On the 4th May, 2017,, an image of 14 black men from Cambridge University went viral on the internet. This picture was shared and reported by many news agencies including the BBC.

The photo was taken and posted by Cambridge Afro-Caribbean society (ACS) to create awareness that there is space for black men (and women) in Cambridge. It was done to replicate a similar photo of young male students of Yale University posted by Akintunde Ahmad and his friends.

This photo has re-awakens the conversation on the underrepresentation of black students in top universities. It’s shocking to note that out of 1287 students only 38 or about 1% identified as blacks. Black in this sense constitutes over 1 billion people in Africa, the black British, the black American and afro Caribbean population. Indeed, there is enormous work to be done.

However, of interest to note is that 12 of these black boys are either first or second generation Nigerians. This is a country with a global tag of negativities from fantastically corrupt, to drug peddlers, internet fraudster alias yahoo boys, etc.

The battered image of Nigeria makes it look as if nothing good can come out of that nation. But, if you take a look at every sphere of life, you will definitely see a successful Nigeria. Of recent is Anthony Oluwafemi Joshua, the current unified world heavyweight boxing champion.

You can only understand the enormity of this soiled image when you travel or work outside Nigeria. You constantly have to prove that you are not dubious, corrupt, arrogant or untrustworthy. The energy you should use in developing yourself and your environment is expended fighting this stigma. Indeed any Nigeria succeeding outside Nigeria deserves special accolades. So these 12 boys who posed for this photo deserve accolades.

You may be wondering why I think going to Cambridge is a big deal. Let me remind you that to get into Cambridge you require at least A*A*A in A level exams. This is a feat achieved by just 140 black students in the UK in 2015. As an international student, the average tuition fee for undergraduate degrees in Cambridge is about £23000.

This is equivalent of about N10 million and most degrees are 3 or 4 years. If you happen to be a home student, which is the case for second or third generation Nigerians, the fee is about £10000 which is equivalent to N5 million. Meanwhile, most of the parents of these boys are not politicians but ordinary people in different spheres of life.

Furthermore, I need not bug you with the prestige of Cambridge University. The facts are clear. This is a university that has existed for over 800 years and has remained one of the top 5 universities in the world since inception.

Also, a significant proportion of the key players in global space and conversation are alumni of Cambridge. My experience as a postgraduate student here is one I will not trade for anything. In my opinion, Cambridge is not just a British university but a global heritage.

Another interesting question from this photo is: Where are other Africans if 12 of 14 boys are either first or second generation Nigerians? A continent of 54 countries and a random sampling of 14 boys has 12 with Nigerian origin begs for an answer. If the key players in global conversation are trained in Cambridge and other top universities, then we have to be part of that space if we want to participate in the conversations.

Africa and the rest of the black communities cannot be spectators and expect to score goals or control the rules of the game. So to the parents, who are sweating to get their children into Cambridge and other top universities, I say kudos! I hope other African parents can emulate Nigerians in getting their children into these spaces. It is not an accident that many Cantabs end up doing many great things in the society. So key in and be part of this space.

For those who think that most Nigerians are dubious and corrupt because of the activities of a few bad eggs, you may continue to tag us while we excel at things that matter. I will also add that if your parents can’t afford to send you to Cambridge, do not be discouraged.

There is space for you. There are lots of scholarships and students loans that can get you to Cambridge and other top universities. Consult the university websites for information. I promise that all you need is to believe and give it a shot; I guarantee that your experience will be rewarding.

I deeply appreciate the Cambridge Afro-Caribbean society led by Ore Ogunbiyi (Nigerian) for this wonderful initiative. This sort of conversation is what we should never sleep on until we achieve better representation of black and minority ethnic groups in top universities.

I hope this campaign achieves the aim of raising awareness and encouraging more BME students to apply and get into Cambridge and other top universities. I am also grateful to the support the university has given to the campaign and their efforts in widening participation of BME at the university.

According to businessinsider, a university spokesman said “We maintain high academic standards but we are also committed to widening participation. ‘Widening participation further will require Government, schools, universities, charities, parents and students to work closely together. We will continue to work hard with all parties to raise aspirations and attainment to improve access to higher education.”

Apart from the undergraduate, the post-graduate also have the African society of Cambridge students (ASCU), Cambridge University Nigerian society (CUNS) etc. ASCU will be having their annual conference –Africa together, on the 9th June 2017.

This is a platform where Africa problems are discussed and solutions proffered by Africans. To my Ghanaian counterparts, while we are at our Jollof war, I will encourage you to work hard and come and support my good friend Amatey Doku in occupying the Cambridge space. As rightly put by Dami Adebayo “Young black men don’t grow up thinking they’ll make it here. They should”.

Finally, while we excel in these great universities, I hope we will join hands in correcting our battered image and making Nigeria and Africa work. Nigeria is the heartbeat of Africa. Africa will be the force to reckon with when Nigeria works. Let us join hand in making project Nigeria a reality.

Dr Chinedu Ugwu
Dr Ugwu is a PhD candidate in veterinary science, University of Cambridge, UK.

The students pictured in the main image are (top row, from left to right): William Gore, Bez Adeosun, Peter Adefioye, Judah Aiyenuro, Joseph Adikwu, Dennis Mubaiwa, Dami Adebayo, Ife Adepegba, Donte Nembhard, Baba Bob-Soile, and Daniel Oluboyede. Pictured on the bottom row of the photo are Michael Samuelson-Beulah, Folajimi Babasola, and Ade Omisore.

The post The Cambridge Black Boys’ Photo That Went Viral! Mostly Nigerians appeared first on Naijaloaded | Nigeria No. 1 Online Portal.

A word of prayer for the nation as Acting President Prof Osinbajo presides over Federal Executive Council (FEC) Meeting at The Council Chambers, State House Abuja on Wed10 May 2017

Image credit: Sesco

Former President John Dramani Mahama visited Lagos.He was pictured with APC Chieftain Bola Tinubu, Chief Olu Okeowo and Dele Momodu.He was entertained by Chief Olu who played 'IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL' for him.

See photos below

Image credit:Ovation International

The Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has clarified that cut-off points are not set by the body.

The exams will begin on Saturday May 13, 2017.

He explained that a policy committee chaired by the Minister of Education, with the Board, Vice-Chancellors, Provosts of Colleges of Education and Polytechnic Rectors as members, is saddled with the task.

The Registrar of JAMB, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, said this at the news briefing on Tuesday in Bwari, in preparation for the conduct of this year’s UTME.

He described cut-off points to be a minimum requirement and not an indication that one was admissible.

The JAMB boss reiterated the Board’s resolve to prepare more after learning all the lessons from its past to organize for a successful examination.

“Following the continuous determination to curb the incidence of examination malpractice and other related offences, we will use the Biometric Verification Machine to verify candidates before admitting them for exam”, he said.

He added that JAMB registered a total of 1, 736, 571 candidates for the 2017 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

Oloyede also gave a breakdown of duly registered candidates for the 2017 UTME.

“In the last UTME conducted in 2016, a total of 1, 272, 284 candidates registered for the 2015.

“The figure for the 2017 UTME shows an increase of 464, 287 applicants when compared with last year’s figure of 1, 272, 284,” Oloyede said.

He disclosed that Imo state had the highest applications having 101, 868, this was followed by Osun, Oyo, and Ogun with 88, 655, 87, 811 and 81, 349, respectively among the top ten.

Others include, Delta – 81, 108, Anambra – 77, 253, Kaduna – 72, 104, Kano – 70, 276, Kogi – 70, 150 and Benue – 68, 916.

The post JAMB Registrar Speaks On Cut-Off Marks, Breakdown Of Registered UTME Candidates appeared first on Naijaloaded | Nigeria No. 1 Online Portal.

'I read a story about a particular Taxify driver that beat up a lady just few days ago and I was alarmed not knowing it will be my turn pretty soon....... My day in a nutshell.

Are you in the process of finding and applying for jobs? If you are, you may be ready to mail out your resume.

Before you send out your resume or resumes, you will want to take a close look at the cover letter of your resume. For starters, are you even using a cover letter?

If you are currently not using a cover letter, you will want to refrain from mailing out your resume, at least right away. Many businesses expect to receive cover letters attached to all resumes. In fact, many now require them, especially with mailed in applications or resumes.

If you are unsure as to how you can go about creating the perfect resume or at least one that can benefit you, you will want to continue reading on.

When it comes to creating the perfect cover letter, there are a number of important factors to take into consideration. One of those factors is the job that you are applying for and the wishes of that company.

It is common for some employers to list exactly what they want cover letters to include. If you are given a sample or directions, you are advised to follow them. Not following instructions can result in your resume, as well as your cover letter ending up in the “don’t call,” pile.

As previously stated, a company may have their own preferences as to what they would like cover letters to include. This is because no two companies are truly the same. That is why it is advised that you do not use the same cover letter for each resume that you send out.

Instead, you will want to create and distribute different cover letters for each employer that you have. You can have a sample cover letter or a template to use, but it is advised that you take the time to personalize each cover letter in one way or another.

Speaking of personalizing your cover letter, you will want to personalize each cover letter that you send out to the jobs that you are applying for and the companies in which you are sending your resume to. For instance, if you are applying for the position of a legal secretary, you will want to plainly state that position.

This will automatically set you apart from a good percentage of your competition. Customizing each of your cover letters to the particular job that you are applying for is a great way to get yourself noticed, as you took a few extra steps not necessarily required.

Another one of the many ways that you can create the perfect cover letter for yourself is by being short and to the point. With that in mind, you will not want to be too short either. A cover letter should be at least three paragraphs and you should try and keep all cover letters under one page long.

It is advised that you do not use any colored fonts, as black ink should do. It is also advised that you do not use any colored paper for your resume cover letter. Some job seekers mistakenly believe that this catches the eye of those in charge of scheduling job interviews. Yes, it may, but not always in the ways that you had hoped for.

As for what you should include in your cover letter, it is advised that you list a few of your skills and qualifications. It is also important to keep this portion of your cover letter short and to the point.

Your resume will go into further detail, but it is still advised that you quickly outline the qualifications and skills that you have. Be sure to focus on those that apply directly to the job that you are applying for.

For example, if you are applying for the position of a legal secretary, you will want to summarize your computer software knowledge, typing skills, transcription skills, and so forth.

The above mentioned points are all points that you will want to take into consideration, when making a cover letter for yourself. In all honesty, any cover letter is better than no cover letter at all, but with cover letters being relatively easy to create, why take the chance.

The post [A MUST READ] Best And Easy Way To Create A Perfect Cover Letter appeared first on Naijaloaded | Nigeria No. 1 Online Portal.

Oil rebounded on Wednesday following a report that the US stockpile dropped to its biggest one-week low this year.

The US crude inventories dropped by 5.2 million barrels last week, according to the US Energy Information Administration. This is more than the 1.8 million-barrel predicted by analysts.

The Brent crude oil climbed 3 percent to $50.27 per barrel as at 6:15 Nigerian time. While, the US West Texas Intermediate oil surged to $47.44 a barrel.

However, analysts have said it is hard to see how this one-off drop in US production would change oil outlook and ease investors’ concerns going forward.

“It is difficult to see how the day’s gains last,” said a partner at hedge fund Again Capital in New York, John Kilduff. “US crude oil production is now solidly above 9.3 million barrels per day with more to come, and refined product, especially for gasoline, is oddly weak.”

Brent, against which half of the world’s oil is priced, has endured a volatile past, plunging from more than $100 a barrel in 2014 to $26 in February 2016.

While, it has since recovered mildly, there were concerns regarding how OPEC would sustain current market price in the face of rising U.S. production.

Experts have said other fundamentals within OPEC member nations have to be addressed before another successful consensus could be reached.

For instance, a Foreign Exchange Research Analysts at Investors King Ltd., Samed Olukoya said: “The rising oil production in Libya and Nigeria could worsen current progress as both nations were exempted from the ongoing production cut.”

The weakness in the oil price has impacted the oil sector, resulting in about 400,000 job cut globally, while investment in the sector is at a record low.

The post Oil Rebounds Above $50 As US Stockpile Drops appeared first on Naijaloaded | Nigeria No. 1 Online Portal.

The Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) allocation distribution to all the 36 States from January – March 2017.

Akwa Ibom State and Bayelsa State got the highest with N34.88 Billion and N22.97 Billion respectively.

And some states like Bayelsa are still owing civil servants.

Source: BudgITng

The post Infograph : FAAC Allocation Distribution To 36 States From January – March 2017 appeared first on Naijaloaded | Nigeria No. 1 Online Portal.

Psalms, Chapter 150

 1Hallelujah!

Praise God in his holy sanctuary;^*a

give praise in the mighty dome of heaven.

2Give praise for his mighty deeds,^b

praise him for his great majesty.

3Give praise with blasts upon the horn,^c

praise him with harp and lyre.

4Give praise with tambourines and dance,

praise him with strings and pipes.^d

5Give praise with crashing cymbals,

praise him with sounding cymbals.

6Let everything that has breath

give praise to the LORD!^e

Hallelujah!

* [Psalm 150] The Psalm is a closing doxology both for the fifth book of the Psalms (Ps 107–149) and for the Psalter as a whole. Temple musicians and dancers are called to lead all beings on earth and in heaven in praise of God. The Psalm proclaims to whom praise shall be given, and where (Ps 150:1); what praise shall be given, and why (Ps 150:2); how praise shall be given (Ps 150:3–5), and by whom (Ps 150:6).

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