USA Africa Dialogue Series - THE FAILURE OF NAIJA IT PROFESSIONALS YAHOO GROUP IN THE EFFORT TO ARRIVE AT TRUTH ON THE CLAIMS OF COMPUTER SCIENTIST PHILIP EMEAGWALI AND MATHEMATICIAN GABRIEL OYIBO

                                                         THE FAILURE OF NAIJA IT PROFESSIONALS YAHOO GROUP 

                        IN THE EFFORT TO ARRIVE AT THE TRUTH ON THE CLAIMS OF COMPUTER SCIENTIST PHILIP EMEAGWALI 

                                                                                                   AND 

                                                                            MATHEMATICIAN  GABRIEL OYIBO

                                                                                      Toyin Adepoju

In the effort to arrive at the truth about claims being made by anybody, particularly when such claims deal with highly specialised  disciplines,the primary point of reference is the expert in the relevant field.

There is one listserve known to me that straddles the two fields relevant to  computer scientist Philip Emeagwali and mathematician  Gabriel Oyibo, two Nigerian scientists making spurious  claims about their achievements.That listserve is Naija IT Professionals Yahoo group.The moderators of that group,along with some vocal voices,however,want to have nothing to do with efforts to unearth and establish the truth about the claims of these two controversial scientists.Some other members insist on the need to examine these issues on the forum.The majority have kept silent.

The emerging information from non-Nigerian experts and other factual research increasingly makes clear the fact and scope of Philip Emeagwali's deception about his achievements.As far as I can see,Oyibo's claims are not addressed  by the scientific community in spite of the grand value he attributes to his achievement,except for a book review by Professor Animalu that does not support his claims.Meanwhile,these moderators of Naija IT Professionals  continue to post reports that support the claims of  Oyibo and arguments in support of anti-Black racism in the scientific community while discouraging efforts to examine these claims critically.

The moderators and other negating voices on the Naija IT Professionals Yahoo group are complicit in the fraud being perpetrated by Philip Emeagwali by blocking  discussions of the relevant issues.They are also contributors to developing a  culture of pseudo-science among Nigerians on account of the resolve not to host examinations of  the spurious claims of Oyibo and Philip Emeagwali.This gives credence  to the argument that many Africans are not interested in the creation of  national cultures free from endemic corruption.Their goal is to support members of their constituencies, whether familial,ethnic or professional,not the common good.

Happily, these efforts to prevent discussion of the spurious claims of two Nigerian scientists on a listerve devoted to science by Nigerians amounts to hiding one's head in the sand.They are ultimately useless because as long as Oyibo and Philip Emeagwali continue to make their spurious claims,some of which are clearly false in the case of Philip Emeagwali,people will continue  to examine them.If Nigerian scientists will not take the lead in examining these issues,non-scientists will do so with the help of non-Nigerian scientists.

This results of these efforts will be broadcast for the world to see and judge.

Also posted at Cognitive Diary

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