Godwin Nwangele, a 25-year-old Electrical Engineering graduate of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, has emerged winner of the 2020 Rhodes Scholarship for West Africa. He becomes the second Nigerian and the fourth recipient of the prestigious scholarships from the sub-continent since its re-launch in 2017.

Established in the will of Cecil John Rhodes in 1902, the Rhodes Scholarship is the world’s most preeminent post-graduate scholarship scheme supporting exceptionally bright students from across the globe to study at the University of Oxford, United Kingdom. Nwangele will join 100 other “Scholar-Elects” from around the world to commence studies at Oxford in October 2020.

A total of 2,783 applications were received from intending scholars across the region out of which 121 that graduated with a First Class degree or its equivalent were longlisted for screening before being pruned to a shortlist of 45. Only 25 candidates made it to the pre-interview stage and, after further assessment via phone or Skype, 10 were invited for a final round of in-person interviews where Nwangele emerged tops.

“This is the third scholar selection exercise since the re-introduction of the Scholarships, and the job isn’t any easier for the Selection Committee. Besides academic excellence, other important selection criteria include moral force of character, commitment to service and the instinct to lead, and all ten finalists possess these qualities”, said Ike Chioke, National Secretary for the Rhodes Scholarship for West Africa.

“At the end, there could only be one winner from the sub-continent for the 2020 scholarship season. And, while it was a very difficult choice to make, the members of the committee all agree that – for Godwin – this is an award well deserved. We have no doubt that he will excel in his chosen field and do the continent proud, and we also have faith that all the other finalists will go on to achieve great things.”

A recipient of several academic and leadership awards, Nwangele graduated in 2017 as ‘Best Student in Engineering’ at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and he was also recognised as ‘Overall Best Graduating Engineer’ in Nigeria by the Committee of Deans of Engineering and Technology of Nigerian Universities (CODET) at the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) conference in 2018.

His innate knack for problem-solving and strong passion for developing home-grown solutions to Africa’s peculiar power challenges led him to start up several enterprises, including Greenage Technologies, Greenage Electric and Power-Ring – all innovative energy and electrical engineering companies – growing them from a near zero value to million dollar valuation.

In just two years of operations, Greenage has deployed well over 300 smart energy systems in about 20 states of the federation, and has been recognised for its work in the renewable energy space. These include a nomination for The Future Africa Award for Science and Technology, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) Technology Award, USADF/ALL-ON Energy Award, among others.

While expressing his joy and appreciation at being selected as the beneficiary of the 2020 Rhodes Scholarships for West Africa, Nwangele, who intends to study Energy Systems at Oxford, noted: “Now, the goal is to deepen my technical knowledge, enhance my leadership skills, build valuable networks and develop a global strategy that would help to grow the vision of energy sustainability in Africa and beyond.”

The Rhodes Scholarships cover all university and college fees, a personal stipend for room and board, health insurance and travel, as well as the costs of the Rhodes Leadership Development Programme at Rhodes House. The total value of the scholarship could range from £50,000 to £60,000 per annum, with the average tenure for a Rhodes Scholar being three years.

For 117 years, the Rhodes Trust has provided transformative opportunities for exceptional young leaders from around the world. Launched in May 2017, the West Africa Scholarship is open to students from Benin Republic, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, the Territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, Sierra Leone, São Tomé and Principe, and Togo.

Application opens on 1st June 2020 for the 2021 Scholarships. Interested candidates are to apply online at www.rhodeshouse.ox.ac.uk

https://africa.com/nigerian-godwin-nwangele-emerges-2020-rhodes-scholar-elect-for-west-africa/

stop posting wrong info..they are two different people.. hope that you are banned for this

Benevento:

Lagos, Ogun and Oyo are still more productive than barren padlocked igboland.

Gang group is still far better than setting up a baby factory with under 16 poor girls.

Lagos I agree, Ogun and Oyo state is only far better than Enugu when it comes to forming awawa Boys and mining human skulls

Sammy07:


Any Yoruba can claim any Yoruba state.

Osu should go and claim any Osu state

Or, maybe you should wait and develop our land.

Said by an afonja headslammer who still believes that human skull can make him rich ... We all know those who went on rampage when during the lockdown, who their citizens were forming awawa boys,one million boys and stealing everything stealable..Even the place their citizens have turned to places to skull mining due to poverty and ignorance grin.. A region were human head can go as low as #50 just to sell it and get something to eat..That place is the South West and Lagos is not like the typical South West state where they mine human head for and sell it as low as #50

Benevento:

Facts don't lie, Ebonyi and Enugu are the poorest states in Nigeria, with over 70% poverty rate. Not only from NBS but international bodies.

said by an olouwole certificate holder .. We all know those who went on rampage when during the lockdown, who their citizens were forming awawa boys,one million boys and stealing everything stealable..Even the place their citizens have turned to places to skull mining due to poverty and ignorance .. A region were human head can go as low as #50 just to sell it and get something to eat..That place is the South West

TripleOh7:


Emeka, are you not ashamed to say "I live in Lagos bro"?

What happened to Aba, Onitsha etc?

What chased you away from your Hamlet there?

Were you afraid you'd be washed away into the River Niger by the constant gully erosion, the types only seen in Hollywood flicks?

If I were you I'd be sober and ask myself why I am trapped living in the land of people I hate.

I'd ask myself why I can't go back home to Enugu and Abia and Anambra.

Instead of jumping around here on Nairaland forming warrior, if I were you I'd understand that my staying in Yorubaland is a form of neocolonialism.

You don't have to read all of this at once.

Take your time.

why is every Yoruba man claim to be from Lagos.. Why not go back to ibdam and change the brown roof in your Father's house..most the agberos will have in Lagos today are from all this western states disturbing the peace of Lagos..

dominique:
Is that really Enugu? The photo I'm seeing up there looks like computer village and I'm seeing plenty of yellow buses.

That's Enugu, ogbete main market precisely..

pazienza:


Leave the Ofe man to be deceiving himself.

am not even arguing with him again.. Am done with him

Sammy07:


You're unwise, re check your dictionary to check the meaning of resilient.

BTW, peace is a transport company,
Innoson has his factory in ammaco or so.
Enugu is just filled with business men and old civil servants
Nah hotel full there.

How many fun/ recreational centers dey Enugu.

About the airport, it is the only one serving the east I'm not surprised.

SW has 3
Ibadan, Akure, Lagos.
Even Osun own Is in construction.

Lol,ibadam man
Go through the page and see the criteria for a city to make it to the list
Peace has a auto Assembly plant in emene
Anamco is another auto Assembly plant
Innoson factory is different from anamco..you see why I said that you haven't been to Enugu before
Enugu and Ibadan are not mates, Enugu is far ahead of it in everything.
Sw has three airports but apart from Lagos, the remaining two is almost none existence cause it records low traffic.. Enugu airport records more traffic than akure and Ibadan own combined

Sammy07:


Please and please
Where in Enugu is developed??

Do u know the meaning of resilient??
Comparing Enugu with Ibadan, very funny.
Which industry dey Enugu? Apart from ammaco and few of them.. And some small scale business.

Abeq, don't tell me what I know

Beautiful is different from development.
Akwaibom is very beautiful and has good roads network development nko??

https://www.oecd.org/cfe/regional-policy/resilient-cities.html
Go through the link and see what's resilient city means..
comparing Enugu to Ibadan is big joke and the truth is that you haven't been to Enugu cause if you have been, you will know that Enugu has two industrial locations: 9th mile where the biggest brewery is Nigeria and other breweries are located in and another in emene where the likes of anamco,peace,innoson,juhel etc are located..and these things are heavy industries not the likes of biscuit and chewing gum industries in Ibadan..
How many people even use the airport in Ibadan that's to tell that nothing is happening in Ibadan unlike Enugu where the airport receives high traffic..

Sammy07:


You're funny ooo.
I told you I'm a graduate of UNN, Nnsuka campus.
You think I don't know Enugu.
All these Federal government girl school, Holy rosary, shalom academy wey dey around that place.
Funny.

Enugu is not developed as Ibadan that's the fact..
And both are regional capitals.

I have been to Oyo state Oga,Ibadan is just an old town with illiterates everywhere.. You can't compare it to Enugu.. At least, Enugu has made it to the resilient cities twice unlike Ibadan that is get to achieve such feat..you can't compare Enugu to Ibadan, Enugu is far more developed and modern than Ibadan

egalitarianism:
Nonsense permutations. NEVER will Igbo be president of Nigeria. You can't hate/criticize bitterly my tribe and Faith and expect me to vote you. NEVER
Even your mod shows that behavior on NL. NEVER

says an ewedu gobbling Yoruba Muslim the biggest lies Yoruba have told theirself is believing that they be will be president in 2023 even tinubu knows that it's not possible

Sammy07:


Mr man, I'm a graduate of UNN.

You guys lies were you built Lagos, it was busted.
You changed to, Ogun is closer to Lagos.
Now you wanna claim Ibadan is proximity to Lagos??


Metaphysical, legendhero, itooworwor.

Unn kee you . Am a product of ui too and you dare not compare Ibadan to Enugu.. Ibadan is an old city filled with Yoruba illiterates and agberos..no development there, rusted houses everywhere.. And Lagos remains a city built by Nigerians from Niger delta oil.. Yoruba still have five states, they should turn any other state in sw to Lagos..even Ogun state that is close to Lagos is not developed like the Lagos state

Wild wild west!! the west will soon overtake NE in insecurity..Afonjas youths need to do something with their lives and stop being lazy..

Why are Yorubas pursuing unarmed Innocent Fulani herdsman out of the community Don't they have the right as Nigerians to rear their cows in any part of the country.. Amoketun should be more engaged in dealing with awawa boys,one millions with the numerous skull miners raving Havocs in Yoruba land instead flexing muscle where an innocent unarmed Fulani herdsman is

There is another one in nsukka,Enugu owned by Wilson group of companies.owner of solive oil

President for oduduwa republic you mean

okeyglm:

Shut up. Unn is in nsukka and Enugu. Have u been to unec before. Do you know how many faculties is in Enugu Campus.

stop arguing with that lunatic..that person is chino..he is not from Enugu state..he causes problem among different Igbo States