BARRING any unforeseen circumstances, a total of 56 young Nigerians are set to leave the shores of the country for the United States for the 2024 Mandela Washington Fellowship Programme which is now in its 10th year.
The selected fellows selected after a rigorous selection process and based on their ability to lead and inspire others, it was learnt, will leave Nigeria for 28 US cities between June 18 and July 31, 2024.
These fellows will also attend a summit in Washington DC, where they will engage with US leaders in the business, government, and nonprofit sectors.
Three of the fellows will also participate in the professional development experience at a US organisation for four weeks following the summit before returning to Nigeria.
Chargé d’Affaires of the US Diplomatic Mission in Nigeria, David J. Greener, who welcomed the fellows, highlighted their diverse achievements and encouraged them to share their culture in the United States and use the fellowship to expand their influence in Nigeria.
He expressed appreciation to the public diplomacy team and the State Department for their efforts in identifying future leaders and reminded the fellows of the importance of sharing their knowledge upon return to their communities.
Initiated in 2014, the Mandela Washington Fellowship for young African leaders stands as the cornerstone of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI).
The programme is a testament to the enduring US commitment to invest in Africa’s future and offers a comprehensive programme that includes academic coursework, leadership training, and networking opportunities.
Since inception, the US Mission in Nigeria has supported 569 young Nigerian leaders through this exchange programme.
One of the fellows in the leadership in civic engagement cohort, Oluwatomisin Adeyefa, who is expected at the University of Maryland told Sunday Tribune that she expects to create a Web platform where challenges and issues relating to women and girls with disabilities are told by them.
“This is my sixth attempt at the MWF: 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022 and 2023. My own journey is that of persistence. I knew what I wanted and kept at it.
“When I come back to Nigeria, I hope I will be able to impact my community better as a journalist to mainstream issues about women and girls with disabilities. My long-term goal is to run a TV station of and for women and girls with disabilities as part of efforts to promote inclusion,” she explained.
The selected fellows include Oluwatomisin Adeyefa (Leadership in Civic Engagement) – University of Maryland, Baltimore County; Similoluwa Olusola (Leadership in Public Management – Syracuse University; Musa Yusuf (Leadership in Business) – University of Notre Dame; Irene David-Arinze (Leadership in Civic Engagement) – Michigan State University; Christiana Onoja (Leadership in Business) – University of Notre Dame; Ifeoluwa Solomon (Leadership in Business) – University of Texas at Austin; Olanike Timipa-Uge (Leadership in Civic Engagement) – Florida Gulf Coast University; Murtala Abdullahi (Leadership in Civic Engagement) – Michigan State University; Abdulsalam Ashade (Leadership in Public Management) – Boise State University; Sarah Kuponiyi (Leadership in Business) – Jackson State University; Nafisa Atiku-Abubakar (Leadership in Civic Engagement) -The Presidential Precinct; Maryam Abdulkadir (Leadership in Business) – University of Iowa; Joseph Waribugo (Leadership in Civic Engagement) – Florida Gulf Coast University; Abubakar Abdurrahaman (Leadership in Civic Engagement) – Drexel University; Obianuju Iloanya (Leadership in Public Management) – Bridgewater State University.
Others are Wale Bakare (Leadership in Business) – University of Nevada-Reno; Afeez Iyiola (Leadership in Business) – University of Texas at Austin; Ahmad Abubakar (Leadership in Civic Engagement) – The Presidential Precinct; Chioma Arum (Leadership in Public Management) – Texas Tech University; Mariam Nurudeen-Arole (Leadership in Public Management) – Arizona State University; Riliwan Amoo (Leadership in Business) – Lehigh University; Isah Dahiru (Leadership in Business) – Drake University; Saifullah Maishanu (Leadership in Public Management) – Bridgewater State University; Margaret Wonah (Leadership in Civic Engagement) – University of Maryland, Baltimore County; Chibuike Egbujiem (Leadership in Business) – Clark Atlanta University; Aisha Rilwanu Sidi (Leadership in Business) – Lehigh University; Festus Moses (Leadership in Business) – Rutgers University; Paul Olubori Kehinde (Leadership in Business) – University of Notre Dame; Nnene Bassey (Leadership in Public Management) – Bridgewater State University; Mustapha Abubakar (Leadership in Business) – University of Iowa; Basira Kankia Lawal (Leadership in Public Management) -University of Minnesota – Twin Cities; Ruth Soronnadi (Leadership in Public Management) – Georgia State University; Kingsley Kalu (Leadership in Public Management) – University of California – Davis; Rabi’A Idrees (Leadership in Business) – University of Texas at Austin.
As well as Ikechukwu Ogoegbulem (Leadership in Public Management) – Arizona State University; Yahaya Suleiman (Leadership in Public Management) – Georgia State University; Zakariyya Haruna (Leadership in Civic Engagement) – Michigan State University; Odunayo Aliu (Leadership in Civic Engagement) – Kansas State University; Babafemi Adewumi (Leadership in Business) – Jackson State University; Michael Benjamin (Leadership in Business) – University of Iowa; Aisha Suleiman (Leadership in Business) – Rutgers University; Michael Oyalana (Leadership in Business) – Clark Atlanta University; Serena Francis (Leadership in Civic Engagement) – Louisiana State University; Iswat Badmus (Leadership in Public Management) – Syracuse University; Oluwayemisi Oluyode (Leadership in Public Management) – Texas Tech University; Oluwanifemi Ayeni (Leadership in Civic Engagement) – University of Delaware; Chidimma Ajemba (Leadership in Civic Engagement) – Louisiana State University; Michael Yusuf (Leadership in Public Management) – Texas Tech University; Hafiz Mukhtar Musa (Leadership in Public Management) – Wayne State University; James Akan (Leadership in Public Management) – Georgia State University; Esther Eze (Leadership in Business) – Drake University; Eva Chukwunelo (Leadership in Civic Engagement) – Florida Gulf Coast University; Uchenna Okoro (Leadership in Business) – Clark Atlanta University; Ibrahim Oladipo (Leadership in Civic Engagement) – University of Delaware; Arinze Ajogwu (Leadership in Civic Engagement) – University of Georgia and Roberta Oyedokun (Leadership in Business) – Purdue University.
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