Election debates in Nigeria and our sheer negligence

Vice-presidential debate in Abuja, Nigeria (2019) (Source: Google Images) 

Fellow Nigerians,

Election debates are not just an intellectual contest between contenders; They also serve as a platform to win the hearts of the electorates whose votes are desperately needed.

If presidential candidates continue to walk out of debates without any backlash, and you spend hours writing long epistles to defend their actions, it reveals partly, how lowly you think of yourself and your nation.

Such candidates didn't only disrespected other contenders present, by walking out or refusing to attend the debate, they disrespected YOU TOO, the electorates who should be the ultimate deciders of their political fate. They have continued to sustain such effrontery because they know their actions will have no consequences! And this is very sad.

If our society must evolve, the so-called educated ones amongst us need to start demanding that these political contenders, must present themselves for review at debates. The importance of these debates cannot be overemphasised. It reveals a summary of the plans each of them has for the next 4 years.

Isn't it preposterous that you who claimed that our leaders are not working and do not care about us is the same person supporting an act which indirectly disrespects you? If you don't love yourself, you cant blame someone else for maltreating you. You handed over the power to such a person to do so.

In summary, in a bid to oust PMB at all cost, don't be hesitant to admit that Atiku messed up by not going on with the debate. There is absolutely no explanation that is logical enough to support his rash decision last night.

It is one thing for you to admit that he made a wrong move even if he remains your candidate. It is another thing for you to not see any error whatsoever in what he did. Knowing the difference doesn't require rocket science.

I submit.

~ Macaulay Babajide Milton

The Time Difference Could Mess You Up; Please Pay Attention

                                                         Source: Google Images

By Macaulay Babajide Milton

In Mid 2014, I had lost two PhD opportunities:

(1) MACOMA Erasmus Mundus Scholarship to the University of Cadiz, Spain (lost as a result of poor internet network). 

(2) PhD offer from the University of South Australia (lost as a result of Ebola ravaging West Africa at the time).

2014 remains one of the most bitter periods of my life in terms of scholarship opportunities. I went on to lose 3 more other opportunities, totaling 5 in a single year! ☹☹☹☹

The 3rd PhD opportunity I lost was probably the most painful because it was all my fault. The errors I committed could have been avoided if I had been more careful.

Let me share the story briefly with you.

I had heard about the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme so I wrote to academics at the City University of Hong Kong (CityU) and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST).

Finally, I got responses from Prof. Wong (not his real name) of CityU and Dr. Cheng (not his real name) of HKUST. Dr. Cheng wanted me to wait one year before he accepts me as his lab was already full, so I went for Prof. Wong who showed more interest and availability.

I was really fascinated by the project he proposed as it entailed the use of titanium oxide to purify hydrocarbon-contaminated water. I got hold of several literature to update my capacity as I was not an Environmental Chemist but my previous study of petroleum hydrocarbon bioremediation had given me much confidence to proceed.

He told me to provide slides detailing my research proposal. I provided them as required, and he was very satisfied. Gaining his full confidence, I got the permission to proceed to the final stage which involved a Skype interview with the Science Faculty panel to ascertain my competence for the scholarship.

Learning from a previous terrible experience with MACOMA, I found a better place in Akure where I was lecturing at the time, with better internet network. I had practised on Skype earlier with a friend in the US and all went well. “This will certainly be different”, I said to myself.

2 days later, I received an email from the Admin officer of the Science Faculty scheduling the Skype interview time and date with me. I made a terrible mistake. She proposed a certain time, and in excitement, I was just responding, “I am fine with it. Absolutely.” It didn't occur to me that the time difference might be an issue.

After I had agreed to the time proposed and acknowledging it was perfect, I later realised from my calculations that it would be at 4.00AM Nigerian time. ☹☹☹ And I usually do not wake up until 5/5.30AM every day. I was bothered. Shockingly, nerviness did not even let me sleep, as I was awake all night.

When it was 3.45AM, I decided to put on my laptop and set my Skype ready for the “life-changing interview”. Suddenly, I saw a missed call from CityU with a message, “Hello Mr. Macaulay, we called you at exactly 3.00AM as agreed and you were not available. We tried again at 3.30AM and couldn’t reach you. The interview is now cancelled. Please accept our apologies."

Apparently, I had miscalculated the time difference and added an extra hour to it. While I was charging my laptop all night and had it shut, they had been calling me since 3.00AM.
By the time I opened my laptop at 3.45AM, I had missed them by 15 mins.

I had to send my sincere apologies to Prof Wong who didn't reply, for obvious reasons. 😭😭😭😭😭

I was broken yet again.

This time around, it wasn't my "village people". It was me! ☹☹☹☹

Please I beg of you, in this scholarship season, for those of you scheduling Skype interviews with Universities abroad, please feel free to propose a better time that suits you. They won't break your head. You will be surprised to find out how understanding they are.

Also, ensure you calculate the time difference more than once and be sure you have the right time in your head. To be on a safer side, just use Google and take note of the time displayed. Ensure not to mix things up.

Don’t be as careless as the Jendor in 2014. 😂😂😂You will thank me later.

Have a lovely week ahead.

Shalom.

Two Common Mistakes During Scholarship Applications

By Macaulay Babajide Milton

We are in the season of scholarship applications; therefore, I have decided to disclose TWO recurring MISTAKES that Nigerian scholarship applicants make, which I have constantly observed in the last 4 years.

Consider this as a FREEBIE on behalf of iLLUMANIA. 😊😊😊😊

Alright, let’s go.

1) THE USE OF INCOHERENT VOCABULARIES a.k.a ‘BIG BIG GRAMMAR’:

Biko, who una dey blow big big grammar for? U wan blow English for those who get the language? 🤣🤣🤣🤣 It's not going to help you o, especially when you don’t even know how to combine them coherently.

You can’t be doing ‘Patrick Obahiagbon’ in your Personal Statement or Scholarship Application forms? 😂😂😂😂 Who get time to dey open dictionary to crosscheck the meanings of your ‘unusual expressions’? Is it when a scholarship application reviewer has 100 applications to consider, that he will now pay attention to one confusing his medulla oblongata?

Abeg, keep it simple! Keep it concise and simple! Simplicity is the most appealing expression of intelligence – take note. Blowing big big grammar no go make them hail you o say u sabi speak English o.

Okay let us take for example, this paragraph below wey person send to me some months ago for review. It was drawn from a Personal Statement:

“I have been a well enthusiastic individual with dynamic ability in primary and general knowledge. Haven completed my secondary and tertiary education with good grades, it will be at reasonable interest to further my education with the essential availability within my capacity. However, after the information of highly persuasive and encouraging invitation of your foundation to participate in scholarship, I am enthusiastically ready to dive in. In this letter of intent, I will stipulate my penchant and verve and excitement and resilience to win. My neonate career requires a mega boost and your funding will provide me escalation to attain my dreams.”

Even though this paragraph above 👆👆👆👆 is not the worst I have seen, it was very badly constructed. It looked like the applicant was trying so hard to please the reviewers with too many adjectives and needless vocabularies wrongly positioned. Bikonu, you guys need to be very careful, mbok. Keep it simple. Simplicity is bae!

There are better and simpler ways of expressing the same paragraph, for example:

“I am a highly enthusiastic individual with an impressive adaptive nature. Having completed my first degree with excellent grades, I am inspired to advance my knowledge to postgraduate level, as I am so eager to satisfy my scientific curiosity. The opportunity of full funding for my postgraduate programme provided by your organisation, will help bring my academic dreams to reality.”

Can you see what I did there? The idea is the same, but it is better constructed; more comprehensive and even shorter in length (from 102 to 60 words), giving you enough room to mention other vital things.

Okay let’s look at the second common error.

2) APPEAL TO PITY/SPEAKING ILL OF YOUR COUNTRY:

Now this error here is a more common one compared to the first. Most applicants think that by revealing the magnitude of difficulties they face in their daily lives, the souls of the reviewers will be touched deeply; thus, improving their chances of winning. Na OYO una dey o!

You think reviewers will give you a scholarship just because you are suffering? Ah! Make I no deceive you, dem go just toss your application to one corner. EXCEPT THERE IS A SECTION OF THE SCHOLARSHIP FORM ASKING YOU TO DISCLOSE THE DETAILS OF YOUR FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES (e.g. as you have in the Mastercard Scholarship application form), YOU MUST NOT FOCUS ON IT.

Reviewers are after those who have the CAPACITY to COMPLETE a postgraduate degree abroad – a feat that is not a walk in a park, trust me. It is very challenging!!! So if you like, say you sleep under the bridge and eat only once a day; it won’t touch any portion of their soul.

Why?

Because scholarship sponsors are NOT NGOs rendering humanitarian services. They are looking for competent and talented protégés to arm with transferrable skills and valuable knowledge.

Therefore, what you should do is to MARKET YOURSELF – reveal what makes you better than other applicants. This is what will touch their hearts and convince them of your capacity to deliver if given the opportunity.

Don’t also make the terrible mistake of rubbishing your country.

Let’s take a look at another example below, from an applicant who sent his Personal Statement to me earlier this year:

“My desire to study Molecular Biology began when I realised that my country, Nigeria, lacks what it takes to make me a renowned Molecular Biologist. There is no stable power, no equipment, no resources, even many of my lecturers are unfit to deliver the knowledge. The environment is harsh and not conducive. We are forced to cram theoretical ideas with no practical display of how they work. It is annoying and frustrating to remain in my country to practice my dream course; hence, the application of a scholarship.”

While this applicant’s write-up above 👆👆👆 is clear and comprehensible, the person lacks tact! Putting down your country or lecturers in such a crass manner, will ruin your chances.

Some of you might say, ‘No, the person just revealed the truth and nothing more.’ Well, while I agree that there is a lot of truth in that paragraph, there are better ways of expressing it without being uncouth and irascible!

The fact is that many of these scholarship providers know the problems of your country better than you. This is why many scholarships are targeted at applicants from Developing countries. Therefore, stop telling them what they already know; just reveal to them HOW YOU HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BUILD YOUR COMPETENCE INSPITE OF THE HARSH REALITIES AROUND YOU.

I hope this my small contribution wey I take sama una this Sunday afternoon, make plenty sense? 😁😁😁😁

I wish una all the best!

For iLLUMANIA
(www.illumania.org)

If You Handle Failure Well, Success Will Be Within Reach

By Macaulay Babajide Milton

As most scholarship applications (e.g. MasterCard, Commonwealth and PTDF) have now crossed or approaching their deadlines, final decisions from scholarship sponsors are likely to be received by early/mid 2019. Therefore, I am led to reveal this truth in order to further prepare you in 2019.

Not all of you will receive great news, although I strongly hope a larger number of you will. For those of you who will receive rejection emails, your progress will depend largely on how you handle failure. If you handle the rejection well, success will be within reach. If you let it damage every molecule of determination within you, you might nurse the wound forever. You need to stay committed to your goal. You must never back down no matter what!

Today, I celebrate 2018 as a probable “miracle year” but did you know that 2014 was perhaps my most “terrible year” in recent times? Everyone has got their best moments and their learning moments, as there is always a lesson to be learnt from any negative event.
In late 2014, after I had lost 3 PhD scholarship opportunities (Erasmus Mundus, Hong Kong PhD Fellowship and University of Southern Australia Scholarship), I did not let the persistent disappointments dampen my morale.

I applied to my previous school (University of Greenwich, UK) for a PhD study in Insect Epidemiology (the aim of the project was to provide genetic evidences for the migration of white flies from the Tropics into the UK and the consequence on agriculture in the global North). The PhD candidate was expected to use genetic techniques all through the programme.

During the one-hour-long Skype interview led by my former MSc tutors, Dr. Claire Coote and Dr. John Orchard, I was asked to give an oral presentation of how I hoped to execute the project. In 15 min, I explained my proposed methodology, justifying the need for each step. I could see them looking quite pleased until Dr. Coote decided to ask, “Mr. Macaulay, have you had any previous research experience using genetic tools?” ‘Honestly, I haven't. But I am willing to learn. I believe this PhD study is an excellent platform to learn and develop professionally, if given the opportunity’, I replied.

She looked unsatisfied with my response and then added, “We are actually in need of a candidate with a prior research experience on molecular genetics as this PhD project needs to be completed in 3 years.” I tried convincing her but she wasn't having it. The only Professor on the panel seemed quite satisfied but couldn't make a decision on his own. So I was told to await a final decision. They interviewed 4 other shortlisted candidates for the position so it was a tough battle.

A week later, I received an email from the Professor explaining that they received 50 applications from across the world for the PhD position but only shortlisted the best 5 based on the strength of their applications. He then added that even though I performed better than the other 4 applicants, my lack of relevant research experience is of much concern; therefore, the panel agreed to re-advertise the position. He also suggested I reapply for the position. He then affirmed that if I emerge as the best in the second application call, I will be selected for the position. Honestly, I was shattered beyond words, and for obvious reasons, I didn't reapply.

I handled the rejection very well by springing back to my feet within a week. I kept trying other opportunities until I was selected for a PhD degree in Environmental Geochemistry and Geomicrobiology by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC).

Fast forward to 2016, I had just spent a year on my PhD at the University of Manchester (UoM), UK, and was invited by the CSC to the Cumberland Lodge London for a professional training on Development Impact. Interestingly, Dr. Coote and Dr. Orchard were invited to the event as guest speakers. At the end of their talks, I went to them, introduced myself and reminded them how disappointed I was 2 years earlier when they failed to believe in me. They were speechless. 😂😂😂

They claimed they were glad I didn't give up as UoM is a far better university and that they were proud of me. After explaining my research project which is focused on further understanding the factors driving arsenic release from subsurface rocks into drinking groundwater, they were just looking at me with no clue of what I was saying. 🤣🤣🤣🤣 Let me remind you that these were my former MSc tutors, indicating that I had gone ahead to specialise in an area totally different from my MSc field.

I left them feeling super proud of myself but didn’t leave without taking a picture with them of course (see attached). 😎😎😎

Failure or rejection must be handled properly in 2019, for it will largely determine what happens next to you.

Wishing you all the very best and may the odds ever be in your favour.

Amen.