By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja
Miss Rhoda Adinoyi Oyiza, the 2025 overall best graduating student of Prince Abubakar Audu University (PAAU), Anyigba, Kogi State, has secured the prestigious Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s Degree Scholarship to pursue postgraduate studies across three European universities.
Oyiza, who disclosed this in a telephone interview with our correspondent on Friday, said she had commenced studies at the University of Glasgow, Scotland, under the International Master’s in Global Markets, Local Creativities programme.
The fully funded scholarship will take her through the University of Glasgow in Scotland, the University of Barcelona in Spain and the University of Göttingen in Germany over a two-year period.
Describing the opportunity as difficult to believe, Oyiza said the scholarship was a dream that had come to her “in double fold.”
The academic scholar also disclosed that she received an unconditional admission offer from SOAS University of London, alongside the highly competitive Allan and Nesta Ferguson Scholarship, but eventually had to choose between the two opportunities.
“I am grateful to God, my parents, my mentor, Abah Danladi, and several other individuals who contributed to my preparation, application and arrival in Glasgow,” she said.
Oyiza expressed appreciation to the European Union, its Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS for providing the Erasmus Mundus pathway.
She also acknowledged Prof. Danladi Abah, Dr Joel Abah and Dr Victor Asaju for providing recommendation letters and supporting her application.
“My gratitude also goes to Chinenye Okoye-Uzu, Dr Philip Akoje, Prof Aisha Bawa, Prof Chima Korieh, Dr Oluwabunmi Akindipe-Bernard, Costanza Paolillo and Mr Philips for their guidance, encouragement and support to me in this journey,” she said.
Oyiza said she hoped her latest academic adventure, which had taken her from the hills of Okene in Kogi State to Glasgow, Scotland, would mark the beginning of more opportunities and achievements.
She was among the graduating students of PAAU for the 2024/2025 academic session and emerged not only as the best graduating student in the Department of History and International Relations but also as the university’s overall best graduating student and valedictorian.
Oyiza graduated with a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 4.93, which she attributed to years of hard work, consistency and focus throughout her undergraduate studies.
“Above all, it reassures me that my efforts were not in vain and that I made the most of my academic journey there.
“In this new academic journey in Glasgow, I hope to do better, by God’s grace,” she said.