Kunle Adelabu
The Member representing Ikorodu Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Rep. Babajimi Adegoke Benson, on Friday, engaged and charged three outstanding constituents who successfully secured Chinese Government international scholarships to pursue various academic programmes in China, on the need to be a good ambassador and make the best use of the opportunity.
The Executive Assistant to the Governor of Lagos State on the Lagos State Parking Authority (LASPA) and the Director- General of the iCare Foundation, the operational arm of the lawmaker, Mayor Muhydeen Sanwoola, who coordinated the screening and scholarships, also joined Rep. Benson in charging beneficiaries on good conduct and excellent academic pursuit.
The beneficiaries – Saidat Oluwatobiloba Bello, Tolulope Temitayo Faseyide and Faith Nwobu – were among applicants who accessed the scholarship opportunity through the facilitation of Rep. Benson, following a rigorous screening and assessment process conducted by the educational support team of Jimi Benson’s iCare Foundation.
While Bello Saidat Oluwatobiloba is set to commence a PhD programme in National Development at Peking University; Faseyide Tolulope Temitayo, received a scholarship to pursue a first degree programme in Nursing at Jinzhou Medical University, and Nwobu Faith will undertake a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) at North Eastern University, Shenyang. All three institutions are located in China.
The beneficiaries emerged from several applications for educational support submitted to Rep. Benson’s constituency office. Their selection was based primarily on demonstrated academic excellence, with the candidates’ records from their immediate past institutions forming part of the assessment, alongside their performances in the screening examinations conducted by the iCare Foundation’s education team.
The successful emergence of the three constituents represents the outcome of a merit-driven process designed to identify academically strong candidates capable of taking full advantage of the international opportunity.
The development also adds to the growing list of educational opportunities facilitated by Rep. Benson for young people within Ikorodu Federal Constituency. A male constituent, Mr. Sadiq Jimoh, is already pursuing his Master’s programme in China through the same scholarship opportunity facilitated by the federal lawmaker.
At a pre-departure engagement with the three latest beneficiaries, Mayor Deen Sanwoola, congratulated them on their achievement and urged them to approach the opportunity with discipline, focus and a strong sense of responsibility.
Mayor Sanwoola advised the beneficiaries to remain committed to academic excellence, respect the laws and regulations of their host country and conduct themselves in a manner that would make their families, Ikorodu and Nigeria proud.
He also encouraged them to learn from the experience of Sadiq Jimoh, who he noted has continued to make the constituency proud through his academic progress and conduct in China.
Mayor Sanwoola further charged, “Studying abroad should not be viewed solely as an opportunity to obtain degrees, but also as a chance to acquire knowledge, exposure and global perspectives that could eventually be brought to bear on the development of their communities and Nigeria.”
In his remarks, Rep. Babajimi Benson expressed delight at their success, noting that their strong academic records and excellent performances during the iCare Foundation’s screening process gave him confidence in their ability to excel in their respective institutions.
He urged them to make the most of the opportunity by remaining focused, disciplined and committed to achieving outstanding results.
Rep. Benson also charged them to conduct themselves responsibly throughout their stay in China and to ensure that nothing distracts them from the purpose for which the opportunity was secured.
While congratulating them, the lawmaker emphasised that their success should inspire other young people in Ikorodu to take their education seriously and remain open to opportunities that can transform their future.
Benson also encouraged them to see themselves as ambassadors of Ikorodu and Nigeria, reminding them that their achievements abroad would ultimately contribute to the reputation of the community they represent.
The beneficiaries also speaking, expressed appreciation to Rep. Benson and the iCare Foundation for facilitating access to the scholarship opportunity and creating a platform through which qualified young people in the constituency could compete for international academic opportunities.
Saidat Oluwatobiloba Bello expressed particular appreciation for the opportunity to pursue her PhD at Peking University, describing it as a major milestone in her academic journey. She pledged to remain focused and work towards achieving an all round excellence.
