One hundred and twenty-seven Nigerians have been awarded Chevening and Commonwealth United Kingdom scholarships to study a wide range of master’s degrees and PhD programmes in 2023.

This was contained in a statement from the British High Commission in Abuja on Wednesday.

At a pre-departure reception held in Abuja, the British High Commissioner, Richard Montgomery, congratulated beneficiaries who succeeded in securing a scholarship through the challenging application and interview process.

Montgomery said, “Seeing you all here is a great testimony to hard work, perseverance and resilience through a highly competitive process.

“I challenge each of you to aim for excellence in your studies, to be great ambassadors for Nigeria in the UK, and to take advantage of every opportunity during your scholarship – through growing your knowledge, enriching cultural exchange, and confident networking – and then bringing those experiences back to Nigeria and doing great things for your country while creating a positive change in this country and the world.”

A Commonwealth Scholar, Michael Oyedoyin, who will study Family and Child Psychology, University of Chester, UK, said he chose to have his master’s in the UK to enable him support his students beyond the classroom.

Oyedoyin stated “I have always loved to teach, and my first degree is in Teacher Education. However, while teaching in schools, I observed that family issues were often the underlying cause of students’ poor academic performance and absence from school. Therefore, I chose this master’s to equip me to support my students beyond the classroom.”

Another Chevening Scholar, Odera Akpata, who will study International Business at the University of Warwick, UK, said “Reflecting on my last two applications, I am assured that great things happen to those who never give up”.