Scholarship / A good leader inspires people to have confidence in him/her, while a great leader... Chevening essay [4]

LEADERSHIP AND INFLUENCE ESSAY

"A good leader inspires people to have confidence in him/her, while a great leader inspires people to have confidence in themselves. A quote by Golda Mier, former Prime Minister of Israel, this great personality and others like Sir Ahmadu Bello, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Nelson Mandela, have been a source of inspiration for me.

My first leadership role was during the 4 days state Battalion Camp organized by the Boys Brigade Niger Battalion. I participated in the Camp as a Sergeant boy of the 10th Niger Company 1st ECWA Church Minna. I served as the time-keeper for the duration of the Camp. I was responsible for the notification of all Camp activities such as Drills, Band Rehearsals, Lectures. Due to my dedication to the new post, I was promoted from Sergeant Non-Commission Officer to a Warrant Officer at the Passing Out Parade. This role offered me the opportunity to interact with different platoon leaders, which helped improve my leadership skills, my spiritual, personal and communication skills were also enhanced.

Secondly, during my compulsory national service in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), I served as the President of the Health Community Development Service (CDS) Group of Ikono Local Government Area (LGA) of Akwa Ibom State. The CDS group is made up of fifty Corp Members, which I divided into a team of 10, each with a team leader that reports to me. As a spearhead who was determined to make a positive impact, I organized numerous activities in the Community Secondary Schools, which included seminars, lectures, sensitization and distribution of hand-bills. I made sure the programs were in detail and provided room for questions and answers. As a result, My team was able to influence over two hundred students from the community.

The rate at which students drop out of school, the number of teenage pregnancy and drug abuse has been of increase in my community. As such, I found it incumbent on me to form a teenagers' mentorship program in the church, which I head. Our activities are mainly advising, guiding and counselling teenagers on the effects of drug abuse, personal development and choosing a career path. We have impacted positively in the lives of at least twenty young boys and girls. With this program, I have had the opportunity to serve my community by giving these teenagers the chance to once again believe in themselves.

The leadership roles I have taken over the years have given me the opportunity to influence others, I have been able to create a positive change in my environment. I also believe I will be able to interact in the global network of over 50,000 leaders and influencers, given the chance.

Scholarship / We can grow positively from the interaction or communication we engage with others - Chevening [3]

NETWORKING ESSAY

Personally, I believe we can grow positively from the interaction or communication we engage with others. The above statement was justified by my experience in the Six months internship (Industrial Training) at the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemicals Company Kaduna, Kaduna State. It was a great privilege and honour to had training in such prestigious Company, as I was dedicated and hard working during my training. Apart from the daily routine check and maintenance of rotating equipments and other administration work I was assigned to, I was also connected with the Team Lead of the System Application and Product Preventive Maintenance (SAP PM) Module Project Engr. Aliyu Umar where I gradually learn the application quickly under his guidance. Soon, three months elapsed, which was the exact duration of our training issued by the Management Company. But due to the network I have created with staff and my fluency in SAP PM, I decided to continue for the next three by volunteering in training other staff in the Company on the application because it was just introduced. However, I kept increasing my network connections with other staff during or after the training sessions. At the end of my internship period I had accumulated over 400 hours of volunteering training. As a result of these network, I was offered a job in her Staff Cooperative Society immediately after my NYSC Scheme.

I also have a great opportunity to show my networking skills during the NYSC Scheme. I established a good network connections with my fellow Corp members, students and others in the community. In addition, I had a good network with other lecturers in my Place of Primary Assignment (Akwa Ibom State College of Science and Technology, Nung Ukim Ikono LGA Akwa Ibom State) especially Dr. Samuel Oworekpe, who was the Deputy Registrar Academic in the school, I am still in touch with him and I believe someday I can contribute to the development of the school.

Furthermore, even after my graduation I am still in contact with my colleagues through the social media (Facebook and Whatsapp) groups created to keep us connected with each other, I am also in contact with my lecturers, professors and most importantly my Project Supervisor, also the Secretary to the HOD of the Department who have been of help. I am now certain that my life is filled with a network of people who have helped me become who I am today.

In conclusion, certainly I will not experience any difficulties interacting with fellow Cheveners around the world. I will be happy to be part of these prestigious network of great leaders.

Scholarship / The network I have built supports my career in the education sector [2]

NETWORKING ESSAY:

After quitting my job in the Staff Cooperative Society, I applied as a subject Teacher due to the passion I have for teaching as a profession. I always returned home filled with joy that I have been able to impact into my students life in one way or the other.

The network I have built with various state venue coordinators during the external examination boards like WAEC, NECO and NABTEB have really helped improve my Career as a Teacher, as I have been able to Teach my students according to the national basic education curriculum. These marking exercises have given me more insight on the performance of students in Physics across the country, I have been able to locate the reasons for the decline in the performance of students in my field and suggest solution to both the examination bodies and the school boards. For example, the issues of high rate of examination malpractice is a problem in the country. I blame both the examination bodies and the schools for these menace. I have written a letter to the head of National Office, WAEC Yaba, Office through the State Coordinator Minna Head Office were I suggested ways these problems can be eradicated.

On the other hand, I have organised programs in Schools on the dangers of examination malpractice. I have discussed with various proprietors of ways the welfare of the Teachers will be improved. All these have been possible due to the network I have created in the educational sector in my state and the country at large.

In addition, looking back at how I was able to badge my first job appointment with the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemicals Company Staff Cooperative Society. In the course of my 6 months Industrial Training, I got connected with the Team lead System Application and Product Preventive Maintenance (SAP PM) Module, where I learn these Computer Application Package under his supervision. After the first three months of my training which was the period issued in our placement letters. I decided to volunteer in training other staff on this Application in the Company for the next three months. Due to the relationship I have build up with them during my I. T. training, they offered me a job immediately after my NYSC Scheme. This job I did for about a year before returning to a career in the education setting due to the zeal in teaching, I have initially experience this during the compulsory 11 months NYSC days.

In conclusion, I will be glad to see my network connections extended beyond the country to see that the education sector is transformed into an international standards. Certainly, I will not experience any difficulties interacting with fellow Cheveners around the world.

Scholarship / My plan: a faculty member at some well known University or a Research Scientist of an organization [5]

Career Plan essay for chevening

The Minister of Science and Technology Ogbonnaya Onu say "his department most important focus areas are Education, Agriculture, Health, Crime Control Communication and Space. The above statement is justified by the significant history the nation have on Science and Innovation these include the invention of the World Fastest Computer in 1989, designing the First Solid Fuel Rocket, and leading on groundbreaking research into the use of local herbs for cancer therapy. Apart from being the largest black nation in the world, she also have the largest economy in Africa by size at $415.08 Billion. Her Education Sector especially the science education is faced with the problem of large class size, lack or poor state of science facilities which include Equipments, Laboratories, Libraries to mention a few. Being a teacher by profession, I see the need to contribute towards the transformation of the educational sector in my country.

Upon my arrival, my immediate plan will be to return to my work, now loaded with so much knowledge in my field of studies learned during the Master's degree in the United Kingdom. First of all, I will continue as a Subject Teacher for at least two years before proceeding continue the journey towards becoming a Lecturer in a well known University and use my skills and abilities to good practice. In addition to the teenage mentorship programme, the Teaching will be for a period of 2 to 3 years which will give me the opportunity to continue the positive impact I have started in my community. After Lecturing for around five years, I would have gained enough confidence and experience needed to further my career, I will apply for a phD degree, most preferably in the United Kingdom.

With a phD degree, my career will be either a faculty member at some well known University or a Research Scientist of an organization in my native country. As a professor in Physics in a well known University in my country, I will have the opportunity to develop connections with other Doctors,

Faculty Members and students of similar interest both within and outside the country thereby leading to the development in the Education sector.
Five years from now, I wish to establish a private school in my State. This citadel of learning will have up-to-date Science Laboratories, Libraries Science Equipments, and limited number of students in each class. Teachers will be motivated and the performance in both internal and external examinations in the country will be improved. I will offer a free education programme to the orphans in my community, this will give them a reason to believe in dreams once again.

The UK Space Agency MoU with Nigeria counterpart NARSDA, the partnership between Procter and Gamble and the University of Lagos (UniLag) and other research consortia which have lead to a student/lecturer exchange programmes. I will be honored if Chevening Scholarship will give me the opportunity to be part of a Scholarship that will strengthen these two countries with a brilliant perdure in my career path.