Scholarship / Nigeria ecosystem and education - Mastercard Foundation Scholarship Program [2]

This is for question one of the Mastercard foundation essay. Please @admin your response will be appreciated.

My father, forced to drop out of school amid financial hardship, invested everything in my education-his greatest legacy to me. That foundation was tested when recurrent academic strikes shut down my school, the University of Lagos, halting classes and crippling research labs. Amid the uncertainty, tragedy struck in 2019 when I lost my twin brother to a sudden illness, a heartbreak compounded by medical bills that drained our savings. Refusing to falter, I turned adversity into motivation: I advanced my learning through free platforms like Coursera and volunteered with the Nigerian Conservation Foundation's coastal initiative, dedicated to preserving Nigeria's fragile shoreline. Through these experiences, I discovered how resilience and education can transform personal pain into purposeful action.

At the University of Lagos, one of Africa's leading institutions, I studied history and strategic studies, graduating in the top 20% of my class. My undergraduate thesis, Tourism Development in Lagos: A Case Study of Elegushi Beach Resort, examined the effects of climate change on coastal tourism, revealing that rising sea level eroded an average of 1.5 meters of shoreline annually. I proposed sustainable interventions such as mangrove restoration, tree planting, and ecotourism hubs.

During the course of my research, systemic challenges, from relentless power outages and financial constraints to limited access to research data, frequently threatened to derail my thesis work. At several points, I had to conduct analyses outside my formal coursework, even borrowing laptops from the school library to access vital information. Yet, I adapted innovatively, sourcing data via open-access platforms like Google Scholar and JSTOR, while collaborating with classmates facing similar hurdles to share resources and insights. This hands-on initiative not only infused my research with authentic, real-world data but also honed essential skills in problem-solving, stakeholder integration, critical thinking, analysis, and data management proficiency. Gradually, my work gained depth and direction, evolving beyond mere documentation of issues. In the end, I developed practical frameworks for sustainable investments, equitable partnerships, and stronger heritage regulations-aiming to safeguard not only formal sites but also informal community spaces that promote sustainability.

Undergraduate / Nigeria and Economic Constraints - Statements of Purpose (S.O.P) [2]

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."
- Martin Luther King Jr.

This quote has guided my journey from the rural communities of Nigeria, where I witnessed systemic failures firsthand, to my aspiration to study International Development at Sciences Po. I am deeply motivated by the belief that education-particularly in fragile and crisis-affected contexts-must be redesigned as a tool for inclusion, resilience, and social transformation.

Growing up in a community where economic constraints defined opportunity, I saw how children were raised on survival rather than stability. In many villages, success was measured by becoming a motorcycle taxi rider, not by completing school. This personal reality impressed upon me that education policies cannot be measured by documents produced in capital cities, but by the tangible opportunities they create in forgotten communities. As I write this, academic staff across Nigerian universities are on strike once again-a reflection of how fragile and unequal our educational ecosystem remains. It reinforces my conviction that reform must begin from the grassroots, integrating data-driven policy with human-centered design.

I hold a Bachelor's degree in History and Strategic Studies from the University of Lagos, where I graduated with Second-Class Upper honours, ranking among the top percentile of my class. My academic training sharpened my ability to analyze governance structures and social systems critically-skills that have become indispensable in my work within the education sector. After graduation, I served with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and became an active member of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Community Development Group. There, I co-designed the iLead Literacy Programme, which provided over 100 out-of-school children with foundational literacy and psychosocial support. This experience taught me that education delivery requires more than pedagogy-it demands empathy, safety, and adaptability to social realities.

Currently, I serve as an Educational Support Officer at St. Aggrey Memorial Secondary School, where I helped develop the Peer Group Initiative-a project providing psychosocial support and mentorship for students facing social and emotional difficulties. My role involves project coordination, qualitative research design, and collaboration with traditional leaders, local authorities, and civil society partners to implement inclusive, replicable education support models. Through these experiences, I have come to understand development as a complex interplay of actors-states, communities, and institutions-working within governance and financial systems that must be reimagined to deliver social justice.

The Master in International Development at Sciences Po offers the interdisciplinary and analytical foundation I seek to deepen this understanding. I am particularly drawn to the programme's emphasis on the cooperation and partnerships between actors, sectors, and mechanisms that drive development outcomes. Its unique combination of applied economics, policy design, project management, and monitoring and evaluation will provide me with the quantitative and strategic tools to link educational reform to measurable social impact. I am also attracted to the courses on governance, development finance, and sectoral analysis, which are highly relevant to my ambition to strengthen the governance of education systems in low-income and crisis-affected settings.

Guided by the advice of Professor Thibaut Jaulin, I believe my academic background in strategic studies and my professional experience in education policy are well-suited to the programme's analytical and multidisciplinary approach. I look forward to learning from the faculty community that integrates academic depth with field experience, and to developing a research-driven understanding of how institutions can design and implement inclusive policies at scale.

Upon completion of this programme, I intend to return to Nigeria to establish a Policy Innovation Hub for Education, an initiative that bridges academic research, grassroots implementation, and evidence-based policy design. My long-term vision is to work with international organisations and national governments to develop education systems that remain inclusive and functional even in times of political instability, displacement, and social crisis.

For me, the Sciences Po International Development programme represents not just an academic pursuit but a moral and professional responsibility-to ensure that no child is denied learning, stability, or hope because of where they were born.

Please @Admin. I need your help in helping me critique my statement of purpose for MSc International Development at Science Po.

Scholarship / Resilience, determination, and compassion - Application for Mastercard Scholarship [2]

Topic: An essay on experience I would bring to the community, how I meet the key selection on criteria for the program, particularly in relation to significant barriers to education I faced.

I'm writing based on the Mastercard scholarships and I would appreciate any assistance I can get.

My journey has been shaped by resilience, adaptability, and a commitment to community service, qualities developed through overcoming personal and systemic challenges. Pursuing an education in Nigeria has presented numerous obstacles, including prolonged ASUU strikes, financial constraints, and the COVID-19 pandemic, all of which tested my determination. These barriers interrupted my studies and limited my access to resources, but they also fostered in me a strong resolve to push forward. To support myself during these interruptions, I took on menial jobs and freelance writing, which instilled in me a deep sense of perseverance and self-reliance. This experience has fueled my commitment to advocating for accessible and inclusive education, an endeavor I believe is critical for Africa's future.

A pivotal part of my journey has been my volunteer work with the visually impaired community. Through various outreaches, I provided resources such as eyeglasses and Braille materials, gaining firsthand insight into the unique challenges faced by people with disabilities. This experience reinforced my belief in the power of inclusive development policies and strengthened my dedication to social equity. Working alongside people with disabilities taught me empathy, patience, and a service-oriented approach to leadership, values that I see deeply reflected in the Mastercard Foundation's mission to empower African leaders.

My vision for Africa is rooted in sustainable development, inclusive growth, and governance, ideals that the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program and the University of Edinburgh's Africa and International Development program strongly embody. I am eager to explore how development theories and strategies can help bridge existing gaps in education and social equity, especially through the lens of policy and technology.

If selected, I would bring resilience, determination, and compassion to the Mastercard community. These qualities have guided me through my journey, and I am committed to using them to uplift and inspire others. I am driven to contribute to Africa's development, and I am confident that this program will provide the knowledge and platform to create meaningful change. The Mastercard Foundation's focus on transformative leadership aligns perfectly with my goals, and I am excited to bring my experiences to this vibrant community, working alongside fellow scholars to address Africa's pressing challenges.