Connect with us

News

U.S. universities offer $4.35m scholarships to 30 Nigerian students  

Published

on

Thirty Opportunity Funds Program scholars of the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos have received fully-funded scholarships totaling $4.35 million to attend American universities and colleges for the 2021/2022 academic session.

Following a competitive selection process, the 30 high-achieving, low-income students received financial aid from the U.S. Consulate General that covered expenses involved in the college application process such as payment for standardized tests, application fees, and visa fees in addition to air travel to the United States.

Speaking on Thursday in Lagos during a reception in honor of the U.S. bound students, Consul General Claire Pierangelo urged the scholars to make the most of their opportunity to get a top-notch education while gaining first-hand experience of American life and culture.

“I congratulate each one of you on your tremendous success. Your success is evidence of your leadership, academic performance, and the great potential young Nigerians hold for the future of this country,” Consul General Pierangelo told the departing students.

“This is a very important step in your life. I strongly encourage you to maximize this opportunity. This is not just in reference to your education as you have proven yourselves to be academically outstanding students. I am also referring to your chance to broaden your horizons and embrace the diversity of people around you and learn, not just about America, but also about other cultures.”

Ekene Ezeunala, one of the 2021 Opportunity Fund Program scholars, achieved the highest score in Nigeria at the 2019 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination. The 17-year-old alumnus of Meiran Community Senior High School Lagos received full funding to study Computer Science and Mathematics at Columbia University in the City of New York.

He described the EducationUSA Opportunity Funds Program as “a truly life changing experience.”  “EducationUSA opened up a whole new world of opportunities and resources I never knew were available to me,” Ezeunala added.

Another 2021 OFP scholar, Urinrin Otite, was the first student to earn a first class degree in the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Port Harcourt.

Otite will be attending Lehigh University in Pennsylvania where she received a fully funded offer to pursue a doctoral degree in Civil Engineering with a research focus on resilient and sustainability of structures and infrastructure systems.

“Looking back, the Education USA Opportunity Funds Program was the bridge I needed to reach my dream of studying in the U.S., and I would recommend reaching out to Education USA as the perfect first step to anyone hoping to study in the US,” Otite said.

The 30 departing students — 6 undergraduates, 3 masters and 21 doctoral candidates —will be studying a variety of majors including Neuroscience, Biomedical Engineering, Bioinformatics, Computer Science and Engineering.

Their impressive list of acceptances includes Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Columbia University, Princeton University, Purdue University, University of Pennsylvania, among others.

According to the latest Institute of International Education Open Doors Report, Nigeria retained its top ranking as the number one source of African students studying in the United States. About 13,762 Nigerians study at more than 1,000 U.S. colleges and universities.

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Headlines

Commission, journalists partner to revamp water sector in Kaduna

Published

on

The Kaduna State Water Services Regulatory Commission (KADWREC) says it is partnering media practitioners towards revamping water services in the state.

Mr Dogara Bashir, the Executive Chairman of KADWREC, disclosed this on Monday at a one-day workshop organised for media practitioners on regulation of ‘Water, Sanitation and Hygiene’ (WASH) activities held in Kaduna.

Bashir said the commission was aware of the importance of the role media practitioners played in the society.

He stated that the workshop was to provide an avenue to liaise with them as important stakeholders on water supply and sanitation services in the state.

Bashir said: “As media practitioners, we believe you are a gateway to the citizens so, the workshop would acquaint you with some of the regulations already in place so that you can in turn transmit it to the public

“The state of water services in Kaduna State is in dire need of attention and the State Water Corporation and KADWREC were established towards addressing the seeming challenges.

“The commission is mandated to ensure better service delivery and regulation of water and sanitation services in the State.

“The idea is that once the regulations are developed, we send them to the State Ministry of Justice to gazette and then we get the state government to endorse and give the go ahead to commence the implementation of the regulations

“We intend to implement them fully come January, 2025 God willing, as we have embarked on advocacy activities having gone to zones 1 and 2 where we talked to traditional rulers, security agencies and the Judiciary.”

He disclosed that a special Court has already been attached to the commission by the Chief Judge of the State for service providers who may likely violate regulations.

The chairman further said that amongst the commission’s objectives include ensuring security, reliability and quality of service in the production and delivery of water to the consumers as well making regulations to control the sinking of boreholes.

Others included; maximising access to water services by promoting and facilitating consumer connections to distribution systems in urban and rural areas.

According to Bashir, they also include ensuring that regulatory decision-making has regards to all the relevant health, safety, environmental and social legislation applying to the water sector.

Bashir further said that the commission collaborate with the relevant state and federal agencies on water policies.

Continue Reading

Crime

2 ladies docked for allegedly obtaining money by fraud

Published

on

The police in Lagos have dragged two women, Mmesuma Ofunna, and Blessing Adimekwe, before an Ojo Magistrates’ Court in Lagos, over alleged obtaining money by false pretence.

Ofunna, 22, and Adimekwe, 25, were arraigned before the Magistrate, Mr L K J Layeni, on a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy, obtaining by false pretence, stealing and conduct likely to breach peace.

They each, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The prosecutor, ASP Simon Uche, told the court that the defendants conspired with others now at large, to commit the offence on Oct. 26 at the Okokomaiko area of Ojo.

He alleged that they had obtained the sum of N70, 000 from one Faith Ahamefule, with a promise not to post her nude photo on social media.

The prosecutor alleged that the defendants later posted the nude photo of the nominal complainant on social media, knowing that their promise was false.

He alleged that they stole the N70, 0000, thereby conducting themselves in a manner likely to breach public peace.

The offence contravenes the provisions of sections 168(d), 287, 314, and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.

The court granted the defendants bails in the sum of N500, 000 each, with two sureties each in like sum.

He adjourned the case until Jan. 8, 2025 for mention.

Continue Reading

Headlines

Driver jailed 6 months for attempting to steal a car

Published

on

A Jos Magistrates’ Court on Monday, sentenced a 37-year-old driver, Ahmad Umar to six months in imprisonment for attempting to steal a car.

The Magistrate, Shawomi Bokkos, summarily tried and sentenced the convict after he pleaded guilty to the charge.

Bokkos in his judgment, ordered the convict to pay an option of N30, 000 fine or spend six months in prison.

Earlier, the Prosecutor, Insp Ibrahim Gokwat, told the court that the case was reported on Oct. 10, at the Area Command Police station through a distress call by one Sydney Peacemorie the complainant.

Gokwat said the complainant parked his Toyota RAV4 in front of Access Bank and went inside to carry out some transactions, only to return to find the convict inside his car.

“The convict unlawfully opened the car and was in the driver’s seat when the complainant raised alarm and he was apprehended, but his accomplice escaped.

“The convict was severely beaten by a mob but was rescued by the police,” said Gokwat.

“The prosecutor said that the offence contravened the Plateau Penal Code Law.

Continue Reading

You May Like

Copyright © 2024 Acces News Magazine All Right Reserved.

Verified by MonsterInsights