Foundation Celebrates First Class Graduates, Awards Postgraduate Scholarship

Funmi Ogundare

The Stephen Oluwole Awokoya Foundation for Science Education (SOAFSE) recently awarded postgraduate scholarship to seven students selected from some institutions across the country. It also honoured some eminent Nigerians that had contributed to the growth of science education in the country.

The scholarship, instituted 22 years ago to immortalise the first Minister of Education in the Western Region, Professor Stephen Oluwole Awokoya, is designed to promote science and science education in higher institutions in the country.

The awardees are Miss Ayomide Moyib, who graduated with a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.83 from the Tai Solarin University of Education, Ogun State. Moyib, the best graduating student in the 2016/2017 session, studied Biology Education and intends to pursue a master’s course in Biological Science.

Miss Patience Abafor was also the best graduating student in 2017 with a CGPA of 4.78 from the Department of Chemistry, Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Yola, Adamawa State. She intends to pursue a master’s course in Organic Chemistry.

Miss Abiola Oyelere graduated with a CGPA of 4.73, was the best graduating student in 2017 from the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta. She plans to pursue a master’s degree in the same programme.

Mr. Chima-Oge Chukwudi studied Biomedical Engineering and graduated with a CGPA of 4.77 from the College of Engineering, Bells University of Technology, Ota, Ogun State. He wants to pursue a postgraduate degree in the same programme.

Miss Inioluwa Adedapo had a CGPA of 4.92; she was the best graduating student in the Department of Architecture in 2017, Covenant University, Ota and would also be pursuing a master’s degree in the same programme.

Miss Abigail Makolo graduated with a CGPA of 3.91 on a scale of 4.0 from the Faculty of Computing and Applied Sciences, Baze University, Abuja and wants to pursue a master’s degree in Information Technology.

Miss Mmesoma Mgboko graduated with the best result in 2017 in the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Lagos with a CGPA of 4.94. She will be pursuing a master’s degree in the same programme.

Speaking at the foundation’s 23rd annual lecture, award of honours and postgraduate scholarships in Lagos, a member of the Board of Trustees (BoT), Mr. Folarin Awokoya gave the criteria for their selection to include nominations of candidates by the deans of the various faculties or heads of departments related to science or science education at the tertiary institutions in the county.

He said they are also expected to be the best graduating students from the various tertiary institutions.

He said the foundation this year received 151 entries from 44 universities, out of which seven were selected, adding that the scholarship is renewable every three years, provided the beneficiaries maintain a good record of academic performance.

The Chairman of the foundation, Senator Olabiyi Durojaiye, who solicited stakeholders’ support to award more scholarships and equip more laboratories and libraries in higher institutions in the country, said the funding of education should not be left to governments alone.

In her lecture, ‘Consequences of Climate Change in Nigeria: Strategies for Mitigation and Adaptation’, a Professor of Analytical and Environmental Chemistry, Kehinde Olayinka stressed the need for a massive climate change education to help the country adapt and mitigate the future trends of emission.

“Climate change is here, it is global and its effects are localised. Even if we do not emit greenhouse gases, the level in the atmosphere will affect us. The extent of its effects on regions depends on ability to mitigate or adapt to change.”