Thursday, November 17, 2011

Nigeria and Africa

Nigeria and Africa

            
No matter how far apart two countries may be, they both possess several similarities, whether it is Italy and France or China and America. Nigeria and Egypt are well-known for their top-leading soccer teams, superior armed forces, and their situated location in Africa. But despite these similarities, they also possess several differences, including culture, government, geographical surroundings and demographics.
Although, both countries are situated not too far from each other the culture in Nigeria and Egypt differ drastically. Egypt is considered to be one of “the middle-eastern” countries with Islam set as its top religion including 90% of Egyptian People. The rest of the 10% include Coptic and Christianity. The most spoken language in Egypt is Arabic. 99.6% of residents in Egypt are Egyptian meanwhile the .4% are listed as other. English Creole is the officially spoken language in Nigeria along with Badu and Chadic languages. Almost 50 percent of all Nigerians are Muslim and the other 40 percent are Christian. Culture is a major difference in both countries.
                Politically speaking, both Nigeria and Egypt have several differences. As we know Egypt recently had its revolution against its government and the president, Hosni Mubarak, who has dictated Egypt for the past 30 years. Although Egypt has won its revolution, it has still been working on improving its government as well as improving the lives of Egyptian people. Nigeria on the other hand, has a fine government established to this date. Nigeria’s Federal Republic Government consists of 36 States, and a Capital Territory, with an elected President and a Legislature.   With these branches, Nigeria’s Government can often be compared to that of America’s. With Nigeria’s fine established government and Egypt’s developing government, the differences in how society may look in both countries may be distinguished.
Nigeria and Egypt may be located on two different sides of Africa but they both comprise of very different geographical significances and demographics. Nigeria lies on the western tip of Africa and is surrounded by the Gulf of Guinea, just north of the equator. The major rivers that flow through Nigeria include the Niger River and the Benue River. These two rivers join in the center of the country to form a "Y" that splits Nigeria into three separate sections. Nigeria has the largest population of an country in Africa, with a total of 158.3 million people. Egypt, located in Northern Africa, is surrounded by the Mediterranean and the Red Sea. The Nile River is also a geographical significance of Egypt as it provided irrigation and food in the earlier civilization. This river is known as the longest river in the world as it flows through ten countries of Africa. Egypt, also well-known for its population, has the second largest population, following Nigeria, with a population of 82 million people approximately 76 million people in difference. The population of the Capital City, Cairo, alone is roughly 6.7 million. The perception of each country is different due to its geographical locations.
Nigeria  is a country that gained it’s independence on October1st 1960 under the British government . Ever since Nigeria has gone from military  regime to democratic government. The  first  Democratic president was elected on May 9th  1999 and his name was Olusegun Obasanjo. Nigeria has 3 major tribes Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba. Nigeria has many tourist attraction such as The Yankiri Game Reserve , The Obudu Cattle Ranch, and The Aso Rock.

Egypt is a country in North Africa and also it’s capital is Cairo. Egypt is known for it’s great pyramids and also great Pharoah’s. This has made Egypt one of the world greatest tourist attraction. Also in Egypt, Arabic is the number one speaking  language. Over the years Egypt has been under the dictatorship rule of Muhammad Hosni Sayyid  Mubarak but earlier on this year the Egyptians revolted against him and he was desposed of power. The Nile river which is the  longest river in the world is also  in Egypt.

Nigeria and Egypt are two countries that are situated in Africa. Both are widely recognized by the outside world  and they are also great tourist attraction.  Our soccer teams both qualified for the 2010 world cup that was held in South Africa last year. We also boast of  good armed forces because they are one of the best in Africa. Nigeria and Egypt are also on the world’s top ten list of oil producing countries. We are both strong members of  the United Nations and also the African Union.

Nigeria and Egypt are two great countries in Africa and they are both known for their uniqueness. Nigeria is known as the giant of Africa and also the most populous country in Africa. It also houses Africa’s most populous city which is Lagos . Our government is democratic while on the other hand Egypt just came out from a 25 year dictator ship rule . Africans are hardworkers by nature and to proof this , Forbes Magazine has named Aliko Dangote of Nigeria as the richest black person in the world and also in Africa.  Nigeria and Egypt are two great sons of Africa.

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Event Followup: Women for Hire


 Event Follow up: Women For Hire
On November  3rd , I visited the Hilton  Hotel in Manhattan for the Woman for Hire conference. This program was set up to empower women and also to create employment opportunities for them . As I stepped into the hall, I must confess I have never seen a large number of women gathered in one room like this in my life . I was so fascinated and eager to see how the program was going to turn out . Quickly I began to scan my environment and noticed some big companies such as Johnson and Johnson, TSA, Citizens Bank , Canon, The Rockefeller University,  and the DEA.
I couldn’t wait to start asking question and I was eager to see the purpose of each company and what they plan to achieve today. My first  interview was with Derek from Canon .
Me: Hello Mr. Derek . What are you  doing here today?
Derek: We are here to find new recruits fro our company and also to support this event.
Me: Is your position only for women?
Derek: No, not all . Men are also welcomed but as you can see the room is mostly filled with  women and also this event is for them .
Me: What positions are available?
Derek : We are looking for aspiring photographers and also new designers . This new recruits will be working with our engineers to create new products in the company.
Me: Thank you so much for your time . I appreciate it .
I walked around the room and also eaves dropped on some conversations . I  noticed that majority  of the people there are mothers and some of them even talked about their kids . I got the chance to speak with Lisa , a mother of two girls who was applying for a job at the Rockefeller University.
Me: Hello, it’s such a wonderful day out here  , how do you feel ?
Lisa: I feel so happy because of the opportunity that is being provided to  all women in this room today and I also thank this organization for putting this together.
Me: What jobs are you interested in today ?
Lisa : I mostly interested in the teaching Job at Rockefeller University . I am almost done with school and I would be graduating soon as a professor so I kinda need this job .
Me : So how’s the economy treating and how are you adjusting to it .
Lisa: This economy was what made me to go back to school. I want a solid foundation for my children’s future that’s why I need a better job . I still have a very good paying job but who doesn’t want more cash in their account .
Me: Thank you so much for your time and I wish you luck in all your endeavors .
I also walked  around and observed some seminars that  were taking place . I stopped by one and it was about A job seeker’s perfect pitch by Gretchen Gunn. She described what the perfect pitch was and also gave some advised on how to win your  interviewer’s heart. She talked about  how good body language and  putting  on a smile can make a great effect on your interviewer. I wanted to learn more from this amazing so I cornered her after her last session and asked her some few interesting questions.
Me: Wow, I was so inspired by your words and please could you tell me who you are  ?
Gretchen: My name is Gretchen Gunn and I am the Principal of MGD Services and my job is to get people ready fro job interviews and also I help companies on how to choose the best employee for their company .
Me:  Could you please explain to me what a Job Seeker’s Perfect pitch is ?
Gretchen? Sure , it simply mean s selling your self to your employer. How good can you  differentiate yourself from the pack of other’s that are vying for the same position. You see if people can spend more time to study themselves and figure more about their personality , a lot of people would still be with jobs till now .
Me: What are your requirements before you hire someone ?
Gretchen : I like people who are 100% percent with their personality . If I feel any fakism , the person is no good for me .
Me : Do you think I exhibit any form of Fakism?
Gretchen: Mhmmmm , Nope I don’t think so but I know you’re here just for your project.
Me: Damn , you are really good . Thanks so much for your time .
Before I knew it , It was time for lunch. I could hear a lot of people expressing their feelings about the event . “Wow, this is amazing , I wish my daughter was here” , said one lady in another table . I shared my thoughts with  the people at my table and we all agreed it was a wonderful event and also concluded that more events like this should be hosted and also we should create more awareness in empowering women by creating jobs for them .

Post Event: Women for Hire


Event : Women For Hire
When: November 3rd, 2011
Where: Hilton Hotel NYC, NY
Women for hire is an organization formed to empower women and also create job opportunities for them . Even though the program is aimed at enhancing women , men are also welcomed to the program. The Hilton hotel has agreed to sponsor the event by providing a venue and also refreshments . Some of the companies that would be attending this forum are Best Buy, Citizens Bank, Bath and Body works , U.S marines, Drug Enforcement Administration, Johnson and Johnson, Ernst and Young, Internal Revenue Service, and Essential Body wear. Also there would be seminars on how to master your perfect pitch, and also how to create a good resume.