The British Deputy High Commission in Lagos says 191 Nigerians who were awarded scholarships through its Chevening and Commonwealth Programme have completed their studies in the United Kingdom.
This was made known at a welcome ceremony for the scholars at the British residence in Lagos.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Chevening and Commonwealth Scholarships are funded by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO) and partner organisations.
The scholarships support studies at UK universities, mostly for a one-year taught master’s degree for individuals with demonstrable potential to become future leaders and decision-makers in their home countries.
In his remarks, Johnny Baxter, British Deputy High Commissioner, urged the scholars to impact society positively.
“The skills acquired should be used to build networks that would translate into creating positive, lasting change,” he said.
Boma Adebowale, Chevening Programme and Communication Officer in Lagos, said the scholars were fully funded for their various programmes in the UK, adding that they were selected from various fields.
“It is imperative to note that the program was designed to be diverse, selecting scholars from various fields across all sectors as the aim is to be as inclusive as possible,” Adebowale said.
Adebowale noted that Chevening has over 55,000 alumni globally, while the Commonwealth program’s alumni network is 31,000 globally and 3000 locally.
“A Chevening scholar is different from others because you get to meet an alumni network of over 50,000 people globally and 1550 locally.”
According to her, this vast network provides limitless career and job opportunities for scholars.
A beneficiary of the scholarship, Tolulope Ami-Williams, who studied contemporary performance art at the Manchester Metropolitan University, expressed her excitement after her master’s degree in the UK.
She commended the UK government for the skill set acquired during her program.
“I am glad I was given the opportunity to further my studies in the UK, and I will use this experience to impact the country in a positive way.”
Similarly, Daniel Onwe, who studied International Law and Development at the University of Nottingham, noted that the experience gained would enable him to scale his career and make an impact where it matters.
NAN reports that since the inception of the Chevening program in 1984 in Nigeria, over 1500 Nigerians have benefited from it. (NAN)
