Dr
Joseph Femi Adebisi, is the Director General, Nigerian College of Accountancy,
Jos. He is an erudite scholar, one of the very few Nigerians that combined
academics with Professional Practice. When such an individual climbs into an exulted
office, such as he presently occupies, you will agree that interacting with him
is one way of learning from his wealth of experience. This, is an assignment
that is worth the while. Apart from the knowledge and experience in his head,
he is an interesting person to discuss with.
The
crew of Scoreline, led by Nnabugwu Chizoba, interviewed him and is happy to
share with you the product of that interview. Please, let’s go inside.
SCORELINE – May
we know you, Sir?
DG – My name is Dr. Joseph Femi Adebisi. I am the Director General, Nigerian College of Accountancy, Jos.
SCORELINE - Past DGs of the College were either Practitioners or Academics, by your emergence as the DG, there seem to be a shift, considering that you are a core practitioner and also an Academic, what does this portend for the college?
DG – If you look at the Vision of our founding fathers, this place is referred to as Postgraduate Professional College of Accountancy. In that case a person that would manage the affairs of this place must be vast in knowledge, must also be educated, and must also have integrity. What I feel, my years of practice, especially from the year 2000 when I established my practice with headquarters in Kogi State, I had the opportunity to service both the public and the private sectors and other allied agencies that require the services of a Professional and practicing Accountant. I have done that successfully by the grace of God. At a time I looked at it that I needed to add more education because the educational content, the tertiary educational content is paramount if you want to be relevant even in our professional practice, because there are issues that will require deep technical know-how, deep knowledge, researchable and convincing contributions. Such is enhanced through quality or broadened education. That took me to look for MBA, Msc and a PhD. In the process of acquiring these qualifications, I rubbed mind with many scholars. Up till now am still learning. I belief my professional practice and lecturing background, having come from the Kogi State University where I was the HOD, Accountancy Department and Deputy Dean, Faculty of Management Sciences, before coming to the College, will be of immense contribution towards realising the dream of the founders of ANAN and the College. Mine is to work hard and ensure that the Students are impacted significantly through quality research input and professional practice experiences. Apart from producing would be Professionals, the Nigerian economy which is the greatest consideration of ANAN in establishing the College, would be the greatest beneficiary, mind you.
SCORELINE – One would be right to say that the College is really growing. Being a Postgraduate Professional Accountancy College, people are beginning to see clearly the blend of academics and practice; do you think the College is achieving its objectives?
DG – Yes
SCORELINE – Please, could you elaborate?
DG - When you look at our profile in ANAN, the college has a statement “advancing the Science of Accounting”. That alone has research content. Accounting has moved from Art where it started in the UK. Accounting used to be commerce. In those days’ people at the University were awarded degrees: BA Commerce, BA Economics. After a while economics was carved out to be a Science. Today Accounting is a science. It is a growing field with more techniques, with more technicalities of arriving at decisions, which is scientific. If we’re to be left in the Art, it is just a matter of knowing how to add this-to-this and you get a result, but we’ve gone beyond that level. Now, to know the reason we must add, is very important. When you look at a roadside mechanic and a Mechanical Engineer, there is a great deal of difference that exists. When you tell a roadside mechanic that the knot of your car has pulled out, he will look for another knot and replace it. A mechanical engineer will go a long way not only to ask, but to understand the cause of the removal of the first one. He is interested to know, what will happen if he fixed a new one, what is the probability that this one will not be removed? That is scientific. In ANAN particularly, we are at the level where we need to discover why some reports has to be made in certain format and if we do not meet that standard, what would be the repercussion on our own status and the effect it will have also on the users of this report. And again what will be the global view on the practitioner who is our member. This is scientific. Others in the same profession will not look at it in that area, may not bother, but we are bothered to want to know why we must comport ourselves in a certain way and level.
SCORELINE - What is the impact of the admission of ANAN into various International Accountancy Bodies (IFAC, PAFA, ABWA) on the College, in the areas of administration and policies? Does it have any effect on the students?
DG – Seriously. As a matter of fact, enrollment stride has jerked up. We are now struggling to cope with EXCESS application in the college. The other one is, we can no longer do things as before, because we’re now in a global village. We’re now members of international bodies. When you say that you are a member of a particular body, that body has access to your own information and they also have contributions to make. They also, have corrective weapons that they can exert on you when you go astray. With this in mind the College is no longer a Nigerian College, it is now an International College. We are hosting our admission on the Website. Our lectures are to be hosted on our website. Remember we have already started the e-learning platform. Every of our lectures will be hosted on the website. Immediately you’ve uploaded your lecture on the website, you can longer control it. Anybody in this world can have access to it. That is why we have to be more articulate in whatever we upload. That is why we are working seriously on that, so that the standard will compete favourably with international standard as required.
SCORELINE - On a lighter mood, your emergence as the DG of NCA, Jos witnessed the delivery of 11 babies by 11 women who came from various parts of the country for their Jun 2013 PEB examination, how did you feel?
DG – Just as you said, on a lighter mood! Let me start by saying, I love children. I have 4 biological children, but I have over 10 other children I cater for, close relations and those I do not know their parents. I take joy in taken them into my roof, paying their school fees, some of them are already on their National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and some are still in the Secondary school, some in the University and some in the polytechnic. Let me inform you also, as the Chairman Examination Committee of ANAN for a period of 4 years, I use to stop over at “forest” to buy orange and other fruits. One of those my customers, to the glory of God has an ND in Library Science from Kogi State University, courtesy of me.
SCORELINE – Please could you elaborate, Sir?
DG
– Each time I stop to buy orange, banana etc, she makes very good selection for
me. One day I asked her “is this what you’re going to be doing for life” she
said, “I have no body to help me”. On my way back I stopped over, I was not
buying anything, just going back home. I then asked her “how much will it cost you to retake your (West African Secondary Schools Certificate Examination (WASSCE)"? And she said
"N9500". She already had two credits. I gave her N10, 000.
One day I was passing, she shouted “daddy, daddy that thing has come out” and I said "which thing"? She said “my result”. I requested to see the result. Surprisingly, she passed, with 8 credits, including English and mathematics. That is to say, she wrote that examination and passed. That spurred me to secure admission for her at the Kogi State, Polytechnic, where I was a lecturer then. To the glory of God, today, she has a National Diploma in Library science. She is from Sanga, LGA, of Kaduna State.
When I see people like that, I feel happy. Now, to your question. Seeing that 11 Children were given birth to, in my tenure, in this College, during examination, is indeed, a thing of joy and happiness. I prayed each time I was Informed, by the nurse, that somebody was in labour. Mine was to go down on my knees in prayer, for safe delivery. To the glory of God, the eleven (11) of them had safe delivery.
One day I was passing, she shouted “daddy, daddy that thing has come out” and I said "which thing"? She said “my result”. I requested to see the result. Surprisingly, she passed, with 8 credits, including English and mathematics. That is to say, she wrote that examination and passed. That spurred me to secure admission for her at the Kogi State, Polytechnic, where I was a lecturer then. To the glory of God, today, she has a National Diploma in Library science. She is from Sanga, LGA, of Kaduna State.
When I see people like that, I feel happy. Now, to your question. Seeing that 11 Children were given birth to, in my tenure, in this College, during examination, is indeed, a thing of joy and happiness. I prayed each time I was Informed, by the nurse, that somebody was in labour. Mine was to go down on my knees in prayer, for safe delivery. To the glory of God, the eleven (11) of them had safe delivery.
SCORELINE -
Having moved to the permanent site of the college, what do you
intend to do with the old site considering that structures are there?
DG - May be you’re a little bit behind. If you go there, there is a sign board. The place is now Centre for Financial and Accounting Research (CEFAR), for the College. We have dedicated that edifice for financial and accounting research. Anything that has to do with accounting, IPSAS, IFRS, Forensic Accounting, and Fraud Management training, there is the centre. We have detached it from this place, so that they will have full concentration.
A Director has already been appointed. Our idea is to get people fully on ground to do research. If anybody is there for research, he/she makes use of the facilities. If he/she has anything to do with the laboratory the person comes down to the college. We have accounting laboratory here. With the internet connections, that place is not idle, it is very vibrant. Efforts are on to commercialize the big hall, and to reconstruct the front building, to its original structure, of a residence, for those that will come for research. The idea is to avoid a situation where they are faced with the challenge of accommodation and then settling for a hotel somewhere else. The challenges of such an arrangement, is too obvious to mention.
SCORELINE - By your explanations, especially, the Accounting Laboratory and the Research Centre, is it likely
that an Accounting soft-ware may be coming from ANAN through the
College, very soon?
DG -
It is common knowledge, that ANAN is not a static body. It is an evolving institution with so
many packages on board. We have collaboration with so many foreign institutions.
We have collaboration with ICT University of Batin Ross, Luciana, that developed our e-learning Platform. This is a new innovation in Accounting and learning in the Country. It is a situation,
whereby our students in the Diaspora, (not resident on the campus) can access our
lectures, and participate through their contributions and questions and equally
receive feedback. I’ve been in contact with the University. I know they’ve
gone other parts of the world and we feel Nigeria cannot be isolated. We feel,
we should tap into it also. With time we will develop some packages that will
be of benefit to accountants, not only ANAN members. We’re equally in
collaboration with Pittsburgh University for Leadership Training. Our staff and
leadership of the ANAN have received training in Pittsburgh. The benefits are
huge. Not only to us but also to them. We’re not stopping at that.
Construction is completed for French Language in the College. All the equipment required for French Laboratory are fully procured. Why do we do this? We have discovered that Nigeria is in the midst of francophone Countries. On the East of Nigeria, is Cameroon; on the North East is Chad. On the direct North is Niger; on the North West we have top of Benin Republic; on the West Benin Republic. So we are enveloped inside. The question is, how do we tap from the resources from these Countries? Language has been a very big barrier.
Our graduates won't be able to work there, if nothing urgent is done. I have the opportunity of going round these Countries recently. The banking sector in these Countries are occupied and serviced mainly by Nigerians. Major players, include; Zenith bank, Ecobank, GTB, Access Bank, and the rest. They are predominantly dominating their economies more than their own indigenous banks. I was in one Country, the only bank that is indigenous, there is what they call "Trust bank". All others are Nigerian Banks. But, these banks could not move most of the staff because of language barrier. So they’re forced by the circumstance they found themselves to make do with what they have on ground there. How would it be if Nigerian Accountants, I mean our graduates and ANAN members are able to have the knowledge of French language? They will be able to move into these places. That’s not all, there are World Bank projects all over the World, United Nations projects all over the World, their Agencies also have projects all over the World. Most of the time, Nigerians don’t get such jobs. This challenge is associated with speaking only one international language (English). Those who are bilingual get such jobs easily. That is why we are training our students to be able to speak more than one international language.
As Nigerians, most of us have been battling with our mother tongue and English language over the years, so let us spread. That is why we came up with this, to enable our members to do business in French language easily. Mind you it is not just to speak but to be able to compute and compile their reports. These are the things. You see we need a French language laboratory to be able to achieve these and that is why we have mounted it. As a matter of fact, we’re trying to advance the science of Accounting, up to language level.
Construction is completed for French Language in the College. All the equipment required for French Laboratory are fully procured. Why do we do this? We have discovered that Nigeria is in the midst of francophone Countries. On the East of Nigeria, is Cameroon; on the North East is Chad. On the direct North is Niger; on the North West we have top of Benin Republic; on the West Benin Republic. So we are enveloped inside. The question is, how do we tap from the resources from these Countries? Language has been a very big barrier.
Our graduates won't be able to work there, if nothing urgent is done. I have the opportunity of going round these Countries recently. The banking sector in these Countries are occupied and serviced mainly by Nigerians. Major players, include; Zenith bank, Ecobank, GTB, Access Bank, and the rest. They are predominantly dominating their economies more than their own indigenous banks. I was in one Country, the only bank that is indigenous, there is what they call "Trust bank". All others are Nigerian Banks. But, these banks could not move most of the staff because of language barrier. So they’re forced by the circumstance they found themselves to make do with what they have on ground there. How would it be if Nigerian Accountants, I mean our graduates and ANAN members are able to have the knowledge of French language? They will be able to move into these places. That’s not all, there are World Bank projects all over the World, United Nations projects all over the World, their Agencies also have projects all over the World. Most of the time, Nigerians don’t get such jobs. This challenge is associated with speaking only one international language (English). Those who are bilingual get such jobs easily. That is why we are training our students to be able to speak more than one international language.
As Nigerians, most of us have been battling with our mother tongue and English language over the years, so let us spread. That is why we came up with this, to enable our members to do business in French language easily. Mind you it is not just to speak but to be able to compute and compile their reports. These are the things. You see we need a French language laboratory to be able to achieve these and that is why we have mounted it. As a matter of fact, we’re trying to advance the science of Accounting, up to language level.
SCORELINE - The
belief in some quarters is that the Nigerian College of Accountancy is the
only College, to install CCTV cameras in the examination
halls, what is the impact of this on the College’s appraisal process?
DG - You’re right to say we have CCTV camera in
our examination halls. We have more than that. Even beyond the radius of our
compound, 500 meters after our own fence is under our control, security wise.
As you are here now, if you can come back may be in two weeks time, we can as
well play back all that we are doing here from our room. So, nobody will
say that you did not come here. How we
do it, I don't need to tell you, but I want you to know that one of the
cardinal points or reasons of mounting this CCTV camera is to give credibility
to our exams. So nobody will take us for granted. Impersonation is
not possible, cheating is not possible. If you come to this college and you
have passed your examination, it is your effort and may be help of God. The idea of somebody, not fully prepared and just want to come and write because
he/she want to giraffe, copy or lean on somebody is totally out of it. It is
either you know it or you don’t know it. It is either you are in or you are not
in, period. We’re not relying only on Public Power Supply, we have our
generator and we have Solar system. The CCTV camera is 24 hours.
SCORELINE - I
can now understand why people from outside the Association are calling that the College
should be renamed International College
of Accountancy (ICA), instead of the present name: Nigerian College of Accountancy (NCA). What's your take on this?
DG - Well, I will not be able to speak for the
Council. Such is at the discretion of the Council. I am just a servant here. I
have my President as my direct boss. He is the one that can say, see what is
going on, what’s your take? It is after then, that I can give my suggestion.
But as at now I cannot say anything. But we know we are international.
SCORELINE - There seem to be a consensus of
opinion that the quality of graduates has dropped significantly, what’s your
take on this? We ask this knowing you’ve been a University lecturer; "ANAN Exam
Committee Chairman" and now the DG of the Nigerian College Accountancy. To say
the least you’ve seen it all.
DG - The drop is not about the Nigerian College
of Accountancy, you’re talking generally about Nigerian education standard. Let
me start by saying it is not only in accounting. It cuts across all the
courses. For this reason, obviously you know there’s going to be a drop in the
quality of the graduate of our tertiary institutions. First, look at the
infrastructure that we have around, they’re grossly inadequate. When I was in
school all my class mates that we graduated together, we were 29 students. 56
of us started from year 1. By year 4 we were left with 29 students.
Some were advised to withdraw after year 1, some dropped out in year two, and some dropped half way. So when you have such a system being abrogated for the modern way of assessment, we call it the semester system, where somebody who is in 400 level has a 100 level course he has not passed and already he is in the final year, there’s a red flag. You’ve not passed the elementary and you’re passing the final, you should know there is a red flag. Is just like given your daughter in marriage and you have not paid the dowry of your wife, that gave birth to the girl. You can see there is a mix-up somewhere.
I cannot understand how somebody will be at 400 level and is still battling with GST (General Studies), that is, still battling with philosophy of science. When you allow such things, there’s bound to be half baked graduates.
However, the position of government is another big scam. When successive governments of a nation, see education as a trivial matter or optional matter we’re indeed heading for anarchy in the education sector.
The two Holy books that we are conversant with in Nigeria, advised us to read. In the old testament of the Bible, Daniel Chapter 11, Verse 32, the “B part” of it says “those that know their God will do exploits”, the next part “A part” says “those that have understanding will rule many”. Come to think of it how can you have understanding when you don’t read? In the other book, the “Holy Koran” the prophet said “go and search for knowledge, even if it will take you to other lands”. What does it mean...? Get yourself educated.
Note, education is very expensive, but it is still cheaper than illiteracy. No amount of money, spent by any government to develop infrastructure to train and educate the citizenry, should ever be labelled as over budgeted. What is making some countries to survive, and make waves, I mean those referred to as third world countries, like us, some years back, is their investment in education, that is their expenditure in education.
They focused on education, sent their people to different nations, to interact and grow their knowledge. India have reproduced the whole technology they have gone to study, Korea have done the same thing. Is it Taiwan, is it Hong Kong. in some of these places, you will see in a family of three, two will be Ph.D holders. Why would they not excel? In India, in a family of 10, 8 are likely to be Masters and Ph.D holders.
They know that the moment one is educated he/she will know how to fight poverty. If you are educated you know how to fight conflict. A lot of people who are fighting today are fighting because of lack of education. If you’re educated you will know that starting a fight is not the big deal, but how you will sustain that fight and win it.
Education has a lot to do for a country, even in the security of a nation.
Some were advised to withdraw after year 1, some dropped out in year two, and some dropped half way. So when you have such a system being abrogated for the modern way of assessment, we call it the semester system, where somebody who is in 400 level has a 100 level course he has not passed and already he is in the final year, there’s a red flag. You’ve not passed the elementary and you’re passing the final, you should know there is a red flag. Is just like given your daughter in marriage and you have not paid the dowry of your wife, that gave birth to the girl. You can see there is a mix-up somewhere.
I cannot understand how somebody will be at 400 level and is still battling with GST (General Studies), that is, still battling with philosophy of science. When you allow such things, there’s bound to be half baked graduates.
However, the position of government is another big scam. When successive governments of a nation, see education as a trivial matter or optional matter we’re indeed heading for anarchy in the education sector.
The two Holy books that we are conversant with in Nigeria, advised us to read. In the old testament of the Bible, Daniel Chapter 11, Verse 32, the “B part” of it says “those that know their God will do exploits”, the next part “A part” says “those that have understanding will rule many”. Come to think of it how can you have understanding when you don’t read? In the other book, the “Holy Koran” the prophet said “go and search for knowledge, even if it will take you to other lands”. What does it mean...? Get yourself educated.
Note, education is very expensive, but it is still cheaper than illiteracy. No amount of money, spent by any government to develop infrastructure to train and educate the citizenry, should ever be labelled as over budgeted. What is making some countries to survive, and make waves, I mean those referred to as third world countries, like us, some years back, is their investment in education, that is their expenditure in education.
They focused on education, sent their people to different nations, to interact and grow their knowledge. India have reproduced the whole technology they have gone to study, Korea have done the same thing. Is it Taiwan, is it Hong Kong. in some of these places, you will see in a family of three, two will be Ph.D holders. Why would they not excel? In India, in a family of 10, 8 are likely to be Masters and Ph.D holders.
They know that the moment one is educated he/she will know how to fight poverty. If you are educated you know how to fight conflict. A lot of people who are fighting today are fighting because of lack of education. If you’re educated you will know that starting a fight is not the big deal, but how you will sustain that fight and win it.
Education has a lot to do for a country, even in the security of a nation.
SCORELINE - We have wondered why MBA holders cannot
do Ph.D unless they obtain M sc. Some
people with such qualifications travel abroad to do their Ph.D and are given
preference over those who chose to do their M.sc and Ph.D in Nigeria. Again,
from your background as an academic, what is
your take on this?
DG - It is a matter of Policy. Before a Policy
is formulated, a lot of factors are taken into consideration and ones a Policy
is introduced it takes a longer time before you can reverse such a Policy.
My Dad always tells us “it is better to prevent a thief from entering your house than to chase him out, because it is, more difficult to chase him out. If you secure your compound with one million Naira (N1 million) fence or barbed wires, it is still cheaper than to leave everything open. And when thieves gain access into your compound, you say go out.
The Policy we have in Nigeria is peculiar to Nigeria, it is not peculiar to America. America have their own Policies. And it may baffle you to hear that an American may not need a Ph.D. to survive.
Sometime ago I read that somebody was the registrar of ACCA with I think BA Commerce for about 48 years. He never aspired to have a Masters or any other thing but he was doing his job conscientiously, that’s Policy for you. But in Nigeria, you hardly hold an office for 3 years, without people already itching to replace you. Going back to what you have just asked, MBA in the US is a tedious job. For a first degree holder to have an MBA in the US, it is a tedious job. So from that level you can be given the opportunity to do your Ph.D.
In the US also, after your first degree and you want to do your M.sc or MA and you got your admission, it states that this is a 12 or maximum 18 months course; the date of your graduation is stated, you know it. This is a place you don’t need to pray so that there will be light. NEPA is not there problem. The only problem is yourself, whether you cannot sit down or you have too much food to eat, so you don’t want to read. You cannot compare that system with our own system.
Again it is not that when such people returns to the country, they’re given preference over those that are indigenous Ph.D holders; no it depends on what they come back with. If you’re not good in fraud and forensic Accounting and somebody has come from the US, may be after 3 years that he left you here and has gone to do his Ph.D in Accounting, majoring in fraud and forensic Accounting, and in the Country, we're looking for someone who is knowledgeable, in fact an expert in fraud and forensic Accounting, obviously that person will be preferred over you who have Ph.D in Accounting without any specialization. In some cases people will have to specialize. Specialization is very important.
Let me also tell you, having a Ph.D is not the end of education. As a matter of fact, that’s just the beginning of study. If you’re a Ph.D holder and you don’t publish, then you’ll perish with it.
I’ve had opportunities to travel to the US, and I asked somebody would you like to travel with me to Nigeria? And he doesn’t know were Nigeria is. He doesn’t know where the Country, Nigeria, is on the Map. And I said, it is in Africa. And he replied, how do you travel? By Aeroplane, I replied. And he's never being to an Airport. He doesn’t need a passport, for what? There are people you feel they’re more loaded than you, over there. The truth is they are just ordinary people, human beings like you and I. I can tell you some of us are more advanced than they are but our system does not recognise how good you are.
I told someone in the US, I’ll travel with you to Nigeria and his response was “how many hours will it take to fly to Nigeria” and I said 14 hours and he replied “14 hours! No, no, no! if it is to drive, Ok. The air, no, no, no!
So what am trying to say is that the Nigerian academics are very good, but when it comes to specialisation, the one who has a specialised area can be given opportunity to add to what we have. We need some things that are specialised.
If someone comes with a Ph.D. in Forensic Accounting, he is a hot cake. If somebody comes in with computer in fraud tracking, ah! he is a hot cake. If somebody comes in and says, I have a Ph.D in system design, the banks are likely to have interest and would like to see what he has to contribute. As I said it is not that they are preferred, but it is what they have.
Again, the University they graduated from is also very important. We have some Universities in Nigeria that the NUC is still battling with their accreditation. If you have a Ph.D. from such Universities, or any other degree for that matter, what do you think will happen? The same scenario is applicable if the same degrees are obtained from similar universities abroad.
When it was time for my Ph.D, I went to an indigenous State University, Ebonyi State University. With my MBA, I started with an M.sc. After, my M.sc, I then embarked on a Ph.D. It was tedious, long, but it was shorter than not doing it.
My Dad always tells us “it is better to prevent a thief from entering your house than to chase him out, because it is, more difficult to chase him out. If you secure your compound with one million Naira (N1 million) fence or barbed wires, it is still cheaper than to leave everything open. And when thieves gain access into your compound, you say go out.
The Policy we have in Nigeria is peculiar to Nigeria, it is not peculiar to America. America have their own Policies. And it may baffle you to hear that an American may not need a Ph.D. to survive.
Sometime ago I read that somebody was the registrar of ACCA with I think BA Commerce for about 48 years. He never aspired to have a Masters or any other thing but he was doing his job conscientiously, that’s Policy for you. But in Nigeria, you hardly hold an office for 3 years, without people already itching to replace you. Going back to what you have just asked, MBA in the US is a tedious job. For a first degree holder to have an MBA in the US, it is a tedious job. So from that level you can be given the opportunity to do your Ph.D.
In the US also, after your first degree and you want to do your M.sc or MA and you got your admission, it states that this is a 12 or maximum 18 months course; the date of your graduation is stated, you know it. This is a place you don’t need to pray so that there will be light. NEPA is not there problem. The only problem is yourself, whether you cannot sit down or you have too much food to eat, so you don’t want to read. You cannot compare that system with our own system.
Again it is not that when such people returns to the country, they’re given preference over those that are indigenous Ph.D holders; no it depends on what they come back with. If you’re not good in fraud and forensic Accounting and somebody has come from the US, may be after 3 years that he left you here and has gone to do his Ph.D in Accounting, majoring in fraud and forensic Accounting, and in the Country, we're looking for someone who is knowledgeable, in fact an expert in fraud and forensic Accounting, obviously that person will be preferred over you who have Ph.D in Accounting without any specialization. In some cases people will have to specialize. Specialization is very important.
Let me also tell you, having a Ph.D is not the end of education. As a matter of fact, that’s just the beginning of study. If you’re a Ph.D holder and you don’t publish, then you’ll perish with it.
I’ve had opportunities to travel to the US, and I asked somebody would you like to travel with me to Nigeria? And he doesn’t know were Nigeria is. He doesn’t know where the Country, Nigeria, is on the Map. And I said, it is in Africa. And he replied, how do you travel? By Aeroplane, I replied. And he's never being to an Airport. He doesn’t need a passport, for what? There are people you feel they’re more loaded than you, over there. The truth is they are just ordinary people, human beings like you and I. I can tell you some of us are more advanced than they are but our system does not recognise how good you are.
I told someone in the US, I’ll travel with you to Nigeria and his response was “how many hours will it take to fly to Nigeria” and I said 14 hours and he replied “14 hours! No, no, no! if it is to drive, Ok. The air, no, no, no!
So what am trying to say is that the Nigerian academics are very good, but when it comes to specialisation, the one who has a specialised area can be given opportunity to add to what we have. We need some things that are specialised.
If someone comes with a Ph.D. in Forensic Accounting, he is a hot cake. If somebody comes in with computer in fraud tracking, ah! he is a hot cake. If somebody comes in and says, I have a Ph.D in system design, the banks are likely to have interest and would like to see what he has to contribute. As I said it is not that they are preferred, but it is what they have.
Again, the University they graduated from is also very important. We have some Universities in Nigeria that the NUC is still battling with their accreditation. If you have a Ph.D. from such Universities, or any other degree for that matter, what do you think will happen? The same scenario is applicable if the same degrees are obtained from similar universities abroad.
When it was time for my Ph.D, I went to an indigenous State University, Ebonyi State University. With my MBA, I started with an M.sc. After, my M.sc, I then embarked on a Ph.D. It was tedious, long, but it was shorter than not doing it.
SCORELINE – Considering the efforts to develop yourself,
the efforts and the structures put in place by ANAN for the benefit of
students of the Nigerian College of Accountancy, we ask is there any reason why
HND and NCA certificate holders should not be admitted into M.sc programmes?
DG - No! You see, I happen to be a product of
the Polytechnic, Kwara State College of Technology, now Kwara State
Polytechnic. You see the design of Polytechnic education up till now is quite
different from the university education.
In Accounting, there is ND Accounting, for example. Before, a student is through with ND programme, basic knowledge of Accounting, Auditing. Taxation, Cost Accounting and a little of Management Accounting, would have been acquired, apart from the main Financial Accounting 1 and 2, and Statistics.
If you’re in the University, Banking/Finance, Business Admin, Management and Accounting, from 100 level you’re doing the same thing, General Studies e.g Philosophy of Science, and all the rest of them. At that time you’re still playing safe. It is when you get to 300 level that Costing comes in, Management Accounting comes in, Investment Portfolio comes in. it is at this time that you start looking at other areas such as operational Research.
The polytechnic education is designed in such a way that if you brake the programme from ND you can aspire to be a good manager of Accounting records, but you may not be able to report accurately because of the things that are not in your syllabus. Philosophy is very important, psychology is very important, these are not there.
By the time you have your HND, you can almost fend for yourself. If there is no job, you will be able to do a little thing. In the University system it is in the final year that you have to study auditing and Investigation. It is where you’ll study Taxation and Tax Management, business policy.
With this you can see there is a dichotomy from the on-set. If you want a HND person to convert to academics, that is why the bridge is there PGD. At PGD level that is where the gap between what was lacking at the HND is bridged. And it is not a hard matter. It is just a matter of choice. However, if you go to Britain with HND from Nigeria for example you may be admitted for a Ph.D. depending on the University. Again some of the Universities may also ask you to do a PGD for 9 months or there about.
SCORELINE - Your parting words to students and potential ones
DG - I encourage all, especially students to embrace policies, the way they are, until such policies are changed. In doing so they should focus more on productivity and delivery, which competence and commitment to excellence will help them to achieve. The truth is, there is no policy, that addresses all the challenges in any area. With development and emerging trends, in addition to the peculiarities of an environment, relevant changes and adjustments will always be made to ensure that desirable goals are attained.
They should always explore available opportunities that the system has availed to express their concerns, hopes and expectations. Ensuring that their voice is heard at appropriate times and situations are very useful means of relating with relevant authorities, as well as promoting wider engagement opportunities and patterns. They should remain focused, committed and hopeful.
SCORELINE - Thank you for granting us audience and for addressing issues raised
DG - Honour is ours. Please, thank you for coming. Thank you for your interest in our activities and programmes.
In Accounting, there is ND Accounting, for example. Before, a student is through with ND programme, basic knowledge of Accounting, Auditing. Taxation, Cost Accounting and a little of Management Accounting, would have been acquired, apart from the main Financial Accounting 1 and 2, and Statistics.
If you’re in the University, Banking/Finance, Business Admin, Management and Accounting, from 100 level you’re doing the same thing, General Studies e.g Philosophy of Science, and all the rest of them. At that time you’re still playing safe. It is when you get to 300 level that Costing comes in, Management Accounting comes in, Investment Portfolio comes in. it is at this time that you start looking at other areas such as operational Research.
The polytechnic education is designed in such a way that if you brake the programme from ND you can aspire to be a good manager of Accounting records, but you may not be able to report accurately because of the things that are not in your syllabus. Philosophy is very important, psychology is very important, these are not there.
By the time you have your HND, you can almost fend for yourself. If there is no job, you will be able to do a little thing. In the University system it is in the final year that you have to study auditing and Investigation. It is where you’ll study Taxation and Tax Management, business policy.
With this you can see there is a dichotomy from the on-set. If you want a HND person to convert to academics, that is why the bridge is there PGD. At PGD level that is where the gap between what was lacking at the HND is bridged. And it is not a hard matter. It is just a matter of choice. However, if you go to Britain with HND from Nigeria for example you may be admitted for a Ph.D. depending on the University. Again some of the Universities may also ask you to do a PGD for 9 months or there about.
SCORELINE - Your parting words to students and potential ones
DG - I encourage all, especially students to embrace policies, the way they are, until such policies are changed. In doing so they should focus more on productivity and delivery, which competence and commitment to excellence will help them to achieve. The truth is, there is no policy, that addresses all the challenges in any area. With development and emerging trends, in addition to the peculiarities of an environment, relevant changes and adjustments will always be made to ensure that desirable goals are attained.
They should always explore available opportunities that the system has availed to express their concerns, hopes and expectations. Ensuring that their voice is heard at appropriate times and situations are very useful means of relating with relevant authorities, as well as promoting wider engagement opportunities and patterns. They should remain focused, committed and hopeful.
SCORELINE - Thank you for granting us audience and for addressing issues raised
DG - Honour is ours. Please, thank you for coming. Thank you for your interest in our activities and programmes.
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