Prize Winner; Crystalinksis Share Your Wining Story Contest.

Getting admitted into the University was a dream come true for me in 2011. I had beaten WAEC (West African Examination Council), the “all-fearing” JAMB (Joint Admission and Matriculation Board), and the dreaded Post-UME (Post University Matriculation Examination), all in one-sitting but in front of me was the challenge of funding. I almost dropped out, except for my Mum who sold her valuables, and took a loan to see me through first year.

First year University started, and it was tough (the funds were usually costly). I hardly fed, even when I did, it was malnourished. I borrowed textbooks to read, trekked distances within the University premises, dodged away from voluntary class contributions and other frivolities, looked haggard in dressing. Some people thought I did all these things intentionally, always thought I was a “Ju Guy” (a Nigerian phrase for being weird).

Luckily for me I got to know about available scholarships and some fund support agencies, and that was how my HUNT FOR SCHOLARSHIPS began. I always wanted to be informed of scholarships that were tenable. My lack of funds was that bad, that I had no good mobile phone to check up on these scholarships from the internet, so I had to borrow phones to look up for information, and sometimes felt embarrassed, but I swallowed all pride. In fact, there was this cyber-cafe opposite my hostel where I frequent, they knew me as a “Scholarship Customer”. The first scholarship I applied for was by ADDAX PETROLEUM NIGERIA. I travelled long distance from Lagos to Port Harcourt just to write the aptitude test, but unfortunately did not make the list of awardees.

2013 came, and in my second year, I applied for 3 other different scholarships: one was by CHEVRON PETROLEUM, another by TOTAL PETROLEUM and the third by the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. It was very tough combining university activities with preparing for the scholarship exams, considering the lack of funds that almost always discouraged me from pushing on, but my strong desire for success kept me. I wrote the test organised by the Federal Government via the scholarship scheme, but as it is, till today, I still don’t know the result, maybe, I didn’t make it. Phew. I also went for the test by Chevron Petroleum and like Addax Petroleum, I did not make the list of winners, I only got back my transport fair expense, not to mention that I travelled all the way from Awka, in Anambra State to Lagos State just to write the test, and the University was still in session. At some point, my folks started calling me SCHOLARSHIP. It was funny to them, but not to me. I knew the STRUGGLE I was going through.

On 25th May 2013, I wrote the test by TOTAL SCHOLARSHIP, funny enough I always get shortlisted for all the scholarships I applied for. Due to the ASUU Strike in 2013, it took ten (10) months before the list of winners got released, and in 10th March 2014, when I checked the list of winners, although I didn’t get refunded my travel expense, luckily enough for me I was among the 3 students that made the list from my University, (you can check up on the list of winners from TOTAL SCHOLARSHIP 2012/2013 WINNERS to verify this). Finally, it was a dream come true for me! I broke down in tears, remembering how I almost got sent out of the exam hall at my University (first course paper in my second year, first semester exam), because I haven’t paid my term tuition fee. Although I managed to pay later-on from Church Support, thanks to St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Chaplaincy, Awka, Anambra State via the society of St. Vincent de Paul after a friend by name Tonnie Ifeanyi Nwagbara referred and advised me on what to do.

I quickly sent my bank details for the money to be deposited into my account as requested by TOTAL SCHOLARSHIP, but sadly enough, and as though my sufferings were not enough, I had to wait for another 7 months to get paid. It was frustrating, but I just kept on singing the songs of HOPE. While in the wait, I learnt of another scholarship, SEPLAT SCHOLARSHIP which was in its maiden edition, so I reluctantly gave it a shot, it was unusual to apply for scholarships while in one’s third year for a four-year course.

Final year came, and I had still not been paid. Final year in the university was usually tough, ranging from funding B.Sc. project to send-off ceremonies, and I was quite young. There was a renovation taking place in my hostel, so I had to look for another place to relocate to, that was another problem added to my already troubling woes. For those 7 months, I had constantly been chasing up on my payment from the TOTAL SCHOLARSHIP board, but there was no response. Even when the response came, it did not yield good result. I was in constant fear of what could happen to me in terms of finances to enable me clear up my debts in my final year at the university, while I was squatting with a friend called “Elnino Santuss”. There was nothing I did not do. I made phone calls, sent text and email messages, and I even prayed and fasted.

On December 2nd, 2014 (this day can never be forgotten). I came back from a Church activity, and there it was, in the phone I left at home, a bank alert of my first 150,000 Naira! Like we say in Nigeria, “I nor fit shout”. It was real, and it was all mine! TOTAL SCHOLARSHIP had paid me. Of course, I did the needful with the money immediately.

February 25, 2015, you needed to see me at the ATM machine at Guaranty Trust Bank, I had gone to check my account balance as though I had anything in it (surprised, abi? I had finished my first payment on every debt I owed from my first year in university). Lo and behold, another alert from same TOTAL SCHOLARSHIP as my second payment has been paid. The payment was meant to have been done every year till I graduated, but whatever happened, I never knew and I still don’t care to know. I was just shouting that day at the top of my voice. People who saw me thought I had gone mad. That same February, I was shortlisted as one of the 61 winners for the SEPLAT SCHOLARSHIP 2014/2015 MAIDEN EDITION (you can check up on it, my name was the 60th on the list). It was something, I least expected.

I had come out to do photocopy of a paper, before going to write one of my final year papers in first semester, and there it was again, another 150,000naira as a reward from SEPLAT SCHOLARSHIP SCHEME, at that point there was this fulfilling smile that came to my face. I had nailed it. I came, I saw, and of course, I did conquer NNAMDI AZIKIWE UNIVERSITY NIGERIA. I graduated with a Second-Class Upper Honours, Although I had anticipated something better. I am now serving my country under the one year National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), and planning on studying abroad, via a CHEVENING SCHOLARSHIPS and or other possible available Scholarship Scheme for a Masters Degree in a Quantitative Management Course.
To cap it all, I would like to include a little background about me, to help you understand who i am and where i come from. My name is Uche Benjamin Nwosu, from Amachi-Akaeze, in Ivo LGA In Ebonyi state. Nigeria. I am an introvert, and a go-getter, who would put in so much energy to achieve a set goal.

I am currently a serving youth corps member in Benue State. I had my nursery education in Cardoso Nursery and Primary School, Ajegunle, Lagos; my primary education in STC Nursery and Primary School, Surulere, Lagos. Although I got FSLC from Howard Nursery and Primary School, Orile, Lagos. I had my secondary education in Adebola Baptist High School, Surulere, Lagos, where I obtained my WASSCE (West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination).

After Secondary school, I went further to study Business Administration at the undergraduate level in Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. Where I obtained a B. Sc. Degree (Second Class Upper Honours). I have a diploma in desktop publishing from NIIT, and also I’m awaiting certificates in Project Management from the British Project Management Academy (BPMA) having gone through the training at the graduate level.
In addition to serving the nation, as a youth corps member, I am a C.I.T.Y. fellow (Volunteer) for HOPE Foundation in Benue state, Nigeria and you’ve just read my winning story! Anything is possible only if you believe, and willing to go the extra distance to get it.

Obinnau

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