The Nation Newspaper

Tag: scholarship

  • Dickson moves to rescue stranded scholarship students abroad 

    Dickson moves to rescue stranded scholarship students abroad 

    The Bayelsa State Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson, is worried about the plight of state’s students studying abroad under his administration’s scholarship scheme.

    The students were said to be having a tough time over non-payment of their fees with the schools threatening to expel them.

    A human rights activist, Aluzu Augustine, particularly raised the issue of Bayelsa students stranded at the Kings University College, Ghana.

    Aluzu raised the concern sequel to a letter addressed to the students by the Registrar of the school, Simion Peter Isekpo, threatening to expel the students if Dickson failed to pay their fees.

    The letter said in part: “Management of the university wishes to inform all students being sponsored by the Bayelsa State Scholarship Board that should your outstanding and current fees not be paid by October 15, 2016 deadline, the university would have no choice but expel you from the university on October 16, 2016.

    “Also affected undergraduate and postgraduate students who have completed their programme would not be allowed to participate in the forthcoming congregation in November 2016”.

    Already, it was gathered that the Ghanaian school banned the affected students from participating in school activities, but had yet to issue a circular expelling them.

    “We have been told that the governor is sending a delegation to our school. But for now we have been stopped from taking parts in school activities. 

    “Those of us in hostels had been asked to vacate. We are just hanging around waiting for the governor”, an affected student who spoke in confidence said.

    But the governor was said to be handling the matter including a similar situation in the United Kingdom with urgency through his Senior Special Assistant on Students’ Welfare, Mr. Owoupele Jeremiah.

    Jeremiah confirmed that Dickson had directed that funds should be released for the immediate payment of the students to enable them participate in examinations and access their certificates.

    He said: “Today the governor told me he had graciously  given approval and directive for release of funds  to quickly address the payment issues for Kings College, Lincoln and universities in the UK whose certificates are pending. 

    “A well-structured payment plan has been established to be implemented phase by phase by the board . 

    “This will allow the government to address them so that their certificates can be released to enable them use same for their various endeavours.

    “While some may find this development with skepticism it is intended to let the public know that the government is responsive and willing to deal with issues of development in human capital.

    “The resources are lean but with a pyramid of preference the needs will be met eventually.  The scholarship board will do the needful and the affected  students will receive their privileges restored in the affected institutions”.

    When contacted, Aluzu said: “We have been informed by a reliable source in Kings College that the students are aware of the impending visit of Bayelsa state Government to their institution and they are waiting for them. Nothing concrete so far

    “We pray the Government truly do something this time around and not just another hokum talk like we witnessed in 2013 because education remains the bedrock of every society”.

  • Senator’s scholarship’s second phase to begin December

    The second phase of Senator Theodore Orji’s annual scholarship scheme for Abia Central Senatorial District will hold in December.

    It is expected that 240 undergraduates will benefit from the scholarship.

    The scheme, which started last year, had 60 lucky indigent undergraduates, comprising 10 from each of the six local government areas: Abia Central–Isiala-Ngwa North/South; Osisioma, Umuahia North/South and Ikwuano, as beneficiaries.

    A statement by his Senior Media Adviser, Don Norman Obinna, urged interested indigent undergraduates in the zone to apply for the scholarship to make their education easier.

    The statement reads: “The former governor said the organisers of the scholarship scheme will still adopt the same method used last year to ensure balance. This will help to secure the futures of intelligent students from poor backgrounds in our Education sector, that is underfunded.”

  • Lawmaker offers 18 students scholarship

    The member representing Suleja/Tafa/Gurara Constituency in House of Representatives, Hon.Abubakar Lado Suleja has sponsored 18 students to study for five years at the Al-Azhar University in Egypt.

    At the send off, Lado said he intended to sponsor 100 youths on foreign scholarship before the end of his tenure.

    Before this set, Lado said he had sent 12 students to in India whose encouraging performance prompted him to continue with the scheme.

    He said after their studies, the students would return to contribute their quota to the constituency.

    “This scholarship is being done because of my passion for education. Suleja, Tafa and Gurara local government areas have been left out in a lot of things, giving these youths the scholarship will create wealth for my constituents because knowledge is wealth and they will return to improve on the society. I am focused and will concentrate in lifting the poor,” he said.

    He urged the students to distinguish themselves in Egypt, stressing that they are now the hope of the people.

    Niger State Commissioner of Education, Hajiya Fatima Magudu, who was represented by a Director, Mrs. Katire Dauda Rufai, commended the lawmaker for complementing the government’s investment in the education sector.

    Tafa Local Government Area Chairman, Hon Ado Abubakar, thanked Lado for not abandoning them the way other politicians had done in the past.

    He urged the beneficiaries to pay attention to their studies and shun all vices.

  • 18 get Egypt scholarship

    18 get Egypt scholarship

    A member of the House of Representatives representing Suleja, Tafa, Gurara Constituency in Niger State, Honorable Abubakar Lado Suleja has sponsored 18 students to study five years programme at the Al-Azhar University in Egypt.

    At the official send-forth ceremony for the students, Lado said he planned to sponsor 100 youths on such scholarships before the end of his tenure. He said that after the course of their studies, the students will return to contribute their quota to the constituency.

    The lawmaker, who disclosed that he had earlier sent 12 students to study in India, said the encouraging report on their progress prompted him to embark on the second batch of the foreign scholarship.

    He said, “This scholarship is being done because of my passion for education. Suleja, Tafa and Gurara local government areas have been left out in a lot of things; giving these youths the scholarship will create wealth for my constituents because knowledge is wealth and they will return to improve on the society. I am focused and will concentrate in lifting the poor.”

    Lado stated that the scholarship is not a part of his constituency project but out of his desire to help his people and give them a better way of life. He urged the beneficiaries to distinguish themselves and focus on their education when they get to Egypt stressing that they are now the hope of the people.

    The state Commissioner of Education who was represented by a Director, Mrs. Katire Dauda Rufai commended the effort of the Legislator towards complimenting what the state government is doing in the education sector.

    The Chairman of Tafa Local Government Area, Honorable Ado Abubakar appreciated the gesture of the Legislator saying the he has not abandoned them the way other politicians had done in the past. He urged him to continue to work towards elevating his constituents and improving their lots   urging the beneficiaries to pay attention to their studies and shun all vices during their study year.

    One of the beneficiaries appreciated the member of the House of Representative for his gesture assuring him that they will not disappoint him.

    He said they will distinguish themselves in their various fields of study, adding that they will return to improve on their constituency.

  • 12 PG students get Indomie scholarship

    Twelve Postgraduate (PG) students from several universities across the country have received the final payment for the Dufil MSc. Nutrition Scholarship Awards for the 2015/2016 session.

    The cheques, which were presented to the awardees at the Dufil Prima Foods PLC office last week, were the final tranche for the total scholarship worth N450, 000 each.

    The students, who are studying Nutrition and Dietetics, became eligible for the scholarship award after their applications were screened by a notable panel made up of distinguished nutritionists from various parts of the country, including the programme Coordinator for the scholarship, Prof Babatunde Oguntona, who is a past President of the Nutrition Society of Nigeria (NSN) and a Professor of Nutrition and Dietetics at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta.

    Brand Manager, Indomie, Mr Amber Yadav, said: “The scholarship scheme is a noble course which the brand is pleased to be associated with. The scheme serves as a means to give back to the society and, most especially, to the field of Nutrition and Dietetics which the brand is synonymous with.”

    The firm’s Group Public Relations and Event Manager, Dufil Prima Foods Plc, Mr Tope Ashiwaju said: “We want to re-write the nutrition template of our dear country and as a brand, we are committed to raising seasoned professionals in this field. Professionals who we believe can place us side by side other developed nations in the nearest future.’’

    Oguntona thanked Dufil Prima Foods for sustaining the scholarship since 2009.

    “Among all the organisations we reached out to with this idea of a Nutrition Scholarship at its conception, only Dufil Prima Foods responded positively and, ever since, has ensured its growth and continuity. We are, therefore, grateful that Indomie – the leading noodles brand in Nigeria – has taken upon itself the duty of raising competent manpower in the field of Nutrition,” he said.

    A beneficiary, Ms. Yerimah Akintiyari, a post-graduate student of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, said the scholarship would help her quest for knowledge and skill to fight the scourge of malnutrition, which is prevalent in the North where she resides.

  • Nine Ibadan indigene students get scholarship

    The Ibadan Descendants’ Union (IDU) in New York, United States (U.S.) has given scholarships to indigent students of Ibadan origin in tertiary institutions. Each of the beneficiaries went home with the N50,000 cash.

    At the presentation ceremony held at the main auditorium of Faculty of Law of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Chief Olalekan Alabi, who chaired the event, urged the beneficiaries to justify the union’s investment in their career.

    He said: “The money given to you is only meant for your education. It is not to go buy latest phone or designer wears. It is meant to aid your studies and be good ambassadors of your family, your institutions, Oyo State and Nigeria.”

    The union president, Alhaji Olawale Olalere, said the scholarship was aimed at helping brilliant students of Ibadan origin to achieve excellence. He said: “This scholarship will be given yearly to indigent students. We intend to do more as we plan to expand the award. We will encourage contributions from members of the society and the government.”

    Nine students from three institutions benefitted from the scheme. They are Adelabu Hammed, Olapade Ayodeji Bayowa, Adenike Adeleke and Jimoh Akanni, all of University of Ibadan (UI).

    Others are Ajoke Hazeez, Habeeb Olatunji and Adewale Olatunji, all of The Polytechnic, Ibadan (IBADAN POLY), while two students of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in Ile-Ife, Osun State, Esther Oladipupo and Olajesu Akanji, also benefitted.

  • NLNG awards 10 overseas PG scholarships

    NLNG awards 10 overseas PG scholarships

    Nigeria LNG Limited has awarded 3,053 scholarships to Nigerian students.

    The latest set of 10 beneficiaries – among whom is a visually impaired female Law Graduate from Bonny Island, NLNG’s primary host community, – were awarded the Overseas Post Graduate Scholarships at a ceremony hosted recently in Port Harcourt.

    The event was attended by the beneficiaries, their families and friends, as well as representation from the Rivers State Government and NLNG.

    This batch of the Post Graduate Scholarships beneficiaries brings to 48, the total number of such awards since the commencement of the scheme in 2013.

    The beneficiaries from all over the country, who emerged via a rigorous qualification exercise involving more than 2,000 applicants, shall be pursuing further education in specialty areas in top universities in the United Kingdom.

    Speaking at the occasion, the General Manager, External Relations of Nigeria LNG Limited, Dr Kudo Eresia-Eke said, “The goal of the Nigeria LNG Post Graduate Scholarship Scheme is to provide support for the development of competent professionals who will bridge the specialists’ manpower gap in the country, especially in high profile fields of Engineering, Geosciences, Environmental Studies, Management Sciences, Information Technology, Law and Medicine at Masters Level only.”

    The 2016 award will cost the company over N200 million to cover tuition, living expenses accommodation and travels for the beneficiaries.

    “The overseas scholarship scheme is another effort by Nigeria LNG Limited to consolidate on its human capital development aspirations, in a bid to trigger the necessary indices required for the growth of Nigeria’s economy besides the current state of dependence on oil and gas.” said Kudo Eresia-Eke, General Manager, External Relations.

    “When most companies are winding down their operations and reducing production costs; including laying off workers and abandoning all Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives in order to survive the recession, NLNG is still keeping faith with its programmes, particularly, the aspect that touch on human capital development”, he added.

    Beneficiaries of the 2016 scheme include Miss. Ibiere Helen Jumbo, a Law Graduate who is going to study Energy & Environmental Law with Professional Skills at the University of Aberdeen UK; Miss Zainab Diana Titus, awarded to study Petroleum Engineering also at the University of Aberdeen; Ihuoma Mamma Onwusor proceeds to study Public Health at the University of Bradford in the UK; Miss Ihuoma Gift Amadi will be studying Medical Science with specialisation in Human Nutrition at Glasgow University, and Mr Jonathan Olanrewaju Aina who was awarded to study Digital Communications at the University Of Leeds.

    Other beneficiaries are Miss Tamunoibim Elaine Anidima awarded to study International Health at the University Of Leeds; Miss Mvena Jennifer Chubu is going to study Sustainable Energy Systems at the University Of Leeds; Miss Bisa Tuwonimi Tuonims was awarded to study Human Resource Management at the Glasgow Caledonian University; Miss Hafsat Muhammed Kaugama who was awarded to study Information Systems at Middlesex University; and Miss Loveline Chizobam Owoh who declined the award offer to study Oil and Gas Management at Coventry University for personal reasons.

  • Grace School presents scholarship to indigent pupils

    Grace School presents scholarship to indigent pupils

    Administrator, Grace Schools Gbagada, Mrs Tokunbo Edun, has stated that the school’s yearly indigent scholarship award is aimed at alleviating the plight of less privileged students in the society.

    This was announced by Mrs Edun during presentation of scholarships valued at N1million to two beneficiaries – Adetoun Okuniyi of Wesley Girls Junior Secondary School, and Idris Morenikeji Oloruntade from Majidun Junior Grammar School, Ikorodu.

    She assured of the school’s commitment in bringing smiles into the faces of poor but intelligent children, regardless of the economic recession.

    Edun said the scholarship, endowed in memory of the founder, Deaconess Grace Bisola Osinowo, has invested almost N100 million to supporting the less privileged pupils through access to affordable and quality education. According to her, the scholarship has produced over 30 beneficiaries since its inception in 2004.

    “The annual scholarships to indigent students is to enable them have access to qualitative education regardless of their background. This is one area Grace School becomes socially responsible by helping the less privileged in the society,” she said.

    Potential awardees are either intelligent but poor children, or those whose poor state can be authenticated by management of Grace Schools, Edun added, while listing the two criterions for the scholarships.

    The scholarship, according to her, is worth over N1million per session, covering tuition, books, uniforms, boarding fees, pocket money and even extends to beneficiaries’ university education afterwards.

    Edun recalled how her later mother and founder could not begin school until she clocked 12, owing to financial challenge.

    “I am passionate about the scheme because I know what poverty looks like. My mother was so poor that that they couldn’t afford palm oil in their soup. Instead of processing garri to remove the bad substance, her family would just fry it straight away because they could not afford to wait. When she had to go to school her brother out of excitement bought two left legs and that was how she used the sandal,” Edun recalled.

    She said each session, Grace School sends scholarship application forms to public schools in Lagos and beyond to present their best candidates for a written examination. The best male and female pupils in the examination are then shortlisted for the scholarship, and, thereafter, awarded once she established the awardees met the criterions. She said over 500 pupils came for the written examination out of which 10 were shortlisted.

    “I visit their homes to know they are really indigent or that their parents are not interested in investing in their education. There was one I visited whose family lived in a house made of iron sheets. I wept that day,” she said.

    Grace School vice principal (Administration), Mr. Phillips Balogun, called on prominent Nigerians and corporate bodies to support them in providing top class education to the less privileged in the society. Balogun stated that the beneficiaries are properly integrated into the school system while all their basic needs provided by the school.

     

  • Three teen heroes get scholarship awards

    Three teen heroes get scholarship awards

    One would have expected them to look perplexed; considering that they are still teens. But they looked unruffled even as huge crowd gathered to witness the event at which they were “crowned” heroes.

    Even though they had inkling about the day’s event, as teenagers, it was expected that they would feel a bit shy. They didn’t. That indicates that they were made to be future heroes.

    Three of them: Babatimileyin Daomi 15; Salisu Ibrahim 14 and Favour Uwene 11 emerged winners at this year’s Indomie Independence Day Award.

    They were rewarded at an award ceremony which held at the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.  Babatimileyin, a Senior Secondary School 3 (SSS3) student of Dobar College, Ikorodu Lagos State, won the Intellectual Bravery Award for inventing a vacuum cleaner, USB charger, USB fan, a collapsible bridge (a model of the 4th Mainland Bridge), a hydrogen separator which could also be used to make bombs and a water-level indicator-the specific invention for which he won the award.

    But surprisingly, Timileyin (as he is fondly called), is much inclined to art subjects as his favourites. His most favourite subject is English Language. He, however, hopes to be an engineer in the future and to do more with his winning.

    According to Timileyin, his challenges were basically funding as he had to create his models from scrap.

    “I feel happy and hope to be able to do more with this money,” he said.

    Favour Archibong Uwene, a Junior Secondary School 3 (JSS 3) pupil of Government Secondary School, Akwa Ibom State, won the Physical Bravery Award for raising the alarm which led to the rescue of one of three sisters who are her friends.

    During one of the holiday periods, she went to their house and no one was there. She, at first, thought they were hiding from her but as she was about to leave, she heard muffled sounds. She peeped through the window and saw two dead bodies, with the killer getting ready to kill the third girl.

    Favour immediately ran to call her mother who then alerted their neighbours and they all rushed to the girls’ house. The killer was apprehended and handed over to the police.

    According to Favour, she was not afraid to raise the alarm because all she wanted was for her friends to be saved.

    Favour hopes to be a teacher in future.

    Salisu Ibrahim’s story sounds a bit pathetic. He won the Social Bravery Award for his determination to live beyond his disability.

    Salisu was born blind but he chose not to beg. He is learning to be a cobbler and from the proceeds of his sales, he sponsors himself in school–Special Education Centre, Bauchi.

    Each award category attracts N1 million in scholarships but with Salisu’s story, the audience was moved to do more.

    Ace comedian, Ali Baba, gave him an additional N500, 000; Executive Director of Zenith Bank, Mr. Ebenezer donated N500, 000; Managing Director of Transatlantic Shipping Agency, Dr. Uche Ohafia donated N250, 000; Managing Director of Micro-Media donated N100, 000 while Managing Director of First Registrars, Bayo Olugbemi donated N250, 000 each to Salisu and Babatimileyin.

    Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora also promised to add a token to Salisu’s prize while a former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Chief Joseph Sanusi also promised to add a token to Favour’s win. An anonymous donor also gave N100, 000 to each of the three heroes.

    The Indomie Independence Day Award is an initiative of Dufil Prima Foods, makers of Indomie noodles and other household brands, as part of its Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR).

    The Group Managing Director, Mr. Deepak Singhal said the Indomie Independence Day Awards (IIDA) was established in 2007 to recognise and reward heroism in children, adding that 24 winners had emerged in the last eight editions.

    He reiterated that the award, in its ninth year, seeks to recognise heroic deeds in children between the ages of five and 15. This year’s award was divided into three categories, namely intellectual bravery, social bravery and physical bravery.

    Singhal noted that selecting the winners was taxing for the judges as so many inspiring heroic stories were received.

    Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Idiat Adebule, who was represented by Mr. Odeyemi, praised Dufil for the gesture.

    She urged parents and guardians to be more committed to the proper upbringing of their children, even as she reiterated government’s determination to continue to fight violence against children.

    Keynote speaker and Managing Director of The Educational Partnership Centre (EPC), Dr. Modupe Adefeso-Olateju, who spoke on The Nigerian Child: Our Biggest but yet Untapped Resource, noted that the United Nations International Children’s Fund (UNICEF) had indicated that children under 15 years account for about 45 per cent of Nigeria’s population.

    She noted that “the Nigerian child has the capacity and ability to contribute significantly to the development of the country. Stakeholders have a responsibility to cultivate these abilities by increasing access to affordable, high quality education for every child. A child’s socio-economic background and geographical location should not be a barrier to receiving quality education,” she said.

    She said an estimated 10.5 million children are out of school, accounting for one-fifth of the global population of out-of-school children.

    Adefeso-Olateju said: “I am pleased that Dufil has taken this bold step with the IIDA initiative which provides millions of Naira worth of scholarships to deserving children. This contributes to the development of the Nigerian child and relieving the pressure off the parents.

    “I cannot over-emphasise the need to do right by the Nigerian children as they, without any doubt, are the leaders of tomorrow.  We need to get things right with them and only then can they become assets to the country. We need to create an environment where they can develop their natural talents; they must be given a chance to contribute to their societies and, thus, to economic development and the growth of the country.

    “Economic growth is necessary for development. However, this growth is very reliant on the cognitive skills of the population. This is why children, as human capital, are fundamental to the success of our nation.”

    The panel of judges, chaired by Executive Director of Corona Schools, Olufunto Igun, urged the people to  support the Nigerian child as, according to her, there were many more of Salisus out there who should be supported.

    Dignitaries that attended the event were wife of Lagos State Governor, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode, who was represented by Mrs. Ronke Solomon, chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora, former CBN Governor Chief Joseph Sanusi and wife, movie producer Tunji Bamishigbin and Sound Sultan, among others.

    The award ceremony was co-sponsored by Daar Communications Plc and Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc.

  • Scholarship for 11 pupils

    Scholarship for 11 pupils

    IT is true that Nigeria is ranked among countries with the lowest literacy rates in Africa.

    Resource persons from the several education summits held in Nigeria since the nation’s independence in 1960 have blamed the phenomenon bad governance, poverty and other unfavourable conditions arising from inconsistent educational policies.

    But for Prince Lawrence Eze, the son of the traditional ruler of Mburubu in Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State, the war to fight illiteracy in the country and Enugu State in particular, should not be left for government alone.

    And to match his resolution with action, the prince, at a colourful ceremony, put smiles on 11 brilliant pupils of the Community Secondary School, Mburubu, Enugu State, with scholarship awards.

    The lucky pupils will enjoy a comprehensive scholarship scheme from JS1 to SSIII. Apart from taking care of all financial obligations, the scholarship captures the general upkeep of the students during the six year period of their study.

    Prince Eze said the scholarship to the eleven brilliant pupils was to serve as lifeline for them to become whatever they wanted to be in future, the poverty level of their parents notwithstanding.

    He believed  that with a secondary school education, the sky would be their limit, since according to him, education remains the greatest gift to any child.

    The philanthropist, who was in company of his wife, Princess Lina Onyekachi Eze, stated that when the award committee selected the students in collaboration with the school principal who provided information on their academic performance, he had no choice than to go ahead with the project, adding that his action became inevitable in view of the poverty level of their parents as well as to give the students hope.

    According to him “When I was in primary school, I had two brilliant school mates who unfortunately could not go further because their parents were poor, one of them ended up as a firewood seller in the village while the other managed a little shop and died last year, partly as a result of hardship. If anyone with resources had come with help at that time, such as scholarship, they could have been more useful to society by now.”

    He continued:”If you invest millions and billions of naira to train your children in the best schools, and forgets to touch on the lives of those around you, the children of your neighbours who are not richly endowed like you, could pose danger to society.”

    While calling on the wealthy to give succour to the downtrodden, Prince Lawrence Eze, promised to continue to embark on such humanitarian projects as his little contribution to give back to society part of his God’s blessings.

    The principal of the school Mr. Robert Okorie, commended Prince Lawrence Eze for his kind gesture, stressing that the scholarship award was historic, as that was the first time any student of the school had received scholarship from anyone since its inception.

    Okorie, explained that the scholarship would reduce the burden of their parents and urged the beneficiaries to remain dedicated to their study and be of good behaviour to justify the confidence reposed in them.

    Mr. Elias Nwannaja, who spoke on behalf of the parents, expressed joy with the scholarship award and prayed God to bless Prince Eze and his wife with good health and more resources, as they continue to spray love to the needy. They said the scholarship was a great relief to them.

    The ceremony which attracted a large crowd from the community, featured cultural dances and drama presentations by the students.