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Adebayo Waidi Gbenro is the first winner of UW/H scholarship for students from low-income countries.
He always enjoyed his job as an accountant, so said Adebayo Waidi Gbenro; but at some point he felt he had to do more, to proactively initiate positive change – for people, for the environment, in the economy, politics and society. So he decided to further educate himself. Witnessing much misery in Nigeria, he wanted to do something so that people are better off.
With this in mind, he completed a Bachelor in economics and enrolled in online courses on topics such as leadership development, sustainable development, economic policymaking, NGO management, international communication, constitutional law or “how to change the world”. He passes on to school children what he has learned as an instructor in subjects like politics, government and economics. He opposes all kinds of repression in Nigeria and chairs the “Campaign Against Ignorance & Illiteracy” (CAII), a non-governmental organization which promotes democracy, good governance and human rights and fights illiteracy, prejudice, poverty and illness. He acted as facilitator and speaker in several events, TV and radio debates, also on BBC. He takes a stance in a wide range of issues: human trafficking, HIV / AIDS, brain drain from Africa, the political situation and elections in Nigeria, child prostitution, historical appraisal of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade, cultural diversity and “the society we want”.
The 37-year-old is the author of the textbook “Explicit Government”; he has instructed and advised future social innovators and environmental entrepreneurs in the online course “Takingitglobal – Sprout”. His essay on elections in Nigeria was shortlisted in the essay competition of the World Youth Movement for Democracy in 2007. In addition, he engages in political activities, first for the National Conscience Party NCP, today for the Accord Party AP. He has just started his Master in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) in Witten, supported by a UW/H Hochschulwerk grant of € 700 per month which exclusively targets applicants from countries with low per capita income.
“Underlying economy is always politics. And in politics, economy usually plays an important role. It is all interconnected, and all actors have to think about what implications for society their decisions cause. A society can only advance if you think it all together. That’s why I am so interested in the PPE programme”, says Gbenro. He is also much impressed by Witten/Herdecke University: „This is a place where students are expected and encouraged to think for themselves, where humans and humanity take priority. This is very important to me, and I believe this is the place for me.” He feels accepted in Witten: “People are friendly, hospitable and accommodating. I am doing well, although everything is and looks very different from Africa.”
Nevertheless, there is no doubt that he will go back to Nigeria, not least because his wife and his son of five months are waiting for him. “I wish to advance my country and use what I have learned and experienced here”, says Gbenro. “There is so much to do. It is a country with a lot of potential and natural resources. I believe there are many possibilities to improve things in Nigeria and in the world, and I want to contribute my share.”
But first, he plans to see and learn things in Witten which have occupied him for a long time, such as the reasons for disparities, e.g.: “Why are some countries rich and others poor? Why are some countries naturally endowed and backward and others who are not so endowed are prosperous? Why are there orderly transitions of government in some countries and this is almost impossible in other countries? And so on.” He hopes to find answers to these and many other questions in Witten.
Prof. Zweynert, academic co-convener of the Master in PPE, underlines that the programme thrives on the fact that it unites individuals from vastly diverging backgrounds and a wide range of countries who study together and learn from each other: “We are grateful to the Hochschulwerk Social Committee for giving Waidi Gbenro the chance to study in Witten. Actually this is a scholarship from students for students – Witten at its best!”
For more information on the scholarship see: www.uni-wh.de/international/wittenherdecke-scholarship-for-international-students/
Contact academic course conveners:
- Prof. Dr. Jens Harbecke, jens.harbecke@uni-wh.de or 02302 / 926-511
- Prof. Dr. Joachim Zweynert, joachim.zweynert@uni-wh.de or 02302 / 926-598
Adebayo Waidi Gbenro
Quelle: UW/H
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Adebayo Waidi Gbenro
Quelle: UW/H
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