OP-UNEDITED | Buhari: The Lord of Forex – By Babatope Falade

Based on request in a private discussion, I had to write this. A senior classmate was interested in extra private-public opinion, and he thought of me. How thoughtful. The subject is about the interview our president granted Al-Jazeera where he hinted policy direction in a domestic discussion with the interviewer.

The president said; “Not every Nigerian can afford it and the country cannot continue to subsidize the forex needs of everyone.” When asked about how he funds his kids studying abroad he said “I can afford it.”

He also stated that; “We have to consider the consequences on the economy and Nigeria as a whole. “So if some parents are finding it difficult to pay, let them return their kids to Nigeria to complete their education.”

It’s unfortunate that Nigeria is stuck in with forex challenges and will most likely struggle to satisfy local demand for forex with the pegging policy currently pursued by this administration.

However, what is most unfortunate is lack of understanding on the part of the president in his evident categorization of academic study as a lifestyle consumption of forex. The president needs to realize that asides industry, the most sustainable economy in any country is the knowledge economy.

Many people travel to satisfy a demand that can’t be met at home and probably won’t be in a while. This assertion is inferred from the poor funding of education in Nigeria as well as an age long and archaic education philosophy of rote learning. Learning devoid of practical and vocational knowledge. It’s unfortunate, that Buhari can subsidize Dangote and say that parents that have taken the initiative to send their wards abroad should bring their kids back home? Back to darkness? Back to a country where the Vice-President’s library gets more allocation that 11 polytechnics put together. Back to a country where WAE and NECO is the holy grail of education? Impossible Mr President!

Currently, according to Rabiu Samad, here 50% of Nigeria’s forex is handed to just 50 companies in Nigeria. Dangote is apparently also being subsidized with our scarce forex to build cement plants in Congo. Just imagine, parents are in need of forex to train the next generation of knowledge workers for our country, a responsibility government has failed in for years and don’t look like they will pass anytime soon and we are subsidizing Dangote’s plant according to Samad in Congo. The plant costs $292.2million.

UNILAG 5.0 CGPA Record Holder: I Sold Computer Accessories and Tutored to Foot My Bills in UNILAG

 

As a born Psychologist, Ayodele Daniel Dada ran into his passion in books of mixed genre. He defied the boundaries that enveloped his dreams and has lived a life of colours – disappointments and strides. Ayodele gathered the pieces of his set-back in 2011 when his UTME result was cancelled, eight years after completing his secondary school education, and moved on to explore the difficulty of being a stubborn knowledge seeker. Today, he stands tall among his peers, creating a record of 5.0 CGPA after 54 years of UNILAG. Born and raised in Lagos but hails from Ekiti, Ayodele presently interns with Procter and Gamble.
In this interview with OBAJEUN, Ayodele shares an inspiring story of relentless drive, steadfastness and passion for knowledge.

Ben Murray Bruce writes open letter to Nigerian youths

The senator and media mogul wrote an open letter to the youths of Nigeria. Read below..

Youths of Nigeria, I want to communicate with you today. I noticed that there are too many divisions amongst our youths and as a stakeholder in Nigeria and parent of Nigerian children, I believe I ought to intervene.

Olajumoke Orisaguna: The Nigerian Cinderella By Reuben Abati

About three weeks ago, 27-year old Olajumoke Orisaguna was a complete unknown on the streets of Lagos, hawking bread.  A loaf of bread is about N100, and even with a full tray such as she carried in her first public embrace of fame, her whole ware for a day may not be more than N3,000, with daily profit between N300-N700.

She had trained as a hair stylist, got married but had to leave her husband and a daughter back home in Ire, Osun state, to “hustle” as it were in Lagos. The life of a bread seller in Lagos is easily imaginable: exposure to the elements, to sundry abuse, including the possibility of being raped by unruly artisans and bachelors, who will offer to buy bread and something else along with it, if the hawker is willing. This was Olajumoke Orisaguna’s reality until she ran into TY Bello and Tinie Tempah and her life changed. Today, she has been enrolled as a model. Her story has appeared in all newspapers, on CNN, Huffington Post, and virtually everywhere online.

Two companies: StanbicIBTC and PayPorte have made her their brand ambassador. The former even awarded her two daughters scholarships up to university level. Her face has appeared on the cover of magazines. She is now a student at Poise Finishing School, an intern with two beauty salons, and a motivational speaker, even if she reportedly can’t speak English. When she went to the office of the National Identity Management Commission to get an identity card, NIMC also cashed in on her new found fame to use her to promote the agency: “Olajumoke knows she needs to NIMC. She walked into a NIMC centre yesterday unsolicited. Olajumoke is smart. Be like her.”  This must be the most saccharine endorsement of Olajumoke so far.

VIDEO OF THE DAY

Jumoke The ‘Agege Bread Seller’ Lands Her First Magazine Cover, Modelling Contract & Top Internship….. Read The FULL Grass To Grace Story

 
Her name is OLAJUMOKE ORISAGUNA, and today she covers the This Day Style magazine. TY Bello also shared Jumoke’s story on her Instagram.
Read her story as shared by TY Bello on instagram and see pictures below:
“Olajumoke a bread hawker from the Sabo market bakery, walked entirely by coincidence unto our set of our Thisday style shoot for @tiniegram The moment didn’t look special at all. If anything she stood there a little confused .. Some people asking her to leave the set and others asking her to stay . I signaled if it was OK to take her photograph and she agreed and I pressed on my shutter so she could move ahead . My main subject of interest was the Okada driver that had slowed down just before she arrived.  Okada riders have that cool Lagos vibe and always happen to add a bit of swag to street portraits.

26-year-old Nigerian emerges the youngest PHD Law graduate of the Centre of Human Rights, University of Pretoria

The Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria on February 3, 2016, introduced its youngest doctorate graduate, Dr. Romola Adeola. According to the Institute, at just 26 years of age, Romola has set a record in being the youngest person to obtain a Doctor of Laws degree (LLD) in the 30-year history of the Centre for Human Rights.

Furthermore, she is only the second youngest person to achieve this in the Faculty of Law, University of Pretoria since its establishment 107 years ago. She distinguished herself by completing the LLD in under 3 years.

This record is in keeping with a pattern of excellence which Romola has maintained since her undergraduate years at Lagos State University (LASU) where she was awarded the Taslim Olawale Elias Prize for the Best Student in International Law.

 

Source: Centre For Human Rights, University of Pretoria