Encomium
-as 20 bag N100,000 each in scholarship
The Gani Fawehinmi Scholarship Board on Thursday, September 17, 2015 at the Nigerian Law Publications House, CBD, Alausa, Ikeja Lagos. gave 20 indigent but high-flying students from across Nigeria reason to smile as they were awarded N100,000 worth scholarship.
The scholarship programme, in its sixth year, is an initiative of late Senior Advocate of the Masses (SAM), Chief Gani Fawehinmi and it rewards students who, despite their financial struggles, defy the odds to bag exceptional results.
This year, 20 students from universities across the country were rewarded for their relentless efforts and outstanding performance in their academics; ENCOMIUM Weekly was there and spoke with some of them who shared their delight…
‘I’m happy about it’
-EMEKA EBERE, English Language student of Nnamdi Azikwe University, Anambra
How do you feel today clinching this scholarship?
I’m happy about it but one thing is that it is a challenge. I have to repay the faith that these people have invested in me.
Did you think you could win when you applied?
I had been hearing about scholarships but I never applied. I was encouraged to apply for this and I did.
After the interview, I felt there was no hope especially when I realised that it was just 20 people that’d be picked across Nigeria. I just lost hope. But I got the news that I won, I was so excited.
‘It will encourage me to work harder’
-GEORGE AKPAN ARCHIBONG, studies Chemistry at University of Lagos, in his 300 level
How does it feel winning this scholarship today?
It feels great, it will encourage me to work harder. God has been using scholarships to help me through school so far, because I don’t stay with my parents, I stay with someone else.
After you applied, were you confident you’d win?
I was hopeful, but I was not sure. Though I fulfilled the criteria, which is being indigent with good academic performance, my CGPA is 4.8. But during the interview they were asking me some personal questions to the point that I couldn’t control my emotions, I wasn’t feeling confident but I just left everything to God.
‘It’s an awesome feeling’ -ABDULRASHEED ISSA,
300 level student of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, where he is studying Economics
How does it feel winning this scholarship today?
It feels great, really. It’s an awesome feeling having someone donate this much sum to you. I appreciate it.
‘I’m very grateful to be part of those that they picked’
-OLADIMEJI TOYIN CHRISTIANA,
300 level student of University of Ibadan, Oyo where she is studying Chemistry
How do you feel today winning the scholarship?
I’m very happy, and at the same time surprised. Though I have faith that there’s nothing God cannot do, but before the announcement was made today, I was shaking and wondering how it would turn out. My faith in God is strong but when they started calling out the names, I was shaking. But I thank God and I’m very grateful to be part of those that they picked.
‘I wasn’t expecting it’ – OLUMUYIWA TOYOSI, third year Accounting student of University of Lagos
How do you feel today winning the scholarship?
I feel very happy. I’m surprised. My name was the 18th of the 20 that were called and by then I had already given up. I had even wanted to leave because there’s a programme I volunteered for that I’m supposed to attend, but my mind kept telling me to stay. I decided to stay, I wasn’t expecting it.
What was the application process like?
When I saw the advert in school, I just felt I should give it a try because I met the criteria. It was stressful, going from the DSA’s (Dean of Students Affairs) office to one office or the other to get documents. Some I was given, some I had to pay for. I even missed the day we were to submit the form, so I called the number on the form to ask if I could still submit my application I wasn’t able to do so before the deadline. They said I still could but I had to do so very early the following morning at the office.
After that, were you confident you’d win the scholarship?
No, I wasn’t. The day we came for the interview and we were asked to go and check our names on the list, I thought to myself “will I still have to check names?” When I did, I saw more than 300 names and only 20 scholarships, I kept asking myself, “Toyosi, will they pick you?” But I had faith in God that there’s nothing He cannot do.
We also spoke with the president of the scholarship board…
‘We would want to give out more scholarships’ -PROF. DIPO FASHINA
Would you say today achieved the vision for which the Gani Fawehinmi
Scholarship Board was set up?
I would say it did in the sense that if you look at the students, they are both good students academically but facing financial struggles due to their background. We didn’t achieve one thing and it is that we were not able to give more than the 20 we did.
Next year, would there be more awardees?
We would want to give out more scholarships to more deserving students, but we don’t provide the funds, we only solicit.
How do you come up with the students for the awards?
We advertise in the newspapers and send documents to schools across the country. We have three centres where the interviews are conducted, after which we collate everything and select those that are deserving of the scholarship.
