By Milton Tella – Nigeria High Commissioner, His Excellency, Ambassador Sarafa Tunji Isola received a 30-man delegation of the 2020/2021 Chevening Scholars, who paid a courtesy visit to the Nigeria High Commission London on 26th July, 2021.
The Chevening award is the UK government’s global scholarship programme offered by the UK’s Foreign & Commonwealth Office.
The Chevening scholarships support study at UK universities, mostly one-year Masters’ degrees for students with demonstrable potential to become future leaders, decision-makers and opinion formers.
Paulinus U. Nwokoro, Minister/Head (Consular, Education & Welfare) welcomed the scholars to the High Commission. He confirmed that forty-seven (47) Nigerian students were successfully enrolled for the 2020/2021 Chevening Scholarship programme.
The leader of the group, Miss Hawa Ajanigo Ocheni, thanked the High Commissioner for taking time out of his busy schedule to receive them. She also noted that the Chevening Scholarship, which began in 1983, is not restricted to academics alone, but is a program designed to develop leadership qualities in individuals who must have performed creditably in their respective fields or profession for two (2) years. She added that most of the courses undertaken by the scholars are aimed at broadening their developmental skills.
In conclusion of her remarks, Miss Ocheni expressed hope that they would be able to contribute to the development of Nigeria through the knowledge they garnered for the benefit of Nigeria upon their return home.
In his contribution, Mr. Terhemen Agabo, also a fellow Scholar, stated that they found it worthy to pay a courtesy visit to the High Commission in order to register and familiarise themselves with the staff of the Mission in order to explore the opportunities on how they can be supported by the Mission in the course of their studies here in the United Kingdom.
In his address, His Excellency, Ambassador Sarafa Tunji Isola, expressed his appreciation to the Scholars for their decision to visit the High Commission. He noted that he was happy to receive them at the Mission as High Commissioner and as someone who has passion for mentoring the youths. While stressing that the youths have a greater role to play in the development of Nigeria, the High Commissioner implored the scholars to inculcate and deepen the virtues of values in their behaviour to enable them excel in life and in leadership positions.
He equally recalled that he also benefited from a similar program in his youthful days under the full sponsorship of the Government of the United States of America. He noted that he visited over ten cities in the United State of America including the Capitol Hill and the Department of States, where he undertook leadership development studies, that eventually prepared him for leadership roles later in life, becoming a Local Government Chairman at the age of thirty-six (36) years and thereafter as a Minister at the age of forty-six (46) years, amongst others.
In addition, he stressed that undergoing such a prestigious scholarship programme, will enhance their personalities, capacities and disposition to leadership, which will benchmark their characters in making their leadership qualities outstanding. In addition to imbibing a high level of humility and respect for elders, as the hallmark of African culture, that wisdom comes with age.
Furthermore, His Excellency, urged the scholars to also imbibe the three values of good leadership, which he termed the “3Cs” of; Character, Capacity and Capability. He also went down memory lane to highlight on past Nigerian leaders from Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa to the present administration, noting how these leaders were vilified by Nigerians in and out of office, as a major bane of Nigeria’s underdevelopment.
He stressed the importance of supporting our leaders to succeed as no country can develop by bringing down their leaders. He therefore encouraged the Scholars to support the government and use the knowledge and experience gained in this training for the benefit of Nigeria. He added that the likes of Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala could not have been the Director General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) if she was not a Nigerian. Same for Dr. Adewunmi Adeshina of the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the United Nations Deputy Secretary General, Mrs. Amina Mohammed. He reminded the Scholars that the opportunity they have to participate in the Chevening Scholarship was only made possible because they are Nigerians, which may not have been possible if they were from Biafra, Arewa or Oduduwa nations. He therefore urged the Scholars to continue to propagate the unity of Nigeria.
In conclusion, Ambassador Sarafa Tunji Isola implored the scholars to reflect on all that he had said and use their various academic backgrounds and exposures in the training they received and come up with a position paper that will serve as a roadmap for the development of Nigeria. He further requested that they should make their contact details available to the Consular, Education and Welfare Section for continuous interactions even after they had return to Nigeria.
Mr. Yusuf Kankiya, the Liaison Officer for the National Universities Commission (NUC) at the High Commission gave the vote of thanks. He thanked God for granting journey mercies to the scholars and appreciated them for their thoughtfulness to pay a courtesy visit to the High Commission. He reiterated the need for the scholars to heed the advice and wisdom of the High Commissioner and assured them that the Mission was their home away from home, that they should freely visit whenever they need any assistance.
Other members of the Nigeria High Commission who were in attendance to welcome the scholars were Dr. Cyprian Heen Minister/Head of Trade and Industry, Basil M. Okolo Ministry/Head (Political), Rose Yakowa-Okoh Counsellor/Head of Chancery, Taiwo Osunnaiye First Secretary/Consular Education and Welfare, Dr. Jaja Victory First Secretary/Admin and Wilson L. Malgwi Third Secretary/ Consular Education and Welfare.
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