re sure of. WES has no expiring date. Your evaluation is forever valid and depending on what you paid for, you can have your documents and evaluation saved forever. And if you’re referring to WES ECA for Canada immigration purposes, it is valid for 5years after which you can order for a duplicate copy . That’s IRCC requirement and not just for WES.

eskimoeze:
This test shouldn't be applied to Nigerians. A lot of Nigerians speak English fluently more than the native Americans, British or Australians.

how can you speak a language more than people who get am?

Though in west Africa, Nigeria and Ghana are seen as near-native English-speaking countries.

Shelf life should be increased or/and the fee made cheaper. It’s ridiculous.

Rather than blame the UK imposed charges, blame your standard of education...........

It's a capitalist world ...........

jaxxy:
Shelf life should be increased or/and the fee made cheaper. It’s ridiculous.

Why should a language proficiency test have expiry date in the first place ?
Are they saying that someone who can speak and write effectively in english language today won't be able to do so in two years time?
The two years thing is simply an exploitation.