Skip to main content

Nigerian couple who won Chevening Scholarships steals show at parting reception

Sabastine and Helen Wakdok

Last night was indeed a charming one for a couple who won the highly competitive Chevening Scholarships to study in the United Kingdom.

Sabastine and Helen Wakdok, both qualified physicians in Abuja, were the focus of attention at a ceremony that was held in honour of this year’s recipients of the scholarships.

“We knew people would be fascinated by our luck,” Mr. Wakdok told PREMIUM TIMES at the event which held at the residence of the UK Ambassador to Nigeria, Paul Arkwright.

The couple said although they had become professionals in the public health sector for years, obtaining further education had always been at the top of their priorities.

“We’ve always wished we could go for our masters, but financial constraint had made it impossible until this opportunity came,” Mrs. Wakdok said.

They said their four years of living together as a couple contributed immensely towards crafting their essays for application.

“We aimed to flow with each other while submitting our application,” Mrs. Wakdok added. “We achieved just that.”

The Wakdoks said they hope to return with new knowledge that would help them mitigate some of the numerous public health challenges facing Nigeria.

The husband enrolled for public policy studies at the University College London; while the wife elected health policy, planning and financing at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

The Chevening is a UK government global scholarships programme offering access to Master’s degree courses in universities across the UK for individuals with ambition and leadership potential.

The one-year programme had produced thousands of master’s degree holders since it was launched in 1983 as part of Britain’s foreign policy efforts.

At least 43 people were selected from a pool of over 6,000 applicants in Nigeria alone this year — down 10 from the 53 persons who were selected out of 4,000 applicants last year.

Mr. Arkwright implored about a dozen new Chevening scholars who showed up for their certificates to deploy every skill they learn in service to their country.

“The Chevening encourages students to learn from others and to come back to their home countries to contribute to their home economy and develop their countries with the knowledge gotten from the UK educational system,” Mr. Arkwright said.

Some of the 43 new recipients received their certificates from UK Deputy High Commissioner, Laure Beaufils, at a similar ceremony held in Lagos last Thursday.

Last night’s event was attended by several Chevening alumni, some of whom narrated their experiences to bolster the preparation of the new scholars.

Courtesy: Premium times

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Shocking !!! Man attempts to use father,siblings and friends for rituals

A 26-year-old man, identified as  Chukwuemeka Okafor, has been arrested by the Police in Anambra for allegedly attempting to use his father, two siblings and five friends for money ritual. The suspect, who is an indigene of Ifite-Awka in Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra, was arrested following information made available to the police by a vigilant resident of the community. The Commissioner of Police in the state, Garba Umar, who briefed journalists in Amawbia on Thursday on the arrest of the suspect, said the father had innocently provided N100,000 to his son unknown to him that the son had a devilish intention. Mr. Umar said that the suspect lied to his father about a business which made him to raise the money for him believing that it was for a genuine venture. He further said that after collecting the money, the suspect proceeded to the house of a native doctor to prepare a charm that would enable him to eliminate his father, two siblings and five of his friends...
Post a Comment
Read more

6 Simple Strategies to Instantly Reduce Stress and Anxiety

By Matthew Jones @M_tthewJones Whether we like it or not, the demands of modern society generate stress and anxiety. The jobs we work and the material wealth we value make significant demands on our time and energy--both of which have an impact on our emotional state. And since most people experience stress and anxiety in some form or another, learning how to better manage these feelings is important to survival and success in the modern world. As a future psychologist, I get exposed to a wide range of theories and tools that aim to help people live better and more enriching lives. Working with diverse clients and implementing these techniques has taught me how to collaborate with someone to make rapid changes in a short amount of time. One theoretical model that can help facilitate the reduction of stress and anxiety is called Acceptance and Commitment Therapy or ACT. Read the list below to discover six components of ACT that help immediately reduce stress and anxiety--empow...
Post a Comment
Read more

Why Lack Of Sleep Is Bad For Your Health

Many effects of a lack of sleep, such as feeling grumpy and not working at your best, are well known. But did you know that sleep deprivation can also have profound consequences on your physical health? One in three of us suffers from poor sleep, with stress, computers and taking work home often blamed. However, the cost of all those sleepless nights is more than just bad moods and a lack of focus. Regular poor sleep puts you at risk of serious medical conditions, including obesity, heart disease and diabetes – and it shortens your life expectancy. It’s now clear that a solid night’s sleep is essential for a long and healthy life. How much sleep do we need? Most of us need around eight hours of good-quality sleep a night to function properly – but some need more and some less. What matters is that you find out how much sleep you need and then try to achieve it. As a general rule, if you wake up tired and spend the day longing for a chance to have a nap, it’s likely that you...
Post a Comment
Read more