Before i go into details about the workshop (for the final 10) and the application process, i think its fair to let you know ahead of time that i was unsuccessful with the actual BSG application. 6 people have confirmed that they received "success emails"... i will let AIG reveal their genders/nationalities (very talented blend)

...So i was selected as part of the top 10. The email came in 30 November. Imagine the anxiety on our whatsapp group when the emails dropped every 15mins and people confimed they had received an invite to the Workshop. We got to number 8 and there were 2 spots left. suddenly no more confirmations. The panic became real. Two days after, the last 2 people notified the group. 7 Nigerians, 3 Ghanaians. 5 males and 5 females. The 20+ of us who got interviewed stayed on the group.

December 8. The workshop. A BSG alum shared his expefience with us. That was really helpful, although he could not give as much details as we would have liked.
We also had a number of people explain how to prepare; CVs, personal statements and the policy brief (this was the most annoying document, might share my experienc). It took the entire day. The 10 of us fomed a great bond and we would go on to become friends - visiting one another, sharing government polices etc etc.

The policy brief is probably the hardest bit. I struggled with this for weeks. Not because i didn't know what to write, but because there was so much to write in terms of background (third world issues are not so similar to European /Western issues, you know!??!), facts and supporting argument. In hindsight, i should have focused on one major issue and built a very very compelling case around it. Next time, maybe?

For obvious reasons i cannot share every experience. But its IMPORTANT you begin to massage the ego of your referee. Satan enters people. Especially when you're close to greatness. Lol. Enough said on that matter.

There's also the issue of getting your application reviewed by as many people as possible. So, December was a little tough for me. I rushed my application amd got only one person to review. Bad idea. I should have settled down, shared with more people, rewritten and shared with some more people. In addition to having a lean review process, i was stubborn. At the time, i thought i was being self-confident. (If you make it through to the finals, you might hear a thing or two about me). Its probably the reason why i didn't get selected by BSG.

Deadline for application was early January (i dont remember the date). Oxford peomised to respond by 16 March. However, Between January and yesterday i received at least 6 emails from BSG/Oxford. I completed every survey and read through all "communications" with great disgust. Gimme my result, mba. It finally came in (for me at least) at 7:49pm, 12 March 2018, when i least expected...if you've applied for plenty jobs, you probably know the template regret email. People of God, na the template email. I posted the "news on the group". Silence.

About an hour later, the announcement of "got in!" Came in trickles. After 2hours we knew the final 6. Quick one: i correctly guessed 5 of the final 6 correctly. I was to be the 6th, in my mind. Lol.

They all deserve to be on the program. You will hear great things from each of them - i assure you. *Watch out for the ladies especially*

What you should consider if you ever make this/any other application (again):

Be prepared. Plan your essay/cv which you intend to sibmit to both AIG and BSG. Preparing days or weeks to the application will never help. If youre interested in public policy/service, you don't realise because there's a free scholarship. You demonstrate and prepare for an opportunity.

Be informed. Read nairaland well. Most importantly, read the BSG blog.

Always "loud" your achievement. Do not be fooled into thinking "modesty" will help you. Imagine youre in a race with 2,000 people with the same skill set as yourself. How do you stand out? Some might ask you to downplay real achievement. Who they help?

Volunteer/give back to community/be committed (somehow) to the public sector. I didnt really do this, but i had a secret weapon which slightly impressed AIG assessors. I can tell you about it, but I'd have to kill you

Select the right referees. Satan enters people. People can act like evil spirits. (I didnt have issues, but people can be wicked!)

...it is obviously disappointing that i will not be with friends in Oxford in september. However, i rest easy with the assurance that there are many roads which lead to the market. Beyond applying, give something back to the community.

P.S: when/if pix of the final 10 get published, look out for a guy standing behind everyone in dark glasses, without a tie. Just might be me

Hope this was helpful for those who will apply later in 2018. All the best.

not yet. maybe this weekend (they hinted it'll take a week or two for feedback).

The weekend was very demanding. As advised in the email, the process held between 8am and about 7:30pm.

Everyone who submitted the essay should be proud that they made it that far. I understand that they read about 400 essays (this is after 7000+ applied, 2000+ wrote tests). I think the consensus was that all the essays/CVs were great. However, the requirement was to select only those that strongly aligned[b][/b] to the Initiative’s “goals”.

26 people were shortlisted for the panel interviews (of the circa 400 who submitted essays). 25 turned up for the interviews. Mostly Nigerians. 7 Ghanaians. 6 of the board members formed the panel. The approach was that you got interviewed by each assessor one-on-one. After the first interview, the subsequent interviews typically happened after every 50min interval (hence the almost 12hour round of interviews).

The assessors read ALL the essays and asked some seriously probing questions. I mean, all the applicants (7,000+ of us) are all suitably qualified, why should they take a gamble on any of us who made it to the interviews?

It was a great experience. The organisers are really serious about changing the public sector. IT IS NOT LIP SERVICE OR A PLOY TO GAIN CHEAP GOODWILL. They mean business. They were all on ground and spent good time assessing EVERYTHING (appearance, experience, CVs, essays…every other thing you can think of!)

There are...its between 8am and 8pm on the 11th.

Just received a success mail

Congrats to everyone who's received their letters...still waiting for medicals (tax).

For those who have their offer letters, when is the resumption date? I'm getting scared because my employer requires 1month notice for termination of contract

The 1st picture is of Transcorp! i can see NCC at the background!!

one direction?!

Why don't u thnk he can do it in UI,ABU or any of the other "big Unis"? Is it because the lecturers won't give him the grade he deserves or because he's not smart enough? Victor is a smart youngman, so are many graduates of CU, the Uni actuali let's u bag a degree with the ACTUAL scores/grades u get in each paper, no lecturer victimizes cos they don't have their own 1st class or 2:1. So stop hating.

this pix are old, from 2years ago if i'm correct, Bishop has paid the price; thru hardwork, determination and inspiration (divine), live with it or hug transformer!

i just saw arugba an hour ago, n i was reali impressed, Kelani is reali gd n d lead actress Bukky Awoyemi was perfect, 10/10

Igbo, yoruba, Fulani, Ibibio, Itsekiri, Idoma, Kabba, Ijaw, Nupe, Tapa, who caresas long as s/he is a person of integrity and charisma(able 2 inspire the can do spirit of Nigerians)

the igbo VP under Buhari 4 d last election was Edwin Ume-Ezeoke, reali,i think dele momodu is clowning about, he should run as Senator or a rep for his state,not divide the votes.
why cant "Well meaning" Nigerians come together and oust PDP?-I mean why cant we have a super opposition party and stop all these rubbish.with the likes of DELE,Pat Utomi,Tinubu and the rest declaring interest on different platforms,they are giving PDP the edge cos Nigerians would have divided votes, we should take a leaf from USA (2 super parties,then the remaining small inconsequential ones), UK (3major parties and the rest smaller ones)
I reali dislike the politics of the PDP but all arrows are pointing toward another rigged "victory" 4 the PDP (hopefully Bukola Saraki would get the nod from Obj and Johnathan)

50k isnt bad,

Grace, she was 4-5 years older than i was, i was in js1 n she js3, saw her last year

where's ghana!!!