A woman in PH almost went crazy last week Friday when her son and her brother’s son swept the only two available foreign scholarship slots worth over N18million.
It was at the Aptech’s first draw in PH since they set base in the Garden City in 2022 to revolutionalise the infotech and artificial intelligence world.
When it was time for the draws after exciting presentations from both Aptech and Middlesex University to explain how students can transfer from Aptech centres anywhere in the world to Middlesex University, anxiety went beyond the roof. The draw was to pick two lucky scholars in PH centre that would proceed on scholarship to Middlesex on 50 percent scholarship worth about 7,500 pounds or N9m each.
A parent was called out to pick, and when it was opened, it fell for one teenager, Felix, Divine Chukwu Kamjiaka. The mother, Felix Chinyere, jumped out and ran round the hall. The Indian executives looked in awe at what the opportunity meant to the Nigerian family.
This left only one slot to fight for by the tens of scholars in the programme, but when the name, Ifedibia Valentine, was read out, the woman screamed again and jumped into the air. This time, she went sprawling on the glittering floor. Soon after, she scrambled to her knees and began waving frantically, thanking God.
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The audience remained rooted, transfixed, waiting to know her reason for a fiercer bout of jubilation and excitement. When she calmed down a bit, she told BusinessDay that the young man that just won the second slot was her cousin who was persuaded to join her son to participate in the programme. By this, the only two foreign scholarship slots went to one family, the Ifedibias.
This created endless applause and congratulations to the winners.
Later, another set of two draws were picked for those that would study in the PH centre: Onwukeme Sylvia Adanna and Nwokoro Mmesoma Victor.
An enthusiastic but prominent parent, John Lokobi, in a vote of thanks, said Aptech has brought great relief to many parents wanting to train their children abroad. He said many may never know what parents training their children were passing through, adding that the cost and process have been simplified by Aptech and Middlesex. He said that fake agents who exploit and feed on hapless parents have been eliminated.
Lokobi said parents would make maximum use of the opportunity, saying IT and infotech are the future. He said anyone without digital infotech in the future would be like stone.
Earlier, Seetam Thakuri, Aptech’s vice president for Africa and Pakistan, who came all the way from India, said Aptech was the best IT group in most countries including Pakistan, and is an award-winning IT training firm.
“The degree Aptech offers is an international degree that gives competitive advantage. The knockout effect is the Credit Transfer Facility (CTF) which allows the transfer of credit hours and scores from Aptech campuses around Nigeria to the main campus being Middlesex University in the UK.
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“Aptech makes you future-ready, with global opportunities galore. There are global opportunities, networking and competition.”
The event was floor-managed by Sajan Rahan Survarna (COO), supported by Satish Nuthalapatt (Centre Head, PH), and Monica Chizoba Emelike (PH Centre manager). Middlesex University Admissions Officer (Nigeria), Favour Ugboaja, gave the load down on the unique opportunities in the university and in the UK.
