Another feather in ABUAD’s cap as U.S Consulate offers scholarship opportunities

Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti (ABUAD) recently added another feather to its decorated cap as the US embassy offered fully funded scholarship opportunities to its graduates and undergraduates.

The good tidings was delivered by Mrs. Dassi Sota, Public Affairs Officer of the U.S consulate, Southern Nigeria, who led a team of the consulate’s officials that included, Mr. Clemson Ayegbusi, coordinator of the U.S Fullbright/Professional exchange programme, Mr. Austin Emenanua, coordinator of Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leadership Initiative (YALI) of the U.S Consulate, and Miss. Tosin Ogundeji, Consulate’s media officer.

Members of the team were received at ABUAD by the Vice Chancellor, Professor Michael Ajisafe who was accompanied by other top management officers of the university.
Mrs. Sota told the ABUAD management that the U.S government has opened its gate wide open to Nigerians who are interested in pursuing research programmes in top U.S universities to develop themselves in leadership, professional, cultural, educational areas among others.

She said many of the programmes are scholarship opportunities that are fully funded by the U.S government.

Mrs. Sota urged the students and lecturers and other research officers of ABUAD to key into the scholarship opportunities available to them from the U.S, saying: “We have learnt a lot about the Afe Babalola university and we recognize the institution as one of the best in Africa. This is why we are extending this opportunity to your institution as we have already done to more than 20 other Nigerian tertiary institutions.
“We have a lot to share and you have got a lot to benefit. The U.S is currently throwing her gate wide open to scholars who are interested in educational

programmes/research, professional programmes and cultural studies in top U.S universities. Do not worry yourself about getting the visa because it is now very easy and do not worry yourself about getting the funds for sponsorship because the US government is providing the funds.

The VC who appreciated the team for the gesture said he was not surprised that such was coming from the US Consulate because he had enjoyed his scholarly experience in that country and that he has no regret whatsoever.

He said it is a welcome development for ABUAD which in a space of seven years of its existence has achieved many firsts and has become the fastest growing private university in Africa because of the commitment of the founder, Aare Afe Babalola.
Prof. Ajisafe then asked graduates and undergraduates of the university to make use of the opportunity provided by the consulate to make their mark in their various fields.

The coordinator of the scholarship programme, Climsy Ayegbusi urged academics and professionals to tap into scholarship opportunities available in the U.S through the Fullbright programmes fully sponsored by the U.S government for undergraduates, graduates and post graduate students in Nigeria Languages, cultures and other professional areas among others.

Also in his speech, a member of US Consulate, Emenanua told young Nigerians and particularly undergraduates of the Afe Babalola University to tap into the U.S consulate’s Young African Leadership Initiative (YALI) which he said is available for youths who intend to take up leadership careers with sound training from the U.S top universities. He said the programmes is also fully funded by the U.S government.

By Gbenga Sodeinde, Ado Ekiti