From: WOLE BALOGUN, Ado-Ekiti

The United States of America’s Consulate in Lagos yesterday extended a hand of academic fellowship and US fully funded scholarship opportunities to the Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), in Ekiti State.

Mrs. Dassi Sota, public Affairs officer of the US Consulate, Southern Nigeria, who led a team of the consulate’s officials that included, Mr. Clemson Ayedgusi, coordinator of the US Fullbright/Professional exchange programme, Mr. Austin Emenanua, coordinator of mandela Washington Fellowship or Young African Leadership Initiative (yALI) of the US Consulate, and Miss. Tosin Ogundeji, Consulate’s media officer, told the ABUAD management that the US government has opened its gate wide open to Nigerians who are interested in pursuing research programmes in top US 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 US government.

Sota urged the students and lecturers and other research officers of ABUAD to key into the scholarship opportunities available to them from the US, saying: “We have. Learnt a lot about the Afe Babalola university and we recognise the institutions 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.

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“The US is currently throwing her gate wide open to scholars who are interested in educational programmes/research, professional programmes and cultural studies in top US 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 U.s government is providing the funds.

While Ayegbusi urged academics and professionals to tap into scholarship opportunities available in the US through the Fullbright programmes fully sponsored by the US government for both undergraduates, graduates and post graduate students in Nigeria Languages, cultures and other professional areas among others, Emenunua urged young Nigerians and particularly undergraduates of the Afe Babalola university to tap into the US consulate Young African  Leadership Initiative (YALI) which he was 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 US government.

Accepting the proposal from the US Consulate General’s representatives, Vice Chancellor of the ABUAD, Prof. Micheal Ajisafe, who said he was proud to be an alumnus. Of U.S top universities, assured the US officials of the readiness of the university to work with them, saying: “you have brought us good tidings from the most powerful country in the world and some of us who have benefitted from the US sound educational system can only advise our people to key into these wonderful opportunities. So we will tap very well into it as we have hitherto been doing with the country.”