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ibnaija@yahoo.com Political Scientist USA

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HOW MANY Ph.Ds DOES NIGERIA HAVE?

he numbers are staggering and from all indications, they are quite impressive. One source has it that of all the foreign groups in the US, Nigeria, not India, not China, not Japan, but Nigeria, has the highest number of Ph.Ds. And it is true, very true indeed, collaborated by many reliable independent sources. Each year, American universities all across the length and breath of this great land mint Nigerian Ph.Ds as thought they were coins. Presently, in my academic department at the university, there are three Nigerians who have impressed the faculty to the level of candidacy. This means they have passed the all important qualifying exams and have progressed to the dissertation writing phase of the degree. At this point, in most cases, (not always the case), the process is more in the hands of the student than it is in the hands of the faculty.

On May 14th, this year, we graduated four Nigerians from my department with Ph.Ds in political science and one with a Ph.D. in public administration also from this department as its awards doctorate degrees in these related disciplines. It's noteworthy that we had a total of 12 Ph.D. graduates, Nigerians and non-Nigerians - meaning, almost half of the graduates were Nigerians and this, at a PWI (Predominantly White Institution). At the university-wide level, inclusive of all disciplines, the numbers are even more impressive as a total of 43 out of a Ph.D. graduating class of 247 were Nigerians. This is just from one institution amongst thousands across the land.

In the August graduation billed for August 13th, there will be 14 more Nigerians earning Ph.Ds in various fields ranging from Civil Engineering, Math, Geo-Physics, English, Food & Nutrition to Astronomy and Classics. Thus, from one institution with more than 25,000 students enrolled, and out of a Ph.D. graduating class of 360 [247 + 113) for the entire year, May and August graduations, 57 were/will be Nigerians translating into 16% of the Ph.D. graduating class.

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If we are getting these numbers from an institution with 25,000 students on all campuses, main and satellite, one could only imagine the numbers that would emanate from far bigger universities such as The Ohio State University,(the Buckeyes) with 60,000 students nestled in beautiful Columbus, Ohio or the University of Minnesota, (Gophers) also with 60,000 students in its Minneapolis and St. Paul campuses or Texas A&M, (The Aggies), University Texas (The Long Horns) each with 50,000 plus student population or Penn State University (The Nittany Lions) with 40,000 plus on its State College (name of the city in which it's located) campus. Let's we forget other big institutions such as the University of Illinois, (The Fighting Illini) with 40,000 as well as the University of California, Los Angeles (the Bruins) with well over 40,000 student population.

One of my colleagues at The Ohio State University, an associate dean, estimates (rought estimate, not exact number) more than 100 Nigerians graduating (from his specific college, one of the largest) this year with Ph.Ds in the various aspects of the general discipline. In the academic circle, Nigerian Ph.Ds come aplenty. I have never come across a campus in the US and even in Canada (in all my travels to that beautiful country north of the US) that does not have a Nigerian on its faculty no matter how remote the campus might be.

On a trip to Lorman, Mississippi, a few years ago, a deserted piece of territory, (no pun intended) home to Alcorn State University, I was surprised to find Nigerians on the faculty in that institution. I asked one of the Nigerian faculty members in jest - How did you find this university? It is next to nowhere and the largest cities, Jackson and Vicksburg, are considerable miles away and yet, Nigerians were and still are present. The situation is the same in Statesboro, Georgia, home to Georgia Southern University, a remote town three and half hours or so from Atlanta.

In my visit to that campus for a conference, I met some Nigerians on faculty. I asked the same question and this time I got the response - if it exists we will find it. Need I talk about a similar experience in Western Carolina University in Calloway, North Carolina or Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina, both located in the remotest of areas? Indeed, Nigerians are on every conceivable campus and are making significant impact in their areas of specialties.

But the sad irony is that while Nigerians are enhancing the American technology and those of other countries, there is hardly anyone left to enhance the technology in their native land? It's doubtful that these freshly minted Ph.Ds will return to Nigeria and engage in meaningful work that would contribute to nation-building. There is a dearth of critical mass of scholars in Nigeria and this is the unfortunate aspect of this new brain-drain of which Nigeria is very much at the disadvantaged end. Those in Nigeria who have excelled are being wooed by foreign universities and yet their own country does not value them.

Many Nigerian professors teaching in the universities in Nigerian have either gone overseas or are looking for ways to leave the country for greener pastures. Each trip I make to Nigeria, I return with tons of CVs given to me by Nigerian professors and academicians. In South Africa, one would find hundreds of Nigerian professors, sharp minds educating South Africans. Many are in Saudi Arabia, the UK, Holland, Germany, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the US and many more places beyond the shores of Nigeria.

The basic responsibility of a government is to channel the best resources in the land to its advantage. And in the case of Nigeria, to channel the best resources home and abroad to its advantage. But seemingly, in the wider context, the Obasanjo's government has failed in this respect as it is yet to initiate a viable program to court Nigerian Ph.Ds and other professionals to return home. Those who have returned home left Nigeria in hurry with tales of sorrow and anguish to tell. Many were robbed, the ideas of many were thrown out of the window or ridiculed, others were brutalized, threatened and at least in one known case, one was murdered.

In October 1999. I was part of a group of Nigerian professors and other professionals who met with President Obasanjo during his visit to the US. At this meeting, he promised to put in place through the Nigerian Embassy in Washington DC, a viable program that would see many of us return home to help his government build a formidable nation. Our contact information was taken, as well as our areas of specialties. Many of us left that meeting with confidence encouraged that our president meant well and that Nigeria would finally harness its best minds across the globe in the tedious task of nation-building.

Some who participated in that meeting are reeling in disappointment today as six long years after, the phone is yet to ring and with each passing day it becomes clearer that it wouldn't ring. In spite of this, some have taken matters into their hands without waiting for the government to invite them to Nigeria. I was one of those, using my sabbatical a few years ago to engage in research, teaching and developmental activities in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State and Jos, Plateau State. But the atmosphere was far from conducive and government was least helpful in this effort. Given this experience, not too many Nigerian professionals would dare to sacrifice their comfort in their oversea bases to engage in the noble task of nation-building.

The inclusion of Dr. Ngozi Okonji-Iweala and other well accomplished Nigerians in government is a very wise one. This, in my humble opinion, is one of the wisest decisions by this administration. Obasanjo has done well in this regard as we are seeing the dividends, particularly, in the case of Dr. Okonji-Iweala and her efforts in securing debt relief for Nigeria amongst other things. However, more needs to be done and done in a hurry. There are many Nigerian Ph.Ds and other well established professionals in the US who are itching to return home to contribute but do not know where and how to begin. There are many who will rush home if only there is a viable and structured program through which they can channel their expertise and services.

These are exciting times in Nigeria from the standpoint of developmental programs put in place by the various state governments, programs that can benefit immensely from the expertise of Nigerian professionals living abroad. It is evident that Nigeria is at a crossroad and the decisions made by government now will have ripple effects for the long term. If the Obasanjo's government does not take full advantage of the goodwill extended by Nigerian professionals abroad, other countries will and they are. This is the saddest irony of it all.