Or how else do I tag this blog?
Maybe not exactly finally!
Because this, really is just transiting from one level of existence to another-or is it from one stage of life to another-and really there may not be any note of finality.
But come to think of it, when one’s path is constantly troubled and each time one attempts progress, one obstacle or the other evolves in the path (or so it seems) that causes time dilation, the END becomes elusive and the MEANS becomes uncomfortable.
Ok enough all this philosophical jabbering!
A few days back, precisely 17th Oct. 2006, I was invited to the Head of Department’s office (as an undergraduate, Olabisi Onabanjo University Ago-Iwoye Ogun State, Nigeria, reading Physics) to fill the NYSC Mobilization form. NYSC-is short for National Youth Service Corps-a compulsory and not ‘voluntary’ one year service to the fatherland which all freshly graduated (from all tertiary institutions) under the age of 30 are required to undertake else …ok! I will do a blog on the NYSC, later on.
Yeah filing the form was emotional!
Finally after 6 instead of 41/2 years, I am graduating - 9 months pre-degree + 31/2 years full time study.
My mind reeled to my 1st time at this University having earlier applied to study Chemical Engineering at a neighbouring University. I was finally accepted into the pre- degree program of the OOU to study Geology. That was 2001- a year of self-discovery-at least partial.
That year, I discovered my innate skills, interests and capabilities and finishing one of the best 100 students of 2700 or thereabout and considering the events prior to my admission and the 1st few days of school, that was a feat!?*
I opted to study Physics with the believe that there lies the explanation for the existence of life and possibly the hereafter but was I shocked?
Yeah shocked with the stark abstractness of modern Physics-Quantum mechanics-while still contending with the reality of Newtonian mechanics.
In retrospect! I honestly, may not have found fulfillment anywhere else, the challenges here though nerve wrecking has contributed in making a strong and resolute person of me.
Though it is clear am not making a 1st class (as it is a battle between a 2nd upper and a 2nd lower) I hope it shall be a upper. I wont be shocked with whatever the reality eventually begets as I have over the years done the SWOT analysis and have my mind prepared for the worst, while confidently working and hoping for the best.
While I’m not the extremely bookish person, I have my fair share of “exceptionality”.
While on campus I won several laurels and served the community. Yeah-(remind me to put this in my CV) I got involved with the Directorate of students affairs and was invited thrice (only honoured two) to deliver orientation lectures to freshly admitted undergraduates. (These were great moments when I attempted to put into force my believe in ‘peer partnership’ and positive peer pressure to work)
The laurels included:
2002: 1st place essay competition: National Association of Science Students, OOU Chapter, and was presented the award by the deputy speaker of the Ogun state House of Assembly (I wrote on the immerse benefits of Science & Technology to our collective existence).
2003- Outstanding Student of the Year, Faculty of Science OOU (NASS)
2004-Exemplary studentship (OOU Governing Council, 2004 Convocation Awards)
I had challenges- had to write Chemistry 102 twice, which translated to 4 units carry over and I scored a number of Ds and Es where I believe I should have done better considering the level of work I put into preparation and the quality of answers I supplied-Oh! That’s a common excuse on campus.
I completed the forms amidst shouts and screams of celebration, amidst my other colleagues. I humbly left the office for the library to continue preparation for my final exams.
A tear dropped
N.B.
Somebody please remind me to:
* Do a thank you blog for all lectures who had taught me.
* Do an analysis on my experience on campus
* Kabiyesi- the Almighty lecturer.
Friday, November 24, 2006
Monday, November 20, 2006
NOW WE CAN CONFIDENTLY FACE THE FUTURE
Fellow Nigerians, it has been a tumultuous period for us all but we thank God for seeing us throughWhen we took over governance of this country a few years back the nation was in a state of monumental disarray. Poverty reigned supreme and corruption was our second nature. All public offices and departments were non-functional and our people did not have access to the basic necessities of life e.g. portable water, good roads, good education and good health care, despite the billions of dollars purportedly spent on those areas by successive governments. Ethnic militia groups reigned supreme and our police became a weapon of the state against the masses.
The Int’l World began to introduce all forms of restrictions on our country and her citizenry, the Great Britain refused our youth entry visa into her borders, the United States aerospace agency banned all flights taking off from our airports from landing anywhere near her airports, they subjected our travelers to all forms of painful experiences because of our notoriety as great drug traffickers and advance fee fraudsters.Some of our Governors and other top officials were detained overseas for different nefarious offences which they couldn’t disapprove.
The nation was in a total state of disrepair and was nearly collapsing.However, on assumption of office we identified that our major problem was that of VISION-not Visions like Vision 2010-which was just a national rip-off but real VISION, really seeing where we want to get to and reaching for that destination.For us, our VISION was a better Nigeria-the Nigeria of our dreams, the Nigeria of the dreams of our freedom fighters long gone.The tasks were set, and work commenced, though Herculean and monumental, we craved and got your supports.Today we are all living witnesses to the transformation that our great nation has undergone.We set about a true national rebirth, we decidedly determined to renovate the public service and return trust to governmental institutions, we did not only pay lip service to DUE PROCESS, but implemented it at every level of government and through partnerships with organized labor and the organized private sector, we ensured that the policy was fully and totally entrenched in our daily lives.
Fellow Nigerians, I am proud to say that with our commitment to excellence and your support, we have finally arrived at the Promised Land - that has remained promised until now. Today we have an educational system that is the envy of other countries of the world-Our Minister of Education and that of the European Union recently signed an agreement to train European scholars interested in the African cultural practices at several of Universities.Our scholars were recognized by several Int’l groups and institutions-as 5 of our Professors are Nobel Prize nominees -we pray they eventually win. This is a testimony of our restructured educational system which provides a balance between academic & professional training.Our health sector has also recorded a laudable boost as ailments that had previously been untreatable locally can now be catered for within the confines of our borders-our expertly trained specialists who left the shores of this nation during the dark days have returned and are helping with the evolution of the New Nigeria.Our people and public infrastructure has once again returned to their place of glory, the economy can now favourably compete with that of some developed nations and the fact that the exchange rate of the Naira to the dollar is now N5 to $1 and with the successful execution of the final phase of theeconomic plans of this administration, the rate will be close to N0.50k to $1We have left the bottom of the ladder as the most corrupt nation in the world and we are now the 2nd most uncorrupt nation in the world.
Fellow Nigerians, we are where we hope to be and we got here by collective efforts.Now to retain and even improve our collective standing, requires collective efforts-please don’t go to sleep just yet.With this New Nigeria, we can confidently face the future and answer truthfully the many questions I am sure our unborn children will askThank You!
…and suddenly I woke up.It was only a dream.
The Int’l World began to introduce all forms of restrictions on our country and her citizenry, the Great Britain refused our youth entry visa into her borders, the United States aerospace agency banned all flights taking off from our airports from landing anywhere near her airports, they subjected our travelers to all forms of painful experiences because of our notoriety as great drug traffickers and advance fee fraudsters.Some of our Governors and other top officials were detained overseas for different nefarious offences which they couldn’t disapprove.
The nation was in a total state of disrepair and was nearly collapsing.However, on assumption of office we identified that our major problem was that of VISION-not Visions like Vision 2010-which was just a national rip-off but real VISION, really seeing where we want to get to and reaching for that destination.For us, our VISION was a better Nigeria-the Nigeria of our dreams, the Nigeria of the dreams of our freedom fighters long gone.The tasks were set, and work commenced, though Herculean and monumental, we craved and got your supports.Today we are all living witnesses to the transformation that our great nation has undergone.We set about a true national rebirth, we decidedly determined to renovate the public service and return trust to governmental institutions, we did not only pay lip service to DUE PROCESS, but implemented it at every level of government and through partnerships with organized labor and the organized private sector, we ensured that the policy was fully and totally entrenched in our daily lives.
Fellow Nigerians, I am proud to say that with our commitment to excellence and your support, we have finally arrived at the Promised Land - that has remained promised until now. Today we have an educational system that is the envy of other countries of the world-Our Minister of Education and that of the European Union recently signed an agreement to train European scholars interested in the African cultural practices at several of Universities.Our scholars were recognized by several Int’l groups and institutions-as 5 of our Professors are Nobel Prize nominees -we pray they eventually win. This is a testimony of our restructured educational system which provides a balance between academic & professional training.Our health sector has also recorded a laudable boost as ailments that had previously been untreatable locally can now be catered for within the confines of our borders-our expertly trained specialists who left the shores of this nation during the dark days have returned and are helping with the evolution of the New Nigeria.Our people and public infrastructure has once again returned to their place of glory, the economy can now favourably compete with that of some developed nations and the fact that the exchange rate of the Naira to the dollar is now N5 to $1 and with the successful execution of the final phase of theeconomic plans of this administration, the rate will be close to N0.50k to $1We have left the bottom of the ladder as the most corrupt nation in the world and we are now the 2nd most uncorrupt nation in the world.
Fellow Nigerians, we are where we hope to be and we got here by collective efforts.Now to retain and even improve our collective standing, requires collective efforts-please don’t go to sleep just yet.With this New Nigeria, we can confidently face the future and answer truthfully the many questions I am sure our unborn children will askThank You!
…and suddenly I woke up.It was only a dream.
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
THE NIGERIAN FACTOR
It dawned on me that power (electricity) is of extreme importance to communication (and existence!).
I was recently planning a wireless internet access in a community that greatly needs the service. All was well, until suddenly, the fact that I have to power my servers, routers, radios and other network components, stared me in the face. While one can easily run on petrol or diesel powered generator at the operational base, how do you power your on-site or is it off-site equipments?*!
Power generation and distribution has been a twin calamity threatening our national development, while some nations of the World has achieved several decades of no power outage (even it is rumored that certain African countries have celebrated 2-5yrs anniversary of uninterrupted power supply to their citizens) it has remain a major challenge to Nigeria.
With several power generating plants dotting our national geography, abundant oil reserves and available technical no-how, one wonders why this ‘giant’ of Africa cannot provide uninterrupted power for 1 day for at least 50% of her citizens.
Oh the Nigerian factor.
The Nigerian factor takes different shapes depending upon the context in which it is considered, but it generally implies that things don’t work in this country, or that things are not right in this country.
The ‘Nigerian factor’ is akin to a curse, - so blessed yet impoverished.
The Nigerian factor is the reason why our youths queue up everyday for VISAS to foreign lands- and they keep going back after several refusals - they sometimes even take destiny in their own hands and attempt to swim across the red sea (or is it the pacific now) between Morocco and Spain.
The Nigerian factor is the reason why our universities turn out …………. graduates every year (fill the blank !).
The Nigerian factor is the reason why NITEL the teleco behemoth of Nigeria could not live up to expectations (and still does not!) and one wonders what her past directors (now owners of private telecos) are doing at their PTOs that they didn’t do with NITEL.
The Nigerian factor is the reason, why Nigerians are specially frisked for drugs at foreign airports.
The Nigerian factor is the reason, governors name every street, building and NEPA poles in their state, after themselves and presidents give themselves national honors.
It is the Nigerian factor that encourages every occupant of an office - especially public officers - to divert funds into their oversea accounts - ask Govs. Fayose Alayemusiga … etc.
I could go on!
Until the Nigerian factor is eliminated and a new national image, orientation and mentality is arrived at, nothing - I mean N-O-T-H-I-N-G will work in this country.
I was recently planning a wireless internet access in a community that greatly needs the service. All was well, until suddenly, the fact that I have to power my servers, routers, radios and other network components, stared me in the face. While one can easily run on petrol or diesel powered generator at the operational base, how do you power your on-site or is it off-site equipments?*!
Power generation and distribution has been a twin calamity threatening our national development, while some nations of the World has achieved several decades of no power outage (even it is rumored that certain African countries have celebrated 2-5yrs anniversary of uninterrupted power supply to their citizens) it has remain a major challenge to Nigeria.
With several power generating plants dotting our national geography, abundant oil reserves and available technical no-how, one wonders why this ‘giant’ of Africa cannot provide uninterrupted power for 1 day for at least 50% of her citizens.
Oh the Nigerian factor.
The Nigerian factor takes different shapes depending upon the context in which it is considered, but it generally implies that things don’t work in this country, or that things are not right in this country.
The ‘Nigerian factor’ is akin to a curse, - so blessed yet impoverished.
The Nigerian factor is the reason why our youths queue up everyday for VISAS to foreign lands- and they keep going back after several refusals - they sometimes even take destiny in their own hands and attempt to swim across the red sea (or is it the pacific now) between Morocco and Spain.
The Nigerian factor is the reason why our universities turn out …………. graduates every year (fill the blank !).
The Nigerian factor is the reason why NITEL the teleco behemoth of Nigeria could not live up to expectations (and still does not!) and one wonders what her past directors (now owners of private telecos) are doing at their PTOs that they didn’t do with NITEL.
The Nigerian factor is the reason, why Nigerians are specially frisked for drugs at foreign airports.
The Nigerian factor is the reason, governors name every street, building and NEPA poles in their state, after themselves and presidents give themselves national honors.
It is the Nigerian factor that encourages every occupant of an office - especially public officers - to divert funds into their oversea accounts - ask Govs. Fayose Alayemusiga … etc.
I could go on!
Until the Nigerian factor is eliminated and a new national image, orientation and mentality is arrived at, nothing - I mean N-O-T-H-I-N-G will work in this country.
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