The Time Difference Could Mess You Up; Please Pay Attention

                                                         Source: Google Images

By Macaulay Babajide Milton

In Mid 2014, I had lost two PhD opportunities:

(1) MACOMA Erasmus Mundus Scholarship to the University of Cadiz, Spain (lost as a result of poor internet network). 

(2) PhD offer from the University of South Australia (lost as a result of Ebola ravaging West Africa at the time).

2014 remains one of the most bitter periods of my life in terms of scholarship opportunities. I went on to lose 3 more other opportunities, totaling 5 in a single year! ☹☹☹☹

The 3rd PhD opportunity I lost was probably the most painful because it was all my fault. The errors I committed could have been avoided if I had been more careful.

Let me share the story briefly with you.

I had heard about the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme so I wrote to academics at the City University of Hong Kong (CityU) and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST).

Finally, I got responses from Prof. Wong (not his real name) of CityU and Dr. Cheng (not his real name) of HKUST. Dr. Cheng wanted me to wait one year before he accepts me as his lab was already full, so I went for Prof. Wong who showed more interest and availability.

I was really fascinated by the project he proposed as it entailed the use of titanium oxide to purify hydrocarbon-contaminated water. I got hold of several literature to update my capacity as I was not an Environmental Chemist but my previous study of petroleum hydrocarbon bioremediation had given me much confidence to proceed.

He told me to provide slides detailing my research proposal. I provided them as required, and he was very satisfied. Gaining his full confidence, I got the permission to proceed to the final stage which involved a Skype interview with the Science Faculty panel to ascertain my competence for the scholarship.

Learning from a previous terrible experience with MACOMA, I found a better place in Akure where I was lecturing at the time, with better internet network. I had practised on Skype earlier with a friend in the US and all went well. “This will certainly be different”, I said to myself.

2 days later, I received an email from the Admin officer of the Science Faculty scheduling the Skype interview time and date with me. I made a terrible mistake. She proposed a certain time, and in excitement, I was just responding, “I am fine with it. Absolutely.” It didn't occur to me that the time difference might be an issue.

After I had agreed to the time proposed and acknowledging it was perfect, I later realised from my calculations that it would be at 4.00AM Nigerian time. ☹☹☹ And I usually do not wake up until 5/5.30AM every day. I was bothered. Shockingly, nerviness did not even let me sleep, as I was awake all night.

When it was 3.45AM, I decided to put on my laptop and set my Skype ready for the “life-changing interview”. Suddenly, I saw a missed call from CityU with a message, “Hello Mr. Macaulay, we called you at exactly 3.00AM as agreed and you were not available. We tried again at 3.30AM and couldn’t reach you. The interview is now cancelled. Please accept our apologies."

Apparently, I had miscalculated the time difference and added an extra hour to it. While I was charging my laptop all night and had it shut, they had been calling me since 3.00AM.
By the time I opened my laptop at 3.45AM, I had missed them by 15 mins.

I had to send my sincere apologies to Prof Wong who didn't reply, for obvious reasons. 😭😭😭😭😭

I was broken yet again.

This time around, it wasn't my "village people". It was me! ☹☹☹☹

Please I beg of you, in this scholarship season, for those of you scheduling Skype interviews with Universities abroad, please feel free to propose a better time that suits you. They won't break your head. You will be surprised to find out how understanding they are.

Also, ensure you calculate the time difference more than once and be sure you have the right time in your head. To be on a safer side, just use Google and take note of the time displayed. Ensure not to mix things up.

Don’t be as careless as the Jendor in 2014. 😂😂😂You will thank me later.

Have a lovely week ahead.

Shalom.

Two Common Mistakes During Scholarship Applications

By Macaulay Babajide Milton

We are in the season of scholarship applications; therefore, I have decided to disclose TWO recurring MISTAKES that Nigerian scholarship applicants make, which I have constantly observed in the last 4 years.

Consider this as a FREEBIE on behalf of iLLUMANIA. 😊😊😊😊

Alright, let’s go.

1) THE USE OF INCOHERENT VOCABULARIES a.k.a ‘BIG BIG GRAMMAR’:

Biko, who una dey blow big big grammar for? U wan blow English for those who get the language? 🤣🤣🤣🤣 It's not going to help you o, especially when you don’t even know how to combine them coherently.

You can’t be doing ‘Patrick Obahiagbon’ in your Personal Statement or Scholarship Application forms? 😂😂😂😂 Who get time to dey open dictionary to crosscheck the meanings of your ‘unusual expressions’? Is it when a scholarship application reviewer has 100 applications to consider, that he will now pay attention to one confusing his medulla oblongata?

Abeg, keep it simple! Keep it concise and simple! Simplicity is the most appealing expression of intelligence – take note. Blowing big big grammar no go make them hail you o say u sabi speak English o.

Okay let us take for example, this paragraph below wey person send to me some months ago for review. It was drawn from a Personal Statement:

“I have been a well enthusiastic individual with dynamic ability in primary and general knowledge. Haven completed my secondary and tertiary education with good grades, it will be at reasonable interest to further my education with the essential availability within my capacity. However, after the information of highly persuasive and encouraging invitation of your foundation to participate in scholarship, I am enthusiastically ready to dive in. In this letter of intent, I will stipulate my penchant and verve and excitement and resilience to win. My neonate career requires a mega boost and your funding will provide me escalation to attain my dreams.”

Even though this paragraph above 👆👆👆👆 is not the worst I have seen, it was very badly constructed. It looked like the applicant was trying so hard to please the reviewers with too many adjectives and needless vocabularies wrongly positioned. Bikonu, you guys need to be very careful, mbok. Keep it simple. Simplicity is bae!

There are better and simpler ways of expressing the same paragraph, for example:

“I am a highly enthusiastic individual with an impressive adaptive nature. Having completed my first degree with excellent grades, I am inspired to advance my knowledge to postgraduate level, as I am so eager to satisfy my scientific curiosity. The opportunity of full funding for my postgraduate programme provided by your organisation, will help bring my academic dreams to reality.”

Can you see what I did there? The idea is the same, but it is better constructed; more comprehensive and even shorter in length (from 102 to 60 words), giving you enough room to mention other vital things.

Okay let’s look at the second common error.

2) APPEAL TO PITY/SPEAKING ILL OF YOUR COUNTRY:

Now this error here is a more common one compared to the first. Most applicants think that by revealing the magnitude of difficulties they face in their daily lives, the souls of the reviewers will be touched deeply; thus, improving their chances of winning. Na OYO una dey o!

You think reviewers will give you a scholarship just because you are suffering? Ah! Make I no deceive you, dem go just toss your application to one corner. EXCEPT THERE IS A SECTION OF THE SCHOLARSHIP FORM ASKING YOU TO DISCLOSE THE DETAILS OF YOUR FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES (e.g. as you have in the Mastercard Scholarship application form), YOU MUST NOT FOCUS ON IT.

Reviewers are after those who have the CAPACITY to COMPLETE a postgraduate degree abroad – a feat that is not a walk in a park, trust me. It is very challenging!!! So if you like, say you sleep under the bridge and eat only once a day; it won’t touch any portion of their soul.

Why?

Because scholarship sponsors are NOT NGOs rendering humanitarian services. They are looking for competent and talented protégés to arm with transferrable skills and valuable knowledge.

Therefore, what you should do is to MARKET YOURSELF – reveal what makes you better than other applicants. This is what will touch their hearts and convince them of your capacity to deliver if given the opportunity.

Don’t also make the terrible mistake of rubbishing your country.

Let’s take a look at another example below, from an applicant who sent his Personal Statement to me earlier this year:

“My desire to study Molecular Biology began when I realised that my country, Nigeria, lacks what it takes to make me a renowned Molecular Biologist. There is no stable power, no equipment, no resources, even many of my lecturers are unfit to deliver the knowledge. The environment is harsh and not conducive. We are forced to cram theoretical ideas with no practical display of how they work. It is annoying and frustrating to remain in my country to practice my dream course; hence, the application of a scholarship.”

While this applicant’s write-up above 👆👆👆 is clear and comprehensible, the person lacks tact! Putting down your country or lecturers in such a crass manner, will ruin your chances.

Some of you might say, ‘No, the person just revealed the truth and nothing more.’ Well, while I agree that there is a lot of truth in that paragraph, there are better ways of expressing it without being uncouth and irascible!

The fact is that many of these scholarship providers know the problems of your country better than you. This is why many scholarships are targeted at applicants from Developing countries. Therefore, stop telling them what they already know; just reveal to them HOW YOU HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BUILD YOUR COMPETENCE INSPITE OF THE HARSH REALITIES AROUND YOU.

I hope this my small contribution wey I take sama una this Sunday afternoon, make plenty sense? 😁😁😁😁

I wish una all the best!

For iLLUMANIA
(www.illumania.org)

If You Handle Failure Well, Success Will Be Within Reach

By Macaulay Babajide Milton

As most scholarship applications (e.g. MasterCard, Commonwealth and PTDF) have now crossed or approaching their deadlines, final decisions from scholarship sponsors are likely to be received by early/mid 2019. Therefore, I am led to reveal this truth in order to further prepare you in 2019.

Not all of you will receive great news, although I strongly hope a larger number of you will. For those of you who will receive rejection emails, your progress will depend largely on how you handle failure. If you handle the rejection well, success will be within reach. If you let it damage every molecule of determination within you, you might nurse the wound forever. You need to stay committed to your goal. You must never back down no matter what!

Today, I celebrate 2018 as a probable “miracle year” but did you know that 2014 was perhaps my most “terrible year” in recent times? Everyone has got their best moments and their learning moments, as there is always a lesson to be learnt from any negative event.
In late 2014, after I had lost 3 PhD scholarship opportunities (Erasmus Mundus, Hong Kong PhD Fellowship and University of Southern Australia Scholarship), I did not let the persistent disappointments dampen my morale.

I applied to my previous school (University of Greenwich, UK) for a PhD study in Insect Epidemiology (the aim of the project was to provide genetic evidences for the migration of white flies from the Tropics into the UK and the consequence on agriculture in the global North). The PhD candidate was expected to use genetic techniques all through the programme.

During the one-hour-long Skype interview led by my former MSc tutors, Dr. Claire Coote and Dr. John Orchard, I was asked to give an oral presentation of how I hoped to execute the project. In 15 min, I explained my proposed methodology, justifying the need for each step. I could see them looking quite pleased until Dr. Coote decided to ask, “Mr. Macaulay, have you had any previous research experience using genetic tools?” ‘Honestly, I haven't. But I am willing to learn. I believe this PhD study is an excellent platform to learn and develop professionally, if given the opportunity’, I replied.

She looked unsatisfied with my response and then added, “We are actually in need of a candidate with a prior research experience on molecular genetics as this PhD project needs to be completed in 3 years.” I tried convincing her but she wasn't having it. The only Professor on the panel seemed quite satisfied but couldn't make a decision on his own. So I was told to await a final decision. They interviewed 4 other shortlisted candidates for the position so it was a tough battle.

A week later, I received an email from the Professor explaining that they received 50 applications from across the world for the PhD position but only shortlisted the best 5 based on the strength of their applications. He then added that even though I performed better than the other 4 applicants, my lack of relevant research experience is of much concern; therefore, the panel agreed to re-advertise the position. He also suggested I reapply for the position. He then affirmed that if I emerge as the best in the second application call, I will be selected for the position. Honestly, I was shattered beyond words, and for obvious reasons, I didn't reapply.

I handled the rejection very well by springing back to my feet within a week. I kept trying other opportunities until I was selected for a PhD degree in Environmental Geochemistry and Geomicrobiology by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC).

Fast forward to 2016, I had just spent a year on my PhD at the University of Manchester (UoM), UK, and was invited by the CSC to the Cumberland Lodge London for a professional training on Development Impact. Interestingly, Dr. Coote and Dr. Orchard were invited to the event as guest speakers. At the end of their talks, I went to them, introduced myself and reminded them how disappointed I was 2 years earlier when they failed to believe in me. They were speechless. 😂😂😂

They claimed they were glad I didn't give up as UoM is a far better university and that they were proud of me. After explaining my research project which is focused on further understanding the factors driving arsenic release from subsurface rocks into drinking groundwater, they were just looking at me with no clue of what I was saying. 🤣🤣🤣🤣 Let me remind you that these were my former MSc tutors, indicating that I had gone ahead to specialise in an area totally different from my MSc field.

I left them feeling super proud of myself but didn’t leave without taking a picture with them of course (see attached). 😎😎😎

Failure or rejection must be handled properly in 2019, for it will largely determine what happens next to you.

Wishing you all the very best and may the odds ever be in your favour.

Amen.

Grateful To A Faithful God

 By: Macaulay, Babajide Milton

Born with a silver spoon in eighty-five.
Few years down the line, a misfortune threatened to extinguish the drive.
Nursed my dreams though struggled to keep them alive.
Cursed my weaknesses but it only made it more difficult to thrive.
Eventually, the Lord recharged me and I was revived.

Remembered days I couldn't get even gari to eat.
Walked long miles though not with my bare feet.
Malnourished, skinny; everybody noticed it.
Today I still wonder how I survived the red heat.
The Lord rescued me from the shameful pit.

I opened my eyes for the first time and my father named me Milton.
Don't be deceived, i'm very black-skinned, I don't hail from Britain.
Just like you, I've had my ups and downs, yet I had a dream that frightens.
Bill Clinton had his at fifteen, I had mine at nineteen.
I give thanks to my Lord for my burden He lightens.

Flew from Lagos to Heathrow three years ago without paying a penny.
Tears clouded my mother's eyes as I set out to begin the remarkable journey.
Despite alien to the cuisines served by the British Airways, I consumed everything 'cause they were yummy.
My life which was once losing its light, suddenly became sunny.
Oh Lord, your favour just never stopped running.

The intellectual battle in Britain was keen.
I almost bowed to defeat; thanks to the rush of adrenaline.
I held up my pride in green-white-green.
In the end, all my challengers had was a painful grin.
'Cause the Lord came down on my behalf as I've never seen.

It's amazing how one's life can rise from dust over high tides.
From the dark clouds of obscurity to uncommon glory-personified.
From the emptiness of nothingness to achieving a feat earlier mystified.
From a heap of devastating rejections to the receipt of a single mail that forever redefines.
Only the humble, the Lord qualifies!

The road to greatness first weakens, then strengthens.
If what you seek can be acquired cheaply, then it's value will lessen.
For every timely victory there's always a timeless lesson.
No matter how great you become; Never change your person.
Thank you Lord for making my life a blessing.

I owe Him a debt I would never be able to pay.
All He wants simply is praises all the way.
And I'd give it gladly till my very last day.
Even till I draw my last breath and my body decay.
Oh gracious Lord, what else can I say.

Some would think I wrote this to raise my shoulders.
But why would I want to inspire envy in others.
Envy leads to jealousy and jealousy breeds haters.
I wrote this publicly in honour of a faithful God who has sailed me across turbulent waters.
Interestingly, to my Lord this piece matters!

A man's time comes when God's promises are kept.
You may experience a delay but He never left.
He specialises in bringing desires to fruition at a moment best.
Therefore, never stop hoping, never stop dreaming, always keep trying like you'll never rest.
The Lord is watching; He never slept.

I've been investing my very best and even broke a jinx.
Yet, I knew I needed more than a First-class or Distinction, 'cause poverty stinks.
The struggle for greatness often reminds me that a weighty item sinks.
But am not scared guys, 'cause I'm July born #Winks.
Which might be exactly what the Lord thinks.

I'm very human, I make mistakes too.
Maybe more often than most of you do.
How I end up soaring, I have no clue.
A friend once told me to look inward that there may be something I used to do.
I've searched hard as hard as I could as if my mind is threatened by a coup.
I still don't know but I set big goals since it's not entirely my duty to make them come through.
And if you feel the favour is getting too much, perhaps it's the Lord you should sue.

With my impaired speech, I ended up as a public speaker - Nice!
With my finance limited, I ended up as a Commonwealth Scholar - Twice!
With my humble background, I ended up as a Judge to the Commonwealth Essay writers - Thrice!
Within a year, I ended up getting four awards from student bodies in FUTA - Super nice!
With the Lord on my side, the grace will surely suffice!

Gravity! Anything that rises must surely fall.
Laxity! Be carefree, what will be will be whether you are sharp or dull.
Sanity! Be realistic or else you'll achieve nothing at all.
Tenacity! No matter the logical limitation, you'll climb the tallest wall.
Deity! Ask the Lord for the hardest thing, don't waste the call.

"A PhD? but you're still young" - A friend's mutter.
Great minds don't rest, they push further.
Until there's nothing left to achieve their lives remain an opened chapter.
Now you know why I run my life daily on a personal charter.
And the good Lord has been my propeller.

Getting to this point in record time, to everyone is a shocker.
What next? Now that in my field I am a Master.
I preferred a new continent, the Americas or Asia.
But the Lord said, "Listen son, I'm taking you to a place much better."
...And it turned out to be Manchester!

I remain grateful to an ever faithful God.
#ThankYouJesus.

My Experience with Professor Yemi Osinbajo

Written on the 23^rd March, 2015 for Nigeria’s Presidential Election which was held on the 28^th March, 2015

Its 5 days to the Presidential Election in Nigeria and I believe this is the best time for me to share the personal experience I had with the Vice-Presidential candidate of the APC, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo.

In September 2010, I was in Lagos taking a deserving rest after the 5 year-marathon at FUTA studying Biology, a multi-disciplinary subject that sapped my mental energy completely when I came across the Excellence in Leadership Conference (ELC) hosted by DAY STAR Leadership Academy powered by the revered, Rev. Sam Adeyemi.

The programme was divided into sections based on about 5 core leadership areas. As a result of my undying passion for politics, I chose the ‘Politics session’ and found my way to the arena where we were to be seated waiting for the Guest speaker for politics. Few minutes later, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo was introduced, and I said to myself, ‘Oh, the former Lagos State Commissioner for Justice? Not a bad idea. Let’s hear what he has to say.’ I sat upright, rolling my pen in-between my fingers, listening with rapt attention and thrilled by the intellectual aura surrounding the guest speaker – I must confess! He had statistics in his head like a living computer system and was careful in the way he argued out his points in a clear, concise and unbiased manner. Suddenly, I felt like making him my political mentor because he was able to combine Academics with politics successfully (a feat I achieved in FUTA and a future I still envisage for myself. #Winks).

When it was ‘Question and Answer time’, I wrote my question quickly on paper on sent it down to him. We were about 500 in number seated at the politics section and a lot of people were sending in questions. As a result of time, the questions were thoroughly scrutinized before they were sent to the Professor. At some point, I thought mine would not scale through because it was politically sensitive but behold it did. ‘Sir, since PDP is the largest party in Nigeria and Africa, and indeed from your explanations, we need a competitive political space for our democracy to have some level of national benefits, how then do you think the monopoly of power by the PDP can be broken for the economic liberation of Nigeria?’, my question was read out loud! Everyone seated at the area burst into laughter on hearing my question because they knew how sensitive it was most especially for the fact that the programme was recorded.

The Prof. explained that a new formidable party (in terms of ideology and number) will have to be formed partly from PDP and also from other smaller parties but these members must agree firmly on the core values of the party so as to separate their ideologies from the existing PDP. However, he cautioned us that Nigerians are too used to ‘PDP’ and that any other party that will give PDP a run for her money must produce candidates of excellent characters to convince Nigerians for the need for a change in political taste to achieve a balanced diet of democratic nutrition’. The Prof. gave a very intelligent answer and got a round of applause in return. I’m sure he never knew that 5 years later he would be the Vice-Presidential candidate of the party he wittily described.

Professor Yemi Osinbajo, the current Vice-President of Nigeria

 

In December 2010, I was at the Redeemed Christian Church of God’s (RCCG) Holy Ghost Congress themed, ‘All will be well’. Behold, Professor Osinbajo was the Pastor anchoring the programme and I said to my elder brother, Macaulay Olubukola, that’s the Professor I was telling you about! I have been a member of RCCG since 1998 and I have lost count of the number of Holy Ghost Congresses I have attended. However, this particular one was special for many reasons. First, I was excited to see Prof. Osinbajo, my newly-found political mentor anchoring the event and secondly, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan was physically present. In fact, it was the Prof. who announced the presence of the President and invited him to the stage for a short speech. I’m sure the Prof. never for once thought that 5 years later he would join Buhari to contest keenly against Mr President mainly because the president was so loved by all. You need to hear the screams when he was about to mount the podium. I saw with my eyes millions of Nigerians raising their white chairs in the air and shouting, Jonathan! He had the oil of gladness upon his head and was anointed for victory even before the election. How then did he become so rejected in just 5 years? (The 2015 Presidential Election Opinion Polls says it all as he was unable to win any).

Now let me fast-forward the event to 2015! The day APC announced that Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, a Professor of Law and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), would be Buhari’s Vice-President, I was shocked to my bone marrows! I was Shocked not because he doesn’t deserve the position, but because I didn’t see it coming. I never knew that any political party in Nigeria could still be interested in choosing upright men, excellent in character, without any political blemish in their past. On announcing him as VP, PDP was in chaos for a while; didn’t expect the big punch thrown at them by the APC, carefully orchestrated by the Jagaban (Bola Ahmed Tinubu) whom everyone hates including me but the same man so hated, has produced two nationally-agreeable upright men (Prof Yemi and Fashola), let’s give him kudos for that despite his questionable character.

It pains me when I read some delusional comments that Prof. Osinbajo signed an agreement with the Jagaban to quit the VP office for the Jagaban to take over if APC triumphs in the elections. I just wonder why those who designed the propaganda for PDP could not do it sensibly and effectively despite been paid so much from our national treasury. Whew! The Prof. whom I have met physically and who also took permission from his spiritual leader, Pastor E.A. Adeboye before accepting APC’s offer, would never be involved in such a thing. I don’t need an evidence to know it! It’s like your referees asking you to provide a physical evidence for your good behaviour before writing you a reference letter. Of course it would be foolish of them to do so because they are expected to judge you by the character they have known of you and not by any paper evidence of any sort. In the same vein, I know this Prof. so well because I have followed him in the last 5 years and can vouch to a great extent for him. Even, Pastor Adeboye once visited Prof. Osinbajo’s parish at Banana Island mid last year and told him he is a man after his heart. Let’s assume that people can be fooled; True men of God cannot be fooled!

My support for this man (Prof. Yemi Osinbajo) is not because he is a senior pastor of my church or because he is a Yoruba man. My support emanated from my first physical contact with him in September 2010, a time when no human knew he would become a Vice-Presidential candidate of the APC! He stole my heart and remains my political mentor! I foresee a new government where Buhari will handle corruption matters and the supervision of governmental affairs whilst the Prof. will handle the administrative aspects that bother on the economy and development. Buhari’s firmness and anti-corruption disposition plus Osinbajo’s towering intellect and bright ideas are expected to be a rock-solid combo and a wonderful gift to Nigeria’s democracy. We do not know how their partnership will fare but believe me, it is a risk worth taking rather than supporting the continuity of a government that even succeeded better in the last 6 weeks than it did in the last 5 years. Now, tell me, you think such a rush in activity can be sustained for the next 4 years? Please Nigerians wake up!!! No one is saying that Buhari/Osinbajo is the messiah pair! All we are saying is that we need fresh legs in our political affairs. Fresh Financial Ministers to think of how to get us out of our current mess most especially how to rapidly solve the skyrocketing exchange rates. Our political space is in need of new ideas from other credible leaders as the current ones have honestly tried their best after almost 6 years in power.

Unlike our current VP, Arch. Namadi Sambo a.k.a Samboribobo, who is a shadow-cast of Goodluck Jonathan, I foresee an in-coming VP (Prof. Osinbajo), who would be more active in power! Even during campaigns, Sambo has been taking the back seat so what makes you think anything would change in this next 4 years? As for the Prof. he has been on his own tour, talking to people and even attended town hall meetings sharing the policies of the Party – This is a VP that looks more like it. The Al Gore type!

DEAR NIGERIANS LET US TRY BUHARI/OSINBAJO NOT BECAUSE A MIRACULOUS CHANGE WILL OCCUR BUT BECAUSE WE CAN HAVE FRESH LEADERS IN ASO ROCK TO RETHINK OUR SITUATION FOR US AND GET US OUT OF OUR CURRENT MESS AS THE GOVT CURRENTLY IN POWER HAS SIMPLY LOST IDEAS!!!!

THANK YOU.

 

 

 

 

THE UNBELIEVABLE FEAT

BY MACAULAY, BABAJIDE MILTON

 

I arrived at the Natural Resources Institute (NRI), University of Greenwich, United Kingdom, on the 18^th September 2012, through the Commonwealth Shared Scholarship and as usual, expected to graduate excellently after the one-year MSc study in Sustainable Environmental Management.


 

Three months later, I was utterly disappointed by the results for the modules I took in term 1. The writing style and the marking scheme were alien to me. I made an emphatic effort to improve but my scores kept hovering around a fixed boundary (between 65 and 68). It appeared so impossible to cross over to the 70s. At some point, I thought my lecturers treated me unfairly because I am black! Although, I must point out here that even the Caucasians amongst us experienced the same challenge.

There were about 12 students in my department offering different modules. Among them were 7 Commonwealth scholars (including myself) from Nigeria (2), Ghana (4) and Pakistan (1). Let’s assume I wasn’t working hard enough; What about other brilliant scholars studying with me? They also faced a similar fate which ruled out the possibility that my efforts were weak.

I never gave up! I kept hope alive and worked as hard as I could. I hardly had time for myself whilst some friends and loved ones were angry with me for not keeping in touch without knowing what I was passing through. After the results of all coursework were released at the end of term 3 (July, 2013), I was shattered and devastated! I needed the average score of 70 to make a distinction but sadly, I had an average of 64.5. I thought I had fallen out of favour with God! I had 50s in my academic essays, a potential strength I thought I possessed.

I picked up myself and looked at the last task I had (MSc Project) before the herculean journey would come to an end. I said to myself, ‘Even if I don’t make a distinction, I want to carry out a mind-blowing MSc project, one that would live after me’ then I started working as hard as I could. Through divine inspiration, I developed a novel oil spill cleaning mechanism in my project and never missed a meeting with my project supervisor (Dr. Deborah Rees - a wonderful woman).

The novel Bioslurping-Biosparging Technology for the cleaning of oil spills in the vadose and groundwater zones

Macaulay and Dr. Deborah Rees at the NRI, University of Greenwich, Medway campus, UK (September, 2013).

On the 12^th September 2013, my programme leader (Dr. Peter Burt) sent for me. On getting to his office, he told me that I had been awarded a Distinction! I was completely speechless! He said I scored 76 in my project which made my average leap to 68.5 (approximately 69). During the Progression and Award Board (PAB) meeting, the members decided to compensate my efforts with a Distinction! The last time the department produced an MSc Distinction student was in 2010.

Macaulay and Dr. Peter Burt at the NRI, University of Greenwich, Medway campus, Kent, UK (September, 2013).

 

I was yet to recover from the great news when he added another. “This year, we have decided to start a new award for the Best MSc thesis. I am happy to inform you that you are the pioneer recipient of the award. Congratulations!”, he said in excitement. Immediately, I was interviewed by a young woman who asked me a whole lot of questions about myself (where I grew up and what my life plans are) and ended up taking my picture with a signed consent of course.

The Best MSc thesis Award certificate

How I became an instant celebrity is still unbelievable to me. How could I have achieved such a beautiful feat without the help of God? I thought His grace had left me but today, I need no soothsayer to tell me I was very wrong! Actually, His grace just doubled in my life and this is just the beginning!!!

Macaulay's Award-winning MSc thesis

Lessons learnt:

(1) Never give up!

(2) Grace will always find the diligent!

The Nudity Syndrome

By Macaulay, Babajide Milton

Skimpy dresses don’t annoy me – hell no! I believe you ladies are adults; therefore, can wear whatever you like cause it’s up to you to define your personality. However, what pisses me off greatly is when I sight a lady dressed in a skimpy dress but looking very uncomfortable in it like she was forced to wear it.

If you want to wear pieces of cloths, wear it! If you want to dress half-naked, please go ahead! In fact, if you wish to go completely nude like Maheeda, feel very proud to do so! But, please don’t get to a public place and suddenly realise that you’re naked or show ‘regrets’ for wearing the ‘wrong’ dress! Don't be caught pulling down your extra-ordinarily short gown hoping it would suddenly elongate to your knees or using items such as hand bags, scarfs, sweeters  e.t.c., to cover the already-exposed private part of your pelvic region in a bid to appear decent! Ladies, please be man enough to take responsibility for your public actions and be proud of it, okay?! Spread your legs freely in public since you love ridiculously-short dresses; leave your twin headlamps dangling off their cages since you feel you must showcase your natural resources.

 

Next time, ask yourself if you’d be comfortable in that dress and in those heels before wearing them. Don’t get to your destination before thinking as it would be the most absurd and terribly foolish thing to do! No one says you must suffer in the name of fashion. These days I think fashion is also a victim; I sense the need to go nude is becoming psychological and establishing itself as a syndrome! I guess the intention of most ladies is to draw the attention of the opposite sex (or same sex for some of them – a topic for another day. Lol) or to ‘kill’ the guys they admire. Funny enough, none of these guys has actually ‘died’ ever since! As far as I understand, such ladies often end up as sex objects, sadly in the hands of those they cherish.

I will implore you ladies to start making better decisions that will not tarnish your personality, for your personality is what truly represents you in your absence! I don’t expect the guilty ladies to like this piece. Lol.. All the same, the information has been passed and I remain your naughty sweetheart!...#Winks!