*Photo: Milton Babajide Macaulay,PhD*
In September 2013, I returned to Nigeria after completing my Master’s degree in the UK and started looking for PhD opportunities almost immediately.
In early 2014, I came across a senior friend on Facebook in his 2nd year of PhD in the UK, fully-funded by the Commonwealth Scholarship. So I sent him a private message requesting for guidance on how to secure the Commonwealth PhD Scholarship too.
He replied:
“Since you won the Commonwealth Shared Scholarship for your Masters degree, you won’t be able to win any other Commonwealth scholarship again. This is because the scholarship is difficult to win, so they ensure that applicants win it only once to ensure others have a chance to win it as well. In fact, I have never seen anybody win the Commonwealth scholarship twice. I suggest you try other scholarships to fund your PhD dream.”
This response really broke my heart as the Commonwealth PhD Scholarship was one of the scholarships under my radar. I was even thinking the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC) will be happy to offer me another scholarship, after finding out that I performed excellently on my Masters which they funded.
So I asked him a question:
“Sir, this information you have that nobody can win the Commonwealth scholarship twice. Is this something you read on their website? If yes, kindly direct me to their page so that I can fully understand why.”
Then he got angry.
“Are you calling me a liar? Am I not a PhD scholar funded by the CSC? Who should know better, me or you? I am telling you what is happening, and you are still questioning me. This is the reason I hate replying messages on social media. If you already know the process involved, why are you coming to me for help?”
“I sincerely apologise, sir. Just needed more clarity. Didn’t imply that you are a liar, sir. Thanks for your time. Appreciate it a lot”, I wrapped up the conversation before it got out of hands.
But I had a strong conviction in my mind to still submit an application for the Commonwealth PhD Scholarship, so I did in late 2014.
To cut the long story short, I secured the Commonwealth PhD Scholarship in 2015 for my PhD study at the University of Manchester, UK.
When I got the positive email and was over the moon in excitement, I remembered this my Oga who claimed that nobody can win the scholarship twice.
I decided to make a screenshot of the email and sent it to his Facebook inbox because I can be petty. 😂😂😂
Bros read the message but did not reply me to this very day. 😂😂😂
So here are some lessons in this personal story of mine:
1. You can get bad advice from good people.
2. That someone is ahead of you doesn’t make him or her a potential mentor.
3. Some scholarship winners can still lead you astray.
4. Question everything you hear or read, even if it is coming from a respected individual.
5. Your life’s decisions should be solely yours to make.
Today, I don’t even know where Oga PhD advisor is. He probably now follows me on LinkedIn as a mentee now. 😂😂😂
That was an arrogant joke. I know. 😜
If I had listened to him, where would I be today?
Would I have won another scholarship?
Would I be stranded and have my PhD delayed?
I guess we would never know. 😊
We are a product of our choices in life.
Be daring today, make bold choices, especially when you know you have nothing to lose.
As always, I wish you all the best.
Cheers,
~ MBM