“However, I affirm that this is not because I boast of a particular level of intelligence, but rather because the universe has a way of rewarding individuals that genuinely advance humanity’s cause. A substantial part of my life has been devoted to humanity, not because I am short of priorities, but because I understand cause-and-effect”
TARGET AUDIENCE: This piece is written to illuminate the minds of scholarship enthusiasts, specifically Management and Social Sciences students in their thousands, who find it very difficult, to access Fully-funded scholarship opportunities.
INFORMATION TO READERS: I took time to chronicle my experiences, instead of merely showcasing the outcome via social media, because I believe it is not enough to ‘inspire’ people on the surface. Rather, they should be taken through the journey, with actionable steps to follow thereafter. Therefore, I wish you an expository read, and I can’t wait for the many successes you will record!
“I fell, with my back helplessly on the floor, depressed, but I knew I wouldn’t stay on the ground for too long.”
Background
If I had known this journey would take the sharps and turns it took, I would not have embarked on it. Probably that is the reason why nature, in its own wisdom, does not give a heads-up on what lies ahead; if such a mechanism were in place, we would wind up with nothing to achieve.
One of the many mysteries of life is how one is kept constantly on their toes. Life doesn’t give you the breather to enjoy a significant success or milestone before it puts you on another journey. It might be safe to assume that we all are running a rat race. But have we got any choice? Unarguably, no.
It wasn’t long after I emerged as Valedictorian at Lagos State University, that I started to have serious thoughts on what the next actionable step should be for me. I had always hated not having clear-cut plans or not knowing where I would be in a year’s time. I acknowledge that I do not have control over all of life’s vicissitudes, but I always try to have a Plan A, Plan B, and, possibly, Plan C. Most times, I would tell myself, “well, God is the ultimate decider, but let me play my part irrespective.”
I was torn between the sharp divide of academia and industry. I evaluated my options, reached out to mentors, and I saw they both had their pros and cons. I was facing, probably, the most difficult decision-making phase of my life. I decided to shoot for both simultaneously. “At least, I’m still young”, I told myself; if one doesn’t bear enough convincing promise, I could always switch.
It happened that immediately after my convocation, I got offers from the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), Abuja, and a Pre-NYSC internship with KPMG, to serve under the Strategy and Customer Solutions Unit. I had always had a profound interest in Strategy which made going with KPMG an easy choice for me. In the midst of all these, I had a feeling within me: I could still pull some strings — away and beyond what I had tabled before me.
Sojourn into Scholarships
I started applying for scholarships while preparing for my NYSC. It turned out that the essays I had written during my stay at NYSC Lagos camp secured my scholarship. A quick breakdown: I would always maximize any free time to pen things down, based on inspiration. It was such that at the time of leaving the camp, I already had a full draft to review and put the finishing touches on.
Considering it was my first attempt at securing such scholarships, I wasn’t really expecting much from the application. I had become accustomed to stories of people trying twice, thrice, or even a greater number of years before clinching it. As a result, I was basically using that first attempt to begin accumulating the rejections, thereby, learning from them. On the 21st of May, 2021, a notification came in from the University College, London, that I had been nominated for the Commonwealth Shared Scholarship by the institution’s committee. At the time of receipt, I wasn’t really excited about it. I opened the email and closed it. Looking back, I guess I didn’t really know what I was doing. Besides, I was concerned about other things, such as understanding intricacies at my place of work, and I had so many distractions which were offshoots of my prized feat at Lagos State University.
After consultations with mentors, I saw that this was a big one! UCL? Ranked Top 10 in the world? Full scholarship? Covering Full Tuition, Stipends, Flights, Visa, and other grants (worth about thirty million naira {#30,000,000.00} when converted). These solid consultations gave me insight. Immediately, I followed up with the process, signed the necessary paperwork, followed up with my school (UCL), and began the visa application process, amongst many other things. Of course, all was set!
Arriving London, Starting at UCL and the Challenges Ahead
I kept the scholarship offer to myself and my “very close” circle. I was accompanied to the airport by my family on Thursday, October 5, 2021 in what was a very emotional one for me; that was the first time I will be moving beyond shores; leaving my parents and siblings for a significant period. Acting unmoved, smiling at my mum, dad, brother, and fiancée to keep up the act, I dashed for the international exit, where I burst into tears—out of (their) sight. It was then that I knew I had blood running through my veins.
I arrived in London but decided against going the traditional way of announcing via social media platforms. It was just something personal to me, and I felt I was still in the process of really discovering what I wanted. Inasmuch as I knew the journey—even as I write—was very uncertain, I just felt the need to observe. While in London, at UCL, I acquired fresh perspectives on life. I met new people, who amazed me, from diverse backgrounds. I’d be honest, at first, it was hard settling in, and that was made harder with the fact that we were only two black students in class (the other colleague was a South African).
Really, I was blessed with amazing colleagues who gave me the confidence I needed to thrive at UCL. I took up a leadership role and was the deputy programme representative for my department. Nevertheless, I struggled to keep up with the many resources recommended to us for reading, and the many group projects we were required to embark on. Those projects, however, served as catalysts to repose myself, find my confidence and collaborate with these highly intellectual people. At some point, I had the imposter syndrome; I felt I was not good enough. Upon deeper research, I discovered that beyond being the second youngest in class, the majority of my colleagues were people with years of professional experience and they needed the Master’s to further their various careers. On the other hand, Oladimeji, fresh from BSc school, went straight into a Master’s programme that had heavy reliance on applications to the industry or social sector. Therefore, anytime I felt inadequate, this was my coping mechanism; to (re)assure myself that there is always that room for improvement.
To conclude, I got a hold of the programme, had an aggregated distinction in my course works and was lucky to have a thorough and refined guide in Dr Hanna B. as my dissertation supervisor. My London lifestyle was not one to envy, as I never had a social life (I had some things going on aside from school commitments). I, notwithstanding, connected with a lot of phenomenal personalities—both in my accommodation and on school premises. They all, in turn, added meaning to my London experience.
Getting into Cambridge
Back in November 2021, I was still battling the dilemma: to either go with academia or industry. It was a tough phase in my life, and for the first time, I understood what it meant to “lack direction”. The pros of one choice were the cons of the other, or so they turned out. I reached out to mentors and the numerous advice conflicted—sadly. Eventually, one day in early November, I composed a comprehensive message which I sent to those whose advice I direly sought, stating that I have decided to pursue industry. They all wished me well, except one person: Prof. Tayo Otubanjo of Lagos Business School.
On that memorable Sunday morning, Prof. Tayo Otubanjo spent nearly three hours on the phone, elaborating on why I needed to rethink my decision and why that might not be the most ideal move yet. Going by Professor Otubanjo’s advice, I decided to give Advanced studies (Ph.D. studies) a serious thought. Albeit, I felt if at all I will be giving this a try, I would love to stay in London or England. Consequently, I told myself I will only apply to either Cambridge or Oxford. I checked Oxford and they weren’t offering the specifics I wanted. I checked Cambridge and it seemed all perfect. That kicked off what is to be my rough, drilling, and exasperating journey to Cambridge.
At Cambridge, the course deadline for my program was already approaching, but I had just resolved to apply to Cambridge. I was hard-pressed for time, for I needed certain essentials; a very strong and competitive research statement, a world-class purpose statement, bespoke recommendation letters, academic CV and other supplementary materials. I could easily lay my hands on the supplementary materials but the big challenge was coming up with a research statement and SoP within 10 days to the course—and funding—deadline. I could submit in early January, I observed, but that would automatically deprive me of a chance at the funding/scholarship competitions, so I was in a race against time.
I crafted a statement of research interest whose topic was inspired by one of the classes I had had a week before. I reached out to Prof. Tayo Otubanjo, Dr. Ogechi Adeola, (both of LBS), Jake Okechukwu Effoduh of York University, Canada (also an Oxford alumnus), Dr. Yusuf Adeneye of Universiti Malaysia Kelantan, and a senior colleague at UCL, Shuaib Jalal-Eddeen. All of these people were very supportive and took time to painstakingly go through each line of my statement. It was a very difficult period, as I had to go back and forth so many times, just to make sense of and harmonize all of their views. It was more difficult, considering I was just settling into a new environment and had my program lectures and course works to attend to.
Eventually, 3 days to the deadline, it looked like all was set. But I needed to get my recommendations. I reached out to Professor Olanrewaju Fagbohun (Immediate Past Vice-Chancellor, LASU), Professor Tayo Otubanjo, Professor Matthew Abata, and my undergraduate research supervisor, Dr. Ayobami Elegunde. They took time to help craft very comprehensive recommendation letters and they acted just in time to beat the established deadline of December 1 (2021—remember?). Then, the waiting game began!
Two weeks later, I got information that rejection emails have been sent out to applicants by the department. I was like, “so fast?” I checked my email and was hugely relieved not to see any notification. I told myself, “Oladimeji, it seems you scaled through this first phase.” In late January 2022, I got an email from Cambridge, stating I was shortlisted and so invited for an admission interview. I was apprehensive. I did two things: I went to the departmental page and checked for current students. I got their email address and sent a tailored email to each of them, requesting for guidance and the possibility of having a chat/mock session with me. A few of them responded with some written insights via their emails, while a particular lady, Andrea Wessendorf, scheduled a Zoom session with me and gave me very appreciable insights. I read relevant materials I could lay my hands on. Again, it looked like all was set—of course!
The interview day came and it was with a Professor at the Cambridge Judge Business School. The interview lasted about 30 minutes after which I wasn’t too sure if I had done well or not (I guess this happens to everyone). I committed it into the hands of God and looked forward to further updates. Exactly a week later, I got the good news: I have been given admission. I was overjoyed and did not hesitate to share the good news with those actively in the process. This was especially pleasing because the MPhil program (Pre-PhD) only admits on average 10-12 students from across the world, so it was a big deal for me. But there lies another dilemma: Funding!
It was when I got the admission that I began to have bigger concerns: how do I fund this admission? I was more worried considering how difficult it could be for applicants in my field (Management Sciences). I looked at the University Composition Fee (UCF) and it read £45,109 — about 35 million Naira! “Where do I get that from?!” I was worried and disturbed. Necessity being the father of invention, I had to begin the needful search for funding.
The Unexpected Good News
On a Friday afternoon in mid-February, while I prepared for school, I got a notification from Gates Cambridge under the Cambridge Trust, stating I was shortlisted for the Gates scholarship interview. I was overjoyed! “This is massive news,” I told myself. I inquired further and found out that I was among the finalists for the scholarship. I, a finalist? Amongst all of the highly competitive admission holders in Cambridge? Okay! I reached out to previous winners to get guidance and they were all congratulating me—I had thought to myself, “I haven’t gotten this scholarship yet, why all the congratulations?” They made me understand that it was a big deal. And that only the most competitive applicants are shortlisted amongst the most competitive offer holders from each department.
I was told it would be a physical interview, implying I had to travel to Cambridge from London. I reached out to previous winners or current students at Cambridge and they were very helpful. Here is where I would love to thank Cynthia Ngozi Okoye, Chika Ezeugwu, Segun Afolaranmi, Ariel de Fauconberg my dissertation supervisor at UCL, Dr Hanna B. my personal tutor, Onya Idoko, PhD, Dr. Matthew Davies, Mara Torres Pinedo, and every other person that was involved. Segun was kind enough to have received and housed me that Monday morning at his accommodation in Homerton College, from where I proceeded to lodge in the facility provided for me by Gates Cambridge, later that evening.
Arriving at the interview venue, I was shivering within me. The pressure was just so enormous because I knew within myself that my immediate career plans, in a way, are reliant on the outcome of this interview. I gathered it is a “50:50” outcome and that if you get a NO, it doesn’t mean you are not good enough, but they just had to pick one person. I told myself “no” should not be an outcome, as that will be very devastating. I was called into the interview room, where I met a panel of three intellectuals. The exchange lasted about 20 minutes, after which, with a smile, they ushered me out of the room. Within myself, I was convinced I did well and so looked forward to the feedback.
The Fatal Email!
I had the Gates scholarship interview on Tuesday and was told there is usually a quick turnaround time for decision notification. Expectedly, the results should be out before the end of that week. On Friday, April 1, 2022, of the same week in which I had taken the Gates scholarship interview, the much-awaited email came through. I saw the notification and without checking the content, I smiled and was thinking of what my reaction would be in any of the two outcomes. I couldn’t fathom anything. I opened it anyway and my eyes were quick to see a statement which read “I am very sorry to let you know that…” Oh shit! I was devastated; it seemed like my whole life got shattered, such heartrending news. Immediately, I cancelled all my engagements for that day. I laid on my bed, looking at nothing in particular, short of words, trying to make sense of what had just happened — nothing was making sense to me at that moment. I closed my eyes tightly, and as if shutting them tightly wrung out the tears I had forced back, drops of tears freely gave way to gravity on my face. Just in that split moment, I stood up, “life happens!” Movement!
Admittedly, I fell, with my back helplessly on the floor, depressed, but I knew I wouldn’t stay on the ground for too long. I couldn’t. At that point, Gates was my only scholarship option. Like quicksand collected in the palm of a child, I was starting to see Cambridge gradually slip through my fingers. I wouldn’t let it. I couldn’t! I began to search rigorously for other scholarship options; “I’ve got a choice”, I must have told myself. I took the courage to email my department, explain my situation to them, and get advice on effective steps to take next. Believe me, this singular, last-minute decision to email my department turned out to be one of the most significant steps I ever took on this journey.
I wrote the department’s administrator, stating how I was shortlisted for Gates Cambridge, but unfortunately couldn’t make the final class. Her response was all I needed to brighten up my day and keep my hopes alive. She wrote with precision, “I can assure you that you were our top nominee from the MPhil ISO, unfortunately that competition is managed centrally by the University Trust, and we recently learned that none of our nominated incoming MPhils were awarded the CGT, which was surprising considering that we have the highest admissions requirements for our programmes. If you have already been allocated a College, I suggest you ….” I got just what I needed in her response, “you were our top nominee”, and I clung tightly to it. Okay! Good starting point.
Then, I analyzed what she wrote. The implication was that I was the department’s most competitive candidate, and if there would be any scholarship on offer at that level, I would get priority consideration. It was news that spurred mixed feelings in me. On one hand, I knew I was very competitive, but on the other hand, of what use is being very competitive without funding to show for it? I was pretty worried. She asked me if there were any other scholarships I had come across, saying the department would be willing to send a supporting statement to complement my application. I promised her I would revert, then I started another round of research on possible scholarships.
It happened that I eventually came across two likely scholarships: The Rowan Williams Scholarship and Standard Bank Africa Chairman’s Scholarship. For the first, it was for students from crisis-prone areas, and I wasn’t too sure if Nigeria fitted well into that category. The second was to be given to three Africans with admission offers, with the condition that they must have selected Magdalene College at the point of application to Cambridge, and that they must be going for a course within the professional management framework. I felt I could shoot for the Standard Bank scholarship but these two conditions gave me sleepless nights.
Firstly, at the point of applying, I didn’t possess any information on funding. So, I wouldn’t have thought about picking Magdalene College as my first choice. Secondly, at the time, the course I was going for was research-based as opposed to professional. As a result, these two conditions posed a serious challenge. Nevertheless, I kept my fingers crossed. I communicated these two options to the department’s administrator and kept waiting. To play safe, I submitted an application for The Rowan Williams scholarship, to broaden my chances of getting one. The Standard Bank Scholarship, on the other hand, did not require making a separate application. Rather, the Cambridge Trust was to evaluate all Africans with offers and select three candidates whom they felt are most suitable.
I tried reaching out to past winners of the SBAC (Standard Bank African Chairman’s scholarship). They were all positive. One thing I was doing as all of these unfolded was keeping those involved in touch. I was always updating my department, my prospective supervisor, and mentors on the situation of things. At some point, I began exploring the option of getting a student loan to finance the offer, as I didn’t want the opportunity to slide away. But on a second thought, I wasn’t really buying the idea.
At noon on Thursday, May 5, 2022, I went to the salon to get a haircut. At least, if things are not clear yet, I should look good meanwhile. With the barber’s finishing touches put on me, I checked my phone and saw that I had a new email waiting in my notifications. I tapped to view the email and my reaction went wild at the salon. It read: “Offer of a Standard Bank Africa Chairman’s Scholarship — Mr. Shotunde Oladimeji”. I shouted, I leaped for joy. I said, “yes!” Finally! It marked an effective turning point and I sang exhilaratingly, as I rode on my bicycle from the salon back to my accommodation. The energy with which I rode the bicycle on this day is something I may never find again. Almost immediately, I became relieved, I cried—who knew there was a pleasurable way to cry?!—and in a way, I understood why the Almighty wanted me to go through that phase; He wanted me to appreciate it better, and not feel like I could always have my way with things.
The Distinction Headache
With admission and funding sorted, it yet seemed like everything was not perfect. I was told that I need to ensure I graduate with a distinction from my Master’s at University College London, to further confirm my admission into Cambridge. At that time, I had seen some of the module results and was on a distinction, but I was yet to conclude my dissertation. It became more concerning for me because the dissertation carried 50% of my entire program. On that premise, my dissertation supervisor at UCL had to send a very weighty letter, stating that with what she has seen so far, I am a distinction candidate. My department at UCL also had to send a statement to support this premise and that was how I satisfied the distinction requirement.
The Commonwealth Scholarship Scar
With admission, funding and distinction requirements now sorted, there arose another challenge I hadn’t foreseen. It was the condition surrounding the first scholarship I got—the Commonwealth Shared Scholarship. The scholarship requests beneficiaries to return to their respective countries to contribute to its advancement, which of course, is the reason why they spent such huge money on a scholar in the first instance. For me, my situation was quite peculiar, because, irrespective of where one hailed from, an applicant cannot directly apply for a Ph.D. at Cambridge, one needed to have gone through the MPhil route first.
My commonwealth programme officer positioned that on the premise of the degree; they might not be able to issue me a leave to remain. I presented my case and explained the peculiar nature of the institution, but they weren’t convinced. There was a lot of back and forth. Eventually, I had to get a letter from Cambridge, before I could get the pass from the Commonwealth Secretariat. Indeed, it was a journey, with each phase marking a bridge to cross and a significant milestone to accomplish.
Firstly, I want you to know you will never have it all figured out. In the midst of the confusion and career uncertainties, all you need to do is pick one of the alternatives and pursue it like your entire life depends on it. Every other thing will align naturally at the end of the day.
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At the end of the day, no matter the volume of mentors and advisers you have, ultimately, you will be the one to make that decision. Here is where you need to build an ability to have deep convictions, even when the path isn’t clear just yet.
Learn the act of “emailing”—it has saved me countless times. You should read on email composition, follow-up, word usage, sentence construction, etc. That email you plan on sending will not hurt you.
Build resilience. The twists and turns from the story above wouldn’t have been one to navigate if it weren’t for resilience and persistence. A random person would have easily been discouraged at some point, but the ability to keep knocking, putting every barrier to bed as they surface is what makes you phenomenal.
You need to make yourself accountable to someone or a group, as you attempt to soldier through the vicissitudes of life. For every decision I make, I am privileged to have people I could always be accountable to in my corner. Here is where I will—again—thank all the personalities listed earlier in this article. Also, I extend very deep appreciation to my brother, Babatunde Shotunde, for being there all the way through. I thank the Career Stars (Pelumi Olugbenga, Kehinde Adebiyi, Oludayo Abiona, Taiwo Adebiyi, Habib Ogunyemi) for their reassuring words; Sarah Oladejo, for her presence all through that phase, and Fuhad Ogunsanya for his concern.
Finally, getting to attend two of the world’s best universities is a privilege I am forever thankful for. However, I affirm that this is not because I boast of a particular level of intelligence, but rather because the universe has a way of rewarding individuals that genuinely advance humanity’s cause. A substantial part of my life has been devoted to humanity, not because I am short of priorities, but because I understand cause-and-effect relationships and how my actions, no matter how insignificant, can have a multiplier effect on the world. It is on this premise that I charge readers to genuinely advance humanity’s cause because the universe will conspire to reward you someday.
All said and done, the University of Cambridge is the next stop and I look forward to the challenges and opportunities it promises. On a more personal note, I truly acknowledge that now is where the real task lies, for life is a lifelong race and I pray to be braced for it.
Oladimeji Shotunde.
