How Japa Consults is Simplifying Migration, International Scholarships for Nigerians

In this interview, the Founder and CEO of Japa Consult, a Canadian and Nigerian based company which helps people apply for admission, scholarships and jobs abroad, speaks clarity on migration processes and how his company has been of help to several Nigerians

Who is Oludayo Sokunbi?

I am from Abeokuta in Ogun State, Nigeria. My primary and secondary schools are in Ogun State, and I attend LAUTECH in Ogbomoso.

I studied Electrical and Electronics Engineering, where I graduated with a first class.

Before going to Saudi Arabia to get my master’s degree on a fully-funded scholarship, I also worked for two multinational companies, Aviat Networks and Glaxosmithkline.

My technical experience in Saudi Arabia and the Grace of God gave me a fully-funded Ph.D scholarship at Concordia University, Montreal, Canada, which I’m currently doing, among other things.

Tell us about your early childhood and upbringing?

My late father was keen on two things: education and food.

He received a lot of scholarships while growing up and was always the best in his class.

So, I grew up knowing a wise man who would do anything to give his children the best education and food.

My father would always sit all of us down and talk about life, priorities, and education as little as we were.

I can literally tell you more than 20 of his short sentences that have stuck with me for life.

So, naturally, I consider myself lucky to have that kind of man and also my mother, who complements my father perfectly by making sure we are always well dressed and neat. All my siblings got awards for being the neatest and most intelligent in their class. So we all had a balanced intellectual and physical torch.

I can say that the four of us grew up in a balanced home.

Take us through your educational background.

My father took us to the best school in Agbado, Ogun State then, Oluwatosin Comprehensive College (OCC). He also followed us up and always encouraged us to be the best.

So, naturally, myself and my siblings were arguably the best students in our classes.

This foundation was responsible for a lot of my success stories in academics as well as in life.

I was able to mix with intelligent people and make better choices.

Take us through your scholarship journey. How did it begin?

I had decided to leave Nigeria since my third year of university because I had a friend who was always talking about going abroad.

He was always checking up on my studies and pushed me to graduate with a first class.

He claimed that a first-class education would provide me with nearly all of the good things in life. I also had another person who promised me a brand new phone if I had a first class.

This motivated me a lot to focus on my studies alone in school.

In my final year, I began to make enquiries about scholarships myself and listed a lot of scholarships before graduation.

I also got to know a lot of people who were already abroad, and I knew exactly what to do. 3 months after graduating from LAUTECH, I got my transcript. I got an international passport and wrote a lot of exams during my NYSC.

This exposure naturally made me apply for a lot of scholarships, and Saudi Arabia came through after so many trials. I later moved to Canada.

How easy is it to get a fully funded scholarship?

Honestly, it’s harder every day because the exposure is now very high and many people who think they cannot get it are now exposed to the tricks, many thanks to Twitter.

However, I always tell people that if you are fully committed and you read my tweets, you can get fully funded scholarships abroad by yourself.

This is what I do effortlessly on twitter. More than 140 people have gotten scholarships, admissions, and even jobs abroad by simply reading my tweets.

People are often discouraged from applying for scholarships in overseas schools because of the TOEFL and other international certifications required in the process. How would you react to this?

Scholarship is a game of numbers. So I tell people that it’s wise to find a way to jump the queue. One way is to write exams like the TOEFL and GRE if you can.

This gives you a lot of leverage, especially if you are considering the USA and you have a low CGPA.

However, you can also get a scholarship without taking these exams. But you need to complement it with good work, research, or volunteer experience.

Let’s talk about Japa Consult. Quite a name. How did it come about?

The business name and idea came as a result of demand for my time.

When I started explaining how to get admission, scholarships, and job opportunities on Twitter, people were surprised that the process was not really difficult with the way I broke it down.

Many followed the process and got international opportunities.

Later, a lot of people started demanding my personal time for consultations and help.

I did this for free many times, and when it began to affect my work, I had to monetize my time.

This was how it started and today, we are registered in Nigeria and Canada with more than 14 staff remotely working.

How long has it been in operation?

Japaconsults started in 2021 but was registered officially this year.

What are some of its successes?

Our target this year is 200 success stories, including admissions, scholarships, and international job opportunities. I personally posted up to 123 on my personal Twitter page. Presently, we have more than 140 and we are sure to surpass 200 by December 2022.

What’s the average time of processing a scholarship application from Nigeria before getting the same?

From the first day you hear about scholarships to the day you get to your desired country, it takes an average of 1 year.

What kinds of problems do Nigerian students face when they try to get international scholarships, and how does Japa Consult help them?

The most important barrier is a lack of quality information, and this is where Japaconsults addresses it. As the founder/CEO, I have more than 4 years of experience in admissions, scholarship, and jobs.

I know how to get the right information and I have a well-trained team. Before you can work for Japaconsults, you have to be trained by me.

How good are these universities offering scholarships compared to their Nigerian counterparts?

Universities abroad have resources for research which most Nigerian public universities don’t.

The atmosphere is also encouraging, with a lot of incentives to encourage students.

Also, a student is sure of a better future by having a foreign degree. You can have better career choices.

What is the average cost of processing an international scholarship admission?

I’ll say about N200,000 to N1 million depending on the type of scholarship.

Can you walk us through the process?

Sure, make sure you get your transcripts from your school first, then get an international passport, then talk to three of your past lecturers in school for reference, then write TOEFL/GRE/IELTS.

If you can get these 4 things, just go to my twitter page @Oludeewon and read my pinned tweets.

I assure you that you can get a scholarship by yourself.

What makes Japa Consult unique?

Transparency Even if you paid us to help you, we would get you involved in everything. You will see the way we search for schools, do your applications, write your essays, etc. so that you can learn the process yourself.

Any other additional information you would like to share with the public?

Make sure you get international exposure, either through jobs or scholarships.

Trust me, the investment is worth it.