The British Council has honoured four distinguished Nigerian alumni of the council in the United Kingdom.
The alumni, who had performed excellently in their chosen professions, were also presented with £3,000 grants each at a ceremony held at the Eko Hotel and Suites in Lagos on Saturday.
Also read: British Council announces 2023 UK Alumni Award winners in Nigeria (Photos)
The British Deputy High Commissioner in Nigeria, Jonny Baxter, said the awardees were recognised and rewarded for having distinguished themselves in their chosen fields.
He said, “We have made improvements and the reason the UK government supports scholarship like this is for people to come back and contribute to the development of their countries. That’s what we are celebrating tonight. I mean how these people have contributed to their countries, and in this case, Nigeria, that’s what gives the awards value.”
On her part, the Country/West Africa Director of the British Council, Lucy Pearson, said the event was meant to celebrate people who studied in the UK through various scholarships, including Commonwealth.
She said, “The purpose is to celebrate their achievements and encourage them to come back to Nigeria to practise the experience they gathered while learning their skills and make a difference in society, communities and for the greater good of Nigeria.
“The award event has been held every year since 2016, except in 2019 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. We have had fantastic winners from Nigeria that have been recognised at the global Alumni Awards in many categories.”
Pearson gave an example of Israel Balogun, who won the Social Enterprise category, saying that he is now recognised on the world stage for the work that he is doing back here in Nigeria.
The award recipients included Dr. Cassandra Akinde, who won the Social Action Award through her work as a public health physician and researcher that had impacted over 20,000 children in marginalised communities through Neo Child Initiative for Africa.
Jennifer Uchendu, the Science and Sustainability category winner, earned the award for empowering youths to combat climate change and fostering mental well-being.
Chidumaga Unachukwu, the winner of the Business and Innovation category, is known for his passion for renewable energy and technology.
Faith Agboola won the Culture and Creativity award through her impactful poetry and digital platforms.
Source: Punch
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