"419?" - a Most Egregious-looking Nigerian-US "School"

Discussion in 'Accreditation Discussions (RA, DETC, state approva' started by Johann, Aug 23, 2013.

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  1. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    "Accreditation with the famous North Central Accreditation Commission..." As it turns out, it's not the Regional Accreditor NCA we know.

    This school got to me! I was looking into a legit school with a somewhat similar name when Google handed me this one. I won't direct-link you, but you can go there with dubya-dubya-dubya-dot-saviorsuniversity-dot-com if you like.

    It has a wikianswers page here, with the blurb about accreditation from "the famous North Central etc.

    Where is 'Our Savior's University of America' located

    Turns out the "North Central" accreditor is an unrecognized paper-thingy, here:
    North Central Accreditation Commission For Universities | Welcome to our official site . That link is from the 100-page prospectus available on the school site.

    It gets weirder. The owner is an influential Nigerian chief named Ramon Adedoyin, who owns two accredited, legitimate schools in Nigeria. They are:

    The Polytechnic Ife
    Welcome to Oduduwa University

    So why would someone who runs two legit schools in his own country incorporate a "school' with no recognized accreditation in corporation-friendly Delaware? Hmmm...

    There's an article on Adedoyin here from the Nigerian press. The Nation - ?Why I gave up the thought of taking an American as second wife?

    In it, Adedoyin is asked why, although he has a Muslim name, is this school named, in Christian fashion, "Our Savior's University". His reply - it has no connection with Christianity (!) - he thought of it as "a succour."

    I can imagine what might happen if I opened Al Nabi (The Prophet) University and said the name had nothing to do with Islam! The indignation it deserved, certainly, and possibly a fatwa from a hard-line Iranian cleric!

    It would be good to find some respected imam to say for the record that it's blasphemous to do things that could be confused with Christian Piety!

    The school is obviously a fake. It does not merely lack CHEA/USDoE recognized accreditation. It has a bogus, unrecognized accreditor. It is not what it pretends to be.

    Johann
     
  2. Cyber

    Cyber New Member

    The Nigerian government, through the Nigerian Universities Commission, does not authorize online programs by any registered and legitimate university in the country. That is because the quality of B & M schools in Nigeria, which are currently closed due to non-payment of salaries and refusal of government adherence to previously signed work-rules and benefits agreement with university staff unions, by the hyper-incompetent government of Goodluck Jonathan, have become sub-standard and need a total overhaul.

    Though some Nigerians who currently reside in the U.S. and also teach at for-profit and online schools in the U.S. are attempting to bribe government officials to allow online programs to be offered by some established and once-highly ranked B & M schools in the country (it may interest many to know that some Nigerian universities actually held top world rankings in the late 1970s -examples: University of Lagos, Ahmadu Bello University, University of Benin), there is vehement rejection of distance education model by long-established institutions in Nigeria, nonetheless.

    The University of Lagos has, however, piloted an institution-only accredited distance programs, with significant on-campus face-to-face lecture sessions and mandatory on-campus testing and exam requirement. So, any Nigerian online school found on the internet is pure fraud or 419 scam operation.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 23, 2013
  3. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    Thanks, Cyber - excellent information. Among its other good points, your post helps explain why this particular "school" was set up in Delaware USA!

    Johann
     
  4. Ted Heiks

    Ted Heiks Moderator and Distinguished Senior Member

    two identical posts five minutes apart?
     
  5. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    A complete accident, Ted. I realized too late I had a duplicate. Please help me out - merge the thread or erase the duplicate one -- whatever.

    Thanks

    Johann
     
  6. Ted Heiks

    Ted Heiks Moderator and Distinguished Senior Member

    Sorry, but I haven't learned how merge threads yet.
     
  7. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    Then please erase the duplicate - the one that has no posts other than mine & yours. You got the powa! :smile:

    Thanks

    Johann
     
  8. saharapost

    saharapost Member

    Cyber, I agreed with everything you said here except the above. There are few individuals who are struggling to ''revolutionalize'' the Nigerian education sector by trying to introduce online education which are not scams. For instance, this oneACADEMICS | Beni American University and also this one Welcome to National Open University of Nigeria :.....

    While Beni American University is not yet accredited, the ''owner'' made it clear to newsmen that they are in the process of getting accredited. Getting accreditation in Nigeria is no child's play. Yes, there are others like the one mentioned in the OP's post that try to swindle unsuspecting students.
     
  9. Maniac Craniac

    Maniac Craniac Moderator Staff Member

    I Go Chop Your Dollar - Nkem Owoh - YouTube

    &I recall someone on this board knowing the person who founded and operates the legitimate school you might be referring to (unless it happens to be yet another of the same name). I won't say who, but Im throwing this out there in the case that he reads it an wishes to respond or PM you with more info.
     
  10. John Bear

    John Bear Senior Member

    "When my father died in a road accident, I discovered 21 million blank diplomas among his possessions. If you will help me get them out of my country and into yours, I will reward you with 42,000 doctorates."
     
  11. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    Good one, Dr. Bear! Say, this just hit me! I "discovered" a Nigerian-owned school that was a fake! What a novelty! Who'd have ever thought it? If that's the best I can do, maybe I should stick with other pastimes... :sad:

    Johann
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 24, 2013
  12. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    The danger, of course, is to say that because this goatbag is bad therefore one can mock all of Nigeria, and one can assume that everything done by Nigerians is suspect. Considering that no one is doing this about Delaware and the people there, and that's where this thing is purportedly based, that's... well, one decide how that looks for oneself.
     
  13. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    Point taken, Steve. Absolutely true. I'll shut up now - after re-iterating that yes, this particular goatbag indeed appears bad. :oops:

    Johann
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 24, 2013
  14. John Bear

    John Bear Senior Member

    Johann: "Point taken, Steve. Absolutely true. I'll shut up now "
    John: Me, too.

    In the tiny and largely Caucasian town of El Cerrito, CA, where I lived for 17 years, there has just opened a Nigerian-owned-and-run home health care company (Blize). By all accounts, they are doing a terrific job. A good friend, a physical therapist, has gone to work there, and is awfully impressed.
     
  15. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    Oh yes - one last thing. It looks like it's got a different twist to the usual Nigerian schemes, which target Westerners. The "grads" of this school I've found all have Nigerian names, so the "scam" in this case looks like the peddling of "fine American accredited degrees" (which they're not) to Adedoyin's fellow Nigerians - not Westerners. I went through the Internet, not looking to "out" holders of these "ka-boom" degrees, (not my style - I go after the schools) but just to see who's buying them. Only common denominator, 100% had Nigerian names.

    I don't know how organized it is, or how extensive a racket, but selling ANY "fake-accredited" degrees to his own people seems to be very unbecoming for a Chief, who is supposed to help his people to a better life!

    Johann
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 24, 2013
  16. Cyber

    Cyber New Member

    Saharapost,

    National Open University is not an online school. Offering DL programs doesn't make an established school with campus(s) an online school (online-only school, that is). Regarding Beni, I won't take the owner's word seriously yet until the school is actually accredited or approved by the NUC. If you know the extent of rot that bedevils university education in that country (the Nigerian government recently said 24% of degree holders are unemployable), I'm sure you'll agree with me that the Nigerian educational system need serious overhaul.

    The NUC is tired of using the Police to shut down many unauthorized B & M schools around the country every year (they've closed down hundreds if not thousands of schools since they started the crackdown in the early 2000s).

    Though Beni becoming authorized is not an impossibility (bribing is commonplace in Nigeria), at this point I'm sure you know the issues and the reason why NUC is apprehensive when it comes to authorizing online-only schools in the country.

    The university system in Nigeria relies heavily on face-to-face testing and established B & M schools are already having a tough time curtailing high exam malpractices, mostly in the form of student/professor quid pro quo arrangements where men pay money and the women pay with sex to pass exams. With DL, the possibility of exam-taking becoming an industry that is run by cartels of exam takers is huge, especially if testing is done remotely or not required at all.

    What I'm saying is that it is already hard for degree holders from long established schools like the University of Lagos to get jobs in that country (graduate unemployment is very high, though the Nigerian government peddles figures around 37%). So, looking for a job with a degree from an unaccredited Nigerian online-only school will almost be counterproductive.

    If Beni has legitimate intentions, I suspect NUC will mandate some level of face-to-face testing/examination during the approval process. If legit, a Beni education would be valuable if their focus is in areas such as business and entrepreneurship (70% of Nigeria's earning is spent on paying salaries to civil servants - it'll be good if Beni can help change that).
     
  17. Cyber

    Cyber New Member


    Johann,

    You know the intended target when "american education" or something along those lines is stressed in the "pitch." And that is because degrees from American schools are highly valued in Nigeria (ofcourse, due to the rot in the local educational system - get an idea of how bad it is here).
     
  18. gossyomega

    gossyomega New Member

    Dear Cyber,

    Permit me to respond as a representative of Beni and as such, aware of the current standing of things with the NUC e.t.c

    1. The proprietors of Beni have made their applications to NUC to operate as an online university, however policy demanded that they shift focus and become Hybrid (Online and Physical). - Our Hybrid / Blended Education

    2. Bribery is commonplace in Nigeria, but i can assure you that it is so not attainable at the NUC. Therefore accreditation (which people confuse for Operational License) takes a minimum of 5 years to obtain, this is because you need to graduate a class, have them employed, serve e.t.c because an accreditation exercise can be carried out.

    3. Beni has not admitted ANY degree seeking student, however is only taking in students for the Entrepreneurship and Innovation program (a 12 week certificate program) which is articulated by the Atlanta Metropolitan State College.

    4. True to your word, even the Hybrid model suggested Beni did not meet the CURRENT NUC guidelines, therefore the university was mandated to start building a physical campus in Nigeria and become a proper private university - BAU to Develop a Multimillion Dollar University Campus.

    5. Beni continues to make it very clear that it is not accredited at this time. Its focus remains Business and Entrepreneurship because of the prevalent situation in the country - Unemployment. Until it is licensed to operate locally.

    6. The last point is - The Federal Government and the NUC are currently undertaking plans to permit online universities in Nigeria in the nearest future due to the high volume of students who are caught between the Secondary schools and university admissions.


    It is also very refreshing that the discuss of the future of Nigeria's quality higher education industry is brought up here. However we cannot continue ignore the fact that we really need Online / Hybrid / Blended higher education learning in Nigeria, of course with strict policy monitoring as this is the only way we can take care of the over 7 Million young people who have finished secondary school in the past ten years and could not be admitted.

    PS: to clarify one more time, I am a representative of the Beni and you can keep updated on our milestones here - BAU Milestones

    Cheers.

    G.U
     
  19. saharapost

    saharapost Member

    First of all I wish to state that I am a Nigerian but that does not mean I condone the numerous atrocities being perpetrated by some unscrupulous elements in the country.Yes, you are correct. NOUN is not an online-only school. My point was just to reject the assertion you made that: ''So, any Nigerian online school found on the internet is pure fraud or 419 scam operation.'' I don't think you know this for a fact as all schools (I think), even in the US, start unaccredited before they get accredited. Starting as an online school without accreditation doesn't necessarily make a school a scam... yes, the Nigerian government is fighting to sanitize the educational sector but that doesn't mean every school in the country is a sham. I had the privilege of attending (for two years only) one of the nation's Federal Universities before traveling out of the country. My experience was superb. It is becoming very very difficult (am not saying it is not possible) to bribe your way to passing your courses especially at Federal Universities. The ''bad boys syndrome'' which has eaten deep into the educational system is found most in private and state run universities. Yes, some bad elements get into Fed Unis too.


    I quite understand your point here and I am not trying to ''fight for'' the Nigerian scammers (whether in the educational sector or not). It isn't the educational sector alone that needs a total overhaul, even the health sector as well as many other sectors in that country have been bedeviled by corrupt and incompetent practices.

    Yes, bribery is rife in Nigeria. Starting with the Policeman who stops cars and demands for 20 Naira on the street to the non-academic University staff who requests to be bribed just to give you what belongs to you. At a Polytechnic where I also studied in Nigeria, it has not been easy to get my transcript to TESC just because I am not in the country. There is no online transcript request at this school and when I contacted the Registrar by phone, he was asking me to cough out 50,000 naira in bribe. My plan is to go there in person process my transcript whenever I travel to the country. So, you are right- bribery is common place.

    The problem with Nigeria relying heavily on face-to-face testing goes beyond exam malpractice. Yes, exam malpractice is high in Nigeria just as what obtains in some other countries. A simple search on Google will take you to websites set up by westerners (and of course non westerners) who offer ''I WILL TAKE YOUR CLASS FOR YOU'' kind of services. I was shocked to find out that in the part of Europe where I live, students at one of the conventional universities were cheating during exam in broad day light. These were Masters students. There was no exam supervision as what obtains in Nigeria and as such the students were free to open their books while writing exams even when the exams were not open book. This, in my opinion, is exam malpractice too. Exam malpractice is a serious problem worldwide... Every country has its own way of battling the problem. Some countries have advanced mechanisms put in place that make curtailing the hydra-headed monster easier, other countries do not have the technology to do so effectively. In my opinion, one of the reasons why online-only education is not yet booming in Nigeria is because of the expertise and technology involved. Aside other costs involved, to establish an online-only university in Nigeria will require constant supply of power which is lacking in the country. Also, unlike the average American who has access to internet, I think the average Nigerian doesn't have the money to use internet the way I use it in Europe or most Americans use it... So, if I were to be asked why Nigeria relies heavily on face-to-face testing, I will argue that it is combination of many factors including but not limited to corruption, non-availability of power, and the high cost of setting up and running an 100% online-only testing services. If it were for exam malpractice alone, I strongly believe it would've been handled... And yes, one of the reasons why online schools may not succeed in Nigeria is because there is high discrimination against DL schools let alone online-only schools. Even among those who went to state schools, there is discrimination. For instance, as a University of London International Programmes student, I cannot practice Law in Nigeria because the Nigerian Council for Legal Education does not recognize law degrees earned via distance learning. DL school graduates (aside NOUN) and online-only graduates cannot take part in the mandatory National Youth Service Corp scheme. This service scheme is very important for every Nigerian that intends to work in the country or go into politics. You can see one more reason why online only schools are not gonna prosper in Nigeria. Maybe online schools for graduates may work since it is generally assumed that Nigerian graduate students are holders of the mandatory NYSC graduation or exemption certificates.

    I agree!

    If Beni has legitimate intentions, I suspect NUC will mandate some level of face-to-face testing/examination during the approval process. If legit, a Beni education would be valuable if their focus is in areas such as business and entrepreneurship .[/QUOTE]

    I think Beni is introducing some face-to-face testing with selected test centers spread across the country. I found this info on their website. Anyway, until proven otherwise, I will continue to assume Beni has good intentions.
     
  20. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    Of course. "Fine American degrees" (not really) are sold in many countries. I remember "Florida Green U." in Pakistan, for instance. I don't suppose it's unique to see a Chief cashing in on his genealogy to fleece his own people, either. Contemptible, yes. Isolated -I doubt it.

    Unfortunately - even if I - or somebody - could have this OSUA shut down today, I'm sure there are numerous other rogue "schools" taking money from Nigerians of scant resources. I have, however, contacted the NCA, suggesting they have a look at the use of "The famous North Central Accreditation Commission." Their call, I guess.

    Johann
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 25, 2013

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