The British Government has awarded 127 Nigerians with the prestigious Chevening and Commonwealth UK scholarships to study a wide range of master’s and doctorate degree programmes in 2023.
This was disclosed in a press statement by the Senior Communications & Public Diplomacy Officer, Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, British High Commission, Atinuke Akande-Alegbe, on Wednesday.
Dr Richard Montgomery, the British High Commissioner, was present at the reception organised for the beneficiaries in Abuja, where he commended and congratulated them for the efforts they invested to receive the awards.
Speaking at the reception, Montgomery said, “Seeing you all here is a great testimony to hard work, perseverance and resilience through a highly competitive process.
“I challenge each of you to aim for excellence in your studies, to be great ambassadors for Nigeria in the UK, and to take advantage of every opportunity during your scholarship – through growing your knowledge, enriching cultural exchange, and confident networking – and then bringing those experiences back to Nigeria and doing great things for your country while creating a positive change in this country and the world.”
Expressing his thoughts on the scholarship, Commonwealth Scholar, Michael Oyedoyin, who will study Family and Child Psychology at the University of Chester, UK, said, “I have always loved to teach, and my first degree is in Teacher Education. However, while teaching in schools, I observed that family issues were often the underlying cause of students’ poor academic performance and absence from school. Therefore, I chose this master’s to equip me to support my students beyond the classroom.”
Also, Chevening Scholar, Odera Akpata, who will study International Business at the University of Warwick, UK, said, “Reflecting on my last two applications, I am assured that great things happen to those who never give up”.
Chevening and Commonwealth Scholarships are awarded to individuals who demonstrate intellectual ability, leadership potential and a commitment to development of their home country.
The Chevening Scholarship, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, has offered 44 Nigerian students fully-funded scholarships to pursue one-year master’s degrees in the UK. The recipients were selected from a pool of over 14,000 applications in Nigeria and more than 62,000 applications across the globe. Approximately 1,500 alumni have benefitted from the Chevening scholarship in Nigeria.
This year, the Commonwealth Scholarship sends off 83 scholars to study in the UK. Every year, over 100 Nigerian students benefit from the scholarship for postgraduate and PhD degrees. The Commonwealth scheme has impacted over 2500 alumni in Nigeria since its inception.
