Facts That Nigerians Have Moved America Forward
By Okechukwu Okugo
The name, Nigeria, rings in many people's minds as scammers, fraudulent or bad people.
The international media is solely responsible for that. They portray all Nigerians as fraudsters, while leaving out the facts that Nigerians have affected the globe, in all ramifications positively. And this negative image has shrouded the fact, who Nigerians really are.
Nigerians have moved America forward. This is primarily as a result of two reasons. Firstly, Nigerians hold a record no other group of people in America holds. Secondly, In all the sectors of American economy, Nigerians have contributed significantly (in a way no person can cover their positive impacts and records. It is glaring for all to see).
Be it in aeronautics, medical, engineering, arts, sports, entertainment etc.
A 2006 American Community Survey by the U.S. Census Bureau, showed that the population of educated Nigerians surpass that of all other groups in the whole U.S.
For example, the survey found out that 37% of Nigerians had Bachelor's degrees compared to 19% of whites that had a Bachelor's degree in the whole U.S.
17% of Nigerians had a Master's degree, compared to 8% of whites that had a Master's degree in U.S. And 4% of Nigerians had a Doctorate compared to 1% of whites with a Doctorate.
In fact Nigerians are nothing but a blessing to any country they are found. There are many other pointers and facts that they always hold a record none in the country holds, even though they are immigrants.
99.9% of Nigerians who come to the U.S., comes here legally. 99.9% of Nigerians in U.S. support and sponsor themselves and their progeny in higher education.
Let us now consider some of the ways Nigerians have moved America to greater heights:
In NASA:
After the Space Shuttle Columbia's disintegration, during re-entry that led to the loss of its crew; the U.S. Government set up a nine member Aerospace Advisory Board to recommend new safety measures to avert such occurrences in the future, the only non-white appointee in the board was a Nigerian.
Prof Augustine O. Esogbue, now Emeritus, was a Nigerian professional in U.S. who not only being a member of that board, but has impacted immensely in NASA, and in many high-tech contributions in U.S.
Prof. Augustine Esogbue. Photo credit:
Prof Esogbue, a systems and industrial engineer, earned a Merit Award from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for his work.
He is the Director and Founder of the Intelligent Systems and Controls Laboratory at the School of Systems and Industrial Engineering at Georgia Tech.
He is the CEO of Aeso Systems International, an Atlanta Georgia based consulting firm.
Another strong Nigerian contributor in NASA is Dr. Robert S. Okojie, who has been referred to as "The man behind NASA success stories."
He holds many patented devices, and his contributions extended to numerous MEMS structures that can reduce air and noise pollution, provide new deep well drilling tools; and supply sensors for the temperature and chemical extremes of aerospace environments.
He developed the first accelerated stress test protocol published in the IEEE International Reliability Physics Symposium, the venue by which reliability testing is accepted by world's industry.
Okojie's work is a combined effort of the Aviation Safety and Fundamental Aeronautics program under NASA's Aeronautic Research Mission Directorate.
Dr. Robert S. Okojie, "The man behind NASA success stories." Photo credit:
In Medical:
Olufunmilayo Olopade is a highly skilled hematology oncologist at the University of Chicago Medical Center. In March 2011, President Obama appointed her to the National Cancer Advisory Board. She is a specialist in the treatment of breast cancer. And her momentous work on a comparative study of breast cancer around the world, earned her a MacArthur Foundation Genius Award in 2005. She graduated from a Nigerian University, University of Ibadan, before she came to U.S.
There are many Nigerian neurosurgeons and other medical specialists in U.S. who continue to tackle harder medical cases and break new grounds in the American medical field.
Dr. Olufunmilayo Olopade, a Nigerian breast cancer guru. Photo credit:
Journalism:
CNN:
Femi Oke is a highly skilled broadcaster who worked for many years in CNN and contributed her expertise to move CNN to greater heights. At CNN, she was a guru in weather forecasting; and was also the host of Inside Africa, a documentary on Africa.
She left CNN to be with her family in New York and now contributing immensely in the National Public Radio in New York.
Former CNN top presenter, Femi Oke. Photo credit: twitter.com
ABC News:
Sade Baderinwa is a Nigerian newscaster whose proficiency and expertise is not in doubt at ABC7. Where she continues to contribute her own quota to the American society.
She co-anchors the weekday 5 p.m. editions of Eyewitness News alongside Diana Williams and the 11 p.m. news with Bill Ritter.
Folasade Olayinka Baderinwa of the WABC Channel 7. Photo credit:
Sahara Reporters:
Omoyele Sowore, is the Founder of Sahara Reporters, a reportorial news platform, providing solutions to real time issues in Africa and America. It is also at this platform that Mr. Rudolf Okonkwo, a professional in journalism, continues to contribute to the betterment of the American society through their works.
Omoyele Sowore, founder of Sahara Reporters.
Rudolf Okonkwo, of Sahara Reporters, the presenter of the most popular African comedy show in America in Dr. Njakiri Damages Show.
Hollywood:
Even in the American movie industry, a handful of Nigerians have impacted positively here. Sophie Okonedo, a Nigerian actress in Hollywood has been nominated for an Oscar Award. Her role in the movie Hotel Rwanda was epic.
Nigerian movie star and an Oscar Award nominee, Sophie Okonedo.
Photo credit: www.broadway.com
Akinnuoye Agbaje is a Nigerian super star in American Hollywood. He has featured in movies with Wesley Snipes, 50 Cents etc. Some of the movies he has featured are: Sugar Hill, Mummy Returns, the 1990's HBO prison series OZ etc.
Adewale A. Agbaje. A Nigerian Hollywood star. Photo credit: twitter.com
Internet:
Philip Emeagwali, a Nigerian, who has offices in England and Washington D.C., was dubbed by CNN as "A father of the internet," not as a mere title but by the confounding works and discoveries he made in the area of supercomputers.
Using 65,000 processors, he invented a formula that inspired the reinvention of the supercomputer. His theoretical supercomputer with 65,000 nodes is known today as the internet.
Bill Clinton in a televised speech, as president, explained to Americans and the world that Emeagwali's formula helped give rise to the age of information.
What a gift not only to the Americans, but to humanity at large (from a Nigerian).
Philip Emeagwali. Photo credit:
Modern Scientific Discovery:
Gabriel Oyibo is a Nigerian genius, who came and residing in America, where he formulated a super mathematical deductions and equations, known as the "Unified theorem of everything."
His scientific deductions and equations have been recognized by many respected physicists in America and the world. But he is only held back by a number who claimed that for Oyibo's equations, they "are not sure what to make of it." Which is why the "Jury" is not yet out to acknowledge this exceptional Nigerian genius, awaiting approval from a consensus of scientists qualified to comprehend his calculations.
Nigerian Postage Stamp with the portrait of Prof. Gabriel Oyibo
Merchandising:
Obi Okeke, is a Nigerian, co-owner of Fusion Luxury Motors in Los Angeles, and a franchised exotic car dealer. For nearly 30 years, he has been in the automobile business in America, selling multi million dollars worth of exotic cars to American celebrities and others.
Only to Floyd Mayweather, he has sold over 40 exotic cars, which included a $3.2 million Ferrari Enzo and 3 Bugatti Veyrons worth $6.2 million combined.
He has also sold exotic cars to Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jessica Simpson, Ellen DeGeneres, Chris Tucker etc.
Obi Okeke, co-owner of Fusion Luxury Motors with Floyd Mayweather.
Photo credit: www.autonews.com
American Literature:
Ngozi Chimamanda Adichie a Nigerian novelist in America had her first novel long-listed for the Man Booker Prize; her second novel, Half of a Yellow Sun won the Orange Prize. Her books won the Women's Prize for Fiction in 2004 and 2007. In 2013, she also won the U.S. National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction and Baileys Prize in U.S. crowned her as its "best of the best," in fiction writing.
There are many other great Nigerian writers in America, today, who continues to contribute in the growth of American literature.
Professor Chinua Achebe, author of Things Fall Apart, worked and died in New York.
Chimamanda Adichie
This article cannot contain the other names of Nigerians who are impacting in the areas of sports, in NBA, NFL; in music, real estate, financial experts and so on in America. There are uncountable number of them.
What else does Nigeria need to do, to prove to the world, that their presence, in any economy of the world is a blessing? In fact, the economy of a country should be measured with the presence or absence of a Nigerian. They are found on any part of this earth, with a vibrant or promising economy. Wherever a Nigerian is not found on this globe, it seems, there is no hope for that economy.
Nigerians are never lazy people; they are very hardworking. I challenge anybody who doubts, to look around, there is no drug peddler in any street of America, who is a Nigerian.
I hope that the issue of Nigerians and a negative image should be laid to rest finally for good with this article.
But even if it is not, one thing that is certain is, despite all the criticisms, and the global negative image, they are erroneously painted, Nigerians would never give up; and neither would they stop up-building and contributing their own quota to move America and the world forward.
(Nigeria's A. Agbaje in a Hollywood blockbuster movie. Photo credit: )
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