Education: A Mirror of Society

English for Scammers: A Humorous Guide to Better Business Writing

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<p>Many of us are accustomed to receiving spam emails containing dubious claims, questionable proposals and offers that are simply too good to be true. The sole intention of the senders is usually to swindle unsuspecting recipients out of their hard-earned savings.</p><p>Sometimes, while reading through such messages, one is forced to ask:</p><p><strong>Did these people ever attend a basic English Language class?</strong></p><p>Their grammar is often so poor and their message so difficult to understand that one may delete the email before reaching the end.</p><p>However, if scammers wish to improve their fortunes—or at least improve their English—help appears to have arrived in the form of a handy book titled <em>English for Scammers</em>.</p><p>Before anyone misunderstands the title, the book is not actually intended to help scammers become better at committing fraud. It is a humorous business-English guide written by Dorothy Zemach and Chuck Sandy and published in 2014. Its real purpose is to help legitimate writers avoid the grammatical, structural and stylistic mistakes commonly associated with scam emails.</p><h2>Why “Nigerian” Scammers?</h2><p>You may have noticed the similarity between the original title of this review—<em>English for “Nigerian” Scammers</em>—and the title of the book.</p><p>Nigeria has unfortunately become strongly associated with advance-fee fraud, popularly called <strong>419</strong>, and with the activities of “Yahoo-Yahoo boys”, as internet fraudsters are commonly known.</p><p>The expression “Nigerian letter scam” became internationally recognised because of fraudulent messages claiming that large sums of money needed to be transferred out of Nigeria. In such schemes, the recipient is promised a share of the money but is first required to pay certain fees or provide banking and personal information.</p><p>However, internet fraud is not limited to Nigeria or Nigerians. Similar scams are operated from different countries, and even the so-called Nigerian-letter format has been used by fraudsters outside Nigeria.</p><p>The quotation marks around “Nigerian” in the original title are therefore important. The intention is not to suggest that fraud is a Nigerian profession, but to reflect on the damaging reputation created by those Nigerians involved in it.</p><h2>What the Book Examines</h2><p><em>English for Scammers</em> contains genuine examples of correspondence similar to the messages commonly sent by scammers.</p><p>The examples are analysed for their:</p><ul><li><p>format;</p></li><li><p>tone;</p></li><li><p>forms of address;</p></li><li><p>spelling;</p></li><li><p>punctuation;</p></li><li><p>capitalisation;</p></li><li><p>grammar;</p></li><li><p>sentence structure; and</p></li><li><p>suitability for formal business communication.</p></li></ul><p>In other words, the book examines the small details that can make a letter appear professional—or immediately suspicious.</p><p>If you are lucky enough to be a scammer, one or more of your messages may even have found its way into the book. You may need to read it again!</p><p>That, of course, is said in jest.</p><p>The book is not recommending fraud. It uses the strange and often exaggerated language of scam correspondence to teach legitimate writers how to communicate more effectively.</p><h2>Not Only for Scammers</h2><p>The book, available <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/408740">here</a>, takes readers through the step-by-step process of writing an acceptable business letter. This is what makes it useful to non-scammers as well.</p><p>Its stated purpose is to help readers avoid writing like scammers and prevent their genuine business emails from ending up in the recipient’s junk folder. It teaches readers how to write clear, direct and appropriate business correspondence.</p><p>This is particularly important for small-business owners and entrepreneurs.</p><p>A person may have a legitimate proposal or genuine business opportunity, but the email may still be ignored if it contains:</p><ul><li><p>an unclear subject line;</p></li><li><p>an inappropriate greeting;</p></li><li><p>excessive capital letters;</p></li><li><p>spelling and grammatical mistakes;</p></li><li><p>an exaggerated story;</p></li><li><p>an unrealistic promise;</p></li><li><p>unnecessary references to religion or charity;</p></li><li><p>an urgent demand for action; or</p></li><li><p>a suspicious request for money or personal information.</p></li></ul><p>Such mistakes can make an honest message resemble a scam.</p><p>Therefore, anyone involved in legitimate business communication should understand the common features of fraudulent messages and avoid reproducing them.</p><p>In that respect, <em>English for Scammers</em> could become a useful companion.</p><h2>Structure of the Book</h2><p>The book contains eight chapters, and each chapter ends with exercises that can be used for self-study.</p><p>The exercises may also be useful in business-letter writing classes and professional training programmes. A final examination at the end of the book allows readers to review what they have learnt.</p><p>The approach is humorous, but the lessons are practical.</p><p>Readers learn not only how to correct grammatical errors, but also how to use an appropriate tone and organise a message in a way that inspires confidence.</p><h2>My Personal Experience</h2><p>On a personal note, the book was a useful and gentle refresher on how to write—and how not to write—a formal or business letter.</p><p>Formal-letter writing was something I had last studied several years earlier during my secondary-school days. Reading the book therefore reminded me of many small but important rules that are easily forgotten.</p><p>It is a book I hope to keep for a long time. It could save me considerable trouble if I ever need to write a business proposal, formal request or professional offer.</p><p>I would particularly recommend it to business start-ups, students and anyone who communicates with customers or organisations through email.</p><h2>Update: July 2026</h2><p>The book’s basic lessons remain useful, but online scams have become more sophisticated since it was published.</p><p>Poor grammar and strange spelling may still be warning signs, but they should no longer be treated as the only indicators of fraud. Modern scammers can produce grammatically correct messages, copy official logos and impersonate recognised companies or government agencies.</p><p>A well-written email can still be fraudulent, just as a poorly written email may come from a legitimate person who is not fluent in English.</p><p>The most important questions are therefore:</p><ul><li><p>Is the sender’s identity verifiable?</p></li><li><p>Does the email address match the organisation being represented?</p></li><li><p>Is the offer realistic?</p></li><li><p>Is the sender asking for money or sensitive information?</p></li><li><p>Is there unnecessary pressure to act immediately?</p></li><li><p>Can the information be confirmed through an independent and official channel?</p></li></ul><p>Good English can make a legitimate business message more credible, but good English alone does not make a message genuine. </p><h2>Disclaimer</h2><p>This is not a paid review. It is my personal assessment of the book.</p><p>I received a coupon for a free copy from the authors during the closing days of <em>College Writing</em>, an online English course taught on the edX platform by one of the book’s authors.</p></div>
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English for Scammers: A Humorous Guide to Better Business Writing

Many of us are accustomed to receiving spam emails containing dubious claims, questionable proposals and offers that are simply too good ...

Why Are We Being Wicked to the Chibok Schoolgirls?

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<div style="text-align: justify;"><h2>A Nation United in Tragedy</h2><p>Recently, the small nation of South Korea suffered a disaster involving a ferry that sank with hundreds of schoolchildren on board. In the wake of the accident, the nation went sober, and there was widespread anger directed at the government, the captain of the ship, disaster-management teams and all parties that might have been involved in regulation and rescue.</p><p>It was a disaster of “national scale”, especially because of the hundreds of schoolchildren involved. Media houses in the country minimised their reporting on other matters to provide up-to-date information on the tragedy. The resources and technological wealth of the country were mobilised towards the rescue effort.</p><p>The pages of the nation’s newspapers were filled with up-to-date photographs of grieving parents, divers involved in the rescue effort and the remains of the ship as it sank further into the sea. International news organisations also played their part by keeping the world informed and independently investigating the likely cause of the accident.</p><p>Essentially, the entire nation was consumed by the tragedy. An article published by Reuters summed up the emotional mood of the country as the lifeless bodies of some of the children were pulled from the sunken ship.</p><h2>A Different Response in Nigeria</h2><p>Compare that incident with some recent events in Nigeria.</p><p>Hundreds of schoolchildren have been murdered in cold blood. Some were butchered, while others were burnt alive in their dormitories. Yet, the government remained indifferent. In fact, the nation’s president even attended a political gathering barely a week after one of such incidents—a reminder of the insensitivity of those in power and the wider insecurity troubling the country, particularly the North-East, where Boko Haram fighters operated with near impunity.</p><p>More troubling is the fate of the more than 200 schoolgirls recently abducted from their school in the small town of Chibok, Borno State.</p><p>The girls have been in the hands of their captors for weeks—most probably being abused—yet the nation pretends as though “all is well”.</p><p>To further aggravate the pain of the victims’ families, a few days after the kidnapping and barely 24 hours after a major bomb blast near Abuja claimed scores of lives, President Goodluck Jonathan attended a political rally in Kano State. He was pictured celebrating with his political associates before a cheering crowd.</p><p>No brief visit was made to Chibok, the school or the families of the abducted girls.</p><h2>Public and Media Indifference</h2><p>The Nigerian population has also been largely indifferent. There has hardly been any major protest demanding the freedom of the girls.</p><p>While international media organisations such as Al Jazeera have continued to update viewers on the girls’ fate and interview government officials, our local news has been filled with political events, proceedings of the ongoing National Conference and other less urgent matters.</p><p>Only a few organisations, such as <em>Premium Times</em> through its editorial, have made strong statements on the matter, registered their protests and called for mass action until the government takes substantial steps to free the girls from their abductors.</p><h2>The Danger of Remaining Silent</h2><p>To sum things up, this is a nation ruled by the wicked and populated by divided people.</p><p>Children are being kidnapped, maimed and killed in horrific ways, yet some people still find reasons to blame the victims—probably because it is not happening within their own “safe zones”.</p><p>Nobody wants to act because they feel comfortable and unconcerned about events elsewhere. Yet, experience has taught us repeatedly that what goes around may eventually come around.</p><p>Pastor Martin Niemöller captured this danger in the following words:</p><blockquote><p>“First they came for the Communists, and I did not speak out because I was not a Communist.<br />Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist.<br />Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew.<br />Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.”</p></blockquote><h2>The Time to Act Is Now</h2><p>Your time to act from your comfort or “safe zone” is now.</p><p>Use your Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and every other social-networking account available to you to support mass action for the freedom of the more than 200 schoolgirls in captivity.</p><p>Make a difference. Use the popular hashtag <strong>#BringBackOurGirls</strong>, or any other platform available to you, to campaign for the freedom of the girls.</p><p>Act now.</p><p>Save our girls. Save our future!</p><h2>Update: The Continuing Kidnapping of Schoolchildren</h2><p>In the years since this tragedy, some of the abducted girls have been rescued or released through negotiations, but many remain unaccounted for.</p><p>Disturbingly, the pattern of targeting schoolchildren has continued across Nigeria. From mass abductions in states such as Zamfara, Kaduna and Niger to more recent cases of school kidnappings, these incidents show that the crisis is far from over.</p><p>Schools—once considered safe spaces—have become targets, and families across the country now live in fear. The need for sustained attention, accountability and decisive action to secure the freedom and safety of all affected children remains urgent.</p></div>
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Why Are We Being Wicked to the Chibok Schoolgirls?

A Nation United in Tragedy Recently, the small nation of South Korea suffered a disaster involving a ferry that sank with hundreds of schoo...

My First Online Course with edX: Challenges, Learning and a Certificate

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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><blockquote><p><strong>Editorial note:</strong> This post reflects my experience with edX during the early years of Massive Open Online Courses, when online learning was still unfamiliar to many Nigerians and challenges such as expensive data, unstable 3G connections and limited mobile-device compatibility were common. Much has changed since then, but the post remains a personal record of the introduction of MOOCs and my early experience of learning online.</p></blockquote></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsLPan0NCygGMNgH-i7I8vHyWDEiuJdoLrJyPPHAWb5UFmp3_8eQkBhQQuyl4fWJidxeXCUMvBzqZjST57oKTFuOUUgtuDh6N2dm3r6Z38qqAr2J-2gv5ME6Tg8aLq9ExyhXr1cBc105Y/s1600/295px-EdX.svg.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="edx courses, logo" border="0" loading="lazy" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsLPan0NCygGMNgH-i7I8vHyWDEiuJdoLrJyPPHAWb5UFmp3_8eQkBhQQuyl4fWJidxeXCUMvBzqZjST57oKTFuOUUgtuDh6N2dm3r6Z38qqAr2J-2gv5ME6Tg8aLq9ExyhXr1cBc105Y/s1600/295px-EdX.svg.png" title="edx logo" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><p>Studying online and earning a certificate was still unimaginable to many people at the time. Although I did not doubt the possibility of earning a verifiable certificate from an online course, like many others, I never imagined that the experience would be anything close to that of a “real” classroom until I joined edX.</p><p><em>Click here to read more about edX, the available courses and how to </em><a href="http://www.akomst.blogspot.com/2013/11/study-online-for-certificate-at-harvard.html?m=1">register</a><em>.</em></p><p>Having successfully completed my first online course and earned a certificate for my achievement, I was excited to share my personal experience with edX—the platform on which I enrolled as a virtual student.</p><p>edX is a Massive Open Online Course platform that offers courses in diverse areas of interest, taught by universities and other educational institutions from around the world.</p><h2>Choosing a Course</h2><p>After an initial rush in which I registered for several courses related to my interests, I eventually settled for only one because of challenges I had not anticipated.</p><p>Every course had its own requirements and prerequisites, which students were expected to possess to understand the course and meet the minimum grade required for a certificate.</p><p>I dropped some courses along the way when I discovered that I did not possess the necessary materials or prerequisites. More importantly, I faced challenges relating to internet connectivity and time.</p><p>I finally settled for <strong>ColWri 2.2x: Principles of Written English</strong>. It had relatively simple entry requirements but was not short of quality or standard. In fact, it was quite engaging, even for someone who already spoke English.</p><h2>Internet and Data Challenges</h2><p>Like the other courses, lecture videos were released each week, and every student was expected to watch them either by streaming or downloading them for offline use.</p><p>My main challenge was streaming the videos. The 3G service provided by the mobile networks in my area was either unavailable or unstable, so I had to download the videos and watch them offline.</p><p>However, edX lecture videos were of high resolution and quality. As a result, the files were large, and downloading a single video could take hours, sometimes with several failed attempts.</p><p>The video sizes created another problem. Since I depended on my Android smartphone throughout the course, my monthly data subscription could not cope with regular video downloads. I sometimes had to use a friend’s BlackBerry device because BlackBerry data subscriptions were relatively cheaper and offered more data at the time.</p><p>Even after downloading the videos, it took me some time to work out how to watch them. The default video players on many phones did not support the resolution or format of the edX videos. In my case, I only solved the problem after installing a third-party application, MX Player.</p><p>Some courses provided transcripts of each video. However, transcripts were not always a complete substitute for watching the lectures.</p><h2>Assignments and Time Constraints</h2><p>Most videos focused on a particular topic and were accompanied by homework.</p><p>Each assignment had a submission deadline. Students could also be required to read additional materials on the platform or an external website before answering the questions.</p><p>These activities could be time-consuming. In fact, lack of time almost made me withdraw from all my courses.</p><p>I eventually dropped every other course except ColWri because I was repeatedly missing assignment deadlines.</p><p>For ColWri, I was able to meet the deadlines by devoting my weekends—when I was less busy—to watching videos, reading course materials and completing the homework.</p><p>In the end, I earned a certificate.</p><h2>What I Gained from the Course</h2><p>My experience with ColWri was thrilling. It completely changed my view of online learning.</p><p>The course was challenging, not only because of poor internet connectivity and limited time, but also because of the effort, skills and intelligence expected from each student.</p><p>Apart from earning a certificate, enrolling in ColWri contributed to my personal development. I was privileged to learn new things while improving what I already knew.</p><p>A post on this blog, <strong>“Education Sector: Solving the Unemployment Problem,”</strong> was originally written as a draft essay and submitted for assessment during the course.</p><p>The essay was edited several times, thanks to the innovative peer-review system used on edX and the useful editing techniques taught during the course.</p><p>It was therefore a journey of learning, personal development and improvement.</p><p>At the time, I was also enrolled in <strong>Medicinal Chemistry</strong> on edX, and I could confidently say that I was learning. I hoped to share that experience in the future.</p><p>As a way of displaying my achievements and encouraging others to enrol in courses related to their interests, I also created a dedicated page on this blog as a hall of certificates from online courses.</p><p><em>Click here to view my certificate or certificates.</em></p><h2>Update: Online Learning and edX Today</h2><p>Online learning is no longer as strange as it appeared when this article was first written. Students and professionals now regularly use online courses, video lessons, virtual classrooms and other digital learning platforms to acquire knowledge and workplace skills.</p><p>The edX platform has also changed. Learners can still audit many courses without paying, although free access may be limited to selected materials and a particular period. Graded assignments, examinations and verified certificates are generally available through the paid verified track. Financial assistance may also be available for some eligible courses.</p><p>The course I took, College Writing 2.2x, is still represented on edX through a course now listed as <strong>Academic and Business Writing</strong>. Its description continues to identify it as College Writing 2.2x and focuses on academic and business writing, grammar, vocabulary, revision and editing.</p><p>Internet access and smartphones have also improved considerably since my first experience, although data costs, unreliable connections, electricity and access to suitable devices remain challenges for many Nigerian learners.</p><p>The tools may have improved, but the basic lesson from my experience remains the same: online learning requires commitment, time management and a willingness to overcome challenges.</p><p>A certificate is valuable, but the knowledge and personal development gained during the learning process are even more important.</p></div>
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My First Online Course with edX: Challenges, Learning and a Certificate

Editorial note: This post reflects my experience with edX during the early years of Massive Open Online Courses, when online learning was ...

The 2014 Nigeria Immigration Service Recruitment Exercise and Its “Killer Questions”

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<div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><strong>Editorial note:</strong> This post reflects the controversy surrounding the 2014 Nigerian Immigration Service recruitment exercise, which resulted in deaths and numerous injuries at overcrowded test centres. The questions below were reproduced from those reportedly given to candidates at one of the centres. Some appear incomplete or contain errors, possibly from the original test or their later transcription.</span></p></blockquote><h2>A Recruitment Exercise of National Shame</h2><p>The 2014 Nigerian Immigration Service recruitment exercise, which resulted in numerous injuries and deaths, was described in many ways: <strong>“the killer recruitment exercise”, “a show of national shame”</strong> and <strong>“a job seekers’ reunion and parade”</strong>, among others.</p><p>Equally disturbing were the “killer questions” given to candidates during the test.</p><p>Candidates were required to answer 30 questions within 30 minutes—an average of only one minute per question. Yet, according to the instructions, each question required “a certain amount of critical reasoning and thinking on the part of the candidate”.</p><p>Many candidates, rather than leave the questions unanswered, randomly shaded options before submitting their papers.</p><p>As one candidate remarked to me after the test:</p><blockquote><p>“Not even the Controller-General of the Service could answer these questions in 30 minutes.”</p></blockquote><p>The questions reproduced below are not the complete set of 30 questions given to university graduates at one of the centres.</p><p>You may, however, have some fun brainstorming them.</p><h2>Family Relationship Questions</h2><p>A genealogist has determined that M, N, P, Q, R, S and T are the father, mother, aunt, brother, sister, wife and daughter of X, but she has been unable to determine which person has each status.</p><p>She knows that:</p><ul><li><p>P and Q are of the same sex.</p></li><li><p>M and N are not of the same sex.</p></li><li><p>S was born before M.</p></li><li><p>Q is not the mother of X.</p></li></ul><h3>Question 1</h3><p>How many of the seven people—M, N, P, Q, R, S and T—are female?</p><p>A. 3<br />B. 4<br />C. 5<br />D. 6<br />E. 7</p><h3>Question 2</h3><p>Which of the following must be true?</p><p>A. M is female.<br />B. N is female.<br />C. P is female.<br />D. Q is male.<br />E. S is male.</p><h3>Question 3</h3><p>If T is the daughter of X, which of the following must be true?</p><p>A. M and P are of the same sex.<br />B. M and Q are of the same sex.<br />C. P is not of the same sex as N.<br />D. R is not of the same sex as S.<br />E. S is not of the same sex as T.</p><h3>Question 4</h3><p>If M and Q are sisters, all of the following must be true except:</p><p>A. N is male.<br />B. M is X’s mother.<br />C. Q is X’s aunt.<br />D. T is X’s daughter.<br />E. S is not X’s brother.</p><h3>Question 5</h3><p>If S is N’s grandfather, which of the following must be true?</p><p>A. R is N’s aunt.<br />B. X is P’s son.<br />C. M is X’s brother.<br />D. Q is S’s husband.<br />E. P is N’s aunt.</p><h3>Question 6</h3><p>If M is X’s wife, all of the following could be true except:</p><p>A. S is X’s daughter.<br />B. P is X’s sister.<br />C. Q is X’s sister.<br />D. R is X’s father.<br />E. N is X’s brother.</p><h2>The Farmer and His Fields</h2><p>A farmer has three fields—1, 2 and 3—and is deciding which crops to plant. The crops are F, G, H, I and J.</p><ul><li><p>F will grow only in Fields 1 and 3. For F to grow, fertiliser X must be used.</p></li><li><p>G will grow in Fields 1, 2 and 3. For G to grow, fertiliser X must be used.</p></li><li><p>H will grow in Fields 1, 2 and 3. For H to grow in Field 3, fertiliser Y must be used.</p></li><li><p>I will grow only in Fields 2 and 3. For I to grow in either field, pesticide Z must be used.</p></li></ul><blockquote><p><strong>Note:</strong> No condition was provided for crop J in the reproduced question. This makes some of the questions difficult to answer reliably.</p></blockquote><h3>Question 7</h3><p>Which of the following pairs of crops can be grown together in Field 1?</p><p>A. F and G<br />B. F and J<br />C. G and H<br />D. J and H<br />E. J and G</p><h3>Question 8</h3><p>Which of the following groups of crops can be grown together in Field 2?</p><p>A. F, G and H<br />B. F, H and I<br />C. G, H and J<br />D. G, I and J<br />E. H, I and J</p><h3>Question 9</h3><p>Which of the following is a complete and accurate list of crops that will grow alone in Field 2 if the only pesticide or fertiliser used is Y?</p><p>A. F<br />B. F and H<br />C. G and H<br />D. G, H and J<br />E. G, H, I and J</p><h3>Question 10</h3><p>Which of the following pairs of crops will grow together in Field 3 if no fertiliser or pesticide is applied?</p><p>A. F and H<br />B. F and I<br />C. G and H<br />D. G and I<br />E. H and J</p><h3>Question 11</h3><p>What is the maximum number of different crops that can be planted together in Field 3?</p><p>A. 1<br />B. 2<br />C. 3<br />D. 4<br />E. 5</p><h3>Question 12</h3><p>Which of the following is a complete and accurate list of crops that will grow alone in Field 2 if only one pesticide or fertiliser is applied?</p><p>A. H and J<br />B. I and G<br />C. I and H<br />D. I and J<br />E. J and G</p><h2>Quantitative Reasoning Questions</h2><p>The instructions stated:</p><blockquote><p>“The problems in this test involve a certain amount of critical reasoning and thinking on your part. Read each question carefully and choose the correct answer from the multiple choices that follow.”</p></blockquote><h3>Question 13</h3><p>A national travel survey in 2007 found that Nigerians made 382.6 million trips within and outside the country. Lagos was the destination of 38 million trips.</p><p>Approximately what percentage of the trips had Lagos as their destination?</p><p>A. 0.01%<br />B. 0.1%<br />C. 1%<br />D. 3.8%<br />E. 10%</p><h3>Question 14</h3><p>The taxi fare was ₦1.00 for the first mile and ₦0.20 for each additional one-fifth of a mile.</p><p>What was the fare for a three-mile journey?</p><p>A. ₦1.56<br />B. ₦2.40<br />C. ₦3.00<br />D. ₦3.80<br />E. ₦4.20</p><h3>Question 15</h3><p>A warehouse had a square floor with an area of 10,000 square metres. A rectangular extension was built along one entire side of the warehouse, increasing the floor area by half of the original area.</p><p>How many metres did the extension project from the original building?</p><p>A. 10<br />B. 20<br />C. 50<br />D. 200<br />E. 500</p><h3>Question 16</h3><p>A digital wristwatch was set accurately at 8:30 a.m. It then lost two seconds every five minutes.</p><p>What time would the watch indicate at 6:30 p.m. on the same day, assuming it operated continuously?</p><p>A. [Option missing]<br />B. 5:58 p.m.<br />C. 6:00 p.m.<br />D. 6:23 p.m.<br />E. 6:26 p.m.</p><h3>Question 17</h3><p>A merchant sells an item at a 20 per cent discount but still makes a gross profit equal to 20 per cent of its cost.</p><p>What percentage of the cost would the gross profit have been if the item had been sold without the discount?</p><p>A. 20%<br />B. 40%<br />C. 50%<br />D. 60%<br />E. 75%</p><h3>Question 18</h3><p>Each step of a staircase is 0.25 metres wide and 0.20 metres high, as shown in the figure. All the angles in the figure are right angles.</p><p>If the staircase is 3.6 metres high and the landing at the top is one metre wide, how long, in metres, is AB?</p><p>A. 3.0<br />B. 4.25<br />C. 4.5<br />D. 5.25<br />E. 5.5</p><blockquote><p><strong>Note:</strong> The figure referred to in this question was not provided to the candidates in the reproduced copy.</p></blockquote><h3>Question 19</h3><p>The table above shows the number of tickets sold during each of the first four weeks after a film was released.</p><p>The producer received 10 per cent of the revenue from every ticket sold, with a guaranteed minimum payment of ₦200,000 each week for the first four weeks.</p><p>If each ticket sold for ₦4, how much did the producer receive during the first four weeks?</p><p>A. ₦800,000<br />B. ₦900,000<br />C. ₦1,000,000<br />D. ₦1,200,000<br />E. ₦1,300,000</p><blockquote><p><strong>Note:</strong> The table required to answer this question was not provided in the reproduced test.</p></blockquote><h3>Question 20</h3><p>Equal stacks of chips are to be made from nine red chips, seven blue chips and five green chips.</p><p>If all the chips are used and each stack contains at least one chip of each colour, what is the maximum number of red chips that can be placed in any one stack?</p><p>A. 7<br />B. 6<br />C. 5<br />D. 4<br />E. 3</p><h3>Question 21</h3><p>Three automobiles travel distances in the ratio 1:2:3. Their travelling times are in the ratio 3:2:1, respectively.</p><p>What is the ratio of their average speeds?</p><p>A. 1:1:1<br />B. 1:3:3<br />C. 1:3:9<br />D. 3:2:1<br />E. 3:4:3</p><h3>Question 22</h3><p>Over three years, a scientist earned an average annual income of ₦45,000.</p><p>The scientist earned one and a half times as much in the second year as in the first year, and two and a half times as much in the third year as in the first year.</p><p>What was the scientist’s income in the second year?</p><p>A. ₦9,000<br />B. ₦13,500<br />C. ₦27,500<br />D. ₦40,500<br />E. ₦45,000</p><h3>Question 23</h3><p>How many two-digit whole numbers leave a remainder of 1 when divided by 10 and also leave a remainder of 1 when divided by 6?</p><p>A. None<br />B. One<br />C. Two<br />D. Three<br />E. Four</p><h2>Could You Answer Them in Time?</h2><p>These are only some of the questions reportedly given to candidates during the exercise.</p><p>Did you answer any of them?</p><p>More importantly, how long did it take you to arrive at your answers?</p><p>Now imagine attempting 30 similar questions in only 30 minutes while standing in an overcrowded recruitment centre and competing with hundreds of thousands of desperate job seekers.</p></div>
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The 2014 Nigeria Immigration Service Recruitment Exercise and Its “Killer Questions”

Editorial note: This post reflects the controversy surrounding the 2014 Nigerian Immigration Service recruitment exercise, which resulted ...

NO ENDING TO ASUP STRIKE

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Any hope to ending the ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (A.S.U.P) was yesterday dashed after the meeting between A.S.U.P executives and representatives from the ministry of education ended in a deadlock. Both team has been in and out of several meetings in the past with little to no progress at resolving their differences. <br /><br />
The latest round of meeting which ended on Wednesday evening went in the direction of past meetings, according to the National Publicity Secretary, Mr Clement Chairman, the government had brought nothing new to the table and the union has no choice than to continue its strike action. Mr Chairman said, " Federal Government has offered nothing other their former position and A.S.U.P is not accepting that. We see the strike prolonging " <br /><br />
The union's strike is in its 5th months and with no end in sight, thousands of polytechnic students may have to wait "forever" before returning to school. The union is demanding among other things, that Needs Assessment Committee be set up to establish areas of infrastructural interventions in polytechnics, constitution of Governing Councils for polytechnics as its obtainable in universities, improvement in salary structure and an end to the discrimination of polytechnic graduates in the labour market. <br /><br />
While the crises linger on, both parties (ASUP and FG) have shifted blames for the deadlock in negotiation. </div>

NO ENDING TO ASUP STRIKE

Any hope to ending the ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (A.S.U.P) was yesterday dashed after the meeting between ...

The Beautiful Ones Are Dying: Remembering the Buni Yadi School Massacre

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<div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote><p><strong>Editorial note:</strong> This article reflects the situation and public mood following the February 2014 attack on Federal Government College, Buni Yadi. Initial reports placed the number of students killed at over 40, but later reports confirmed that 59 boys lost their lives. Although written in response to that particular tragedy, its concerns about attacks on schools and the value placed on young lives remain relevant.</p></blockquote><h2>Another Attack on Students</h2><p>Too early, too soon, the nation was again thrown into mourning over the killing of innocent students in the troubled North-East of the country.</p><p>Dozens of students were reportedly killed in the latest savage attack on schools in the region.</p><p>Although no group immediately claimed responsibility for the incident, the attack bore the hallmarks of the dreaded Boko Haram group operating freely in the region. The group had been blamed for similar attacks in the past, often leading to the closure of schools in the affected states.</p><p>Like in previous attacks, the students were attacked and killed as they slept in their dormitories during an overnight raid on their school—Federal Government College, Buni Yadi, Yobe State.</p><p>Some were shot, while others were burnt alive as the school buildings were set on fire. Later reports confirmed that 59 boys were killed.</p><h2>Condemnation Without Enough Action</h2><p>Unlike in many civilised nations, where the resources of the state would be mobilised to find and prosecute the perpetrators of such an attack, our politicians gave the usual knee-jerk response.</p><p>They condemned the act and issued statement after statement in a familiar fashion. Yet little or no visible action was taken to prevent another attack a few months later or bring the perpetrators to justice.</p><p>Condemnation had become predictable. What remained missing was effective action.</p><h2>Politics While Families Mourned</h2><p>As the families of the victims mourned their loss and prepared to bury their children, leading members of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, including the Nigerian president, were preparing for political activities elsewhere in the country.</p><p>The contrast was disturbing.</p><p>While the House of Representatives observed a day of mourning over the attack, President Goodluck Jonathan and other PDP leaders attended the party’s North-West rally in Kaduna.</p><p>How insensitive and selfish could our leaders be? How little value was attached to the blood of our dying dreams?</p><p>No national day of mourning was declared to reflect on and grieve over this monumental loss of life. Nor had one been declared for the victims of other recent Boko Haram attacks.</p><p>Instead, the tragedy was followed by political blame-trading as the 2015 general election approached. Once again, politicians appeared more interested in escaping responsibility and scoring political points than in confronting the real problem.</p><h2>The Ugly Generation</h2><p>These men—the ugly generation—would not leave the stage, yet they would not allow the beautiful ones to live.</p><p>They were trading the country’s future for the gains of the present—or, more accurately, for the gains of their pockets.</p><p>The country still did not have a substantive Minister of Education, only a supervising minister. ASUP and COEASU strikes were ongoing, while many schools in Boko Haram-affected states remained under lock and key.</p><p>Yet the president was on a political tour in an attempt to win the next general election.</p><p>To the political class, winning elections appeared more important than keeping young people in school, protecting the lives of schoolchildren and creating jobs for the large number of unemployed graduates.</p><h2>A Future Worth Worrying About</h2><p>Things might not have been completely hopeless, but they were certainly worrying.</p><p>It would have been insane not to worry about the future when a substantial number of higher institutions were closed by striking lecturers and secondary-school students were being killed in their sleep.</p><p>More than ever, our education system needed a Moses—not luck any longer.</p><h2>Update: The Beautiful Ones Are Still at Risk</h2><p>The Buni Yadi attack was not the last major attack on Nigerian schoolchildren.</p><p>In the decade following the Chibok abductions, verified reports recorded more than 1,680 children abducted in conflict-related violence, 180 children killed in attacks on schools and more than 70 attacks on educational institutions.</p><p>Insecurity has continued to force the closure of schools and discourage parents from allowing their children to attend classes. UNICEF reported that 113 schools in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states were closed because of insecurity during 2022 and 2023 alone.</p><p>The beautiful ones are still dying, being abducted or being denied an education because their schools are unsafe.</p><p>The tragedy of Buni Yadi should therefore not be remembered only as an event of February 2014. It should remain a warning that a nation that cannot protect its children in their classrooms and dormitories is endangering its own future.</p></div>
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The Beautiful Ones Are Dying: Remembering the Buni Yadi School Massacre

Editorial note: This article reflects the situation and public mood following the February 2014 attack on Federal Government College, Buni...

Akomst Education