THE SPIRIT AND MINDSET OF EXCELLENCE
BY
PROFESSOR PETER U. NWANGWU, M.Sc., Pharm.D., Ph.D.
PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER,
UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA RESEARCH AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (UNRED) FOUNDATION
INTRODUCTION
We all have one life to live. Our life is a precious gift from God; what we make of it is a gift to our society and fellow humans. What you make out of your life, depends on what you put into your life. The development of a life is like the building of a house. In building a house you need an architectural plan, a solid foundation, good building materials, and fine finishing details. Let us consider these four elements of building a house, as illustration of what is needed in the development of the mindset of the new Nigerian youth.
Elements of Building the Mindset of Excellence in the New Nigerian Youth
1. Architectural Plan: Anybody building a good house today needs an architectural plan. The more thoughtful and detailed the plan, the better the outcome of the finished product. You cannot build a house by chance or guess work. The New Nigerian Youth must have a development plan. If the development of any life is by guess work or accident, the quality of the finished human product is often undesirable. The New Nigerian Youth has responsibility to have a thoughtful and carefully developed plan for the building of his or her life. Such plans must include proper education, development of proper culture, social and professional skills, patriotism, sense of duty and responsibility, entrepreneurism, and love for God and fellow humans.
2. Solid Foundation: Nobody builds a good house on the sand. Any good building requires a foundation. The more solid the foundation, the more lasting the building. The new Nigerian cannot build his or her life on sand. All that glitters is not gold. The new Nigerian youth must go beyond the glitter, and find real gold for his or her life. You have one life to live. You must build it properly on solid foundation, or it will collapse when the winds of life blow.
3. Good Building Materials: Any thoughtful builder is very concerned about the quality of the building materials they use. A good builder wants original materials, not fake materials. The new Nigerian youth cannot build his or her life with fake materials. As they say in America, “Garbage in, garbage out”. If you build your life with garbage, you will be Mr. Garbage or Miss Garbage, unfit for society and useless to your fellow humans.
4. Fine Finishing Details: The quality and appeal of a finished house includes the choice of fine finishing details. Remember that fine finishing details is a matter of choice; but it shows. The new Nigerian youth must have the appetite for choice of fine finishing details in the development of his or her life. If you are a fine polished gentleman or lady, it shows. You become delightful, thoughtful, pleasant to be around, with impeccable character, excellent mindset, and adorable disposition.
Some Practical Steps Toward the Goal
1. Never stop learning
- Be teachable
- Expand your horizon
2. Have an educated mindset
- Make informed and educated decisions and choices.
3. Develop simple appetites, and shun a life of ostentation.
4. Humility is better than pride and arrogance
- “Pride – the self-polishing wax”
- The art of self-polishing originates from a state of psychological insecurity.
- Pharmacist Okeke, Engineer Okafor, Surveyor Nwokezuke, some of you may introduce yourselves as Dr. Egodinma.
- What is wrong with, “My name is Peter Nwangwu”?
5. Be reliable, honorable and dependable as a tradition and life style
- Let your Yes be Yes, and No be No.
6. Develop healthy life styles
- Healthy eating habits
- Good exercise and relaxation programs
- Invest in a few good friends
7. In your job, become indispensable
8. Be an entrepreneur if you can
- The fundamental principle for success in business development is providing excellent service or product needed by fellow humans.
- If you can identify a human need -- in service or product -- and if you can find a good way to fill that need reliably, you will become a multi-millionaire.
- How do you select a product or service?
- Something that will solve the need of many, at a fair and affordable price.
• Once you have selected a product/service, what next?
- Comprehensive business plan, including financial plan, risk assessment, and contingencies.
- Source funds, engage responsible staff.
- Operate the business.
• In operating any business, the customer is king.
- Satisfied customers is the life wire of a business.
• You must have a hands-on approach. Cannot afford to be an absent manager, not in Nigeria.
• Should have excellent nationwide marketing operation; or plans to grow into that, based on regional marketing groups.
• Should have effective research and development group, for new services or product development.
• Honesty and integrity should be the standard operating procedure, ALWAYS.
9. All that glitters is not gold
- Learn how to separate noise from real thing
- There is a lot of noise and glitter around you
- The world around you will lie to you everyday
- Will you be a victim, or can you read in between the line, and control your destiny?
Summary
As the saying goes, “As you make your bed, so must you lie on it”. You have one life to live. Make it a beautiful productive life. Have a good plan for building your life, build your life on a solid foundation, use good building materials, not fake materials, and choose fine finishing details to enrich the appeal of your life. May God bless Nigeria through the gracefulness of the young men and women with a true spirit of excellence?
TIME MANAGEMENT FOR AN OUT-OF-SCHOOL YOUTH
Nwakaire O.N. Department of Adult Education, University of Nigeria, Nsukka
In the contemporary Nigerian society, many youths have been thrown off-balance. This derives from the poor background given from primary through tertiary education. These institutions have not equipped the youth with the skills needed to cope with life, so as to become self-reliant. Once out-of-school therefore, the youths tend to grope like sheep without a shepherd.
However, it is important that the youths be informed that all hope is not lost. The purpose of this brief write-up is to show the youths a way out of the dilemma and enable them bounce back developing the needed resilience to tackle life after school. The whole thing is predicated on time-management after school.
There are scores of skills available for the youths to fall back to in order to ensure that they do not waste useful years. The youths can learn fashion designing and organize themselves into cooperatives. If they do this the banks may offer them loans to equip themselves.
Some youths are driving literate. The skill of driving can be employed gainfully. If the youths organize themselves into cooperatives, they may be able to purchase a bus for a start and raise money for themselves. Of course this will require proper contract agreement to avoid swindling by unscrupulous members.
The deficiencies that may be detected in primary schools may be corrected if – An English Graduate, Mathematics Graduate, Physics, Geography, Igbo, Biology, History, Social Sciences etc band themselves together and run lessons, then transit to primary, to secondary, JAMB UME etc, raise money from school fees and establish their own schools.
These borders on time management, as acknowledged by Nwakaire (2004:123) in managing time, it is necessary to keep one’s mind in clear focus. What one wants to achieve must be clearly defined and urgent action must follow. So the first step in managing time is to realize its fleeting nature and start to manage it immediately.
Planning of time is vital if one is to achieve the most within the available time. The reality of life is that it is dynamic. At each phase you should be able to cope. If you are 20 today, in the next decade you will be 30, the next 40, next 50 etc. along with each decade come changes; physical, emotional, spiritual and mental lent there are two poems that will assist you:
INSPIRATION
How are you heading? On up-grade
Fearless, dauntless and unafraid
The light of victory in your eye
Your shoulders squared and head held high
Because you vowed, “I shall prevail!”
You dare not, cannot, must not fail
No power on earth can hold you back,
You’re traveling on the victor’s track,
On, on, scale heights that tower so steep,
Through storm and night and tempest sweep,
The goal is yours, you’ll win the prize
Though off you stumble, quickly rise –
Be not discouraged, still pursue,
Until life’s best is won by you
(from a very old Psychology magazine)
The second poem also belongs to the Ages. If you recite this poem every morning when you arise, you will definitely change for the better.
Listen to the exhortation of the dawn;
Look well to this day!
For it’s life, the very life of life!
In its brief course, lie all the
Varieties and Realities of your Existence,
The Bliss of Growth,
The Glory of Action,
The Splendour of Beauty,
For yesterday is but a dream,
And Tomorrow is only a Vision
But Today, well lived, makes
Every yesterday a Dream of Happiness
And every Tomorrow a Vision of Hope
Look well therefore to this Day,
Such is the Salutation of the Dawn
(From the Sanskrit).
You cannot afford to be idle. Use your time wisely and immediately in line with the exhortation above and you will succeed. You must be humble to succeed.
Skills: A Natural Tool for Human Development
Nweke Prince and Onyeidu Emmanuel
University of Nigeria, Nsukka
Introduction
Are you winning or losing at the game of life? Would you like to be living a more wonderful life? If so, you practically need to learn more about the basics skills for your journey here and thereafter through life. Whether you choose to succeed in life, gain mastery, or attain happiness ... there are essential life skills you need to win at the game of life..
It is unfortunately, that many of us today never get to see the list of basic skills we need to develop ... and so we never know if we are getting towards the things we need to know. And if one refuses to acquire practical life skills, there is the tendency that we are likely going to hit a pothole in life ... sometimes getting stranded by the side of the road.
In other to make to sure that this experience or illustration does not happen to you in life, we advice you to take a moment now and think about the skills you need to thrive in this modern world of challenges. And any skills you preferable need to acquire to make your dreams come true are to start it now, today and not tomorrow. However, below are some of the illustrated skills we briefly outline to help you adjust your life and as well to earn your living in your society.
Self Knowledge Skills
Often the most valuable skills we learn are ones that help us learn about ourselves.
• To know who you are, who you can become, and how you can excel in life
• Understand your fate, destiny & potential
• To know what your life calling and purpose are and the things that create meaning and bring joy into your life
• Find your place in the World
• To gain a wide range of experiences to draw on by traveling around the world.
• Make excellent life choices that are in your best interests
• Shape a strong character where virtues can be cultivated and nourished, and tested in the real life world
• To learn how to stay focused on what is important and wisely deal with diversions and distractions
• To understand each life stage and the challenges, opportunities, and obstacles each brings to you
Work Skills
• To know what skills you are good at and what gifts and talents help you excel, so that you can know what you are great at and to have people value in you.
• To know how the business world works as defined by the worldwide labor market, global economics, industry dynamics company structures, hiring practices and career paths.
• To be an intelligent, productive, hard working and ethical employee or employer.
• To not only be self sustainable, but to earn a good living -- enough to be able to provide adequate food, shelter, clothing, education and medical care for you and your loved ones.
Managing Money Skills
Money makes the world goes round, serve as the root of all evils brings value, personality, integrity, respect and as well a funds that can make our dreams come true.
• To not only be able to do simple math, but handle money, budget, and save wisely
• To know the difference between spending and investing, income and expenditure, hard to get and easy to spend.
• To put money aside for a rainy day, large purchases and down payments on housing and transportation
• To invest in lifelong learning and new skills to stay competitive and interested in life
Problem Solving Skills
One of the most common human tasks is problem solving, and these skills reflect that.
• To be able to think deeply and critically about problems. Specifically, to recognize the symptoms, trace them to the root of the problem, name it, identify and evaluate possible solutions, select the appropriate solution and implement it.
• To know how the world works as defined by mathematical formulas and other representations of cause and effect in the physical world.
• To be able to identify challenges and obstacles, understand their impact and significance, and know how to overcome them or go around them.
• To effectively solve problems and learn from your mistakes
• To make good decisions and keep your commitments (two sources of self-made problems)
• Know how to begin, arrive at the middle and end
• Arrive at compromises, blend opposites, find a Higher middle ground
Communication Skills
We also need to learn how to communicate with other people, as well as convey our thoughts, ideas and feelings to the ones we love and work with.
• To not only be able to read well, but be literate in all the best examples of the written word so you can spot common themes and think about universal ideas.
• To be able to not only write, but communicate well with others about your thoughts, feelings, ideas, opinions, taste preferences, values and beliefs.
• To converse easily with a wide variety of people and speak the Truth from your heart
Living Skills
Many people think basic living skills are being able to do the laundry and run the dishwasher. But life has so many more challenges to offer.. And you need the skills to cope.
• To be able to observe the world, reason, and draw accurate and rational conclusions.
• To understand how to live a healthy life and make life-fulfilling decisions about food, physical exercise, sleep, and the way you use your life energy.
• To learn about the chain of consequences that flow from both small and large actions and to take responsibility for both your actions and all their consequences.
• To be able to navigate the world around you and be able to travel safely where ever you need to go.
• To understand the major life decisions you face and know how to make good choices based on your current situation and future possibilities.
• To understand universal life themes and how to turn them from abstract concepts into concrete actions. These include ... justice, freedom, honor, integrity, respect, fairness, ethics, love, jealously, joy, greed.
• To get a useful education and become smarter in the ways of the world
• To develop and cultivate a good sense of humor to get you through the tough times
• To be wisely optimistic so you can see the possibilities in crises and take advantage of windows of opportunity
• To create life affirming habits so you naturally act in your own best interests, even when you are running on autopilot through your life
• To learn how to wisely take risks for a Handsome reward and know when to harvest and exit, as well as when to enter and sow
• To know how to turn worry into taking action so that your energy is used in finding solutions and taking action instead of wheel spinning
• To understand life situations & Nature's Laws so you can trace the laws of cause and effect and use them to your advantage
• To find the keys to success (mastery, self fulfillment, happiness, enlightenment) and share them with the ones you love
• To find meaning & create significance in the events of your life so you can understand how it is unfolding and where it is going
• To be able to adapt to circumstances and take effective action
• To understand and use power Wisely so you can influence the unfolding of events in your life and the lives of those you love
• To understand people, what they want and how to help them discover, fund and live their dreams
• To discover and keep updating what brings you happiness ... and lets you bring happiness to others
• To be able to accept & embrace ambiguity in a world where uncertainty is the norm and nothing is normal
• To find the silver lining in events and learn how to use it to create rainbows of opportunity
• To l earn from mistakes (yours and others) and be able to put the past behind You and s tart over or anew Gracefully
• To keep an open mind so you can sort lies from truth and evolve your ideas and theories as the world evolves
Relationship Skills
Some of the most challenging skills to learn are how to get along with others.
• To get along with others, respect their individuality and strengths, as well as understand their weaknesses and needs.
• To be able to form friendships, alliances, temporary teams, study groups, and negotiate the world of cliques and social hierarchies.
• To be able to listen to, understand, respect, and follow authorities as well as undertake leadership roles and use power wisely.
• To be a thoughtful and informed citizen who votes, pays taxes, obeys the laws, participates in helping the community thrive and serves to protect and defend the rights and life of others.
• To be a considerate, compassionate and responsible home owner, neighbor and community member.
• To be a kind, loving and supportive family member.
• To find and connect with another person and commit your heart, head and resources to nurture and champion their dreams -- and have them do the same to you.
• To create great friendships, nurture them and maintain lifelong friendships with kindred spirits and true friends
• To build a strong, supportive family of your own that respects each member, honors their differences and embraces them for who they are
• To b e welcomed into a culture (your own or another) as a valuable member worthy of respect and caring
• To treat others as equals, encourage them and champion their dreams
• To help others when all they need is a helping hand
• To act as a good role model and find ones of your own to inspire and guide you throughout your life
PERCEPTION OF DISABILITY
BY
MISS NNENNA PRECIOUS ALAUKWU
(Ability in Disability - 08036875841)
Everybody dreads anything that has to do with disability no matter the form it takes. Since it makes a person vulnerable to a lot of things, ranging from verbal and physical assaults, different forms of humiliation and poverty to whatever could be imagined.
To an African traditional view, a disabled person is one who is suffering the consequences of the sins he committed in his former life. People who belong to this school of thought regard people with disability as only good –for –begging, not fit to be seen or heard. Also they believe that anybody who is doing anything with them is attracting the anger of God.
To a specialist, a disabled person is one who is suffering as a result of one form of disease, accident or the other, which in the course of time has rendered one or more of the organs in sufferer’s body ineffective. The specialist recommends that if rehabilitated, such a person could function properly like any other person in the society.
The philosopher, on the other hand, sees everybody as disabled with one form of disability or the other. Philosophers equally opine that there is no permanence in life.
In Nigeria, the only people seen as being disabled are those who have form of disability or the other. Following this view, all should acknowledge it and sundry that so many people are disabled without them being aware of it. For instance, a child who finds it difficult to grasp what the teacher teaches is intellectual disabled. A teacher who does not know how to impact knowledge effectively to his students is disabled in knowledge impartation. A manager who does not know how to relate effectively with his staff is disabled in personnel management.
Following the trend of events, one may be forced to say that more than 75% of members of our country are adopting the African traditional view; this unfortunately has resulted to untold negligence and arbitrary rejection of people with disability in our society.
The people our society regard as “disabled” should actually be seen as “physically challenged”. That in itself is the proper perception of Physical Disability. Nothing more, nothing less.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Nnenna Precious Alaukwu graduated from University of Nigeria Nsukka. She was disabled as a child by poliomyelitis. Miss Alaukwu was a member of the House of Representatives of the student’s Union Government,(SUG) UNN. Assistance Secretary, Adult Education Student Association (ADESA) UNN. General Secretary, National Association of Disabled Students, UNN.
She has author six (6) motivational books. She is a speaker in Conference and Seminars in which she advocated for the rights of the disabled.
Miss Alaukwu is a proprietress of a school where she offers free education to orphans and less privilege. She has being a voice to reckon with.
Nigerian Scholarship Awards: A Tool for Education Empowerment
Nweke Prince O.
ICT/Innovation Centre,
University of Nigeria, Nsukka
What is Scholarship?
Scholarship can be defined as the creative intellectual work that is validated by peers and communicated broadly. On the other hand, Nwodo (2006), defined scholarship as the outcomes, insights, creations, and products arising from activities and creative processes that utilize the methods of inquiry and accumulated knowledge from the field of economics.
Ugwuja (2009) on his own view defined scholarship as an award of access to an institution, or a financial aid award for a student to further education. It is always awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.
Types of Scholarship
Nigerian scholarship is divided into two categories as it is been stated in the scheme. There are as follows:
(1) The National Scheme Scholarships: is type of scholarship that has to do with applicants from all over the country and is been awarded every year to winners at the National Quiz Competitions.
(2) The Operational Scheme Scholarships is the type of scholarships that deals with applicants from operational areas of the Nigeria Oil Companies, such as: Delta State, Abia State, Bayelsa State, Imo State, Rivers State and Cross River State. It is a regular scholarship that is conducted in all Nigerian University Courses, but they give preference to courses that relate to their core operations of oil exploration, oil exploitation and oil marketing.
Required Qualifications:
For any undergraduates students to be qualify for any of this schemes in Nigeria, is expected to possess at least minimum university entry requirements of WAEC, NECO, GCE or their equivalents with five (5) credits including English Language and Mathematics. The candidate must also scale through special selections of aptitude tests and interviews organized by such oil companies.
Method of Application:
Application forms are usually obtainable free of charge at any Federal University in each of the six geopolitical zone of Nigeria as well at the companies corporate headquarters after which it has been advertised in the Nigerian dailies papers every year.
Values of Nigerian Scholarship Scheme:
The scholarship covers the applicant’s tuition and boarding as well as personal maintenance allowances and other costs.
Others scholarships Bodies include:
1) Foreign Scholarship programme under Bi-lateral Education Agreement
2) Technical Teachers Training Programme Scheme sponsored by the Federal Government of Nigeria.
3) Total FINAEIF Scholarship which is tenable in France for minimum of 30 students per year in Nigerian Universities.
Below are list of scholarship awarded companies for Nigerian Undergraduate Students in both State and Federal Universities.
Name Location
a) Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) -
b) Nigerian AGIP Oil Company Ltd (NAOC) - Plot Pc23, Engineering Close,
Victoria Island – Lagos. Tel. 01- 2600100, 2600109
c) CHEVRON Nigeria Ltd. - Chevron Drive. Lekki Expressway,
P.M.M. 12825 – Lagos. Tel. 084- 2362704.
OR P.H. Plot 46, Trans Amadi
Industrial Layout – Port-Harcourt.
Tel. 01-2600600
d) MORIC Nigeria Ltd. -
e) OCEAN Energy Nigeria Ltd -
f) SHELL Petroleum Development Company - Freeman House, 21/22 – Marina.
P.O.Box 2418 – Lagos. Tel. 01-2601600, 2601820
g) TEXACO Oil Company
h) TOTAL Oil Company
i) MOBILE Producing Nigeria Unlimited - Mobile House, Lekki Expressway,
Victoria Island – Lagos. Tel. 01-2692133, 619296
j) EIF Petroleum Nigeria Ltd. - 35 Kafo Abayo,I Street, Victoria
Island – Lagos. Tel. 01-2601100, 2637875
References
………..(2004): “Nigerian oil and GAS Industry”. Publish by Nigerian National Petroleum
Cooperation Edition. Pg.5. 2004.
……….(2006): “Education Digest: Revitalizing Technical Education in Enugu State”. An
Exclusive House Journal of Enugu State Ministry of Education. Pg.4. Quarter Press Nig. Ltd. Enugu State.
Personal Business: How to Establish and Operate in Future
Nweke Prince O.
ICT/Innovation Centre
University of Nigeria, Nsukka
Definition of Business?
From the general definition, one can define business as an organization own by a
personor many person whose main aim is to produced, buys and sells of goods and services for the satisfaction of human wants and to make profit. In other words, a business is a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it. Onyeke (2006) defined business as a “commercial enterprise: the activity of providing goods and services involving financial, commercial and industrial aspects"
On the other hand, personal business can otherwise know as personal occupation,
trade, Job or profession in which he engaged himself in other to earn a living. It is as well known as personal matters concern".
Eleven Benefits/importance of Personal Business Ventures
The owner of such business is known as “MD” which stands for “Managing Director” or “CEO” known as “Chief Executive Officer”
He stands the chance to enjoy his profit alone a sole owner of the business.
He has a complete freedom to operate as when needed or wanted.
He acts as the sole owner or manger of the business.
He does not share his profit with anybody except where there is existence of partnership or joint stock ventures which goes with agreement.
He maintains cordial relationship with his customers.
He takes his decisions alone.
He does not require ay formality before establishing his business.
He can easily switch over to another business of his choice.
He can easily meet the demand of his customers no matter how small the request may be.
It is easy to start and operate with any little amount of capital available at hand.
Five Problems Encountered in Personal business Ventures
The death of the owner may lead to the end of the business.
Lack of mismanagement may bring about lack of continuity.
Lack of efficient capital may bring about inability to face marketing competition.
Lack of capital and bad staff recruitment may bring about unlimited expansion of the business.
The owner bears his risks and losses alone.
Seven Factor that Leads to Failure of many Business Ventures today in Nigeria
Too much excessive spending either for the family issues or business affairs.
Wrong purchases of goods and services from the producer’s or suppliers.
Lack of experience and knowledge of the business.
Lack of good methods of advertisement.
Too much credit facilities to untrust worthy customers.
Lack of proper statement of account by the recruited sale girls or sale boys.
Lack of book of account mostly on daily basis, such as: daily sales book, credit book, purchase daybook etc.
Ten Factors to be considered before establishing a business Ventures
The amount of capital available.
The number of workers to be employed.
The method of establishment.
The source of capital of the business.
The nature of the business.
The location of the business (which is very much important).
The knowledge and experience of the business.
The name of the business.
The source of supply, distribution and advertisement.
The quality, quantity and price impose on the goods or services to render to the members of the public.
