News

EU Awards Masters Scholarships To 135 Nigerians

Published

3 years ago

July 17, 2023

Editor

The European Union (EU) has awarded Masters degree scholarship to 135 young Nigerians under the 2023 Erasmus Mundus Scholarship Programme.

Ms Samuela Isopi, the EU Ambassador to Nigeria disclosed this at a news conference in Abuja on Monday.

“The awardees will be engaged for their masters programme for 12 months and some for 24 months in three different countries in the EU, including Turkey, United Kingdom, and Serbia.

“At the end of their masters programme they will be given a masters certificate ,” she said.

Isopi said that tNigerian students’ performances in the programme ranked them first in Africa and fifth in the world after Pakistan in first position, followed by Indi, Brazil, and Bangladesh in second, third, and fourth positions respectively.

She expressed regret that the number of Nigerian youths participating in the programme had dropped from more than 200 in 2022, to 135 in 2023.

She attributed the drop in number of participants in the programme to inadequate.publicity.

The ambassador said it was the reason a focal point desk was established in schools with the help of the Federal Ministry of Education.

She expressed optimism that the measure would help sensitise some educational institutions across the country to the availability of the Erasmus Mundus Scholarship Programme so that they could take advantage of it.

“The selection process had 15, 000 applications from around the world, of which 135 young Nigerias were selected for the 2023 Erasmus Mundus Masters Programme.

“This shows the bloc’s commitment to strengthening the already existing bilateral relations between Nigeria and the EU in the educational sector,” she said.

Also speaking, Ms Leila Mathieu, EU’s Head of Human Development, said that Nigerian students had been doing well in all categories of the Erasmus Mundus Scholarship schemes since its inception.
“Nigerian students are doing well abroad. They are resilient and great in what they do abroad which makes them good ambassadors of their country,” she said.

Mr Gbadewole Oladayo, who was awarded scholarship to study International masters in Environmental Technologies and Engineering said it was easy for him to be selected because he already had all the requirements ready.

Miss Gift Oparah, who received a Masters Scholarship to study Resilience in Educational Context, said that a school friend encouraged her to apply.

She said that though the process was a little stringent, she was grateful for the opportunity the EU has given to young Nigerians to study abroad, “especially, those who cannot afford it”

News

Edo NLC Crisis: Caretaker Committee Drags Rival Exco, Govt To Court

Published

27 minutes ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

The division in the Edo State Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), took a new dimension on Wednesday as Prof. Monday Monday Lewis Igbafen-led caretaker committee approached the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Benin Judicial Division, seeking to affirm its authority and restrain a rival executive from parading itself as the council’s leadership.

Joined in the suit are the Edo State Government, the Commissioner for Labour and Productivity, and the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice.

In a suit marked: NICN/BEN/12/2026, and filed before the court in Benin, the claimant, Igbafen, acting for himself and on behalf of the NLC Caretaker Committee in Edo State, is challenging the continued occupation of the union’s secretariat and control of its assets by members of the Bernard Egwakhide-led factional State Executive Council.

The claimants are asking the court to declare that the caretaker committee (Igbafen-led faction), constituted on August 11, 2025, by the NLC national leadership, remains the only lawful authority to administer the affairs of the Edo State Council pending fresh elections.

They further seek a declaration that the continued occupation of the NLC secretariat located at No. 1 Teboga Road, Benin City, as well as the retention of union assets, financial records, and official instruments by the defendants, is illegal and void.

The suit also prays for an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from parading themselves as officials of the NLC Edo Council or interfering with the functions of the caretaker committee.

In addition, the claimants are seeking a mandatory order compelling the defendants to immediately hand over the secretariat, vehicles, financial documents, cheque books, and all other properties belonging to the union.

The caretaker committee further urged the court to restrain the state government and its officials from interfering in the internal affairs of the union, alleging undue support for the dissolved executive.

The claimants further demand N50 million as general and exemplary damages against the defendants for alleged unlawful usurpation of office and acts prejudicial to the administration of the council.

According to court documents made available to our correspondent, the crisis followed the dissolution of the Edo State Council by the NLC National Executive Council on February 27, 2025, over allegations of misconduct, anti-union activities, and constitutional violations.

However, the matter has yet to be assigned a hearing date.

News

Transfer: Premier League Clubs Scramble For Dele-Bashiru

Published

6 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

Lazio midfielder, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru is a subject of interest from three Premier League clubs, according to Sky Sports.

Lazio reportedly rejected offers from Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth for the Nigeria international in January.

La Biancolesti are bracing for more interest in Dele-Bashiru ahead of the summer transfer window, according to Sky Sports.

The 24-year-old has two years left on his contract with the Serie A club.

The attacking midfielder joined the Rome-based club from Turkish Super Lig outfit Hatayspor in 2024.

He has been a regular feature for Lazio this season.

News

Xenophobic Attacks: Nigerian Students To Picket MTN, MultiChoice, Other Businesses

Published

6 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

The leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS South-West Zone D, has announced plans to picket South African companies in Nigeria following the ongoing xenophobic attacks in the country.

DAILY POST reports that some Nigerians were recently killed in South Africa over the violent attacks.

A statement issued to newsmen by Comrade Adeyemo Josiah Kayode, Coordinator, NANS South-West, Zone D, said that the association is mobilizing to take decisive and lawful action by organizing peaceful picketing and mass advocacy against South African business interests operating in Nigeria.

“We categorically state that the continued targeting of Nigerians under any guise is unacceptable and must come to an immediate end.

“This will include major corporations such as MTN Group and MultiChoice Group. It is morally indefensible for businesses to thrive in an environment where the lives of Nigerians are protected, while Nigerians are subjected to fear and violence elsewhere.

“This contradiction will no longer be tolerated,” the statement said.