Life in AUN, the American University in West Africa

Be Smart - wikiHow

2009-06-13T13:46:00.000+01:00

Freshman Composition: What is it?

2009-05-18T23:16:00.001+01:00

You have heard that writing is a major component of the American Education and what we receive here in AUN is of no exception. Every freshman offers two courses of writting titled freshman writing or freshman composition 1 and 2 their first and second semestes respectively. But what do they write about?

Many of the writing courses are to develop your thinking ability. A professor would want to see how you reason and how built your imaginative ability is. I got this piece (sort of a trash) on the desk were I am going to do my studies and I found it interesting to blog about. It sort of tell about what professors ask students to write about and for prospective students out there, I felt you may like to know in advance what it is that professors would want you to do in a writing course. This writing 101 assignment is for students to create their religion. I will type word for word this student’s work without disclosing the student’s name however. I think it is sort of an outline.

Titled “Eighteen Questions about My Invented Religion”

1. Address if your religion has a god or not: My religion will have a god. His name will be Bass and he will be known to humanity as a microphone (his image).

2.What are the six things people in your relition believe in?
The only sexual abomination is unprotected sex.
The concept in rap is not how you flow it, but how you knwow it.
All money is good money.
In the hood, Niges are like cutlery in the kitchen
Make more haters than you can count
Life is short

3. Six main rules of your religion
Thou shall not kill for no good reason
Never loss your chanin because it represnts your name
Never start a battle with your inferior
Never stal another worshippers lyrics
Do not abuse any microphone in any way
Never claim to be the best

4. Who (if any) will be in charge?
No one person will be in charge. A body of twenty-four of the world’s top producers
(each representing the coast of his continent) will run things.

5. What two things clearly will not be acceptable in your religion?
Piracy is forbidden
Never abuse a microphone

6. Who could and could not belong to your religion?
Conservationist cannot be part of this religion.

7. What religion is it the opposite of in anyway?

8. What roll will you play in uour religion and how will people treat you?
I will be the creator of the religion but no one will know that I created it

9. What will they call you?
People will call me the Voic of Bass.

10. What uniform will you and the men and women priests wear?
My identity will never be revealed because I will always be wearing black hooded sweet shirts with blue jeans and whit sneakers. The priests will also be dressed in the same way.

11. How would your worship building be?
Any structure with an elevation (stage) which allows for people on it to be seen will be used for worship when needed.

12. How much money will it cost to join your religion weekly/monthly?
Money will not be collected in cash. Rather worshippers are expected to buy at
least nine albums a month.

13. How will they pray in your religion?
They will pray with a pattern of lines or rhymes which can fit into a 4/4 music beat count. Any position is accepted except praying lying down.

14. Will there be singing and dancing in your religion?
Yes, Singing, and dancing and any other form of praise that do not conflict with
any of the six don’ts of the religion will be accepted.

15. Give me an example of a song.
Thug Mansion remix by 2pac featuring NAS

16. What will you call you religion?
Hip-popism

17. Was there an old religion, what was it?
No.

18. Is the religion magnetic, charismatic or forced?
It will be magnetic and charismatic but not forced

The Golden Hearted AUN students that Volunteered during the last orientation

2009-04-18T22:51:00.000+01:00

I wrote this early this semester to be a part of the AUN students magazine which unfortunately was never published. I mean the magazine has not or was not printed. Don't know what went wrong. Maybe funding.

The orientation exercise was very well organized; certainly the most organized since the inception of AUN. There are lots of instances to this one of which was the large number of students that volunteered. Such an increase in the number brought division of labor which made the entire process very effective and efficient. It was indeed a far cry from what it used to be in past orientation exercises when very few persons volunteered.

I felt very happy that AUN students were beginning to put into practice the things they have learnt unconsciously. They have learnt that the volunteering service is one way to be patriotic and patriotism is one way we can make AUN great. Also, there is a kind of feeling of joy that comes when you help somebody just for helping sake because you know that they are also going to help someone someday. And this really makes the world go round. These students who volunteered have demonstrated the spirit of love and it was love that does not expect anything in return. For this, I will call them “The Golden Hearted Students.” The large volunteer of students this year (the largest so far) recorded the largest number of students participating in the various programs outlined for them. This made the number of confusion cases that new students normally experienced highly reduced, making their transition to the university a smooth one.

Another reason that made it very organized was the duration of the orientation. It spanned over a week and so the new student had enough time to settle down before classes started. And for the new students, their hopes were very high and in my chat with some of them of lately, they agree that their expectations were surpassed and are convinced that AUN is a surely in the edge of soaring high among Nigerian and African Universities. I hope that these new students will volunteer someday in helping other students such that we can continue to achieve greatness. Together we can all make this great.

I Love Musish Football Club Founded by AUN Pioneer Student

2009-01-19T13:47:00.010+01:00

I have no idea how I got to this blog. I think I probably just type in the words "aaun blogger" in the google search engine. Yes, I did. I now remember. Because I was bored. I'm sorry, I'm frequently getting absent minded and forgetful. Maybe it's because getting old. Ok, now, new students orientation is going on and today happen to be the day we got the lowest number of newstudents. It was 62 the first day, second was 74 while yesterday sunday was 47. I just went to have my lunch now and I just checked the new students turn up list at the welcome desk of Peter Okocha hall (formally called the General Purpose building) where the orientation is taking place and the number is about 17 so far today. The school admitted about 400 and is especting 250 to enrol. I am very sure we will get up to 300. There is a flight this afternoon. So, we might still have more students.

This post is not surpose to be about new students at all. Ok, I am a volunteer (as I have always been on very AUN orientation but this time I have kinda left the duty of welcoming and directing new students job to the admission section where I help sort out new students file from the cabinent and make photocopies of whatever document outstanding, a kind of continuation of my vacation job but now not being paid for it.) Since no new student have come withing the period I left for lunch, there is probably no need to go to washington hall where the admission and finance clearance, as well as the dorm check-in, the three essential stages of the orientation, are being done. Here I am in the New York hall where the library is housed temporarily pending the completion of the library under construction, doing some blogging because I am bored. I can see some other bored orientation volunteer playing chess here in the library. It was the boredom that led me to search aaun blogger and remembered mustapha because he calls himself the aaun blogger. Then I remembered that he is now well known as mushish because is the founder of Mushish football club. Then I searched musish and got a blog that wrote something about mushish which I fould entertaining and inspiring enough to copy and paste in my blog. It is an interview by one 35 year old Elie B. Smith, who holds Diploma in Mass Communications and a Bachelor in International Marketing. He is a Broadcast Journalist by profession and has worked with the English services of Radio France International and Canal France International,respectively as a correspondent in Africa and sports commentator in Paris where he is now living. Below is the exerpt and click here if you want to read from the original source.

Champions League kicks off tomorrow in Omdurman, the sister city of the Sudanese capital Khartoum, with a thrilling match pitting the Sudanese champions Al Hilal against Nigeria’s champions Eyinmba Football Club of Aba, Nigeria, in Nigeria and also in other parts of the continent, all sees and ears will be waiting for the outcome. A victory of the people’s Elephant, as the Aba based team is fondly called in eastern Nigeria, will give an indication on their ambition in this year’s tournament. MTN CAF Champions League is a competition that, they have lifted the trophy twice. But there is no ounce of doubt that, Eyinmba FC is one of the best managed football teams in Nigeria and also in sub Saharan Africa. But another Nigerian club from the North eastern Nigerian city of Yola wants imitate Eyinmba. But the problem is that, North eastern Nigeria and Yola in particular, doesn’t sound as a place where such pretensions could made. But the promoter and manager of Musish Football Club of Yola is determined to write his city and region’s name in the annals of Nigerian and African Club Football. How will he achieve such a feat in an area not known to be a paragon of the round leather? That is what Mr Mustapha Ayoola Ishola attempts to answer in the interview that follows.

Elie B. Smith: What is the name of your football club and when was it set up?

Mustapha Ayoola Ishola: The Name of our football club is MUSISH FOOTBALL CLUB. It was set up in December 2006.

Elie B. Smith: In what level is your football club playing in the Nigerian league?
Mustapha Ayoola Ishola: Our club is non divisional at the present. We have decided to remain in this state till we are able to acquire a national division 1 or national division 2 side, sometime in the future. However, we play in the premier league in the American University of Nigeria (AUN) which has been our home soil ever since our birth. We have remained in the premier league ever since.

Elie B. Smith: Given that, Yola and North eastern Nigeria are not sources of talented footballers, who do need players to feed your club?

Mustapha Ayoola Ishola: The American University of Nigeria houses students from all over the country. This is one of our strength because we have a combination of northern + eastern + south-western + south-southern players. We can boast of quite a good spread of players from all over the country.

Elie B. Smith: Given the dearth of young players in North eastern Nigeria, have you not thought of opening a training centre to train local talents or you just import players from other parts of Nigeria?

Mustapha Ayoola Ishola: We certainly have a plan to host some sort of boot camp to sift players from Yola and environs. For now, the university is a good enough breeding ground for us.

Elie B. Smith: If you have set up a training centre already, what are the conditions of admission and how long has your training centre been operating?

Mustapha Ayoola Ishola: We have not set up a training centre yet (though we hope to do so very soon). But we do organize ourselves in the fields of AUN. This has been happening since our birth – will be 2 years in December. We once used the Jimeta stadium when we played in the 2007 Coca-cola FA cup. During that time, there was a mini screening session to get the players that represented the team. After the competition, a reconsideration of the costs was the reason why that very team dispersed. The condition for admission now is that the player should be a student in the American University of Nigeria and that he should be recommended by the manager and/or coach of the team.

Elie B. Smith: What is the name of the centre?

Mustapha Ayoola Ishola: AUN Football pitch – that is where we are at least training for now.

Elie B. Smith: How is the management structure of your club?

Mustapha Ayoola Ishola: Like most organizations, we have a board of trustees who are at the highest point on the ladder. The board includes the president, four vice president positions (only 2 are filled for now), a manager, and players of the club. What I preach as the president of the club is that every member of the club has an obligation to lead and act in their capacities as players (in other words, as members of the board of trustees), although it is the captain that matters the most when it comes to decision making. Each player has a responsibility he does for the club. Every member of the club (except the patrons) attend training sessions and is qualified to play for the club should s/he be considered fit by the manager. Management and Relational concerns are conveyed to the president, and the president conveys to the board of trustees. The structure is such that there is a “Main” Musish Football Club, and there is Musish Football Club, AUN (Musish FC, AUN). Musish FC, AUN is a sub set of “Main” Musish Football Club. The visibility of this concept will be seen as the club grows over time. The Officials are as follows:Mr. Mustapha Ishola – presidentProf. Beniah Oguzie – patronProf. Stuart Brown - patronMr. Ehidiamhen Okpamen – vice presidentMs. Tara Obiago – vice presidentMr. Effiong Okpo – managerMr. Raymond Jacobs – captain.Elie B. Smith: What are the ambitions of your club in the Nigerian and continental leagues?Mustapha Ayoola Ishola: We have very good prospects. We shall play in the FA cup again for the second time in 2009 and we hope to represent Adamawa State and Nigeria in the Confederation cup. We also hope that in not less than 4 years from now, we should have a representation in the Nigerian Premier league, and in 5 years, in the CAF Champions league.Elie B. Smith: Is there any other thing that, you may have wanted us to talk or ask that we have not? If yes, what are they?Mustapha Ayoola Ishola: Yes, I expect to talk about some history of the club. Club HistoryFROM FOUNDATIONMusish Football Club began life when a group of students at the American University of Nigeria (AUN) decided to form a football team in late 2006. The Club had played under the name LXB FC before this time. Their first match was a 3-0 victory over Java FC, on April 21, 2007. Soon after, the name Musish FC was adopted and the Club continued playing in friendlies and local AUN cup competitions for the next few years.The Club turned professional and joined the Football League in the Spring of 2007. They have since then had their home at AUN, Yola, Adamawa, Nigeria. Musish FC have been playing in the AUN premier league, where they have remained ever since.Musish were champions for the first time in AUN in the first ever AUN Premier league in 2006 as the former League of Xtraordinary Ballers (LXB). They were runners up in the following season having lost in the finals to TB FC. Musish FC participated in the 2007 Coca-Cola FA Cup for the first time. During this time Musish had some of the game’s greatest players in AUN on its books: Littbarski Adeh, Richard Etim, Samuel Abok, Yusuf John, Raymond Jacobs, Quadri Danlami and Abubakar Kele, were just some of the names in what was one of the greatest sides ever to play in the Football League. Better has been the last season when they qualified for the first AUN SUG cup competition and played in its semifinals. The trashing they gave to Java FC and the lucky draw Field Mobs had were enough to secure a space in the Semi final of the competition. Musish Football Club has the most fan in the American University of Nigeria and hopes to extend it through out Africa. With heavy dependence on business intelligence within and outside of the club, we ever strive for success on and off the football field.ColorsDuring the first sixteen months of their history, Musish had several different kit colors. The team originally played in orange but as new players arriving at the club wore their shirts during matches as the depreciation grew, confusion soon ensued. It was decided that the shirts would be individual properties with the names and numbers of players written on its back, both to save on expenses and to instill a much smarter look. The jersey that was made comes in royal blue and this is proving popular with fans and supporters. Musish away shirt will be red with white and red shorts and various other editions (like the “other” jersey which will be in white and black) will appear as time passes by.The kit today remains white shirt with a royal blue short and with a blue and white striped socks. The Jersey LaunchThe Club's management was very happy to inform its fans and supporters on the availability of its Jersey for commercial purpose. All the jerseys were made to the tastes of the consumers as their names and preferred numbers came printed at the back of it. To get a copy, they simply sent their names and numbers to musishfc@gmail.com and in a week, they got it. Though the launch date has been pasted for the sake of having a better planning for the event, The management advice that fans and supporters should buy the jerseys for friends and families at the cheap additional logistics costs. Musish Football Club currently boasts of the largest supporter base in AUN, Yola, and its environs. The Club hopes to be keep on in its strive for success on and off the football field as it looks forward to providing a sizable number of the players that will be in the Nigerian Squad in the South Africa 2010 World Cup.

Elie B. Smith: Finally, could you tell us a little about yourself?

My name is Mustapha Ayoola Ishola, a native of Ogun State, Nigeria. I attended my secondary school at the Abeokuta Grammar School, Abeokuta, Ogun State, and I am a senior now at the American University of Nigeria. I have for a long time admired European football clubs and after watching several Real Madrid matches, I feel excited to see and belong to a club of such strength and might. That feeling led to the planning of Musish Football Club in the summer of 2006 which eventually started in December 2006 at the American University of Nigeria, Yola, Adamawa.

I am not a great fan of football though, but I think I like Musish. Particularly his logo. Ok, fine, he is Mustapha is my brother and friend. My brother because we look very much alike. Truly speaking, we are twin from different mother. I don't who is senior anyway. I think it is me even though he has more bears than I do. Little wonder if those bears are really. They could have been got from the babbers shop and glued to his chin by someone who love MUSISH. I love Musish. Click here to read Mustapha's blog about Musish. It was Musish that prompted him to open his blog. He should then be ashamed of himself for calling himself the aaun blogger when he does not blog often. Imagine that he has not blogged since year 2005 chrismas.

Atiku- The Story of Atiku Abubakar (Founder AUN and former VP of Nigeria)

2009-01-09T08:54:00.000+01:00

I have just finished reading the book titled Atiku- The Story of Atiku Abubakar. It is the biography of founder of AUN who was the vice-president of Nigeria from 1999 to 2007, one of the books I planned to read during this holiday. His life history is really very touching. I probably felt the story much because it is one that is akin to mine in the area of background; he is born of humble background. I should probably just get an excerpt from the book for you to understand what I mean. Chapter 3 page 29 of the book is titled Atiku Goes To School.

Young Atiku was a quiet, sensitive boy who assisted his father on the farm and with the livestock. When he was old enough, he would take the animals (cows and sheep) to the fields to graze and bring them back home at sunset. He also fetched some firewood for cooking and for illumination. Kajoli, like most Nigerian villages then, had no electricity or running water. Sometimes, he would only be required to feed the animals at home with hay or supply then water to drink or potash to lick. Like every young boy in the are, these were chores he enjoyed. He was excited by the animals and enjoyed playing with them. He learned to ride horses and donkeys which his father used to transport goods to the various markets.

He spent his free time playing soccer on improvised fields with neighborhood boys… Sometimes they made bows and arrows and went hunting for birds to shoot. Every night after dinner, there would be Koranic studies. His father or any other learned person in the village would teach them. A bonfire was normally made in the middle of the family compound to provide illumination for the evening Koranic classes. Attendance was compulsory. Parents would o build spiritually foundation for their young ones through lessons.
As an only child, he was very close to his parents… Three years after Atiku started school, tragedy struck in December 1957.... Atiku was just 11 years old when he losed his father.

Young Atiku of the1950s has today grown up to become rich and very influential. He has some admirable qualities that everyone would want to emulate. As Adinoyi Ojo Onukaba, the author of his biography puts it while summarising the book in the last two paragraph of the the book (the epilogue section):

“adversity has taught him to be kind, caring and compassionate; his childhood experience as a herdsman leading the family livestock to the pasture imbued in him the value of patience; the loneliness of childhood made him a lover of people and of a large family; the tragedy of being orphaned at tan early age instilled in him the virtues of hardwork and independencd and an abiding faith in God; his 20-year career in the Customs exposed him to the larger and more complex would outside the one he knew in Southern Adamawa; and politics taught him focus, determination and the ability to understand, predict and manage people. His success in life is proof that “the Nigerian Dream” exists and that with providence and handwork one can aspire to any height in life.”

Chritics say he is too tolerant, too trusting and that he allows things to fester until they get out of hand. His admirers say that he is reliable, does not forget friends, has a large heart and that because of his own experience in life he finds it unbrearable to see people suffer. An American wife of a friend once likened Atiku to a sandalwood thatgives its frangrance to even the axe that will cut it down. But in government, Atiku will discover that it pays to have both the tenderness of a lamb and the heart of a lion.

I particularly like his forgiving nature. To be frank, I am not one who forgives easily. It is probably something I need to learn from him. I just find it hard to let go of things for instance if I get offended by someone, although it is usually very rare for me to get offfended anyway. I think I have a very wide range of tolerance. I could say I am not a soft iron but a steel because the latter takes time to get magnetised and also does not readily loss its magnetism.

One other quality I admire in Atiku is his high entrpreneurial acumen. Also, he is someone who shows a vision of a strong, sable, united, prosperous and democratic Nigeria, as Onukaba would put it. I think he is just made and not just born. Hence, Onukaba describes him as a man of destiny. Long may he live.

QLA -Quarcoo Linear Algebra. Are you thinking of taking this Course?

2009-01-04T21:11:00.000+01:00

I did told you that I was going to have a blog on my last semester courses. Well, I took 19 credits last semester. I did pre-register the previous semester, but for a reason not very clear pre-registration did not work for lots of the students. Rumors went that the Samuels portal crashed. The Samuels portal is the AUN students’ registration portal. It was by developed by some Pakistanis who are also pioneer students of AUN. You may want to read about it here. I was supposed to take micro-economics last semester but the class was filled. I was asked to be on a wait list that another section will be opened. I then wrote my name down. As at on Friday the last day for add a course, no new section was opened. Just then I began to think of adding another course. On Monday, the following week, I went to the registrar’s office to check if the micro-economics class was still opened. There were some students still registering however. So, I was convinced that it was not late officially, not knowing that those ones had some grace. They probably had some problems with their registeration or something. In the evening, I met Dr Joseph Quarcoo who asked whether I was not taking Linear Algebra. I told him I had not done Calculus 3. He told me that it was not a prerequisite and that one of my mates Daniel Iyade who took calculus 1 with him was doing it. I was very surprise to hear this. Why didn’t Daniel told me that he was going to add it? I asked. Then I made up my mind to add it. I had missed a week of class. But it doesn’t matter I taught. I will still be able to survive. I had not known that it was a sort of very abstract course. I was then in my way to hell as I dashed into the registrar’s office to collect the “add and drop form”. And so, filled in the course I was about to add and other requirement. Then I was told I cannot add more than 18 credits unless the dean approved it. I met the dean who said he cannot add it because it was already late to add a course. Then I sent a mail to the academics vice-president complaining of my inability to add other courses while I had taught another section was going to be opened for micro-economics. At last, on Tuesday morning, I was added to the class. In the afternoon, I met Daniel and asked him why he had not told me he would be doing Linear Algebra and he said it was the dean that suggested that he do it. He said he was about to drop it. He was already complaining. But it is algebra now, I told him. He told me that it was not as I think and that if he had known he would not have been doing it in that third semester of his. That same day, I went to the book store to get the textbook. Little did I knew that it was going to be the course that I was going to spend about 70% of my study time in and at last, I dropped the course. I actually dropped the course on the day of the final exam!!! What a tragedy. I was just tired and bored to prepare for finals. I was on a D and just felt trying hard to study for finals would not produce the desired result. It might even make me perform poorly in other courses which ultimately will reduce my CGPA. I had met the professor some days before the finals and he has said he could give me a WP (Withdrawal Pass) if I am considering dropping. I told him I was doing 19 credits and it was responsible for my seemingly not catching up in the course and he understood. On the final day of the exam, I worked into the exam hall and told him that I have made up my mind to drop. I came late for the exam anyway and it was obvious that I had no intention of writing the exam.

During the semester, the course Linear Algebra, which I coined as QLA which stands for Quarcoo Linear Algebra was that though that I was considering changing my major. Dr Quarcoo was known as the toughest AUN professor. And the course Linear Algebra was a very abstract course despite. You can imagine a tough professor and a tackle an abstract course. Of course it is the students that will sufferer just as the saying: “when two elephants fight, it is the ground that will always suffer”. I was thinking this could be the hardest course in life and wondered what rocket science or any other though course could be. I was also seeking for any advice to help me sail through. This made me to ask yahoo group a question. You may read the question I asked in the yahoo group and the feedback I got:

Eruditprince:( My yahoo username:)
(title of question) What major is generally for smart persons? Is Linear Algebra generally hard or is just me that is dull?
I use to think that physics, engineering and computer science are for people who are naturally gifted for them. ie. good mathematics persons. A course like linear algebra is kinda very abstract for me to comprehend. Am I dull or the course is generally hard? How may I help myself? Do I change my major?

Gymdudenc: Linear algebra can seem basic, or it can seem quite difficult depending on who is introducing it to you. For instance, I tried it the first time as a freshman at USC with a man who spent the entire first day talking about subspaces. He also did not provide one non-abstract example the entire class. 2 girls even cried during this class - though he was very rude to them. I dropped it immediately. The next year I transferred to a different university and took it again, and this time it was introduced correctly and I breezed through it. So it may not be you that is dull. If you professor started off with a review of matricies and vectors, and started you off solving systems, finding inverses, adjoints, transposes, etc of matricies .....and then started talking about vector spaces, subspaces, spanning sets, basis, diagonalization, and maybe THEN the tough stuff, then he or she has done it correctly. Otherwise you may well feel lost in a sea of confusion.If they have followed this format and you are still sinking, remember that linear algebra is cumulative just like high school algebra. See if you can try to narrow down where your most basic problem lies. If rank, spanning sets, and other introductory ideas are giving you fits you can forget about hermitian operators and real hard stuff.Make SURE you are solid with matrix manipulation, as you'll work with them extensively. Make sure you know properties of determinants like det(AB)=det(A)det(B) and that A^(-1) exists iff det(A) not equal to 0. Make sure you know the definition of a vector space, and the definition of a subspace. Make sure you know lots of examples of vector spaces and subspaces, as professors LOVE to ask for examples of such. If you can do these things, you should get through any introductory linear algebra course as the final should test mostly the basics. Now, if you're taking advanced linear algebra or a linear algebra graduate seminar, you gotta know undergrad LA inside and out!!!!Also, I assume you ARE reading your book. If it is too in the clouds for you, go to the library and look for another text book. There are some real nice linear algebra books out there (modern day) written with the idea in mind that not all taking linear algebra intend to become mathematicians - and most are incorporating some differential equations into it.

Sally: Engineering is the hardest major because it is basically having a major in Mathematics and a major in Science

doug_donaghue: Having spent a few years teaching college math, I have to say that Gymdude pretty much nailed it.Fact is... There is a -huge- difference between being able to do a thing and teach a thing. (And that's true in everything, not just math) I don't think I ever taught Diff.Eq. without someone asking at least one question that made me actually wonder if I understood it as well as I thought I did☺ And the fact is that for all my students said that they learned from me, I usually learned even more from them.Try another teacher. And remember that everybody 'learns' differently because no two people ever have the exact same referential background to which they relate new knowledge. The wise teacher knows how to say the same thing at least 3 or 4 different ways. After the 3'rd or 4'th time, if you see all of the headlights in the class are on, you're ready to move on to the next item. If not, you should start asking yourself, "What am I doing wrong?"The other problem is that -way- too many teachers are willing to give a student a passing grade just to get rid of them. And all that does is screw the student up even more later on. You really have to have it all together before you start to hit the more abstract areas. Don't be afraid to go find one of the 'worked problem' outlines (either in a bookstore or online) and work through a few of the problems. Don't just look at them, take paper and pencil and do the steps to make certain you understand what was done and, more importantly, -why- it was done that way.

shinsplints99: I consider myself pretty good at math. I've got over 60 college credit hours in math. Linear Algebra kicked my butt. It's very difficult to "visualize" the concepts. It's VERY abstract. It requires a lot of memorization. Get the REA Linear Algebra Problem Solver. There are examples of EVERY type of problem you'll encounter. You can get it at many used book stores, or even your local library. If you can't find it at a used or new bookstore, try looking at http://www.half.ebay.com It's only one course, so don't use it to decide if you should change your major. Look at how you do in your other math courses. They will be a better meter of how you'll do.

Of these, it was Gymdudenc who really hit it at the point. He really explain it deep and I love his answer. I think any computer science major doing Linear Algebra this semester should consider his advice if/when they have problem.

"Speecheless" by Micheal Jackson

2009-01-02T22:34:00.011+01:00

I can't believe how and why I fell in love with this song Speechless, by the music genius Micheal Jackson whom you can also call the Miko Wacko Jacko. On coming to school this afternoon, I went to see the new dorms under construction and also saw the atheletic field that is being constructed. After collecting my bag which contains my laptop from the security, I boot it and checked my mail. Somehow, I have not listen for good music for a while now. Ok, you would not believe that I don't have electricity in my room where I live off campus even though my neigbour have. So, let me not tell you then because you think I can't be that lazy as to not connecting light to my room when I could do it myself. I also have a brother/ friend who could do it for me free. By Brother I mean we hail from the same place Benin, he is Mr Luggard and works as an electrician here in the PPDU unit of the university. So, ask me why I still want to remain in darkness. The truth is that I don't know. Meanwhile, I bought a small radio that uses just two batter and it got weak. I was just too lazy to replace it. Can you imagine how this holiday have made me lazy. At times, I sleep till 8.00 am in the morning. I a morning person who normally never sleep more than 6 am. Yes, I still do wake up at 6am but this time I take third round of sleep not taking into congnizance that I need to resume work sharply at 9.00 am. Oh, I did not tell you I have a vacation job. Yes, I do. I work in the admissions offfice. It is a good time to get some pay you know because in three weeks time, it will be back to school. I might still be engaged in work-study program during the semester anyway. But the working hours is limited to 10 hours a week for a pay rate of $2 per hour. Anyway, that is just by the way side.

As for why I am now lazy, I think my friend, Daniel Iyade is to blame. It is he who says I should be resting. He says I seem to work too hard and such definately reduces efficiency. So that's probably why I am never an "A" student even right from high school despite my hardwork. It is true I am a "work aholik". What many people don't also know is that I am also a bibliophite. I just like being around with books. Many a time you see me going to class with book or with my bag. Of course my laptop and books are the contents of the bag. But the truth is most times I don't even read the book. I work on my laptop or maybe just look at the pictures in my books. That's if the book have pictures anyway, which is rarely the case you know.

Well, let laziness not deviate us from the topic. It is about a song that I fell in love with. It is so touching that I can't resist not blogging about it. Blogging, you know is one of my hobbies. I seemed to have abandoned it last year and a year before. But as everyone was making new year resolutions I deceided that I should also make one and let blogging come to life. I use to feel new year resolutions are for kids, you know and probably those have not been very responsible and trying to be responsible. I remember when we were kids, we will say this new year I will try to be very neat and would not insult anyone. Generally striving to be perfect, you know. But there are also people that do think they need to stop smoking or drinking, so make resolutions that they would become responsible in that regard. Pardon my use of responsible in this sense.

Ok, here is the lyrics for the song Speechless.

Your love is magical, that's how I feel
But I have not the words here to explain
Gone is the grace for expressions of passion
But there are worlds and worlds of ways to explain
To tell you how I feel

But I am speechless, speechless
That's how you make me feel
Though I'm with you
I am far away and nothing is for real
When I'm with you I am lost for words,
I don't know what to say

My head's spinning like a carousel, so silently I pray
Helpless and hopeless, that's how I feel inside
Nothing's real, but all is possible if God is on my side

When I'm with you I am in the light where I cannot be found
It's as though I am standing in the place called Hallowed Ground

Speechless, speechless, that's how you make me feel
Though I'm with you I am far away and nothing is for real
I'll go anywhere and do anything just to touch your face
There's no mountain high I cannot climb I'm humbled in your grace

Speechless, speechless, that's how you make me feel
Though I'm with you I am lost for words and nothing is for real

Speechless, speechless, that's how you make me feel
Though I'm with you I am far away, and nothing is for real

Speechless, speechless, that's how you make me feel
Though I'm with you I am lost for words and nothing is for real
Speechless

Your love is magical, that's how I feel
But in your presence I am lost for words Words like, "I love you."

Click here to view the song on you tube.

Truly speaking, I love this song. You can't believe that tears is running down my cheek as I play it. It is so charmy and alluring. I don't even know the words to describe it. Observe the cadence -the rise and fall of the tone. It's just effable. It makes me think of one particular girl I met once in my life (in FUTY where I worked while I dropped away from school) whom I admired on the first and only -what would probably be the last, day I met. I was just speechless. I could not express my feelings at that instant. Maybe it was because I was -no, not tacturn, just reserved. I like to study people you know. I will write a post about her someday. I actually wrote blog about her although just like many of my writings I did not post it. I don't think I can even still get the writing. I use to write on piece of papers and dump; a sort of bad habit I need to stop this year. Right? And this particular one is more than a year and half ago. I just wonder how I can get it. I know it will be among my archives. Talking of alchives, I do have a Ghana must go bag where all old books of mine go into. I just pray I am not lazy enough not to not try and get it. Hmm, I'm becoming still being a complex writer after my writing instructor, Cherry Pavlick has encouraged me to always write simply. I pray she doesn't read this post.

I feel like dedicating this post to somebody. I actually have corple of persons in my mind. No guy included. They are all girls because only girls are princess, you know. People whom I would say are "down to earth girls" in AUN. Well, by this I mean girls that are beautiful yet very friendly . They do not discriminate. Even when you are on some shabby dress and your shoes aren't polished nor fashionable, they would still not hesitate to befriend you. They take you the way you are. In fact, they all have some unique gift in them. Some just have very good smile and when they smile at you, you would like yourself. So, you see that they are not just princess but "down to earth ones." They know they are princess but they can come down very low and that make me love them with all my heart. I think they understand the sense of the world in every aspect. Well I would blog about this someday. I know the question Oyinda Kossimani is thinking right now (that's if she's reading this now) is whether she is among the "down to earth girls" in AUN? She of course knows that the answer is NO!!!. Well I'm just joking. She is, even though she has laughed at me on two occasions. One was when I sleeped down and fell into the wide drinage between the SAS building and the library under construction on one afternoon when rushing to the cafeteriat during last year's Spring semester. I will blog about this someday also because this post is getting unnecessarily longer than I had anticipated. I would also blog about the books I am reading this holiday particularly our founder's biography titled The Story of Atiku Abubarkar. I just started it and it is very touching. In fact, I am going to buy two copies of the books as gift for some two friends of mine when next I'm going home. I hope to finish it tomorrow or next. Other books I borrowed from our library last week are Barrack Obama's authobiography - the Audacity of Hope, and the award winning Half of a Yellow Sun by the young Nigerian Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Until I post again, keep being your good self and stay away from trouble. I LOVE YOU.

Chrismas day in AUN

2008-12-25T15:55:00.000+01:00

I use to feel the urge to write and also create time to write. But that was those days when I was just growing up. Days when I was still a youth. Well, I'm still a youth anyway, but have become older. Maybe I should say young youth. I know you want to know my age but it is probably not necessary because I don't look it. The truth is that I am above 25. So I consider myself an adult. I mention this so that you would not wonder why I did not travel home during this year chrismas holiday. Yes, I am in Yola and in fact, in school, today that is 25th december. And Yes, chrismas is for kid but that wasn't why I did not go home after the fall semester. Okay, maybe I am not home sick anymore since I am no longer a freshman. But that would have been correct if a nostalgic feeling is the only reason people go home. Maybe if I tell you that I lost my home address you may not believe. So let me not tell you that even though it contains some elements of truth. Don't wonder because I could not actually only be such a dullard but the fact that I am aging could be a factor that makes me write down and keep somewhere, my home address. Never wonder because everyone is not the same. My Poor memory is actually what makes a friend, who thinks I'm a intelligent, wrong. Well actully, it has been my concern for a long time. That I have a very low IQ. This was proved wrong until yesterday when I did an IQ test inwhich I scored 149 on a scale of 200 and in fact I don't believe this IQ test. I am yet to find a reliable IQ test. But I agree with that test in some regard that I have a low memory capacity. The test says I can take on complext task. I use to believe this until I took a course MTH 212 titled Linear Algebra which I call QLA - Quarcoo Linear Algebra this last semester. This course is really abstract and the fact that the toughest professor in AUN one Dr Joseph Quarcoo, Ghanian is the sole teacher of this course in AUN makes it a course that can be called a hell bound course. I'm pretty sure I cried shared tears on one or two cases in class and many times outside the class trying to grasp the concept which was just too abstract. I later drop the course because I was failing it. I'm pretty sure I would have got a "D" and not a "C" if I had done the final exam. I actually dropped on one sunday which was the final exam day when my mates were writing the exam. I will blog about it someday. It just seem this blog is unnessarily getting too long. May be I should end it now. I have no idea of what to title it. May be I should say chrismas day in Yola because it is the first time I will be experiencing chrismas celebration in Yola - I'm not like Mustapha who has celebrated chrismas here before, you know. See his Chrismas in Yola post here. But this post did not really talk about how Chrismas was celebrated in Yola. I think I should titled it Chrismas day in AUN. I will leave now but not until I say "Be good to yourself and stay out of trouble." I promise to write again very soon. Until then, bye.

NUC accredites all 12 programs of AUN

2008-09-20T22:40:00.003+01:00

I was just trying to let you guys out there know that AUN have been accreditated by the NUC. I got this infomation pasted below from the NUC website. You can check yourself: http://www.nuc.edu.ng/pages/news_detail.asp

A total of 17 universities accreditated one program or the other that year. You can view the details here if it is no longer available in the nuc website.

I am yet to resume my blogging activity. Actually, lots have happened in AUN all these while and I really don't know what to let you know: whether the current happenings or the past. I totally don't know why I have not blogged all these while. Maybe because I have no camera to have a snap of events, because a blog that have not pictures is really very boring. The truth is that this semester is hectic. I have 19 credits and I'm like, this is the end of my life.

Today, GIEVAL, the Nigerian representative of the Education testing service body, came to offer a seminar specifially for seniors who would like to go to graduate school immediately after graduation next year may on the regisration process for the GRE and GMAT. I attended the program and I must say I gained so much expecially from our new dean of student affairs, Dr David Kosoko who gave the opening speach for the seminar. He talked about his personal experience as an undergraduate and graduate student in the US. I will have another entry to write soon I promise. I really need to study some stuff right away. I have learnt to use my weekends well because I am taking 19 credit this semester and the weekdays are very hectic. I had not started being serious for the semester until I failed my first quiz last wednessday. I just took it for granted. I had my first exam yesterday, Linear Algebra by Professor Joseph Quaco and as always, was hell.

Until I write again (not any sooner though), be good to yourself and stay out of trouble.

AUN Students In Free Enterprise Bag Awards

2008-08-13T07:24:00.004+01:00

I have really not blog for a while now. And blogging used to be my hobby. I really don't have explanation for this. Maybe it's because I feel overwhelmed by the lots of things I had to do as at last semester. But this is summer and I had not been so busy not to have at least write some nonsense. Yes, nonsense because I really hate editing my work. Each time I blog, it is usually the first draft. I'm too lazy to proof read it.
Last week, I was asked to write a report to be published in the AUN newsletter regarding our participation in the last SIFE Nigeria competition. What you see here is however a second draft of the write up. I'm just trying to get through that habbit of being lazy or reluctant to proof read my work. I would find time to update you on what happened last semester, what's happening right now and what we are looking forward to. Meanwhile this write up bellow is kinda very formal in the style it was written. You can guess why, of course. Happy reading.

Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE) is a global, U.S.-headquartered, non-profit organization that was founded in 1975 with the goal of improving the quality of life and standard of living around the world by teaching the principles and values of free market economics and entrepreneurship. Working in partnership with hundreds of universities and businesses, SIFE organizes, motivates, and trains university students to form “management teams” that design, develop and implement thousands of community-based micro-business, training and educational projects to create and expand economic opportunity through hands-on and practical training projects while they develop the skills to become socially responsible business leaders. In simple terms, it means students using the knowledge they gained from the classroom to make impact in their

community through the exhibition of project that transform lives economically and otherwise. SIFE Teams are active on more than 1800 university/college campuses in 46 countries. Each year, each SIFE team from around the world meet other SIFE teams in a competition, and this draw them together with business leaders who judge the various projects based on certain criteria. Our University is one of the newest institution to join this organization, yet has made an impressive achievement during its maiden participation in the competition this year. Our SIFE team was inaugurated during the month of December, 2007. The first major event in the SIFE AUN history is the SIFE Leadership Conference which was held in Jos. We were able to distinguish ourselves on all SIFE judging platforms. Our outstanding performance encouraged the SIFE Nigeria Country Director, Mrs. Ifedi Adesuwa to pay the SIFE AUN team an unannounced visit. She was so impressed at what she saw that she encouraged us to signup for this years’ SIFE Annual National Competition. With a bit of reluctance, we decided to take on the challenge. We immediately proceeded with the registration and began planning for the competition. We set out to carry out the various projects we conceived based on our assessment of our immediate environment and how the meet SIFE’s judging criteria. The projects include: (1.) public enlightenment on investment in the stock exchange market (titles EM-without-S), (2) Ethical customer care in banks, (3) Assisting a small scale entrepreneur in the acquisition loan for expansion of his business, and (4) Teenagers leadership training (titled Let-them-Lead). These projects address a number educational topic area which includes market economics, success skills, financial literacy, and business ethics.

1. Earn-More-Without Stress, our first outreach project in the Yola community was aimed at creating awareness and sensitizing the society on how they can be part owners of companies through the purchase of shares.

2. The ethical customer care in Banks was a project in which we, after careful planning, studying and piloting, we randomly selected some banks in Yola and a few of their customers and administered series of questionnaires to them. We used various statistical tools to analyze the results and then set out on a series of seminar interventions of sensitizing the banks of their responsibility to be ethical in carrying out banking practices.

3. Assisting a small scale entrepreneur in the acquisition of loan for expansion of his business was a project in which we assisted Yola poultry farmer who at that time found it difficult to access micro finance to expand his business. We carefully studied his business and outlined his business growth potentials. We assisted him to write and document a proper business plan for his business which he used in accessing micro finance. We also taught him how to use various financial and accounting record systems to project the state of his business.

4. Let-them-lead was a project that provided some teenagers within the Yola community the tool to become effective leaders. These projects were presented to a panel of judges during the first round of the competition held on June 13th this year at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua center in Abuja. It was our maiden participation in such a competition tagged SIFE Nigeria National Entrepreneurship Education Competition. This event which has 27 tertiary institutions across Nigeria participating in it was in a league format and each league had a minimum of five schools. We were in the coca-cola league and other SIFE team in our leagues were from University of Portharcourt , University of Uyo, Tai Solarin College of Education and Lagos State Polytechnic. We came second in our league. The following are the ten members of the AUN SIFE team that represented the school in the competition. Peace Ugochukwu, Oluwafeyidamilola Moronke Akapo (aka Feyi), Aja Ekpei ogban, Fatima Adamor (aka Fati), Samson Oyemala (aka Sam -Team Leader), Wisdom Omuya (aka Wiz, yes his really a Wiz kid), Ogbonnaya Ukwa Kalu (aka Java), Temitope Bankefa (aka Tope), Omorogbe Omorogiuwa (aka Omorx), and Ishaq Sa’adu (president). The faculty advisor is Dr Benjamin Botchway Earlier this month, we received an invitation from SIFE Nigeria to attend the final round of the competition held on 15th July, at the Shell Hall of the Muson Center, Onikan, Lagos where the finalist teams competed for the chance to represent Nigeria at the SIFE world cup in Singapore. After the event, the award of prices followed and our SIFE team bagged four award:First Award- 1st in our League on Ethics project and presentation, Second Award- 2nd in Coca-cola Entrepreneurship.Third Award- Overall WINNER on Ethics Project and presentationFourth Award- Cheque of N250,000. for the 3rd Award.

Who Would Save Africa

2007-12-13T19:41:00.000+01:00

It was some time two years ago
when someone looked back at the past
on what our ancestors suffered during the slave trade
Then she cried loud for help asking,
who would save Africa?

I was there and
I saw her
she knelt down
and shed tears
tears of blood,
straight from her heart
who would save Africa?
It was indeed a cry,
a cry over split milk

Her hopes were high
She could offer to help
But she lack the capability
The best she could do
was all she was doing
with an unimmagine solemnly
wailing and mourning
crying and yearning for help
not for herself
but for Africa,
the dying Africa

And at last
someone heard her cry
pittied her and said
your pains I share from
stand up from your knee
and cry no more
I would build a school
it shall be a place
where African children would dream
It shall be a place
that would prepare them
preparing them for the challenge
the present challenge
the global challenge
So that they would never lag again.

Abti-American University of Nigeria:
a place where African children are encourage to dream

Fall 2007 break

2007-10-13T08:06:00.001+01:00

I've deceided to blog today despite that I havn't yet got a full doze of sleep. As you know already, this blog will mostly contain my activities. Yesterday was salah night party here at AUN. That's why it's easy to tell why I am behaving like a drunkard. Yeah, I am really. I walk as if I'm gonna fall and I write as if I am in primary one. As thursday and friday were class free day, lots of people travelled. So that's one reason why it wasn't a very great party. The turn out wasn't very great as compared to previous parties. However, it was just fun all through. The music was more of the "gbedu' and students really liked it and danced in the "gbedu" way. Then comes "ko ko bi lo" of Lagbaja. Beside the friday party, I've enjoeyd the salah break in a very unique way: cycling. I've not yet got a bycicle here in Yola. But I borrowed the Samuel's (5 parkistanis students who are of the same family). It really was a muscle stretcher as observed after cycling for about 30 minutes, visiting friends for the salah celebratioin, going to joing Boy's Brigade among others. I probably had not mentioned on this blog thtat I like matching and playing band. I had always wanted to join the Boy's Brigade but dad never like things like this, you know. This is one reason I started fighting for my freeedom since I was 19 and today I'm a frree man. At 8pm today, I would be in the Media club meeting. In less than two hours from now, I would be in the Washington Hall of the Multi Purpose Building for a lecture on HIV and AIDs to be delivered by one Micheal Obiefuna, a guest from University of Maryland. Only a prophet can tell if I can wait till the end of this lecture. Whao, I have another club meeting at 8; Media club. Currently, I work (full time or part time? don't ask me) in the Printing and Photocopy shop, attending to fellow students for their printing and photocopy needs. It was set up of recent and is a kind of extension from the library. Never mind me if I'm not giving every details in this blog. Remember, I did mention that I'm gonna make my posts on this blog brief. Again, writters often leave certain things out just for readers to infer for themselves. So, since bloggers are also writters, we aren't left out. Be rest assured that what you infer isn't wrong, although isn't absolutely correct either. Happy Salah to to you. Barka De Salah.

Freshmen on the Campus as AAUN becomes AUN

2007-09-11T08:21:00.000+01:00

I have really not blogged for a while. I have been too busy working in the admissions office. Well, if you say summer job or work-study program, you aren't wrong, but you aren't absolutely correct either. It's actually been a voluntary work. Someone said I'm probably the only student volunteer on the AAUN campus. Any way, that's not the essence of this post. It's just to let you readers out there know that I'm still breathing and also that school has resume for this fall semester. There is a big news that every student was happy with. The change, no not change, streamlining of our school's name from Abti American University of Nigeria to American University of Nigeria. According to the 5th edition of the AUN Newsletter, "Mr Abba Tahir, AUN's Director of Public Affairs, revealed that the new name was chosen by the University's Board of Trustees to reflect a general trend in the naming of American Unviersities worldwide." American University in Cairo and american University of Bulgaria are examples of American Universities abroad and are named with the name American University while the geographical location is just added to it. also, it was stated in the Newsletter that "the name 'ABTI' prefix, sometimes causes confusion among international audiences including potential donors." With this, it believed that the confusion is removed. Well it's delighting to see new students on campus. There are just green, you know; having never taken any of the series of baptism of reflection papers and seemingly unending assisgnments, and probably having ever even known what it means to have a deadline approach as well as the meaning of 'good morning quiz'. Many, if not all I think, wouldn't even know how many hours there is in a week, by heart; only that in a day. For them, it would be the first time they would know that the number one problem of a college student is time management. It would be the first time they would probably know that the day is very short and seem less than the 24hours they had known it to be. So the words "Time Flies", "No Time" or "Ba Locaci" are going to be their favourite words as the semester rolls by. During the orientation, I saw lots of things which I may not be able to say base on poor recall of events by that milky convulated matter that hides inside my skull. Sure, I can't forget that I saw some greeen leaves (males) that pulled their trousers almost half way, far below their waste exposing their boxers, and then to feel that it's the reigning thing. Well, probably they are just delighted to be in an American University or probably just happy that they aren't in a school where dressing code is enforced. But if I had a sharp memory, I would have tried to take note of those students if they can still do same in their second semester; that's actually if they have not been kicked out of the university. Not many prospective students and freshmen know that students get expelled from the university. Many think if they can afford the tuition then there isn't any way the school would want to rusticate them. Well if you are one of those that think like that, it's high time you desisted from it because it's not true or put more empatically, it is A WHITE LIE. Ask upperclassmen and they would tell you that students get driven from the univesity every year, base on one problem or the other. It could be behavioural or on academic ground. This post is getting too long. I must end it now, but not until I have mentioned that two days ago was the orientation party where freshmen really tear it out with the upperclassmen in the dance floor. This years party was held at the court yard of Dorm F, one of the new dorms. I didn't tell you that during this semester four new dorms have been built and they are really nice. Three of these have rooms that are 4-in-1 with the facilities inside while the last one is a Luxury dorm i.e. has rooms partitioned, with a wider bed (family size) and the toilet and bathroom facilities in one section while the other has sitting chairs, a center table and a shelf where you can place your personal TV and video in. All of these dorms have DSTV and wireless internet conectivity just like the old ones. Personally I prefer them to those in the permanent sites. I would post pictures of them as soon as they become available. The AUN league is gathering momentum. I heard freshman have a league called Ashanti and that will bring to a total of seven leagues. I also understand that AUN will be represented in this years Private University Games to be hosted by Barbock University in Ogun State. I am sure I would begin training now since I plan to participate. It's being long I trained. I do hope that I would be fit. There are lots of other people that are qualified and they might just be prefered than me. No bad in trying my best, anyway. Let me hear you say good luck to me.

Activities for this Up-Coming Semester

2007-08-23T08:26:00.002+01:00

As school starts next week, I'm already planing for it. This is a draft of the e-mail I just sent to the Director of Athletics. I met him last week and I was exited to know that our school is having athletics among the sport this semester.

Dear Coach Bello, I am writing to notify you of my interest in AAUN
Athletics.
As I told you, when we met in the Admissions Office the other day, I'm a maraton runner. I should have sent you this e-mail earlier, but I needed to see first if I could still run. So on sunday, i.e. two days ago, I made out to the street of Yola, heeding to Jimeta. I however broke down on getting to Yola run-about after having ran 25 minutes. Some how, I think it is still a nice start as it's been eight years ago since I ran this far. Right now, I really don't know whether to train myself for short distance (to gain speed) instead of for long distance race (to gain stamina). This is because training for long distance race is highly demanding and in this coming semester, I've got lots of activities to engage in. I'm in the school choir, newspaper club, hope to join one of the intra mural football league, engage in work study, have 22 credits to register (which sur-passes the highest number of credits-19, aloud to register in) and with honor in each, joining book club, joining AAUN ACM (i.e. Association of Computer Machinery) and probably engaging in high jump. I am really not very good at the latter but I love it greatly. I could squize out some few miniutes each week preparing for it if available. I may also spend 20 mins every week, playing lawn tennis. Until I hear rom you, Omorx
If it is not obvious, I would let you know that most things here is an exergeration. I really thought I was going to do them. But there is a big difference between what is ideal and reality. Someone could say I am a big dreamer. That's true and I like it. But daily, I strive hard to be an achiever. This is my greatest daily struggle.

A Pagan in the Church

2007-07-01T15:02:00.000+01:00

I did mentioned in my last post that I was going to tell you the reason I went to church on the first of July and why I would again continue to go, at least before school resumes. Right now, I’m really bored here in Yola. This gets worst on Saturdays and Sundays when the school library does not open and so I don’t go to school to read. You know it sucks when you don’t have anything to entertain you while you are alone in the hut in which you live and on stepping out of the room the faces you meet can’t interact with you because they are speak Hausa which for now, I still can’t understand clearly (really ashamed of this). But don’t think you too can’t be a victim of this if you can’t speak Fulani because this is the Indigenous Language of the people here. So, many a time, they miss up this language with Hausa which makes it more difficult for a learner of Hausa. Of course you now see why, no matter what your level of paganism is, you would definitely oblige the invitation of a friend to church especially if you like social life like me. This was one of the reasons I went to church last week. During the church service, I was ambivalent whether to come again in the following Sunday or manage the little boredom that characterizes my weekends at home. The preaching was full of trite stories heard from my pre-teenage days; irrational stories of old and how we must be godly to make heaven, how Abraham was faith to God and God said he would have the same number of children as the number of stars in the sky, etc. I however did love the music; the acoustic combination was really great. I loved the way I was welcomed (song, hand shake with almost every member of the church and an offer of a bottle of Soft drink after the service) and the manner in which every one welcomed the other. I latter learnt that this was a tradition and I did know at once that it was peculiar to that church alone. This is because in all the years in which I had been “church halorting” I never found this. I probably love the beautiful faces of the girls that sat around me ( Any way, I did promise to keep my post short. So, I would stop here now.

The Story I know Nothing About

2006-09-28T10:39:00.000+01:00

As I picked up a high school magazine from the serial section of our school library, titled Voices of the Queens, a publication of Government Girls' Secondeary School, Yola, this morning, I found in the Riddles page a creative writing by one Atuna Dauda. It interested me and I thought I should post it on my blog 'cos I like blogging. It's titled:

The Story I know Nothing About

Goddnight Ladies and Gentlemen
I stand before you to sit behind to tell you a story I know nothing about.

Before that any way, listen to this announcement.

There is going to be a general men's meeting for women only.
while coming put on your best clothes since you have none.

Admission is the only if you can pay at the gate.
There's going to be lot's of chairs but you'll have to sit on the floor.
Anyone who comes early would be given a from seat at the back of the hall.

Now to my story.
One bright morning in the middle of the might, two sick men woke up to fight.
Back to back they faced each other.
Bought out their sword and shot each other.
A deaf policeman heard the sound and ran to the spot where the sick men lay.
However, if you think that my stay is a lie, then ask the blind men and women. They saw it too.

A ladder Made of Sand

2006-09-13T19:25:00.000+01:00

I just thought of the bad day I had last week on the day I was to register for classes and I remembered five years ago when I felt a similar way and deceide to blog on it since blogging is one of my hobbies.

They gave me dune to climb
to the peak of my success
Telling me they shall see my down fall.
It was the beginning of mix feelings.
Poor me whom God has not caused,
No one can cause.
It was the day meant for happiness but sadness planned to take combart.

It was the day when the evil one refused to come out of its shell
waiting joyful for injustice
but to no avil.

This is the only part I can remember from the poem. It was written by Nosa Bello, one of my high school pal who, like me likes writing, poems, etc. This was written on the day we were defeated in a quiz competition sponsored by NNPC in all schools in Benin City, Edo state.

Just One is as great as a Whole

2006-09-07T10:39:00.000+01:00

One song can spark a moment
One flower can wake the dream
One tree can start a forest
One bird can herald spring
One smile begins a friendship
One handclasp lifts a soul
One star can guide a ship at sea
One word can frame the goal
One vote can change a nation
One sunbeam lights a room
One candle wipes out darkness
One laugh will conquer gloom
One step must start each journey
One word must start each prayer
One hope will raise our spirits
One touch can show you care
One voice can speak with wisdom
One heart can know what's true
One life can make the difference
You see it's up to YOU!"

Adapted from: http://angel-feathers-tickle-me.blogspot.com/

Orientation Welcome Party Hosted by the Sophomores

2006-09-03T09:52:00.000+01:00

It was another "bamb" yesterday as old students welcomed the new students with a dance party. You just could have been there. The first party held at the new cafeteriate in the new campus. Nothing has been more memorable.

I saw people I never knew could dance. People like Adunie, Azeezat, and Toyin. No one was more crazy than Hafsatu who had to pull her shoes when the music became more intoxicating, while others immetated her.

Well I can't write more now because class starts tomorrow. There is no time to waste this semester because it's gonna be tough.

Second Class Berbecue Dinner; that D day

2006-09-01T20:29:00.000+01:00

Yesterday, the stage was set
melodious music sprayed the air waves
preparing a welcoming atmosphere
it was a dinner
the president Berbecue dinner

New students were there
their families were there
all being welcomed
as would an august guest
no doubt they were really augustus

a welcome speech and a dinner only
that only it was
but I saw something different
an inspirational terrain of how the day would be

That day above which no more assignment
were writing reflection papers would have become an old story
were studeying for class would be no more
and series of baptismal pop up good morning quizes would have been burried

that day when I sahll begin to say I am a member of the AAUN alumni
that day when I shall put on my red and green gown
matching gloriously to the pupit
to bagging my honors
it shall be a day of joy
and sadness shall not prevail
It shall be a day to remember
that day shall be a D day.

Dee Day Dat Doze Deadly Dos Dat Do
Dim Don't Do Du.. Du..Du...Duu Da Da Da Da Ha..ha.. ha
I'm sorry, I'm a little bit crazy at times

A Bad Day During the Second Class Orientation

2006-08-30T20:57:00.000+01:00

Have you ever felt bad in life?
I need not be told
Sure there have been one bad day in AAUN
and that I can say was my worst day in the university.

It just happened that I was so hungry
and needed to go for lunch
in a far off place
which was the cafeteriat at the new campus
though only across the old campus

I was very hungry
for I had skipped breakfst
due to hurriness to catch up the 7 o'clock morning bus from town
and then it has ran late
having being so occupied with students orientation
though had not felt so hungry

But my spot is a very sensitive position
the first point of check in
so I needed someone to replace me before leaving
Hence, my main reason for being so late.

And someone came at last
then I left
waiting for 30 mins for a bus to arrive
It wasn't 30 mins yet
when I saw a bus
I taught I was only lucky
But found ourt it was going to the old campus.

This wasn't the only disasappointement though,
Prior to it, I had done a damage
It happened in my attempt to lend a hand
Carrying a luggage into the bus
and the handle went broken
And in fact, just then the world stopped turning!
It was incredible.

Although, the luggage wasn't heavy though
Yet that wasn't the main reason the handle broke
I had rather been too forceful lifting it
Maybe not willing to show my hunger or weakness
Truly a foolish act
And generally, an insane attitude
No wonder scientist say everyone is mad at least for 5 mins a day.

How do I say sorry?
It's hard expecially because the person is not my friend and worst all, a freshman, first day in the school.
How do I express my feeling that she may understand?
So that she can forgive me (though not forget it).
Writing only should be.

Summer Holiday in Yola; a Near Death Experience

2006-08-30T20:40:00.000+01:00

During this summer holiday, May 2006, I deceided to stay here in Yola and make strategic plans that wouldl enable me return to school during the fall semester, getting adapted to living in the environment amongst others. But it was hell for me, I must confess.

First was the issue of language. Hausa was the commonest language as every one I met or that approach me speaks hausa at first conversation statement. And the most inriguing is that 9 out of 10 people here do not understand English. So, communication was really a problem. I could neither make friends easily or interact well. The best thing for me to do therefore, was to look for a book that can teach me the basis and I did provide one for myself. It was'nt the best way or I would say the most effective way however as I later learnt. It was really the frequent hearing of a word and asking the meaning from somebody that made it stick to my brain.

Other things like incessant plague of mosquito bit, excessive heat and lack of recreational fascilities really made me to have a bad time staying here in Yola. I had to tern it Yola esidential frustration because it got to a point were I was just tired of life here. I had no money yet would not call my parents because I was really proving some stubbornees (refusal to go home). If I had called home, mum would have at least sent some meoney but I was cooking some stuff as a madman. I never mind going to Sama brakery to buy bread and start tradingin sabo market (not revealing my identity as AAUN student anyway) For all I cared, there is Joy in madness known only to those that are in the process fand only they being insane can explain the joy of it, for if they do, you would not understand because you're not mad yourself. That was/is me and that was/is my phylosophy.

But after a month, I made some profit which was to carry me through to the point of expiration of my madness (end of August) where I would then need to call home so that they send me money.

AAUN & EXCHANGE PROGRAM

2006-08-30T20:25:00.000+01:00

My school has began an exchange program. They started with faculty and Dr Kinuthia Macharia from Kenya is the first coming from the American University of Washington. He has also once taught in Harvard University.

During last spring semester, he made a visit to the campus where he delivered a guest lecture on the Mau mau movemnt in Kenya. His urbanization lecture was realy interesting and he is indeed a professor whose class I know I would miss because I'm not taking that course this semester though, I love socialization and in fact, all humanity courses in general; phylosophy, psycology, western civilization, African civilization, literature, etc.

People who hate to Sleep

2006-08-29T16:17:00.000+01:00

I adapted this from Spotlight on literature

Not every one has believed that sleep is necessary. Napoleon I, emperor of France, and Federick the great, king of prussia, were two of these people. Even though they were leaders of their different countries at different times, they had one thing in common. They both thought sleep was just a bad habit that wasted time, and they both tried to proove it. They didn't do this together, but they both had the same method - staying up. But neither one lasted more than two nights, and they both needed several days to recover from the experiment.

I used to have this same feeling then, that sleep wasn't important but this time I not only believe but know and uphold it is one of the most important things in the world; a great necessity.

Summer Holiday is Gone

2006-08-27T20:12:00.000+01:00

As AAUN was becoming a behive of activity, I realised that the summer holiday was going and I deceided to write this poem.

Summer hos, summer hols
Oh summer hols
You came
You stayed
You stayed
And stayed
As if you have no legs to walk away

Day after day
Week after week
you remained at a spot
as if cripple was your inherited name

Next month you would leave
But the month came you still stood
Standing and looking,
like the lost sheep
that lost sheep of Mr shepard
I would never come close.

The other day when you roard ,
It was like you were calling rain
maybe for another battle I thought
but it has been your greatest foe
so the the sound should only be a grunt

But I wonder what at last lose your tied legs
the rain had come
people were coming
the crowd was gathering
another serious battle was imminent
greater than ever
that has ever been
But behold, you ran away

Summer hols, summer hols,
the rain has won the battle

UNENTHUSIASTIC HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

2006-08-24T14:13:00.000+01:00

Don't border to ask me why I'm laughing because I'm gonna tell you now.

I just pick a literature book to read this evening, titled spotlight on literature. The first chapter "living and learning" has an entry titled "SOR losers" It is about some high school students who don't like sport and in their junior year they, Ed Sitrow and his friends, managed to slip through without playing a sport. Meanwhile their school requires each student to do at least one sport.

A specila senior soccer team was created just for them when it was realised they never played in any team in their Junior year. Despite encouragement from everyone, including their coach and the school's councelor, the team had lost every game. As a result, there was a great pressure for them to win this game (their last). And when the school newspaper approached the captain for an interview, the he (ED) spoke in a way that looks interesting. Hence, I decieded to post it to my this blog. Excerpt below.

Newspaper: How does it feel to lose every game?
Ed: I never played on a team that won, so I can't compare. But it's interesting.

Newspaper: How many teams have you been on?
Ed: Just this one

Newspaper: Do you want to win?
Ed: Wouldn't mind knowing what it feels like for the novelty.

Newspaper: Have you figured our why you lose all the time?
Ed: They scored more goals.

Newspaper: Have you seen any improvement?
Ed: I've been too busy.

Newspaper: Busy with what?
Ed: Trying to stop their goals. Ha...ha..ha

Newspaper: From the scores, it doesn't seem like you've been too successful with that.
Ed: You can imagine what the scores would have been if I wasn't there. Actually, I'm the talest.

Newspaper: What's that have to do with it?
Ed: Ask Mr Lester (the coach)

Newspaper: No S.O.R. team has ever lost all its games in one season. How do you feel about that record?
Ed: I read somewhere that records are made to be broken.

Newspaper: But how will you feel?
Ed: Same as I do now?

Newspaper: How's that?
Ed: Fine

Newspaper: Give us a preduction. Will you win or lose your last game?
Ed: As captain, I can promise only one thing.

Newspaer: And what's that?
Ed: I don't want to be there to see what happens.

This captain must be stupid, I think. He claims to be the captain yet would not be in that match.
Although this is a fiction, I really wonder if there is somebody who does not like to win. Well if you have found one, post a comment to this blog.

At Last, We Produced and did Not Perish

2006-08-22T17:05:00.000+01:00

Who said it would all go well with Maravilla Enterprise; an AAUN first class student initiated Bread making business project in SBE102? Is there any successful venture that has at one time not recorded a problem? At first, students thought it was going to be a hitch free venture or probably not much an arduous task. But in the 9th week after the inauguration of the project and looking at the progress so far then, the story was a different one with a painful failure and what can best be described as a regrettable loss. After some of its counterparts have broken even, it looks like “losses are the achievement” and would be persistent. The bulk of the losses have come from the bad nature of the oven. The oven (a Canadian oven) uses electricity as well as diesel. The burning rate was observed to be abnormal and was emitting some very dark smoke which made the bread produced unhealthy. After much repairs, it seemed that the burner for the oven needed to be replaced with a new one as it was obvious that the current one was inefficient. There came a serious blame on the president by some members of the Maravilla Enterprise for signing a lease for a non functional bakery. “But it was a unanimous decision by members of the

enterprise” the president would say. He is correct if any one would ask me, as a member of the enterprise. But where is the proof? Lack of Team work was another major cause of the failure of the Enterprise. Executives were not only shunning team work amongst themselves, they were also not working with students in their departments. Some claimed to be working too hard and the president was not complimenting their efforts. But the main problem was the nonchalant attitude of some of the executives towards the project and causing disruption even during meetings (executive meetings). My request for minutes of all meetings held sent to all members of the enterprise seemed to be ignored. This probably is the most important lesson for the president (now former): to nip a problem in the bud. With the blame on the president, it was obvious he was unable to lead the group. There was need for achange. There was a great need for someone else to head the group. Then the president, Malachy Khanoba, humbly stepped down and was made the special adviser to the president. As someone who has saved the company from being perished by asking her uncle of his permission to use his bakery, Maryam Aliyu the former vice-president II of marketing was made the president.

This time, the popular slogan was "Produced or You Perish." This slogan was refering to us, the Maravilla group. It meant that we have the last opportunity to do anything meaningful. So we heed on as we realize that we could still do something. Personally, the slogan I resight in my mind was that our Maravilla idea is still on fire. So I really believed that we could still cook something great despite the fact that we were at the last month of the four months to run the business. I was not the only one optimistic. Maryam, the New President, did the same, as observed from her speech.

At the time when the New President was apointed, there was also other restructure in the organization. Nurusheen Samuel was made the vice-president II of marketing while Sefa Chia the production vice-president has also stepped down and the vice-president of logistics, yours sincerely was made vice-president of Production and Logistics. With the current structure, a great progress was recorded and it was hoped that in a few days, the company would break even. The faculty adviser to the company, Dr Alvan Ikoku was greatly supportive in ensuring that the project be successful, helping to
advitise the product and volunteering to give his car for us to use in the distribution. Below is a draft of the e-mail he sent to us when we just started progressing.

Hello Bakery Group, I need to commend Shola, the baker, and all of those who
have been part of the transformation of the Bakery group. Our product is
unbelievably good (a few more pictures are attached). So good
that people DEMAND
to buy it. I bought some breakfast rolls today and
they're half gone and it is
not yet midnight not to talk about morning. I
had to rush to the faculty club to
shed some calories. The ultimate
compliment? My cook (a trained chef) begs for
her daily rations of Maravilla
magic and commandeers any haft-eaten loaf dumb
enough to be lying around
unattended. "Sir, this is for me, right?! You promised
to get me more
loaves!!" Ladies and gentlemen, we have an opportunity to rock
the bread
industry in Yola and come out of this with a handsome profit. I am
glad that
we have chosen to produce rather than perish (with a little
encouragement
from you know who, LOL). Keep up the good work! Dr. Alvan Ikoku
HERE IS A SHORT VIDEO OF THE SBE AWARD NITE

Poor Communication Skills yet a Communication Major

2006-08-20T11:33:00.000+01:00

I am bad in communication (though good at writing) yet majoring in Communications. This sounds really odd. I remember how bad I spoke during the last board meeting of our maravilla company. Instead of mentioning the things we learnt during the semester, such as ability to meet deadlines, fulfilling a task, delegating responsibilities, making market research, giving good presentation, etc., I was talking nonsense which I can even remember now. I know I'm very poor at effective public speaking but during this holiday, I've decided to work on my communications skills. Here are some question that I need to ask myself to see if I can really speak well.

Do I communicate the right message to the right person at the right time?

Do I think carefully about a message before I decide how to communicate it?

Do I project self-confidence and speak confidently?

Do I welcome feedback about my communication?

Do I listen intently and check I have understood before I reply?

Do I try to exclude personal prejudices of all kinds when judging others?

Am I constructive and civil when I meet others?

Do I take time to give people the information they need and want?

Do I use one-to-one meetings for reviews of performance and coaching?

Do I question people to find out what they think and how they are getting on?

Do I hand out written briefs that give all pertinent information on a task?

Do I use professional phone techniques to improve my communication?

Do I communicate via all available electronic media?

I know of somebody who can certainly say yes to all these. All first class AAUN students know that our former dean of students, Barry Morris can say yes to all these questions if he asks himself. I have decided to follow his style of speaking. He is a true exemplary Charisma I have come across.

AAUN Students Mainly Muslims and Christians

2006-08-17T12:02:00.000+01:00

Most AAUN students are either muslims or christians. But I'm neither of these. At times I wonder why people think their religion is supreme or the best. To me this terms (supreme, best) are relative terms. I believe all religion is correct and were established by God in as much as they all teach love. No one religion is correct. Every one serves a purpose for her respective member. I choose to associate with ECKankar, the religion of the light and sound of God.

Prior to my joining ECK, I was a pagan. Some say I was an athiest maybe because I believe that there is no simgle human called God. Actually, I was/am still a phylosopher who belives that God is there in his dormain and does not interfer with the sufferings of manking - a heathen. I see God as not a human but a universal consciousness that resides in the heart of everybody as LOVE.

You may find some of these quotes thoughtful. They are given by Harold Klemp from his book, the language of soul.

Learn to give, without ever thinking of a reward. That’s how to find the treasures of heaven.

The principles of Spirit are embedded in the literature and in the life of our culture. Truth is never hidden. It is always available for the Soul who wants to take the next step.

Sometimes it’s important to just stop and be grateful for the blessings that you already have.

There is usually somewhat of a struggle when we move into a higher state of awareness, and that is natural. The problems in life can be dreaded with fear, or they can be seen as opportunities for growth—and a challenge.
You must make up your own mind as to what you want to do. Consider all parts of your life, the financial and emotional included, and do what seems to be common sense. Then plan and work carefully.

Sometimes you are called upon by the Holy Spirit to go out of your way to help another person toward the enlightenment of God.

Healings always depend on the individual: How conscious is that Soul?

I would be posting some of these quotes now because I have lots of them.

Life is a Stage Where Everyone Acts

2006-08-16T14:20:00.000+01:00

Do you know that at times when we pass through difficulties, we take no cognizance that someone has done the same and that many still live in that difficulty?

On is bound to face difficulties in as much as life is a constantly changing phenomenon. While in my summer holiday here in Yola, I really saw the end of life. At times, one need to be stubborn just to get something and in this context, I refused to travel home during the holiday preferring instead to live among the average people of the society here in Yola.
Why stay in an luxurious home where my freedom is a price to pay, I always wonder.

Last Saturday, I was going through my old files and I came across this piece among my documents. It was written by one of my high school days successors in JETS (Junior Engineers, Technicians and Scientists) club, Aliu Sunday whom I take not just a friend but a brother. He gained admission to the university of Benin a year before I did. The letter (drafted below) is a reply to one I wrote to him showing my annoyance on him for not bordering to say hi about 2 years after we left school and for about 3 months after I got admission into the school in the same faculty (engineering). I really appreciate this letter and decided to keep it among my documents.

Straight from my heart

Life is a stage where everyone acts his part and quits the scene. The very perfection of a man is rooted in his imperfection. These words come from the land of immortality to the sons of men saying, don't be too series about life because you won't take anything out of here.

To err is human to forgive is divine. I've tread the paths that even the gods dread. What can a man do to placate the wrath of Omorx?

Sure, you were a mentor, a friend, a companion and a brother altogether. In those days when Ignoance slapped me in the face, while I was groping in the dark, you brought light to my path.
Secret things they say belong to the gods, but I am constrained to unravel the mystery of my adventures in life in the last couple of years to you.

This may shock you! For over a year now, I have been living outside my home. Alone in the wind, walking and treading the dangerous paths of life with God with me. Hell was let loose and father/mother/sisters went their ways. Holding my breath, keeping faith I prayed for the dawn of a new day. But the more I looked the deeper the orifice of delusion.

Actually, over the time, I've been living in my world. A world of loneliness. Alone in empty nothingness of space. God was my last hope. Amidst sorrows, happiness lasts but a moment.
There were days when the sun was so cold, when the night lasted forever. Dawn was far. This was the odyssey of my life in those days. There are lots words cannot explain. If man were omniscient, all would have been been plain. ALL IS MYSTERY AND MYSTERY IS ALL. I will say more when we see heart to heart. "Occulo omentum" ----> eyes on the goal.

Amidst trouble waters, happiness lasts but a day
sorrows and sighs all over the place
holding my breath dear God, strengthen this young man trying to profit from a world of sin
with our fingers crossed and keeping faith, we trust thee
dear God.

Omorx, thank God we are together now.
Remember at times, love starts with hate.
Cheers!

logo/art/emblem/nonsense (just anything you wanna call it)

2006-08-16T13:38:00.000+01:00

Was it not John Kennedy, a former American President that said "don't ask for what your country would do for you, but what you would do for your country"? Everyday, I think of what I would do for my great school, AAUN. And guess what, I just finished designing something which I don't even know what to call. Maybe I should say AAUN coat of arm. And it is something I started about at the beginning of this summer holiday (May 2006). I can best describe it as a kind of integration of all AAUN emblems. Although am not sure it is good enough for the school to accept it, but I like to see it in my web log as one creative thing I achieved during this summer, besides writing poems.

The Coat of Arm has all the AAUN emblem: Desert Rose, AAUN logo, US flag, Nigeria flag, sub-Sahara African map showing Nigeria and a red spot, University motto, v_shape, hills, V_SAT, and strides showing AAUN colors.
The US flag shows that it is an American styled university (curriculum wise, faculty trained wise, etc. )
The Nigerian flag symbolizes that it is established in Nigeria.

Map of Sub-Sahara Africa shows that it is the first one in the region.
Nigeria is shown in the map to show where in Africa the country is.

The Red spot indicates the sunshine intensity in Yola (some what very high at some times of the year) and depicts the specific location of the university.
Under the map of sub-Sahara Africa is the University motto: "preparing future African leaders for global challenges." [Only a suggestion though]

The v_shape signifies the location of the university: at the valley of river Benue, a very important river in Nigeria.

The hills show Adamawa hills and the grasses signify the rich vegetations in the hills. (Adamawa is the state of Nigeria where the school, AAUN is located and the hills and valleys are typical landmarks of the state.)

Down the v_shape of the logo, there is the university's giant V-SAT which shows the fortress/emphasis the university has on Information Technology.

In between the AAUN logo and both flags, and at the top of the wordings of 'Abti American University of Nigeria' is blue waves. The waves depicts the river benue waves while the color, blue shows the love that exist among all students regardless of whom they are, where they are from or what religion they practice.

The plant, Desert Rose can be the university mascot. (!just a suggestion) (It's been named for the school's newspaper. It is "an amazing plant that is specially adapted to live in this part of Africa. It has a fleshy trunk that stores water for long periods which makes it to thrive in even the most arid conditions. The plant is akin to AAUN which rises out of the sweeping plains of the savanna yet full of life, resilience and enduring beauty.”

The flowers (6) symbolize the students who are beautiful and bright, clearly the best feature and drawn from the six continents of the world.

The branches symbolize the vision of the school - multi-faceted, reaching upward and outward.

The base symbolizes the foundation of the school - deeply rooted, providing strength and support.

The leaves (5) symbolizes the five schools of the university: - School of Arts and Science, School of Information and Communication, School of Business and Entrepreneurship, School of Engineering and the School of law (Note that the latter schools will kick off in two years time)

Under the Desert Rose, there are three tools by means of which AAUN is achieving its mission: Quality, Integrity and Style.
-Quality, i.e. the quality of education the school is offering which is of world class standard.
-Integrity: means honesty and incorruptibility; values which are deeply embroiled in the University philosophy.
-Style: An American style which is a different pedagogical approach as against the British style that operates in Nigeria.

Down the three tools, (quality, integrity and style) are strides which have four colors (the four colors of the university) with white being the predominant. This white color signifies the peaceful nature of the state (Adamawa) in relation to other parts of the country.

This nonsense designed is opened to suggestion or criticism for further modification if need be. I think a general background of black should be preferred or makes it more beautiful, instead of white. However, it can remain white for now and maybe if the gesture to improving it suffices, then I would experiment using various colors.

In general, I think this work is non-sense. But it reflects my true nature of experimenting with different kinds of ideas to bring out a pattern or something sensible. If you chose to say inovation, you correct. If you also say madness, you aren't wrong either. After all, there is joy in madness, known only to those that are mad (ooops).

A Serious Minded Gentleman with Harsh Words

2006-08-16T13:30:00.000+01:00

I have said it before and I would not hesitate to reiterate it. The first thing in my life is knowledge acquisation via quality education, and I can be very ferocious when someone tramples on my feet with a view to preventing me from getting it.

I have once been dropped out of this school and that was at the middle of my second semester of my freshman year and I cannot compromise withdrawing again.

That should be the last for anyother would mean not graduating with my class (the first class). I would really like to be among the pioneer graduates of this institution just as I've been one of the pioneer freshmen.

So, let he who wants to give me a tough time know my propelling force. It is in a simple statement ecompassing 3 things:
I either be a student of this school, or
become a madman, again, among the destitutes in the street or
ceize existence.

Let he also remember that "tough times never last, for only tough people do," because I have seen enough! Life is a training ground as well as a battle field.
A cork has to eat corn before it can make its sonorious cry of cock ado -do-0-o-o- do.
I rest my case!

My Goal Lives Forever

2006-08-16T13:18:00.000+01:00

I wrote this poem last night and I decided I should post it to my blog.

My Future, don't call my name
because I would not answer you.
It is obvious you're dead
Becuase you have neglected me.

I look but can't see
I listen but can't hear
Even my boat don't float anymore
So I have abandoned it to walk the way.
Though I could walk
But without a direction

Which way do I go?
became the daily song
as I stood still at the crossroad
left,
right,
forward,
or backward.
I was indeed at a delima

I decided to retrace my step
What did I need when I first came here?
I remebered my goal
To what extent have I achieved it?
I realize I was making the biggest mistake:
forgetting or neglecting my goal
basically because I did not write it down.
I shall now do that
So that it would remain ALIVE forever.

Western Civilization; The Course I Dread Most in My First Year

2006-08-16T12:20:00.000+01:00

My life has never been more challenging than schooling in a world class university such as AAUN, expecially being a freshman. There was always a lot to do. It seemed that the professors were only trying to be impressive, but that was the typical first class American University system.

The work load became much as we climbed the stair case of the semester ladder. It seemed we could not go through everything. and even when it was time for the mid-term break (salah break), as some went home to celebrate the festival with their families, others went for a trip to Yankari game reserve in Bauchi, and while some were noticed to have been in one classroom or the other battling for the conquering of western civilization, and unraveling the menas to avoid plagiarism in their next reflection paper in the course. There had never been a more dreaded course.

I don't care what you believe in. I don't want to know what religion you practice. What I want you to do is to discuss the topic. The philosophical Guru would always say.
"a literal reading of the creation stories of The Book" [Religious books he means] "differs sustantially from the account given by the overwhelming consensus of modern science. The topic says can the explanation in The Book be understood as metaphor?" The prof will emphasize.
It was indeed a battle between religion and science.

Initially, it seemed the battle would last till infinity.
Well the joy now is that the battle eventually ended as we came to the end of the semester.

So, the series of baptism of reflection papers were gone.
The task of sitting down to watch the Eugen Weber video in the AV room of the library was over. The task of spending 8 hours a week in the Lagos room, studying for the course was gone.
But I will miss one thing. The series of "abuses" gained on every lecture he delivers which was making me to consider enrolling for his course on comparative politics during the following semester, at least as an elective.
Professor Bill Hanseen is his name but I call him the crazy professor because he is really superb.

Exploring the Titanic

2006-08-15T16:25:00.000+01:00

Can you imagine what it would be like to be on a sinking ship? This morning, as I read a book, Spotlight on Literature, I tried to put myself in the place of a passenger of the titanic, the famous ship that sank in 1912.
As I read about the voyage of Robert Ballard on discovery the titanic I wondered where the passengers 2,200 where going and why they could trust the safety of this truly gigantic ship. Well you might not have known that the Titanic was 882 feet (269m) - almost four city blocks - long. Her nine decks towered as high as an 11 -story building and that it was the first ocean liner to have a swimming pool.

The ocean liner R.M.S. Titanic was built in 1911 and deemed "virtually unsinkable." But on its maiden voyage in 1912, the ship struck an iceberg in the North Atlantic and sank, killing 1,500 of the 2,200 passengers aboard. Nothing sounds more tragedies than the ship's captains life, Edward J. Smith, who had served the white star line of passenger ships for 38 years. HE planned to retire after this last trip, a tribute to his long and successful career.

In 1985, Robert D. Ballard and his team discovered the remains of the Titanic on the ocean floor. A year later, the team returned to explore the ship in their submariner Alvin, with the help of Jason Jr their robot.

A doll's head and a man's patent leather shoe are usually not objects of wonder, of course. But they were truly haunting images to explorer and oceanographer Robert Ballad, because of where they were found - among the wreckage of the Titanic. Ballard saw these objects throught the eyes of his small robot operated from his three-man submerging, Alvin.
searching a 150-square-mile area of the ocean floor for the Titanic "makes finding a needle in a haystack seem, trivial," he says.

Ballard continues to be intrigued by technology and by what lies in the depths of the ocean. His book the lost wreck of the Isis describes his discovery of a sunken Roman Ship.

I'm looking forward to reading this book.

Adapted from Spotlight on literature by Candy Dawson Boyd et al.

A Song for Africa: I take a Stand for Africa, Until it's Built

2006-08-10T15:06:00.000+01:00

This morning as I woke up, I feel I just need to write something. Then I taught of my goal which is to become successful in this school. Then I thought of entertaining people and what about a song to end my ode for my entertainment, it would be great. All of a sudden, I saw myself singing a song and quicly took a pen a paper to draft the song on it. I immediately thought of sending it to my blog so that I don't forget it so easily because hardly is there a week I don't visit my blog.

I like blogging because it's a place for achives.
In a blog, you can view your works (edit and review) as they are always there for you anytime, so long as you have a computer hooked up to the internet. There is no case of I left my book somewhere or I can't find the page I wrote it. I remember having writen so many poems in my high school days but I can't have a trace on them because I always write them in my rough notes, and I have since then (six years ago) I have lived in four other places outside my parents home.

Not only poems have I written but songs as well. In fact, I like songs and in generally good music like classical music. I do know I have a talent for composing songs. In short those things that characterises medieval Age of the western world, I'm really good at them: Lyric poems, composing music, architectural workds and lots of other things.

This night, as I wrote this song, I decided that I would not forget it hence, my purpose of posting it.

I take a stand
You take a stand
We all take a stand
for Africa........our home continent
To let it stand............among others
Let's take a stand to build Africa
building Africa............until it's strong

Dean of Students in my Freshman Year

2006-08-10T14:39:00.000+01:00

Do you see this gentle man?
He is Barry Morris and was my dean (dean of students) in my first year of study in this school.
I, as well as other students, particularly like his charismatic ability. He talks very fluently and inspirationally. He is a mentor and has a great ability to coach. I still remember when he had a seminar for on being a successful student and he talked about time management, setting goals, changing attitudes among other things which really helped me in my first year of study in this school.

But it was really unfortunate that we would not be having it this academic year as he has resigned. I just pray the school get, as they have promised, another like him.

IT Grant from Marthkur Foundation

2006-08-10T14:07:00.000+01:00

Hey guy, guess what?
Our school is begining to get recorgnition by lots of bodies not just accross Africa alone, but the world.

During the spring of 2005, our school received a grant from Marthkur, a foundation based in the US. The grant, according to the information on the american university of Washington international newsletter, "will enable it establish an information technology (IT) hub that provides training for faculty in the use of instructional technologies and for students to become tech tutors." You can visit the site for details:

http://www.american.edu/ia/newsletter/v2_n2/11.html

Best Wishes to the First Class Students

2006-08-10T13:39:00.000+01:00

Oh, I just found this document in one of my files; my freshman year file, and I decide I must send it to my blog. It contains one of my writings I do when bored or when tired of reading/doing assingment.

This particular one was written when our final exams was approaching. One can call it a free writing. We were taught to always do what is called free writing when as a pre-writing technique, when we have an essay to write. But this evening, I was not intending to use this free writing for any essay just to express my feelings because very soon, then, the semester was going to end and we shall all depart for the mid-academic-year (chrismass) break.

I wish every first class student success in their exams.
The road is rougher than we had all hoped.
And at this point it has become rough.
But I assure us all that we shall survive it.
But to survive this battle, we have to use a strategy:
We should realize that we came as eagles; the first class eagle.

Why give up Now when almost at the hills?
And when we could even soar higher.
There is always a way for the willing mind.
Once again, I wish you all the very best in your exams.
Remember to write in the first class way; the first class of which you are.
Keep soaring like the first class eagle.

Best wishes from
?
??
???
Anonymous!

ha.ha.ha.
I hear you say I must be crazy,
Well, I doubt if you're wrong!!

The Desert Rose, Our Newspaper Club

2006-08-10T11:42:00.000+01:00

The first day I steped into this school, I was very impressed with the level of development that has taken place here. I was up for a challenge. I started to write because writting is one of my numerous hobbies. I wrote about my impressions about the school. I was really full of energy.

On the last day of orientation, we were asked to sign up for any club of our choice. I need not think of what club to join first because the newspaper club was there.

well if you're ambitous like me, curious and full of energy, interested in learning about hot topics of the day and investigating the different sides of an issue, think of joining our newspaper club, also known as the Desert Rose.

Come discover your skills as a Reporter, Editor Artist, Organiser, Creative Writer, Interviewer, Layout Person or even a good advertising personnel if you are business minded.

Journalism can be a powerful and influential force in any society.
In our Club, you will decide what news is worth reporting; appreciate the resposibility of good reporting of the news; and develop your intellectual ability to discuss intelligently what you see, hear, and read on campus.

It's your choice!

You wanna Join?
Send an e-mail to: desertrose@aaun.edu.ng

But you would have to be a student of this school before being a member.

If you are a prospective student, click this link:
http://www.abti-american.edu.ng/application.htm

I know some one wondering about why we chose the word Desert Rose as our newspaper.

The Desert Rose, botanically known as Adenium Obesum, is an amazing plant that is specially adapted to live in this part of Africa.

It has a fleshy trunk that stores water for long periods, thus allowing the plant to thrive in even the most arid conditions.
We chose the name because the plant reminds us of our school as it relects the location, foundation, students and vision of the school.

Location: Like The Desert Rose, Abti-American University of Nigeria rises out of the sweeping plains of the savanna - full of life, resilience, and enduring beauty.

Vision: The branches symbolizes the vision of the school - multi-faceted, reaching upward and outward.

Students: The flower symbolizes the students of the school - beautiful and bright, clearly the best feature!

Foundation: The base symbolizes the foundation of the school - deeply rooted, providing strenght and support.

Let me inform you that we have the first issue of our campus newspaper already published as at March 1st, 2006. It is available on this web page.

http://africanprimates.net/desertrose.htm

Life is Hard, Life is Wicked

2006-08-09T13:01:00.000+01:00

This poem was written at the pick of a stressful life during my summer holiday here in Yola. This was the period when frustration almost toke me apart and I was really poised to facing the worst but I still used the word "Life" as a metaphor. One who reads with an open mind would certainly know that God is a perfect metaphoric word.

Life, Oh prescious life

Why do you treat your citizens bad?
Why do you not give all equal opportunities?
Why do you not interfer in your peoples trouble?

Oh, I wonder!

The first time your citizens came into this world
You gave them an impression of your concern
You welcome them so well
You shawer the rain of love among them

As the years went by
You secretely withdrew your hands from them
So that they may realize that existemce is an individual affair
I'm afraid, you're wicked

I remember when I first began to know you
but it wasn't the real you, you portrayed
why being so deceptive?
why, just why?
I swear, I hate you

Most painfully, many claim you have power
And so you can do all things
But you refuse to let us know why you never help the powerless
What if I say you are not powerful
Or must I pray and fast for forty days before you agree to help me?

Spring Semester Students Suya Nite; the best of the rest

2006-08-03T14:04:00.000+01:00

Did you see that groove?
Hu..la..la.
It was the best groove ever organised by the first class students.
It was organised by the second batch of the first class students (Spring Semester Students)

See the disco lights!
See the vibrations from the heavy beats for very hot steps and hot dance!!
See the DJ selection!!!

No doubt he was the heaviest DJ in town, MJ.

And what about the chicken, suya and drinks?
"Abba", trust now, they were flowing like water.(humm), You've gotta be there. No doubt it was just the bomb.

The party was held on the last day of the second semester 2006 exam. This was delibrate so that students would have a happy semester ending.

On the evening of the party, students travelling by air had had their luggage taken to the airport.
And since there was no assignment to do, it was party time; grooving until you could groove no more such that the following morning, you fly back home. In fact, there was no better thing in life at that moment.

That was it for the second semester and in fact, it did had a happy ending.

Maravilla Bakery and Confectioneries; AAUN First Class Student Project

2006-07-27T11:40:00.000+01:00

It was gonna be fun. So held the opinion of some students. I was really wondering what fun it was, running a business. It wasn't going to be the first time of runing a business. The businees was really not totally devoid of fun any way because the business plan presentation was really interesting.

I was in group 14 and our business plan was to have a super store and sell provissional items as well as snacks for the AAUN community. I decided that we name our business JOFA. C. which was the initials of our first name: Justice, Omorx, Farouq, Abu and Chuckwononso, but some members siad it was kinda

too weak and suggested De-Bean. So, we accepted and did made our presentation. The Grill and Maravilla were the best ideas and got chosen. So every other group were disolved and its members attached to one of these two groups. I was, do I say lucky (not at all actually or maybe - still thinking) to be in the bread group (Maravilla Bakery and Confectionaries).

In the following week, the executives were elected. I thought hard whether to contest or not. I eventually contested on making up my mind to do so, basically because I like participating actively in any activity (school and student led). Although I had the premonition that it was somewhat not going to be that easy, I never realize that it would be that very very difficulty for a student project especially as we lack experience in the field.

I proceeded into action after being elected as the V.p. of marketing together with Aishat Ramalan who got the same voting points as I did. We had seven students who volunteered to work in my department. We allocated positions

to everyone and then formed our organisation chart. Then we designed the questionaira for the market research, since publicity was in my department and made estimate of everything we would need and forward it to the finiance department. Soon, our company got registered with the corporate affairs unit of the ministry of commerce and we went into action.

I'm afraid I'm not going to give you the details of Maravilla Company here. Maybe in another Post. But believe me that the course consumed more than the required 9 hours a week for most students especially for key officers like myself and in fact, I had to dedicate myself to the business when I found that it was going to sink into problems. I did this, however, because I had dropped all my courses and deffered my studentship.

But I must say that the maravilla company really enabled me to learn a lot. I was able to learn how a business operate, how to take and delegate

resposibility, make market research (primary) know why business fail, make effective power point presentation, how market forces (dd and ss) and competors affect a business.

me, fueling the oven with gas (i.e. diesel)

Some say I spent too much time in the company and would not imagine why I should when I dont benefit anything. Well, that's true but you should believe that at times, the foolishness can be a great wisdom.

At the end of the semester, there was an award nite, held in memory of the four business. Here is a short video click of the pictures of that day.

Awake, Sleeping Souls in Africa

2006-07-25T12:03:00.000+01:00

Sleeping souls in Africa,
Oh, sleeping souls.
Wake up because the time has come!
the time which was envisioned by many
many who never knew how or when it would arrive. The time that actully slept but was thought dead or on exile.
The time that sees a rebirth of a different pedagogy (An American Styled) in higher education in Africa.

Why do you behave like a typical African?
One whose “capacity for deliberate pessimism about new projects, policies or programs often overtakes his capability for spontaneous optimism.”
One who sees only the hole in a doughnut?
Strive to be an optimist who sees the whole of a doughnut. Make a conscious move towards opening your eyes so that you can see the “timeless options and opportunities” that AAUN is offering to Africa.

You had all thought it would be an impossible task because of the very short interval.
I heard lots of you say and wonder: “how can a school open a year after the lay of its foundation stone”?
you further imagined that it was “yet not just any kind of school, but an institution of higher education that claims to be an arrow head of excellence in Africa.”

That is sheer day dream from any supporter of such an idea, you all thought.
I quite remember that day when one of you said it was foolish for me to leave my formal school (a Nigerian university), for this school you say was “yet to be born.”
But I put it to you this day that on the 12th of September, 2005, lectures started for the inaugural freshman class.

I challenge you right now to go for a tour of the school’s temporary campus, its facilities as well as the 500 hectares construction site.
I assure you that you would be marveled at the constructions at the permanent campus.

Why should you doubt the reality of a modern day world class University in Nigeria, when it is under the supervision of the American University of Washington?
With a free laptop computer and 24 hours internet facilities for all students
Or do you think it would be an elephant project?

Wake up, sleeping souls and if you find it hard to do, maybe you could go and see a doctor. Accept it or not: the only thing that is constant in the universe is change but when we refuse to change along with the times then it would imply that we are sleeping and might soon become dead;
one characteristic of the dead man is that he cannot participate in the existing world - that which a sleeping person can't do either.

So, if you refuse to change along with the times, to adjust yourself accordingly by being updated in the latest issues of the day, and accepting the reality of it, then you are sleeping and heading to the world of the dead.

I urge you to wake up right now to see the things that exist in the real world here in AAUN. You can do this consciously, and only if you realize that you have actually been sleeping.

Dash into the world of information!
Read papers and go to the website of the ABTI-American University of Nigeria at http://www.abti-american.edu.ng/ to see the mission and vision of the school and how fast it is achieving this.
“Perhaps, the worst thing that can happen to someone is to exist in the limbo of ignorance.”

So, you sleeping soul,
Wake up from your slumber!
Wake up from your dead world!
And you would be glad that you did,
Because your life would never remain the same.

I urge you once more that you arise now from your slumber because the era of procrastination has long been buried. The Calling Bell says:
Now is the time.
“The AAUN project must never be weighed down by negative thinking nor encumbered by any prejudice. It is a legacy started, which shall be sustained until the mission is accomplished and the founder’s vision becomes fully realized”.

Long live the Abti_American University of Nigeria
Long live the Founder

Concrete and Abstract Learning Styles

2006-07-18T15:15:00.000+01:00

I now know my learning style and it is helping me to learn effectively.
Do you know yours?

1. When you have difficult time understanding how something workds, it helps most if you can
a) see how it works several times
or
b) take time to think the process through and analyze it.

2. When I learn somethink new, I am more interested in
a) the facts about it
or
b) the principles behind

3. If you kept a journal or diary, it would most likely contain entries about
a)what happens t me each day
or
b) the insights and ideas that occur to me each day

4. I prefer television news prolgrams that
a) summarize events through film footage and factual description
or
b) deal with the issues behind the events

5. IF I were an author, I would most likely write
a) bilgraphies or how-to books
or
b) novels or poetry

6. I pride myself on myu ability to
a) remember numbers and facts
or
b) see how ideas are related

7. When I read a story or watch a film, I prefer on with a plot that is
a) clear and direct
or
b) intricate and complex

If you have more a's, you are a concrete learner
but if you have more b's then you are an abstract learner

Adapted from Successful College Writing by Kathleen T. McWhorter

My Freshman Year was Battle against two Devils

2006-07-18T11:21:00.000+01:00

I know it was goiong to be unique in someway, but I never thought it was going to be exactly like one of the world class universities in the states. I read its mission and vission, they were all superb, but I wondered if it wasn't with a view to attracting students.

Rigorous academics; this was one devil which every student fought with. But I had another devil (personal) that kept slapping me on my face each time I sat down to do my assignment. You so concerned like the Samuels, two of whom you can see in the above picture, Nousheen and Naima, may be you can contact me.

The simple Complex

2006-06-22T10:55:00.000+01:00

It is true I could write.
But believe me, I could only write nonsense.
Without paying any significant attention to grammer rules, proof reading, or editing, I could just conclude that it's o.k.

This attitude in me was changed after a semester of having been baptized with series of writing tactics by my writing instructor, Dr Chery Pavlick who many a time would say, "Omorx, try to write simply..... Bring out the points and develop them."

And after a year, I think I have been polished in writing though doubt if I write simply any way. Actually, I do on delibrate but many a time, prefer to be complex with worlds. This does not mean however that I am a complex being. I could be very complex, but inwardly, I'm very simple or most accurately one can say I'm simple in complexity. I think this explains me the best.

Well, let me not forget to say thank you to my second semester writing instructor, Dr Amy Greene. She really gave some VERY complex reading assignment and in fact, I really shed tears of blood, I remember; some 25 pages of reading assignment in two weeks. Little did I know that the worst was yet to come and that was literature during the second semester of my sophomore year, with an average of 25 pages to read every week and a quiz on every week as well. It's all a challenge and I challenge myself to it saying I'm up to it and for it.

A Moment of Reflection

2006-06-21T12:46:00.000+01:00

At times one gets home sick while at school. I thought it was only going to be during my first semester but at the end of the second semester, I was home sick again. Eager to see my school daughter, Cynthia Ewemade, but I would not because I was not going home during the summer holiday. I wrote this poem one night when I woke up thinking of her.

Dear one,
Oh my dear one.

Where are thou?
How are thou?
It is six months now
I have not seen you
Yet your blood flows in my vein

Your beautiful blood that irrigates the field
That blood that flows incessantly
Flowing up and down my system
As each day goes bye

It seemed just like yesterday
When I was leaving
When tears ran down your cheek
As if I was leaving forever

But I did assured you
That I was going to come back soom
For that I could not resist not coming here
Because it was a dream come through
A desired change for the better

And after a month
It seemed I would not keet to my promise
As you never saw me
I know you were worried
Just as I am over here
I feel your pain
and hear your cry
As my heart bleed tears daily

If only I can just see your face right now
Wearing that your usual smile on it
I would have feel a bit relieved
But it would be till another six months time

My dear one
Oh, My dear one

A "Some How" Day of My Freshman Year!

2006-06-18T11:09:00.000+01:00

My freshman year was really a year of delima for me; not knowing whether I would be return to my former school (University of Benin) or would continue. I was always lonely - I'm not quick at making friends especially while so depressed and confused. I can recall an experience when Sheriff, a course mate called me through Waheda's phone while we were on maths study group class and I was thinking of answering it or not.

I really behaved funny on that day. Actually, I had made up my mind not to call my parents and uncle and even switched off my phone completely. I did this because I was tired of being persuaded to return to my former school. At this particular moment, I was thinking who it could be that was calling. I was not willing to pick any call for the fear it might be from my parents or uncle but some of those class mates of mine would not understand and claim I was somehow. Ha-ha-ha, I was some how really, but for a reason!

ITC 101; "Guys, You have to Practice"

2006-05-04T18:43:00.000+01:00

ITC 101 (Introduction To Computer) was a first semester course. It was a core course for all majors. It was the course that "chop the chunk" of all AAUN first time. This Russian gentle man you see here is Dr Butakov, our computer instructor. He ensures that he keeps us all busy while the semester lasted. At the begining of the semester, he shared us into groups of two's i.e. every one has a peer mate with whom to do assignment together and believe me, there was really LOTS OF ASSIGNMENT to do. Did you see this girl whose shoulder my left hand is over? She is Radiya Nasir and was my peer in the course and she is my very good friend." Thank God it is all over". That was our words as we have a cool snap of what Idi (the Joker of AAUN ) called "close up picture." We were happy because the bulk of assignments and practice before class for in-lab assignments and good morning quiz were all over since there was no final exam on that course.

Really, the series of exams that we had (two weeks interval) and good morning quizes were an enough doze for us. We were very happy as the semester was coming to an end. At last, we could go home to have enough sleep. Our instructor would no longer remind us of the need to practice before the coming to class again because of course there would be no classes again. That moment reminded us of our primary school days of singing the song

"holiday is coming..., holiday is coming..., no more calling bell.., teachers good bye, all friends good bye..., I am going to spend my jolly holiday.

ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha...................

hei somebody, help me to laugh. I can't laugh further. Laugh Out Loud because again, life would become beautiful when one wakes up from the bed in his fathers house and say thank God, there is no assignment due today.

My Saddest and Happiest Moment; only a Five minutes interval

2006-05-04T13:16:00.000+01:00

It happened on a Thursday afternoon the 19th of January, during the spring orientation when I led parents for a tour round the temporary campus. We proceeded to the permanent site with the school bus as the University Public relations officers toke the lead this time. The next point was Abti Press (a publication house) before going to the club house.

While in the printing house, I saw the AAUN monthly newsletter just being printed. On the first page were students who are in the merit list (President and Dean's lists). I browse through, though I knew that I would not be one, since I did not performed up to expectation. But it reminded me of many of my lapses and things I took for granted during the last semester which robbed me of this opportunity, and I became sad.

Just then his Excellency, Vice-President Atiku Abubarkar came with his entourage and I was introduced and invited for a handshake, as a student who led parents for the campus tour. I was so overwhelmed that I felt I had won the greatest award on earth. It was a unique opportunity and in short, my happiest moment.

AAUN First Thanksgiving Day Celebration

2006-05-04T12:27:00.000+01:00

Thanksgiving is an American custom and is a tradition celebrated around the world. It is said to "commemorate a 17th century feast prepared by the Pilgrims- a group of early settles in the United States." [AAUN thanksgiving programm]

Here in AAUN, we also celebrated it. The first celebration took place on the 24th November, 2005. It was held in the community hall (School Cafeteriat).

On the thanksgiving day, we all thought it was going to be a celebration full of music and dance. But this was notreally it. It was just a kind of dinning night, sitting with friends and snapping pictures though with music playing at the background. Each table had at least a professor sitting among the students and discussing with them on any issue that was raised while dinning on different kinds of food went on. There was a big turkey meat that was sliced and cut to the individual's choice. It was a lovely day as we have different photos with our faculty members and ourselves (students), being sumptiously dressed. Some of our faculty members also danced with us. For example, my writing Professor, Cheery Pavlick and the Dean of students, Dr Barry Morris. I and I'm sure all students will live to remember that day.

Professor Sue Gurufalo, a Writing Professor

2006-05-03T18:12:00.000+01:00

You see this Lady here ehrr, she is Professor Sue Garufalo. She is one of the Professors whose Lecture Style I love so much, here in AAUN. She takes the course WRI 101 (Academic Writing).
Anyway, she isn’t my writing professor.
Each time I go to study in the “Enugu” Class room, I always see a powerful quotation which I take down immediately, in the note pad of my laptop computer.
I later understood that she starts and end each class with ‘quotations’ and ‘wise sayings’.
That is her style and I love it.
I would therefore implore the academic department to fix me in her class next semester for the academic writing 102;
For those powerful quotes, you know!
They are really very inspiring.

Spring Semester Students Face the AAUN Challenge

2006-05-03T17:56:00.000+01:00

The desire for a world class university has become a reality for some students. But it seems they, just like the Fall students, had not known the requirement for being a world class university student before coming here. Five weeks after they started classes, they have begin to realize that it’s truly rigorous. “I can’t get through every thing” a student complains. “The professors demand too much from us” another says, during the first Saturday night freshman get together. Enyinnaya Chinedum Okoroafor, another spring semester student, admitted that it was tough but he says it is the best system because it makes one read throughout the semester, very unlike the Nigerian University system when a student have to wait till the last month of the semester before he/she starts studying. He agreed that the system was strange to him.

A fall semester student in their mist agreed that it’s truly rigorous and worth complaining about. He however enjoined them to face the challenge as they would be used to the system. According to him, “it’s all freshman’s problem. Every one complains in his first year. But one gets used to the system with time. The most important thing is for you to always realize that the university education system is teaching you something important which you have to apply in your daily activity to be successful in your endeavor. One of these is how to keep track of time”

Music Club and the first AAUN Chrismas Carol Night

2006-05-03T17:10:00.000+01:00

In AAUN, not only do my professors encourage us to participate in extra-curricular activities, they participate as well. For example, in the music club, we have four of our professors as members and it is lovely to have them practice with us. The photo you see above is the one taken during the chrismas caro night we did as chrismas break was drawing near.

On red is Dr Cheery Pavlick, my writing 101 professor. To her left is Dr Laura Dobson (African civilization professor) and Jenifer Okekearu (a student). Then me on the extreme. To her right is Lydia Amadi, also a student. At her back (on red) is Chioma Malvi (also a student) while the others are Dr Michael Smith (on white) - the dean of the school of Arts and Science, and Dr Barry Morris (dean of students). Sitting on the carpet is Mr Kayode, the Music Director.

The Birth of Social Life in AAUN

2006-05-03T16:18:00.000+01:00

I remember vividly, what the first school day was like;
Dull because very few students were on campus.

And what about the campus social of the students orientation?
Not quite interesting because not many students participated.

But in subsequent weeks, the social life has been on the increase as students got used to themselves and the environment.

There are sporting facilities that helps create a nice social life but it will not be complete in the absence of music; so held the opinion of students who had always become crazy about parties.
And I was one of those students.

On the 12th of November, just two months after the resumption of classes for the first class of freshman students, the social life became balanced with students’ academic life as the first party was organized.
Guys and Babes danced out the tension of the BUS 101 exam that was held earlier in the day.
It was the First party organized by the First class of Fresh man students in the First American University in Sub-Sahara Africa.
But the greatest was yet to come.

On the 27th November, there was a big “groove” (party), held atthe lawn between Dorm A and B, in which students of the Federal University of Technology, Yola (FUTY) were invited.
It was one in which none would like to have missed. With guys and babes “digging it” on the dance floor, no better thing could be on earth!

With good musical selections from the DJ, one would be forced to get down on the dance floor.
Thank God civilization exam was over and it was an opportunity for many students, such as me, to dance away the pain of cracking their brain for what happened in the “Middle- Ages.”

I give “Kudos” to the organizers because it matters to them to make AAUN great socially, just as they do academically.

And “kudos” to every students who came out to “dig it” on the dance floor; “3 gun shots for you all.”

And what about those hospitable students that came shaking hands with our guests from FUTY, welcoming them to our campus, a big “gbozza” to you.

And one more “gbozza” goes to the organizers of the party.
Keep up the good work, I say, because this is just the beginning;
The best was yet to come.

AAUN; An Atmosphere of Love

2006-05-02T04:33:00.000+01:00

What I like most in AAUN is the love which flows among the staffs and the student.

It flows like the gentle sea breeze of the tropics.

It results from the mixed cultural diversity that converges in the school.

You feel this love by the concern which staffs have for the students and which the students themselves have for one another:

Don’t come to class one day and you see your professor send you a mail or call you on your mobile phone.

And if you miss a class on the second time, the next mail you will receive will be from the dean of students.

But who is that student that would like to miss classes here in AAUN ?

I haven’t seen any yet because all the professors here are very charismatic and jovial.

I would forever be glad that I made the right choice for being in AAUN

My Madness is Over; What I had been Cooking is Cooked

2006-05-01T20:34:00.000+01:00

On saturday, during the orientation, When I received my laptop, the first thing I did was to start composing a write up, the draft of which I had written on the evening I arrived AAUN campus. I titled it a "Guaranteed Future at last." This article was then published in the student voice column of the Campus Newspaper, The Desert Rose.

On the last day of the orientation, i.e. on sunday 11th November 2005, I wrote another write up attesting to the culminated state of my madness. It is drafted below. Happy reading.

All my life had been ruled by my philosophy:
A great joy exist in madness known only to those that are mad and only they being in sane can explain the joy of it, and when they do, others may not understand simply because they are not mad themselves. This is why the madman does not reveal what he cooks not until it is cooked.
Even when it is cooked, those without the third nose cannot smell what the madman cooks just as those without the third eye cannot see the great and limitless opportunity that AAUN is presenting to the continent of Africa.

So, let those that had thought that I had been mad, redefine my state. I am in a sane state of mind. I had only been cooking a stuff I shall now reveal:

– attending a world class university

And right now the stuff is cooked

– I am now in a world class university

ABTI-American University of Nigeria; a school driven by a global technology. Hence set to meet the challenges of the 21^stcentury.

Second Semester was Hell, I Dropped All courses

2006-04-16T13:54:00.000+01:00

Life in school became tougher during my second semester. But I would not give up, although I had to, when it was obvious I cannot get going. My personal resources was not going to see me through the semester. I still was not in good terms with my guardian (really personal issue anyway, but suffice to say it was because I came to this school). Oh, I did not tell you I abscorned to this school. Well, that was it.

My personal resorces was running out and thank God for workstudy during the first semester. But I think the greatest mistake I made was to have contested as one of the vice-president of our company (Maravilla, field experience course in Entrapreneurship), robbed me of the time I ought to have engage in work study programm. Thank God that course is no more because it was NOT worth a freshman project and 3 credit load too. But I cannot decline from it at the time I realised that it was going to be too hectic a project. So I was getting confused and this made me to decide dropping out and sacrificed myself for the company that still could not break even, though did not perish.

I need come back fall 2006 else loose my studentship. That was the policy. As one of the strategies to enable me come back, I decided spending the four months summer break in Yola. But if I must tell you, it was another hell for me. I will write about it sometime in another entry.

Pragmatic and Creative Learning Style

2006-03-18T14:05:00.000+01:00

I now know my learning styles. Do you know yours?

1. If you were required to act in a play, would you prefer to
a) have the director tell me how to say my lines
or
b) read my lines the way I think they should be read

2. Do you prefer courses that have
a) a traditional structure (lectures, assigned readings, periodic exams, and assignments with deadllines).
or
b) an informal structure (clas discussioins, flexible assignments and students selected projects)

3. How would you begin an ideal day?
a) planing what I want to do during each hour of the day
or
b) doing whatever comes to mind

4. If you work in a factory, wuld you prefer to be
a) a machine operator
or
b) troubleshooter

5. In selecting a topic for a research paper, what is your more important concern?
a) choosing a topic for which there is adequate information
or
b) choosing a topic I find interesting

6. When you are able to solve a problem, what is usually because you have
a) worked through the solutioin step by step
or
b) brainstormed until you arrived at a solution

7) If you had one last elective course to take before graduation, you would chose one that presents
a) practical information that you can use immediately
or
b) ideas that make you think and stimulate your imagination

If your answers are mainly "a" then you are a pragmatic leaner while you are a creative learner if "b"

Adapted from Successful College Writing by Kathleen T. McWhorter

My First Day of Class (Writing II) Second Semester Class was Quiz Day!

2006-02-09T14:22:00.000+01:00

Although my second semester did not really excite so much compared to my first semester, I still found some little things that gave me joy.
Writing II, WRI 102 was the second semester course that excited me the most and here shown at the left is my instructor Prof Amy Greene.

Naturally, I like writing and it was one of my hobies, maybe because I am naturally tacturn, and so like to be heard from what I put down on black and white.

I dreaded this course because it was gonna be tougher, compared to WRI 101 of the previous semester. The course excited me the most because I was having a new faculty (Prof Amy Greene) who had just joined the university.

The memory of my first day of her class still linger in my mind. That day really prooved that the course wasn't really going to be easy. On that day of class, she gave the class a complex topic to write on as our in class assingment after she, and all of us had introduced ourselves. We were asked to write on which one of these is more important, "MEMORY" and "REALITY" under 5 minutes just before class discussion of the topic. This was quite shoking, you know. Quiz on the first day of class?!
It looked like a bombshell that hit not just me alone but the 18 students in that class.
It seemed awkward a topic to write on at first.
How can one compare memory and reality?, I thought.

As the first minute was gone, whe announced that it was four minutes left and even then, no one had yet started writing anything. She mentioned that we should write our thinking and that it was all she require from us to do.

Oh, I seemed to have got the logic. I shuld write anything I think. "None is more important", I thought. I began to put my thought on the paper we were given. Believe me, it was the toughtest quiz I had come across in AAUN.

This morning, as I came across my script, I feel so happy that I could write a good piece like this under five minutes. I still doubt the Reality that I wrote it. But my memory is not that poor that I have forgotten so soon that I wrote it. After all, my name is there and the date is there too, my first day of the second semester class.

Memory and Reality: None is more important

Memory is the recall of a stored information. It could be natural such as when it is the brain that is involved in it or it could be artificial, e.g. computer memory.

Reality can be seen as something that has a possiblilty of occuring or has once occured.

On comparing memory and reality, we can find that there is no solid basis for comparison. Hence, hard to understatnd, if not impopssible which is more important.

In my opinion, each is as important as the other. Memory is important in knowing the time, place and generally, the details of an event. It helps one to know what the scene of an event is like. I remember when I was small and I was required to draw water before going to school every morning. This was because we lived in an area where tap water was very rare. On growing up and in this civilized world, we have seen that individuals now sink their bore holes and can get water. so the event of my old days is not quite easy to remember and somehow there seemed not be need for it. This is because man tends to live by the moment and that is reality. It now appears that my experience while young is becoming abstract and not real.

We can now see that it is easy to think that reality is in this case the most important. For anyone whol thinks this is true, I would like to say that the experience of an event (memory) calls for one to live at the moement - reality. Just as the hostorians would say, "history is what makes people know where they belong and where they are heeding to."

We can now see that Memory and Reality are two intertwined comcepts.

Ode To the First Class

2006-02-03T16:37:00.000+01:00

Once upon a time, there lived an old man. In those old days, he knew that you would be schooling in the best university in Africa. He anticipated the challenges you were to meet from the future as a moment from the past. This challenges he relayed in his poem, "the purpose of the American Education."

At that time, he was a student and with the birth of an American University in the sub-sahara africa, he has come to offer advice to the fresh man class.

The experience he relays is not the past education wheich he received in his old days but he himself in the past imagining the future and what he looked forward to was not also the future in itself but himself in the future, retrieving the bone he buried in the past.

The old man, A masked Mystery Student I was, as I welcomed the Second Batch of the first class students with an ode (a lyric poem):

The purpose of the American Education

From the deep mist of your distant location
I sensed your coming.
From your enthusiastic preparations
I knew you were anxious to be here.
Because never has there been this kind of pedagogy
In this part of the continent

I noticed your moves
Right from when you set out
To get your flight ticket booked
Till the moment you landed at the Yola airport.
I even greeted you,
But in disguise
Because, you would run away.

As the angel of protection
Sitting by your side there in the school bus,
I lead your way to this academic Eldora do;
The school of your dream.

As we journeyed together,
I pointed at those tourist monuments;
Those high hills that characterizes this state
And the gentle flowing river that runs the under bridges.
Never has there been such an adventurous journey.

I knew that you were to encounter a change.
A change from memory retention ability to reasoning ability
And I remember vividly that I told you,
But you would not listen.
The imagination of a new university life pre-occupied your heart.

However, I knew you never thought the voice could make a meaning.
Why be distracted at the core of a blissful moment?
When you had just realized that you are a member of
The first class of freshman student,
in the first styled American University in Sub-Sahara African
After us, being one of the 200 students in a World Class University,
is about the greatest rare privilege any young adult can have.

And as we stepped into the school,
I assisted you in moving your luggage from the school bus
There I was, in your room making you feel comfortable and welcomed
You still would not notice me
Because you were so overwhelmed with the facilities you saw around

Even when I mention the word change.
You wondered what it was, that you heard
But I knew you heard it quite well
So I left you to puzzle over it.
But you still could not make anything out of this
I had better not told you

In the following day, I appeared and smiled
And said welcome and be prepared for a change
You heard me quite well again this time
You still would not understand
Because it was a strange voice as I choose to still remain invisible
You weren’t scared anyway
Since it was all a lovely scene
There was no doubt that you enjoyed it all
But you would continue to imagine

In three weeks time I heard you say
I can’t get through everything;
Assignments after every class
Such was the change.
You complained of managing you time effectively
So as not to be late for each class
Or leave certain assignments undone
Such was the change
And you also complained of
Writing reflection paper on the humanity courses.
Papers of at least 1,200 words.
Such was the change; the desired change.
You have to think critically
And this is the purpose of the American Education.
Teaching you to think critically
And put down your thoughts on black and white

Dear student, you've heard from the old man - a mentor.
Lets wake up to face the challenge before us because AAUN is an academic battle. A child that did not go to a battle field will become weak, even physically.

Learning Style: Rational and Emotional

2006-01-18T14:45:00.000+01:00

I now know my learning Style. Do you know yours?

In making decisions, I am more concerned with
a) whether I have all the available facts
or
b) how my decision will affect others

2. Which set of terms best describes You?
a) fair and objective
or
b) sympathetic and understanding

3. Is it more important for you to be
a) consistent in thought and action
or
b) responsive to the feelings of others

4. If you give a wrong answer in your class, your main concern would be
a) finding out the correct answer
or
b) what others in class thought of you

5. As a member of a jury for a criminal trial, you would be primarily concern with
a) determining how sitness testimony fits with the other evidence
or
b) judging the believability of witnesses

6. If you came upon a serious auto accident, your first impulse would be to
a) assess the situation
or
b)comfort any injured people

7. I can best be described as
a) reasonable and levelheaded
or
b) sensitive and caring

If you have more a's you are rational
and if you have more b's, you are emotional

Adapted from Successful College Writing by Kathleen T. McWhorter

What is your Learning Style? Independent or Social

2005-12-29T13:14:00.000+01:00

I now know my learning style and it is helping me to learn effectively.
Do you know yours?

In class, do you usually
a) make friends with just a few students
or
B) get to know many of your classmates?

2)At a socialll event, do you
a) usually wait for people to speak to me or
b) initiate conversation with others?

3. As a volunteer for a community organization that is raising funds for a hopice, which of these following tasks do you prefer?
a) Stuffing envelops for a mail campaign
or
b) making phone calls asking for contributioins

4) If you decide to learn a musical instrument, would you prefer to make
A) one-on-one lessons
or
b) group lessons

5) Whenever possible, do you choose to
a) Study alone
or
b) study with a study group

6) A career in which my work depends on that of others is
a) less appealing than working alone
or
b) more appealing than working lone

7) To solve a personal problem, you prefer to
a) think about it yourself
or
b) talk it through with friends

If you have more of a's as answers, you are an independent learner and if you have more b's, you are a social learner.

Adapted from Successful College Writing by Kathleen T. McWhorter

Who Wins the First Class Prize?

2005-12-16T17:37:00.000+01:00

Think of the cost of the cost of schooling in a world class university, abroad.
Think of the hurdles in securing a VISA.
Think of the weather which you, as an African, will not easily get adapted to.
Think of your families you might miss for the four years because in most cases you would really not like to return home when on a semester holiday on considering it in economic terms.
Think of all the set back of schooling abroad; lots of them which I can’t get a grasp of right now and you will agree with me that words are not enough to say thank you to this great man whose dream is having a world class university in Africa.
Yes, I mean that I have not yet found any word to use and if you do find one, a huge prize awaits you.
If you are a ‘lexicon professor’, this is a chance because you could be the first person to win the First prize in myaaun.blogspot.com
Just to find a more powerful world than
‘‘Thank You’’ and you will win the prize.
No one is exempted, not even me.
My contribution is:
Thaaaa….nnnkkkk You veeeeri veeeri much, sir. WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL
And the entire First Class of Freshman Student Says:
Na gi dadi
Na gode amma fa,
Naji dadi
Na yi Farin ciki.

Info: Do you know Isaac Asimov?

2005-11-16T21:20:00.000+01:00

Perhaps Isaac Asimov and I have something in common, writing. Once called "the human writing machine," according to spotlight on literature, Isaac Asimov (1929 - 1992) was the author of over 470 books. "I must write," the prolific Asimov would say. "I look upon everything but writing as an interrution".

Spotlight on literature says he is perhaps the most widely known science fiction writer in the world. Among his honors were five Hugo Awards from the world of science fiction series (for his foundation services); best novel 1973 (for the Gods thenselves); and best short story1983 (for "the Bicetennical man").

The science fiction writers of America voted his work"Nightfall" the best all the science fiction story.

Asimov also wrote dozens of popular nonfiction books and articles about science, maths and other topics.

A Weakend Taken for Granted

2005-11-02T12:25:00.000+01:00

“Thank God it is Friday”
This is a statement that is common among workers. I was yet to know why this is so, prior to my coming to AAUN, but the week that ended 15th of October, 2005, made it clear to me.
The week was a very hectic one, as usual and that weekend, I was not less busy, either. But it did promise to be less hectic as there were no classes and this made me took it for granted.
There were lots of assignments to be done over the weekend.
-there was the statistics assignment which I knew I could do under two hours.
-there was SBE 101 assignment, but the due date was farther than others, so I kept it aside.
-the chemistry assignment for that weekend was a group one, so I need not border about it yet, since we (my group members) had agreed to meet in the library on Sunday evening to do it.
-the most tasking assignment awaiting me was a reflection paper on HUM 101(western civilization), and the due date was a week from then. I had already started it though, but I just needed to put it by the side because more impending ones were at hand. These were on WRI 101 and ITC 101.
I was happy that I had succeeded in arranging them to a scale of preference. Oh “Two major assignments to do”, I felt there was more time to do them – Saturday and Sunday.
I decided to join my friends in the football pitch. “Thank God, it is weekend, let’s have fun guys, let’s have fun.” This was my voice as I ran out of the dorm, and dashed into the pitch like a mad dog chasing a bone. I was really doing this to free myself from the shackles of the academic rigor (bulk of assignment). In fact I played the game like I have never done before. I had to make it an interesting one. I really played like a first class footballer, just what it should be expected of an AAUN first class student that I am. And it was my first football game in AAUN. It was like there was no problem in the world, when I was playing – I was totally oblivious of my impending assignments.
We eventually came to the end of the game. I returned to the dorm, took my bath and went for lunch in the dinning hall. The time was 12 o’clock noon and I decided to take my siesta.
I slept for about 2 hours and I remembered that I needed to do some washing. In fact, almost all my clothes were dirty because I had not washed my clothes since the three weeks that I had been in the school. This was an opportunity, I thought. I then decided to wash all of my clothes which took about five hours. Thereafter, I brought my “to do list file” and browse through the items that were in my lists. I saw my list of campus newspaper publication entry to be proofread and my course assignments that were pending.
Although, it was easy for me to recognize that my course assignments were the most important, yet I found it hard to select which assignment needed to be done before the others. The usual thing for me was to do the less difficult ones before the harder ones, but in the time management workshop I had attended recently, then, I was taught that doing the most difficult assignment before the less difficult ones was a better option. Much as I would have like to try this latter new method, I taught it wise to make my choice base on the due date for the assignments. I was to have western civilization, statistics and chemistry classes on the following school day (Monday). So I made up my mind to do those first.
No sooner had I made up my mind to start doing the assignments, than two of my friends came saying it was time for dinner and we went for it. “Oh yeah”, let’s go and we left for the dinning hall. Then the “what’s next guys” topic was raised by one of my friends and somebody reminded the trio of the night movie that was coming up in the next 30 minutes, then. At first, I thought about my assignment and told my friends that I was not going for the movie night. They would not like that I know, but I just have to say it. The power to say “NO” learnt during my time management workshop, was yet to be fully established in me; Behold, I agreed to their demand.
The movie ended 10’o clock and in the next fifteen minutes, I was asleep in my room. I was very tired. I woke up in the middle of the night. I imagined how the time had flown. I thought of the achievement of the day and I was surprised that no meaningful successes were made through out the 12 hours of that day. I was depressed as a result of this and I pitied myself for my condition.
I tried to be courageous and tried to do some of the assignment on that night, in my room. But it seemed the room was not ok then I decided to go to the room where I can place my books on the table to write but I could not. I kept on thinking how I wasted the whole of the day time. I try not to think of this, but the more I tried, the harder it becomes for me. My enthusiasm was then very low and I was very lazy. I then packed my books and left the reading room, for my room to sleep.
It was a sunday morning. I woke up early as I was a morning person. Without wasting any time, started working on my assignment. I was glad to be through with those I needed to submit the following day before lunch. I had my bathe, went to the cafeteriate and then to the library for the chemistry group workassignment sheduled at 3 o'clock.

Monday was always a busy day for me because I not only had three courses, but because I have laboratory class to attend on this day. The closing hour was 5 o’clock and got to the room. I had to have some little rest before going for dinner at 7. But a little rest turned into, not just a short nap, but a very deep sleep. I woke up 3.o’clock at night. I was surprised that I had slept that long. I could not accept this time on my table clock to be correct. I looked at my room mate’s clock and it was correlating with it. I felt like slapping myself on the face for not setting the alarm on, so that I could wake up to do my assignment. I was very hungry and this was unusual. I then realized that I had missed dinner. So I took some snacks, then I quickly brought out my ITC 101 textbook and with my laptop, went to the reading room to do my assignment.
There were three tasking assignments to be done but I still found myself still battling with just the second one. That is ITC; a course that eats more than half of every AAUN student time. It was dawn and I then put off the assignment for the writing assignment.
The reading assignment was to read and annotate a five (5) page passage and I needed to do this because we were to have a test on it on this particular day. So I dashed on it with the hope of coming back to my ITC assignment. But the passage seemed very complicated to grasp at first read. I then settled down to read it quite slowly; this time got some lines underlined.
How foolish was I not to be time conscious.
I had settled down to do the assignment, since we had our test on the passage that morning. Writing was the first course for that day, an 8 o’clock class! No sooner had I noticed noise coming from students who were going for classes, than I realizing that I it was time for classes. I quickly rush to the bathroom, had a 5 seconds bath and got dressed for classes.
The full realization that I had taken the weekend for granted came when I stepped into the class and saw that the test had started 15 minutes ago. I learnt my lesson!

Verbal and Spartial Learning Style

2005-10-18T14:26:00.000+01:00

I now know my learning styles. Do you know yours?

1. Which would you find more helpful in studying the processes by which the U.S. Constitution can be amended?
a) a one-paragraph summary
or
b) a diagram

2. If you were studying one of the laws of motion in a physics course, you would prefer to have you r instructor begin the class by
a) stating the law and discussing examples
or
b) giving demonstratioin of how the law works

3. If you wanted to learn the proper way to prune a rosebush, you would prefer to
a) have someone explain it to me
or
b) watch someone do it.

4. You learn best when you
a) write down the information
or
b) form a mental picture of the information

5. If you took appart a complicated toy or machine to repair it, to help you reassemble it, yo would
a) write a list of the steps you followed when taking it apart
or
b) draw a diagram of the toy or machine

6. You prefer to keep up with the news by
a) reading a newspaper
or
b) watching television news programs

7. For recreation, you would rather do a
a) crossword puzzle
or
b) jig-saw puzzle

If you have more a's then you are a verbal learner.
But if you have more b's, then you are a spatial learner.

First Class Orientation; a welcome to AAUN

2005-09-30T07:06:00.000+01:00

Before coming to AAUN, I have always had the intention of studying abroad to have an American Education. This was my desire since being a high school student. There is no doubt that AAUN has enabled me to achieve this. I got to know about the school one thursday afternoon in July 2005, as I read an article about the school on Punch newspaper. Though I was already in a Nigerian University studying mechanical Engineering, I immediately made up my mind that I was going to attend this school. I read about the facilities the school has and the vission and mission of the school. On visiting the school's website the day after, I immediately downloaded the application form and started my application process.

Dr Cherry Pavlick was the first person to interview me while looking through my documents ( during the registration process of the orientation). Standing at her back is Professor Kah, the dean of the school of informatioin technology.

I was driven most by two things. First was the fact that the school has Information Technology; my desired course of study from birth. So, I knew it was going to be a dream come through for me. Although many of my friends and relations (parents and Uncles) never saw the need of me leaving my 200 level Mechanincal Engineering in a Federal Nigerian University, but I was convinced that it was the desired change I had seek all my life.

The second was my desire for having a (modern day) world class university in West Africa. The website of the University says it is going to be the first of its kind in the Sub-Saharah Africa. This has been my quest and I had been (am still) thinking of building one in Nigeria (in the future). I was then so curious to see how the first modern world class University in Sub-Saharah Africa is being built and to contribute my quota towards the project."What is it like to be taught by "up-to-date" world class faculty with modern facilities?", I had always immagined. How would the school be viewed as one situated in the midst of an already decayed educational system? It would be a total new begining for Nigeria and the African continent in general. At last we would have a world class university that can compete favourably with its counterparts in other parts of the world.

On thursday the 8th of September, 2005 saw my coming into the AAUN campus to be welcomed by the most hospitable set of community I have ever come across all my life; the AAUN community. The orientation was the first meaningful one I had and it seems it was going to go on and on. Starting with the President's babeque dinner so rich and spendid, the memories of the FIRST CLASS OF THE AAUN FRESHMAN STUDENT'S ORIENTATION can't be wiped so easily. The orientation came to a climax with a movie in the eve of sunday 11th. Then it was time to get started.

A time to Prepare for the first class (lecture)! That was surpose to be it, after a student have got his books and time table, but I never realized this before then, as being the trick for college survival (preparing before class) and I was so tired that the next thing I did after the movie was to go to bed and wake up by 7 o'clock the following morning. My first class was statistics but I ended up having it as the course that bored me the most in the school. Other courses were just great.

My western civilization course is about the course that excited me the most. The Professor, Bill Hanseen is extremely wonderful. He is nothing but the down to earth professor being very diplomatic and charismatic in his teaching style (though it is typical for all my Professors). By the way, I didn't tell you something that astonished me during the orientatioin. The manner in which my professors were/are modest and very active, unlike my former school. My professors and the deans where all engaged in the orientation that welcomed us to the school. I observe on so many occasions, my professors and even the deans having to move (arrange) chairs, for us to sit. I also remember how they had been active in ensuring that we all (130 students in the fall semester) got registered and get our identity card a day before the start of classes. A math placement test was done a day prior to this registration and the result of this was used in determine which maths class a student should best fit into so that every one move at his own pace. I will not stop talking about that first class orientation.