Forty nine Nigerians have been awarded the Chevening scholarship to study in the United Kingdom.
Opeyemi Ojo, Chevening Programme Officer in Nigeria, disclosed this on Friday during the pre-departure event held for 2020/2021 session Chevening Scholars at King Fisher Club, Ikoyi, Lagos.
Chevening is a UK Government’s global scholarship programme, funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and partner organisations.
The scholarships support study at UK universities, mostly one year taught master’s degree for individuals with demonstrable potential to become future leaders, decision-makers and opinion formers.
Chevening is a fully funded scholarship program where scholars are sponsored to the UK to get world class education with the intention of going back to their countries to make impacts.
“We had over 6000 Nigerian applications and we selected 49 scholars, based on their leadership, networking policies and intention to study in the UK, among others.
” The scholars will be studying courses ranging from health to sustainable energy and media for development in different universities in London, ” she said.
Ojo pointed out that out of the 49 scholars, 23 are female and 26 male, including three physically challenged.
In his remark, Peter Thomas, the Deputy Head of Mission, British Deputy High Commission, expressed delight in sponsoring such great Nigerian ambassadors to the UK to study this year.
Thomas emphasised that the application for the Chevening Scholarship programme is a very competitive one considering the fact that out of over 6000 Nigerians who applied, only 49 scholars were chosen.
Faith Agboola, one of the selected scholars, said that she felt privileged to be one of the selected few going to the UK to study.
“It is a great opportunity to be picked for a fully funded scholarship, I will like to commend the UK government for this wonderful opportunity and I promise to make the best use of it, ” Agboola said.
Another scholar, Dr Victor Ezenwajiaku, describes the scholarship as another opportunity to gain more experience in his field .
“I am very grateful for this opportunity and I intend to use it judiciously,” he said