Adewale Babatunde is a 24-year-old graduate of the University of Lagos, who obtained a B.Sc in Petroleum and Gas Engineering with a CGPA of 4.90/5.0, finishing as the second best graduating student in his class and with several undergraduate scholarship awards. He was born and raised in Surulere, Lagos State, and is the second of three children in a family of four. Adewale is currently undergoing the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme as an Operations Trainee at Montego Upstream Services Limited where he learns from and contributes to the planning and execution of contracted field projects pertaining to drilling support. Other than constantly seeking out opportunities to volunteer for impactive initiatives, he enjoys playing football, watching movies, and reading fiction novels. Adewale found out about MT Scholarships on a WhatsApp group chat and is excitedly grateful for the opportunity to be able to apply to schools in the US with graduate programs that align with his career interests, and consequently be on the path to achieving his short- and long-term goals in academia, private sector, and public service.

I am a graduate of Information Technology with a First-Class Degree from the Department of Information Technology Federal University of Technology Minna, Niger State.  I am passionate about software engineering and behavioral biometrics. I have industry experience in elicitation, analysis, design, implementation, integration, deployment, and maintenance of software projects.  I am determined, and goal-driven, building progress toward project milestones, quality assurance, and on-time delivery. In achieving these qualities I believe in being patient and willing to learn new things and unlearn old ones where necessary. My hobbies are playing board games and teaching. I believe my academic background, innovative nature, industry experience, and deep passion for learning would provide me with the credentials needed to thrive in my Ph.D. in the US

I grew up in a family of four including my mother and my siblings. We worked very hard to make attending school a reality and this has imbibed in me hardwork, perseverance and hope. From a young age, I had cherished nature at a deeper level. I always wanted to know why the physical world worked as it did. This passion drove me to the sciences and I attended Command day secondary school Ojo, Lagos and went on to study physics at Obafemi Awolowo University. The same passion burns in me today and I seek to expand my experiences and develop acumen by pursuing a PhD. My interests outside of science and nature are watching football and playing video games. I am grateful to God Almighty, for his mercies endureth forever.

My name is Chilaka, Jonathan Nzubechi  and some of my friends call me "jonadium". I hail from Ezinihitte mbaise LGA in Imo state and I am the first of 3 children. I was born and raised in the commercial city of Aba, Abia state Nigeria where I also had my primary and secondary education.  In 2018, I obtained a BSc in Chemistry with First class (Hons) from Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, and had my name added to the Dean's Roll of Honour. As a first generation graduate in the family, obtaining a BSc was a big achievement but my goal is bigger than a BSc. I would love to continue my graduate studies in the field of Chemistry with research interest in organic synthesis.  My dream of getting into graduate school in America came to a halt because of the funds needed to take the English proficiency test, Graduate record examination and make other documents available. Coming across the Michael Taiwo Scholarship advert on a group “First Class Leaders Network” I looked up the website - mtscholarships.org , and I could sense a panacea to my challenges so I did not hesitate to apply because it promises not just the provision of funds for the necessary tests and application fees but also mentorship from scholars who have first-hand experience of the challenges and limitations that come with pursuing graduate studies abroad. And with this scholarship, my dream has been resuscitated. Having scaled through the tough hurdles of getting a degree from a Nigerian University, I have no iota of doubt that I will do well in my graduate studies abroad. Besides academics, I sing, I love football and I am a big fan of Chelsea FC.

My name is Chime Chukwudalu, everyone calls me Chime (a lot easier to pronounce than Chukwudalu ). I am 25 years of age, born and brought up in Lagos, although tertiary education took me to the Eastern part of Nigeria. As a result of spending much of my life in Lagos, I understand Yoruba, albeit cannot speak it fluently, I understand and speak Igbo fluently and can also speak a smattering of Hausa, French and German language. I am the first son and second child in a family of seven children. I have a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO) where I graduated as the best student in the Automotive Engineering major. Presently, I am rounding off a Masters degree program in Petroleum Engineering and Project Development at the Institute of Petroleum Studies (IPS Uniport), supported by Total E&P Nigeria Limited. My hobbies include light weight body building, reading, creative arts and solving business case challenges. During my undergraduate education program, I was part of a team that developed an online platform for the solution of student’s accommodation problems in FUTO, this solution went on to win second place at the Student Innovation Challenge (SIC) Regional competition in 2018. I also led a team that placed among the top 15 venture entries in Nigeria at the Nigerian Oil and Gas Technology (NOGTECH) Hackathon 2020. The Michael Taiwo scholarship will help me foot the bills for graduate program applications in the US and Canada, enabling me to focus on attaining the necessary requirements for securing placement at the best graduate schools in the world. I initially found out about the Michael Taiwo scholarship via a thread on Nairaland. I am really passionate about energy, leadership and public policy. There are graduate programs that bridge these important areas and I plan to go for them, take for example; MIT’s Technology and Policy Program, Carnegie Mellon’s Engineering and Policy Program, etc. I plan to come back to Nigeria, launch a world class startup company in the Energy space and take up public leadership/service in due course. I think I would be successful in the US because of a strong drive to make the best of every opportunity I get. Where I am from, opportunities are never wasted; there is only one direction and that is forward.

I’m Daniel Yahya, born and raised in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria. I’m fluent in both English and Yoruba, and I’m the second child with two siblings. I am currently on my National Youth Service Corps Program at Ove Arup and Partners Nigeria Limited. I’m a first-class graduate of the University of Ibadan, and I graduated as the best student in the Faculty of Technology, University of Ibadan. I love music, and I enjoy playing the piano. Also, I like playing football and table tennis. I got to know about this scholarship through a friend that sent me the link on WhatsApp. I intend to further my studies in civil engineering, majoring in structural engineering. To acquire enough knowledge and skills in my field of study, I plan to obtain a Ph.D. degree.

Edith Muolokwu is the first child of a family of seven(7) and hails from Anambra State, Nigeria. Born in Bauchi State,she grew up within three states in Nigeria including Bauchi, Anambra and Rivers state. She obtained her bachelor in Pharmacy degree from the prestigious University of Port Harcourt, Rivers state, after which she proceeded for a one year internship program at the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control(NAFDAC). Afer her internship program, she partook in the one year mandatory national youth service where she served at St. Catherine's Specialist Hospital, Abuja.  During her youth service, she started pursuing her dreams of going to a graduate school in the United States. During the process, she came across a friend currently undergoing his PhD program in the United States who told her about MT Scholarship. She is a co-founder of GHACAF- Give her chance Africa foundation where she functions as the international missions coordinator. GHACAF, a Non-Profit organization that aims at supporting persons infected or affected by HIV/AIDS and cancer through the provision of free drugs and testing services. The foundation has been operating successfully since 2019 and has expanded services to include the provision of fundamental knowledge on human rights, especially to women within the rural communities. Her graduate studies plan is to equip herself with the right tools and skills required to positively impact Nigeria’s pharmaceutical Industries  and the world at large with her broaden knowledge on Drug Delivery Systems as well as Gene therapy . Upon graduation, she plans to first bring the knowledge back home to her country to consult for pharmaceutical firms in the area of drug delivery systems. In addition to the Non-Profit organization, she runs a functional health blog and a YouTube channel, where she give tips on how to study abroad e.t.c. Her hobbies includes Research, volunteering, studying, filming  and photography.  

Ikenna Abara, or "IK" as his friends call him, is the first child of three boys; he comes from Mbaitoli in IMO State. He grew up in Lokoja, Kogi State; that is also where he was born on the 7th of September 1995. Ikenna Abara comes from a humble background, growing up in a single-mother household since he turned 7. Ikenna speaks Igbo natively, English to a very advanced level and German to a professional level. His interests include Volunteering and community service, learning languages, technology and pro sports.   He went to Michael Omonogun Memorial Nursery, Primary and Secondary School. During his ultimate year in secondary school, he was awarded the award as the second best student in the core sciences. Due to Ikenna's flair for Math, he chose Electrical and Electronics Engineering as his Undergraduate course and got into the program at the University of Ilorin's Faculty of Engineering and Technology. He was a very consistent student maintaining his rank in the top 5% of his class from his first year till his final year and ultimately graduated with a First Class Honors as the fourth best student in his department. During his time at the University of Ilorin, he was introduced to the world of Engineering, Technology and Computing. This exposure instilled a passion and love for Engineering and Technology in him, and he craved a deeper and broader knowledge and understanding into this remarkable field,  hence he decided to pursue a research program in the US.      Given that the US is a major hub for Technological advancements with research colleges at the forefront of modern research, Ikenna believes that obtaining an advanced training under a strong research-focused school in the US will broaden his knowledge immensely and place him strategically at the forefront of modern technological advancements.     Research-wise, Ikenna is interested in investigations into improving the performance and energy-efficiency of novel parallel computer technologies. The main stimulus for this was the ever-increasing need for high performance computers that will find applications in Artificial Intelligence, Genetic Algorithms, Biological Synthesis, e.t.c. After college, he intends to work in a National Lab or a game-changing industry to continue developing his flourishing career by harnessing the knowledge and research skills acquired during his graduate program to offer solutions to the plethora of challenges faced in the technology sphere and extend the research works in the area of Computing and make significant contribution in promoting technical progress in this field.

Imaobong Tom is a 25 year old female, from Akwa Ibom state who resides in Lagos state. She is the 3rd child of 4 children and the 2nd girl of the family. Her hobbies are reading novels, volunteering, listening to music and travelling. Imaobong is a first class graduate of Petroleum Engineering from the University of Uyo, Akwa-Ibom state. She graduated as the 2nd best student in her department with a CGPA of 4.67/5.00. She was placed on the university's honours roll for 2 consecutive years as a result of her academic achievements. Outside academics, Imaobong spent her time in the university volunteering for the society of Petroleum Engineers, which earned her the Girl in Stem leadership award in 2018. Imaobong aspires to pursue a Master’s degree in Petroleum Engineering, after which she intends to get a job and make meaningful contributions to the energy industry. She is passionate about education and hopes to contribute to improving Nigeria’s educational system.

My name is Samagbeyi Oluwagbeminiyi Ayowolemi. I am 23 years of age, born in the city of Gbagada, Lagos, Nigeria which also happens to be where I have spent the bulk of my life. I am fluent in English language, intermediate in Yoruba. I’m presently wrapping up my youth service in Okeho, Kajola local government, Oyo state, where I teach senior secondary school students Mathematics at my primary place of assignment. When I’m less busy, I love listening to podcasts, reading newspapers, and going on long saunters in the cool of the evening. I recently graduated from the department of Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Lagos, where I was awarded the Dean’s prize for finishing with a first-class degree. I was privileged to be a recipient of various scholarships during my 5-year journey some of which include; the MTN Foundation STSS, FSB undergraduate scholarship. I intend to pursue a Ph. D program in Environmental Engineering with specialisation in soil and groundwater remediation. This is an important step in my desire to return back to the classroom, albeit at a faculty level, to not only train the next set of world changers but to inspire the seed of greatness in the mind of the teeming youths.

My name is Oluwatofunmi Oluwatomiwa Adeniran. I am 22 years, born in Lagos state, Nigeria but spent most of my time, growing up in Ibadan, Oyo state. I speak English fluently and a little of Yoruba and French. I was born into a family of 5, the second child amongst three children. I currently work as a Data Engineer (a graduate trainee position) at Cirrusage. I enjoy reading, playing board games and learning how to speak French. I studied chemical engineering at the Obafemi Awolowo University and graduated with First class honours. I finished as the best graduating student of my department in the 2018/2019 session. I was honoured with an award by the American Institute of Chemical Engineering (AIChE) as the best sophomore in the session 2015/2016 (DONALD F. OTHMER SOPHOMORE ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AWARD). I also received the OLU AWOYINFA’s award for graduating as the best in my class. I intend on attaining a doctorate degree in a top institution which I believe will provide me the opportunity to pursue my interests in chemical engineering in depth and provide a platform for me to invest in my future. I plan on pursing a specific interest (Renewable Energy) in chemical engineering. After my doctorate, I intend to function as a research process engineer in the Energy Industry. I graduated as top of my class because of my perseverance, my disciplined upbringing, and my penchant for studying in-depth, with these qualities I am certain I will be successful in graduate school. I found out about the Michael Taiwo Scholarship through Social Media (Whatsapp and LinkedIn precisely and I would definitely love to learn to swim.

Opeyemi Ajibuwa is a first-class graduate of electrical engineering from the University of Ilorin. He was born and raised by his grandparents in the city of Ilorin. Since graduating from the university in 2016, he has obtained practical experience across various industries in Nigeria. He affirms the experience and exposure he has gained while working reignited his interest in active research. His interest areas are wireless communications, networking and cybersecurity, where he hopes to contribute significantly by getting a PhD from a reputable school in the United States. After his studies, he plans to work as an industrial researcher in a leading organization to help build the next generation of wireless networks and mobile computing devices. He believes in living a quiet and pleasant, balanced life. He is an avid soccer and basketball fan, mainly supporting Liverpool FC and the Golden State Warriors. He also enjoys listening to contemporary music of different genres and loves creative designs. He got to know about the Michael Taiwo scholarships through a post on a WhatsApp group. He considers the impact of the scholarship a necessary ingredient to the realization of his studies plan. He is particularly keen on the mentorship and guidance provided through the MT scholarship. Based on this, he plans to continue the cycle by mentoring the next generation of scholars and entrenching the culture of excellence.

Osaro, Etinosa James popularly called Osaro4Africa is a 22-year-old graduate of the University of Lagos where he studied Petroleum and Gas Engineering and earned a first class honors with a CGPA of 4.85/5.00 where he bagged 6 awards and scholarships whilst being an active student leader and departmental President. Osaro is an impact tech engineer who believes that Nigeria can become a first world nation through technology and entrepreneurship. Osaro is also a firm believer in the power of knowledge and he actively works to improve his knowledge across various fields of study. Osaro was born and raised in Lagos and is fluent in English. Asides that he is ‘fluent’ in programming languages such as Python, R, JavaScript, Java etc., and is currently a software developer and Machine Learning Engineer in his NYSC Place of Primary Assignment. Osaro is an avid researcher and technology enthusiast whose dream is to obtain a PhD. His interests lie in Chemical and Petroleum Engineering with a fusion of technology (artificial intelligence and machine learning). Osaro came across Michael Taiwo Scholarship while doing his regular rounds of graduate school opportunities search, and he considers the scholarship as a very essential part of the journey to achieving his dreams. In his words, “this scholarship is enough motivation to achieve my dreams and I won’t let Michael Taiwo down”. Osaro also believes that the mentorship exercise in this scholarship will be pivotal to his career growth. After his graduate studies, Osaro plans to get his career started with full gear and on the long run, build leadership and technology institutes for learning in Nigeria. Osaro believes that he will do extremely well and be successful in his postgraduate studies in the USA whilst leaving a positive mark and making his country, his family and Michael Taiwo proud. On the lighter note, Osaro loves playing FIFA, football manager, and watching Lionel Messi play. He is also a music lover and cannot be seen without listening to high fidelity music.

Promise Ekpo Osaine is a first class graduate of the department of Computer Engineering. She attended University of Benin and became the best Graduating student of her department.  Being a Shell Scholar, she did her internship with Shell in 2018.  She also became the Secretary General of the Computer Engineering department.  In 2019, she became the Academic Coordinator of her campus fellowship as well as the secretary General of Engineering final year committee.  She was awarded by Glo and Huawei for academic excellence.   She has her HCNA ( Huawei Certified Networking Associate).  She is an IBM certified Data Science Specialist.  Her hobbies are playing piano, writing and networking.  She is the chief Content Creator and SEO expert of Tech Hallmark @ https://www.techhallmark.com/   Here, she writes about education, academics and Scholarship.  She also has a YouTube channel where she exposes her secrets on academic success and mentors others.   https://m.youtube.com/channel/UC2bAEFvIgKQz3Qefw-fX5hQ   She has a Mentorship platform where she mentors JAMB and  undergraduate students on secrets to pass examination All in all, she is passionate about motivating others to excel academically and exposing them to Scholarship opportunities. Connect via linkeldln  https://www.linkedin.com/in/promise-ekpo-osaine/  

Oladejo Sarah is a recent first class graduate of Microbiology from the Lagos state University, a 2019 Millennium Fellow and also an ambassador for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals advocating for SDG 6 and 13. I am known for my perpetual display of intelligence and excellence which has won me scholarships and awards such as the NNPC/TOTAL undergraduate scholarship award. I am 21 years old, an indigene of Ile-Oluji, Ondo state and the last born of six children. I love to read, sing, research and engage in community service. With the Micheal Taiwo Scholarship, I have a brighter hope of advancing my research interests in graduate school. After which I plan to work at the intersection of research and policy formulation to create a sustainable environment. I am bold, confident and capable of studying in conducive and less conducive systems. I am therefore flexible and adaptable to succeed outside the continent and can deliver intellectual demands that may await me.

Simisola Oloye is a 24 year old that was born and bred in Lagos, Nigeria. She comes from a family of 7 and is the second of 5 children. She currently works with the research and development department of a pharmaceutical industry. Simisola graduated with a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree from the prestigious University of Ibadan, Nigeria as the best graduating female student with a CGPA of 6.7/7 while earning distinctions in Pharmaceutical Microbiology and Social and Administrative Pharmacy. As an undergraduate, she enjoyed 2 national scholarships including the NNPC/Chevron JV Scholarship award. She heard about the MT scholarship from a friend on telegram who knew she had plans to apply to graduate school due to her interests in research. Simisola is grateful for this opportunity because she believes this scholarship would go a long way in ensuring that she applies successfully to graduate programs in the pharmaceutical sciences by covering her application fee costs as well as providing the necessary mentorship she require as she navigates through the application process and even her career path. After graduation, she hopes to become a research and development scientist in one of the big pharmas. While graduate studies abroad could be demanding and challenging, Simisola believes that she possesses enough grit and capacity to succeed. She is positive that her background training as a pharmacist has built her up for the challenges and demands of graduate school that she might encounter. For leisure, she loves to watch TV series, dance and have intelligent conversations with people. She is also passionate about education and loves to inspire people (especially women) to become better versions of themselves.  

Ogri, Tochukwu Elijah is 23 years old and comes from a family of six with four children (all boys) where he is the third child.  He holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering with a CGPA of 4.51/5 (First Class Honors), from the University of Benin, Nigeria. He has continuously pursued a high level of academic excellence in his field and a recipient of the MTN Foundation Scholarship for Science and Technology and other scholarships.   He is currently undergoing his National Youth Service Scheme at a logistics operations firm in Lagos. He is proficient in Python programming especially for data Science and machine learning.  He is fascinated by new discoveries and constantly seeking innovative ways to tackle the problems facing society. This has spurred him to aspire for graduate studies, which will provide him with a more in-depth understanding of his field and enable him to contribute to his society. He is interested in specializing in Thermal and Fluids Systems and after his studies; he hopes to apply the knowledge gained in solving the power and energy deficit affecting the Nigerian society. He is extremely elated to be a recipient of this amazing scholarship, which will allow him to achieve his goals for applying for postgraduate studies that would have not been possible due to the high cost of application fees for international students applying for graduate schools in the USA and Europe.  

Ismail, Usman Muhammad (also known as Usy) is a 22 year old graduate of civil engineering from Bayero University, Kano. He was born and raised in Kano state even though he is an indigene of Katsina state. He is the second among 8 siblings. Usman graduated with a CGPA of 4.89 out of 5 which was the best among graduating students 2018/2019 session. He was a recipient of PTDF local scholarship award and the NICESA award for the best student in the department of civil engineering. He is also in line to recieve the vice chancellors prize for the best graduating student in the university among other prizes which are awarded on the convocation day which is yet to hold. Usman is fluent in English language and Hausa language and can also speak Arabic to a lesser degree of fluency. He is currently serving his NYSC at Kano State Polytechnic where he is lecturing. Usman is also into poultry farming which he takes not only as an entrepreneurial activity but also as a hobby. He also served as a pupil engineer for a construction firm. He plays football and watch football if he is less busy. Furthermore, he likes reading articles on Qoura.com and Goal.com. Usman wants to further his studies in the field of civil and environmental engineering in a top university and luckily for him he found the MT annual scholarship as a pop up notification on his google browser. The fact that the MT annual scholarship not only ease the burden of paying standadized test fees but also provides mentorship to individuals made the scholarship all the more enticing to him. He believes that acing the GRE exams will help provide him with a straight path to a top university which is essential for his transition into the world of teaching, research and innovative invention. He believes with hardwork and dedication, he can make the best use of the technological advancements in the field of engineering in the developed world so as to acquire  high quality education which can help him to improve the welfare of his country, Nigeria.