Another Withdrawal?

So, this happened.

I'm on the Strategic Marketing module as I mentioned in my last blog post (which feels like almost ages ago...no vex). As usual, sadly, I couldn't meet the deadline for the first assignment. The Friday before the Sunday deadline, I sent an email to the Tutor, requesting for an extension. He responded promptly granting a week extension! Whoo hoo!! :-) Hallelujah!!

Ok, so for the second assignment, I got caught up with work...had a week-long work-related event. It was about some minutes to midnight on the day of the deadline when I sent an email to the Tutor requesting for a week extension. I went to bed thereafter only to check my email hours later in the office to see an email from the Tutor bluntly refusing my request. WHAT???

I thought I was dreaming, but the smell of piping hot puff-puff from my colleague's desk jolted me back to reality (puff-puff always have that effect on me...not that I will chop inside sef...#fitfamchallenges) 

I was immediately depressed and my colleague who noticed the sudden change of my countenance offered me a ball of puff-puff to calm me down.

I had to leave the office immediately to sort out some logistics for the event. At the venue, I couldn't stop the tears from streaming down my face. Another withdrawal? What will I tell Mr Hubby? The money to re-register for the module? The time to study again? Ha!

I took a deep breath and sent another email to the Tutor. He replied almost immediately stating his refusal to grant me another extension was because I requested for it on the day of the deadline, not days before. Kai!

My final email to the Tutor:

Dear xxx

This is really sad and painful for me. I am presenting my work slides in a few hours and I can't concentrate because of this. I can't even stop the tears streaming down my face at the moment.

Please would this mean that I'll have to retake and pay for a module whose assignment 1 I have submitted and assignment 2 is almost done? I totally understand your views, but I was hoping you would grant me a few hours to turn in the assignment since the deadline was yesterday.

Ada.

I wasn't asking for a week or some days extension anymore o. Just a few hours, because I have actually started the assignment...only the cover page sha. :-(  #coversface

He replied granting me a couple of days extension. 

THANK GOD!!!

I submitted the assignment way before the deadline and have since progressed to the next module - Corporate Strategy.

Till next week Sunday, God willing...

80% Financial & Managerial Accounting!!!

Yasssssss!!!!!!!!

Before I go into that, let me remove the cobwebs on this blog...

E don tey!

DONE. :-)


It's been a while on this street. I have been studying and haven't dropped out...just in case you're wondering. I have been tempted to stop though, and pick it up much later. But there is never a perfect time to do this, plus my employer did pay 50% of my tuition fees. I'm certain they are just counting down till December, giving me side eye and waiting until I send a scanned copy of the MBA certificate.

You better just send that certificate before Christmas

So financial and managerial accounting was no walk in the park. I didn't quite exhaust the reading material...the thing was too much abeg. I approached the reading materials with the assignments. Not a perfect model, but it was all I could handle at the time.

And the results are in! 80%!!!!!!!!!!!! My highest score so far!!!!!!! THANK YOU JESUS!!!!

Oh yeah!!!

Honestly, I wasn't expecting that score. I had to analyse some financial statements that was a bit confusing.
Anyway, that is done and dusted. I'm now on to the strategic marketing module. I'm pretty excited about this module. I have been looking forward to it, as it pretty much defines what I do at the moment.

The module is aimed at providing a comprehensive knowledge basis in the field of marketing, including it's philosophy, application and strategic context. It describes the leading theories and models that are used to explain key concepts in strategic marketing and identifies the external and internal forces that impact upon the choices involved in the development, production, and distribution of goods and services. The module additionally cultivates the skills and competencies required towards strategic marketing planning, with various tools and processes being presented both as a theoretical basis and in their practical application framework.

It's been about 3 weeks in, and I'm enjoying the course. Done with the first assignment. The second assignment is due in a couple of weeks.

Till next week Sunday, God willing, July will surround us with many reasons to rejoice.

Still Thankful...

For a beautiful Sunday...thank you Lord.

What time is it?

For life, love, and lots of happiness...thank you Lord.
For the stress, the pains, and the tears...thank you Lord.

I'm just tired abeg! Life is not this hard.

For provision, protection, and direction...thank you Lord.
For health and wealth...thank you Lord.
For hope, favour, and mercy...thank you Lord.
For family, friends, and acquaintances...thank you Lord.

One goofy Saturday morning

For the splurge, in little, and none...thank you Lord.
For the ups, and the downs...thank you Lord.

For the 8th of May...and many more 8th of Mays, alive and in good health...THANK YOU LORD.

That closeup herbal smile :-)

THANKFUL. GRATEFUL.

So this happened...

I had a skype meeting with my boss recently to discuss staff remuneration. At some point during the meeting, I felt like all I was saying was going south. I couldn't wait for the skype meeting to end so I can at least console myself with some agbalumo and sherry mango.

Out of the blue, he asked how my MBA was going. In my mind I was like wetin be your own na? na salary increase we been dey talk about. 

I just mumbled something unintelligible about it.  My head no dey there abeg. My mind was clearly focused on something else. He then asked if I had paid my tuition. I answered in the affirmative while wondering where this whole conversation was headed.

Then he said:

'Ada, senior management has decided to pay your tuition for the MBA programme. It's quite remarkable that you could embark on this despite your workload...seeking to improve yourself. We want to embark on this journey with you. If you choose to progress to a PhD, while with us, we would also be interested in paying. Don't get super excited just yet, as we will only be paying 50% of your tuition fees.' 

WHAT? WHAT?? WHAT???

I couldn't feel my face anymore. Pay 50% of my MBA tuition?

Even if na 10% sef, that is super, super kind!!!
Awwwww...while I was busy pushing a closed window, a door was open right in front of me. AMAZING! Remember when I had to retake that HR module for 800 Euros? See here 

THANK YOU JESUS! I AM SUPER GRATEFUL! :-)

Oh, about the staff remuneration? That was sorted out. :-)

Till next week Sunday, God willing, may MAY give us many reasons to be THANKFUL and GRATEFUL.

Have a blessed month!

Financial and Managerial Accounting

I had barely clicked on the send button to submit assignment 2, when I received an email notification for the next module - Financial and Managerial Accounting. Na wa o, person no fit rest small? It's didn't take weeks for the next module to open up for registration. It opened up almost immediately.

The course is a general overview of financial and management accounting theory and practice. It assumes that we (the students) have a basic knowledge of the techniques covering financial accounting (I did a bit of that during the foundation course...can't really remember much of it right now) and in particular the following topics: double entry, the accounting cycle, main financial statements and preparation of the financial statements. Therefore, the topics that will be covered will be cash flow statements, analysis of financial statements, issues related to contributed capital (legal capital, preferred stock, treasury stock, stock splits, etc.), and income and changes in retained earnings (earnings per share, dividends, and statement of changes in stockholders’ equity). Of course there are topics covering performance appraisal and managing budgets...I'm looking forward to that. :-)

As you already know, every tutor, different rules and regulations.The tutor for this module didn't waste any time in making it clear to us that THERE IS NO ASSIGNMENT EXTENSION AFTER THE DEADLINE DATE. Ewoooooo!!!!!!!!  All that I beg, I beg I was doing with the previous module will not work here o. I need to hit the ground running with this one. Assignment first, reading materials later? I had tried that strategy in the Business Economics module. It did work because the questions asked for the assignments took me to the reading materials searching for specific answers. No time to be reading plenty plenty irrelevant things. Well, I know that this isn't the ideal studying method, but when 24 hours a day isn't enough for me, I'm left with no choice. :-(
On second thoughts, this might not work here o. Accounting is not a crashing something. Let me just jejely start reading it small small abi?

Adamilola...it is well.

Till next week Sunday, God willing...have a blessed week!

Assignment 2, Done. Finally!!!

I must confess, I did struggle with this one.
It didn't come off as easy as I had imagined. Yes, we had to write a research proposal on any field. But fleshing it out to about 3,000 words was no walk in the park.

A couple of days to the deadline, a classmate, who was clearly struggling with  the assignment, decided to ask for an extension to complete not just assignment 2, but also assignment 1. (And I'm here beating myself up over assignment 2, when some people never even submit assignment 1...this life ehn). He didn't quite request for an extension via a private email to the tutor, he posted his request on a discussion thread!!! Choi! :-)
See opportunity! Everyone started vomiting excuses on how they have been unable to complete the assignment because their workload kept them up till 4am everyday, and they only had 30 minutes sleep per day, to how they travelled to Jupiter where there is no internet connection, to bury their late great, great, grand, mother's cousin's, auntie's niece. The excuses just kept pouring in.
Yours truly didn't carry last on this one, I quickly sent the tutor an email, simply stating I had difficulties fleshing it out to the number of words required and I needed a week extension to do it. I was a bit hesitant to do this at first, as I had requested for an extension when writing assignment 1. I didn't want to come off as being lazy, but then again...I just couldn't help it. Better that than failing, abi?
She was super prompt in her response and granted my request.

Oh, did I mention what I my research proposal was about?
Africa Magic Yoruba. :-)

Of course not! :-)  It's Higher Education in Nigeria...Grossly Underfunded? It was basically to challenge some recent studies stating that the funding of Higher Education in Nigeria is solely the responsibility of the Government. I could totally relate with that topic as it is what I am into at the moment.

I type, type, type, type tire...3,000 words no gree complete o.

Remember the word count excludes the cover page, references, tables, charts etc. Eventually, I had to submit what I have written. It was not up to 3,000 words. It was a little over 2,000. The results are not yet out. I'm just here, asking God for mercy on this one.

I want to take a moment to appreciate Titi and Osi who took time out, off the blog, to find out how I was getting on with the assignment...God bless you. And for those who did in their mind, God bless you too. :-)

Till next week Sunday, God willing...

Assignment 1 - Done & Dusted!

ADAMILOLA!

I know!

I couldn't get around to blog last week. And my head was hurting yesterday (No, it is not as a result of too much reading...I wish it was :-) ). So this is coming in late. Again. Sorry no vex. :-)

How have you been?

I'm good o. Finally got around to submit assignment 1. Thank you Jesus! Well, not before I sent an email to the Tutor requesting for a week extension. I cannot come and die abeg. 

The week leading to the submission of assignment 1 was super hectic! Deceiving myself into thinking I could make the deadline, was me daydreaming at best. The Tutor was kind enough to grant my request and I submitted the assignment on the agreed date.

Assignment 2 is due this weekend. Yeah...back to back. :-(
But I'm pretty excited about it. It's a research proposal on any field!!!! You read that right. ANY FIELD!!! Yippee!!!!!!!!!! Finally, I am done with statistics...for now at least.

Now, this is a research proposal, not the actual research itself. I'm expected to submit a research proposal of 3,000 words which excludes the cover page, contents page, reference list etc.

Introduction - 200 words (Abeg, what am I introducing with 200 words biko)
Background/Review of Literature - 1000 words
Research Objective - 500 words
Method & Design - 900 words
Significance & Conclusion 400

My people, what should my research proposal be about?
Africa Magic Yoruba? (shines teeth) :-)

(My people are clearly not shinning their teeth back)

Oya, feel free to suggest topics for me in the comment section o.

Till next week Sunday, God willing...

A really short post :-(

So this module - Decision Making Methods & Tools is not as interesting as it sounds. Or maybe it is, but all this probability issues is just getting at me. I have read the entire reading material, only to discover I do not understand the first page! :-(

I'm running behind schedule. Assignment 1 is due in a couple of days and I still not do understand the module enough to attempt the first question. Coupled with the fact that I have got a busy week ahead, work-wise.

Children of God, pray for me o! I cannot/must not/will not/should not/  fail.

Till next week Sunday, God willing...may I testify that I have submitted assignment 1.

Decision Making Methods & Tools

I didn't have to wait too long for this module to open up for registration...thank God. :-)

So, I'm on to the next module now, Decision Making Methods & Tools. The objective of this course is to introduce the students to decision making methods and tools, as they are applied in business and management. The course is divided in three parts, the first part introduces students to inferential statistics as they are applied in business and management decision making. The second part introduces students to the principles of regression and forecasting methods as applied in business and management,and the third part introduces students to the principles of optimization and decision theory.
I think I'm going to enjoy this module...not really excited about the inferential statistics though. Did a bit of statistics during the foundation course for this programme...probability, mean, median, mode. It was a bit of a struggle then...cramming (I know I shouldn't, but that was my only option at the time) definitions and all. :-(
Lord, help me with this one.

Still trying to get a grip on the module when the email below dropped in my personal email:

'Dear,   (No name? The sender must have sent this same email to multiple recipients)

Hope my emails finds you well, (This line always makes me chuckle when I see it in an official email)

I am student in this University preparing my Business Economics module, 

I would like to have help and get your support, kindly share with me you assignment report so i can use it as reference for my study, thanks in advance, 

Best Regards'.


Huh???

Business Economics is the last module I just concluded with 77% score. This guy/girl (can't tell from the name of the sender) wants me to share my assignment with him/her???
Ehen? So he/she can score 99.9% on top my sweat? I don't gerrit o! Why should I share my assignment? Is the e-book and google not accessible from ya end? My people, what do you think?

Besides, an email from a student I don't know in my personal (not University) mail box??? The email wasn't from the sender's University email account either. From a gmail account. This is one kain o!

Till next week Sunday, God willing...

Waiting...

I tried...I really tried o! Can't believe I'm posting this on a Monday morning. Yes, I'm still up at 3am...sending official emails. :-) But sticking to Sunday posts, we shall. :-) I'll try harder next week.

Ok, so Business Economics module is done and dusted. Yayyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!! Now the wait begins again for another module to open up for registration. There is no set time for the wait. If my memory serves me correctly, I think I have waited for 6 weeks after completing one module for another to open up for registration. This kain wait is somehow o! Little wonder the programme is about 24 months long. Without this long waits, I'm sure the MBA programme would have been for 12 months. You know that kind of long wait that you totally forget that you're studying online. When the module registration notification drops in your email, you'll be wondering which year it is. Mtchewwwwww!

I hope this wait won't be that long though.

Meanwhile, there's this really nice Kenyan lady in my online class...an agreeable person with no sharp angles sticking out. We have had a couple of chats to rub minds on some topics. Lately she asked me if I was on BBM and requested for my pin. Instantly, I remembered an ex-colleague who asked for my BBM pin and another told him that wasn't wise, as I'll get to know his every move. Oh, like telling me you're off sick and your display picture shows you're somewhere turning up?
Back then, years ago, I was of the opinion that BBM was for friends and family and Whatsapp for gbogbo ero? Well, not anymore, as I am rarely on both platforms for obvious reasons and it is open to all.
A quick question though, do you think it's proper/ok to have your lecturer/boss on your BBM chat list? Back then, that other colleague didn't think it was, and discouraged the other from requesting for it.

What do you think?

Till next week Sunday, God willing...to my young, single blog readers...

:-)

And the results are in!

I'm sooooo sorry this is coming in on a Tuesday. *covers face*
Sunday was super hectic! I couldn't get around to blog. With the way my Sundays are going, should I just shift the call time to every Monday/Tuesday instead?

Anyway...the results for the Business Economics module are in!!!!!!!!!!!

What's my score? Take a guess.

*drums roll*
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz


77%

I talk am say I go make una proud *shines teeth*
That is my highest grade so far. I'm super happyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

THANK YOU JESUS!

I pray it never gets below 77% :-)

Next module loading...

Till next week Sunday (are we still set on Sunday or should I move this to Monday/Tuesday?), God willing...

SIN Tax

That moment when you think you're the only one in the world thinking in a particular pattern? Nahhhh. Chill, for we are plenty.

So my homeboy in my previous blog post didn't quite stop there(I wish he did o). Another discussion topic about SIN tax on goods was posted on the forum and he dived right in. 

Oh, before I go into that, let me explain what SIN tax is. This is an excise tax placed on specific goods that have been considered harmful to the society. Some examples of these types of goods are cigarettes, alcohol etc. The tax placed is deliberate. It's purpose is to increase the price of the good, which in turn will reduce it's consumption. 

My homeboy just started off (no intro on the topic o) on how super expensive coca cola and biscuits are now because of the sin tax in place.

Ha! 

I think developed Countries are thinking of extending sin tax to certain soft drinks and snacks in a bid to curb obesity and diabetes. I don't think that has really taken off in Nigeria na...abi? While I was still ruminating on my 2 cents, contemplating on if I should finish reading his post, Oga Boss (another Nigerian in my online class) just jumped into the discussion thread. He started off with a build up from his previous post, in an attempt to point out all the inaccuracies.

Well he did. 

He highlighted Alaska, fuel scarcity (well, I think that has started again o...couldn't get fuel to buy over the weekend :-( ) in red while pointing them out. He ended by saying that it's no wonder fellow Nigerians 'commended' the post as my homeboy was clearly confusing the economy in Niger to Nigeria. 

Chai! No chill.

I just jejely respected my school fees by going through the comments I have dropped on previous posts, before Oga Boss will look my way.

Till next week Sunday, (so sorry this is coming on a Monday) God willing...
Be kind, people are going through tough situations you know nothing about.

Have a Fabulous February!

Discussion Forum.

As part of the final grading, we (online students) are encouraged...'forced' to participate in discussion forums. The discussion topics could range from assignment deadlines to any topic related to the module. Creating discussion forum post, posting a comment under an existing post, are all regarded as participation. Sometimes (Ok, actually most times), I don't even have the patience to read through the post. I sha do oju aiye (eye-service) and respond to a post with generic sentences like:

'Many thanks for the post. It was very enlightening'
'Very educative...thank you'
'Thanks for shedding light on this'

Just to show that I'm participating :-)
Some of my classmates will go as far as over 2,000 words on a discussion forum; like it's a full blown assignment. Guys, calm down! Stop making the rest of us (I just might be the only one) look lazy.

On a particular discussion forum, the Tutor asked us to briefly (keyword here is BRIEFLY, as we get to do it on a bigger scale via an assignment) compare the business environments in two countries. One of the two, should be our home country. As expected, most of my classmates didn't get the memo, as the posts were so lengthy, and yours truly did her usual generic sentences to form activity. :-)

A post from my fellow homeboy ( a Nigerian) caught my attention. In his post, he compared Nigeria and Alaska. Yes, you read right. Alaska.
Dude, seriously???

For a second, I thought I was seeing things, as I didn't have a good night sleep prior to reading that post. I know my geography isn't great, but one thing I do know is that Alaska is not a country. Then again, it must be a typographical error (or sense error? As some people still think Africa is a country?) ...you know, in the heat of the moment, to prove to the Tutor that he was the first person to respond to the discussion forum post, he must have typed Alaska instead of America? But why go as far as Alaska though? Whatever happened to Ghana, Cameroon, The Gambia?

Well, my homeboy didn't just stop there. He went on to explain how the current (but this is not happening anymore na? Abi is there still fuel scarcity in your area?) fuel crisis can cripple a budding business with the official pump price being N210.00 and the parallel market being N99.00?
 
Huh???

I think the most amusing part, is that some of my fellow Nigerian classmates did post a comment under his post, commending the lengthy inaccurate write-up.
Could it be that they didn't read the entire post? Do you think I should correct all the inaccuracies in the comment section of his post? Let it not look like I'm trying to show myself o?

Or I should just stick to my generic sentences? Or post nothing at all? Siddon look style? What do you think?

Till next week Sunday, God willing...lots of love from my heart and home to YOURS.

Business Economics

Hello!!!
How are you doing? I hope you had a great week and looking forward to another?
Chai, this month is so sloowwwwwww. Sinceeeeeeeee, it's just mid January. If it was December, it would have been the end of the month already!

Anyway, I have progressed to the Business Economics module like I mentioned in last week's blog post. The module basically examines economic and strategic managerial decisions under various economic and market conditions. It is very interesting as I get to compare business environments of countries, including Nigeria of course. You know we live in interesting times right now in Nigeria. The business environment in Nigeria at the moment is kind of confusing and stifling if one is an investor. Often times I think this country is being run by another country :-(  We say we practice a mixed economy here, but government intervention and policies makes it come off as some clandestine socialist economy.

Not to be caught unawares, I'm just going straight off at the assignments. But then, I noticed the deadline dates weren't quite stated on this module. So I sent an email to the course tutor for clarifications on submission deadline dates. Besides responding to my question, I noticed he took his time to clarify how he would like to be addressed...

My email:

Dear William (not his real name)
.......................................................

Ada.


His reply:

Dear Ada
........................................................

Dr William Randle

I didn't need a soothsayer to tell me that 'the first-name basis' does not apply here...at least not with him. I had addressed tutors in my previous modules with their first names.
In my next email to him, I was sure to address him as:

Dear Dr William (I never wan carry over this course, abeg)

This reminds me of a former colleague in my former place of work. Despite the rule that we should address everyone on first-name basis, everyone in that establishment called a certain set of people 'aunty' or 'uncle' so and so. That colleague of mine refused to call his line manager 'aunty'. (This is what too much studying in the abroad can cause o). He would always refer me to the employee handbook and insist on first-name basis as it was stated there. I often reminded him that this is N-I-G-E-R-I-A. Our culture is pretty much immersed in everything. The guy no gree o. Well, that didn't go down well with his line manager, who made certain he never got above 35% in his appraisal, despite being a fantastic team member. The guy got frustrated and left the organisation. O ma se o. 

My people, please what do you think about this aunty this or uncle that in the work place? Personally, I don't have an issue with sir or ma, but all this aunty and uncle stuff, e use to do me somehow sha. I still address them in that manner if that is how they want to be addressed. I don't want wahala o.

Let me know what you think in the comment section!

Till next week Sunday, God willing...take that step, because

Guess Who's Back???

ADAMILOLA!!! *covers face with hands*

Yes I know...I'm so sorry. I know you missed me. I missed you too! :-)

To those who took out time to check up on me, God bless you. To those who didn't, God bless you too. :-)

What happened abi? My dear, life happened in December and I couldn't blog.
Course work, 'home' work, office work, sim card issues etc. The list is endless.
Getting 3 hours of sleep at night suddenly became I luxury I couldn't afford.

I'm so glad to be back here!!!!

So how have you been? It's 2016!!! Happy New Year!!!! Why are you looking at me like that na? Abi is it still 2015 where you are? But I just apologized na? I'm sorrryyyyyyyy :-(
Forgive me. It's a new year o.

Ok, I'm back here...got some major school work coming up in a week, but I promise not to run away this time. :-)

A quick update on how it has been on this lane. Do you remember the feedback I got from the Tutor on assignment 1 & 2? You can check the blog post here Well the grades are out. The cut off score is 60%. I had 61% A.K.A LET MY PEOPLE GO.

Chai, not impressive at all, but I am grateful for the grade o. It could have been worse.
With the feedback from the Tutor and how I struggled to put the slides for the second assignment together, I thought I was going to 'carry over' the course again. Please, this is not an attempt to celebrate mediocrity, as I know I could have done way better. But this is me being real with you...telling you as it is, so tomorrow when those awards start rolling in, you'll remember my grass to grace story, and that it was not an easy something :-) Not making excuses for the rather low grade, but presently, I have more than enough on my plate... a wife, mother to two amazing super heroes (the younger of the two is the future wife of Prince George of England. By the way, I'm a Queen Mother of England in waiting o. Enjoy the blog now o...I cannot be blogging when I'm in Buckingham Palace :-) ),

                                                                       See my in-law :-)

  
full time job, an MBA and an online diploma in my field (yes, that too).

I have progressed to the next module - Business Economics and will tell you all about it in my next blog post. This I promise you, on this module and subsequent modules till I graduate, I will do better.

So what are your goals for 2016? Further studies? A better job? Travel the world? Mentor young people? Whatever it is, ask God to bless it, that you may be sucessful in carrying them out. You can have it all...all GOOD THINGS.

Till next week Sunday, God willing...

N.B - Please if you sent me a message during the yuletide and didn't get a response, I'm sorry. I changed my phone and lost some contacts and most messages.