Come back to build Nigeria, perm sec tells Nigerians studying abroad
The Tutor-General/Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Education District I, Mrs Titilayo Solarin, says Nigerians studying abroad owe their fatherland duty to develop and build it.
Solarin made the call at one-day conference on “Study Abroad with Ease’’, organised by the Ornate Education Group, UK, for secondary school students in the district in Lagos on Thursday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the conference tagged “Thinking Global with Useful Information” was held at Elias International School, Alimosho area of the state.
Solarin, represented by a Director in the district, Mr Oluwatoyin Akindele, said that Nigerian students privileged to study abroad must give back to the country.
Describing the conference as enlightening and informative, the tutor-general said that studying abroad remained an added advantage for students who had the opportunity.
“Nevertheless, the best still for all Nigerians studying abroad is to come and give back to their own country. After studying abroad, we need to develop our own country.
“Those countries over there, if they were not developed, no one will desire to go over there to study.
“We should get to the point where we, as citizens of Nigeria, should learn how to take good care of our own country and build it up so that our country will be one we will be proud of.
“Who will build our own country if they (our children) remain over there? Who will take care of Nigeria if our children remain over there?” he asked.
On strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the educationist prayed that God would touch the heart of all leaders so as to settle the disagreement, for students to return to school.
In his address, the UK Director, Ornate Educational Group, Mr Olabode Ogunbiyi, said that the motive of the conference was to motivate students and provide them adequate information on what they needed to know if they wanted to study abroad.
Addressing the students, Ogunbiyi said that with good grades in Ordinary Level including Mathematics and English Language, they were eligible to study abroad with ease.
He said that all the students needed was the right information from credible channel.
Ogunbiyi, a former Yaba College of Technology student, who enjoyed scholarship to France, said that he considered it wise to come back home and help students who desired to study abroad get admission, especially in UK.
He said that the group had partnership with about 300 universities in the UK.
According to him, the group had helped no fewer than 50 Nigerians secured admission and visa in the last one year, saying that opportunities were also available for students with higher certificates.
Speaking via zoom, Mr Junab Ali, British Council Approved Education Adviser, Ornate I Education Group, noted that the group was committed to giving guidance and counseling to students who wished to study abroad for undergraduate and post graduate courses.
Ali said the group also gave finance and scholarship information to assist eligible students in accessing their student finance and scholarships as well as job opportunity.
One of the participants, a student from Alimosho Local Government Area, Master Akemini Udoh, commended the organisers of the seminar, saying it was an eye opener that students who wanted to study abroad do not need a lot of requirements.
Another student from Ifako-Ijaiye Local Government Area (LGA), Miss Oyindamola Adebola, who described the seminar as amazing, said that it opened her eyes on how to study abroad.
Also speaking, Miss Victoria Lawal, a 14-year- old Senior Secondary School II Student from Alimosho LGA, said that the scholarship information would make a lot of indigenous students become who they want to be.
NAN reports that students from various secondary schools in the district participated in the seminar and were exposed to various opportunities and courses of study. (NAN)
