USAP Nigeria Profiles
Profiles for our Nigerian students are still coming in and we will update this page as they become available. Below we profile the students whose information we have on file.
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Chinomso Onyinye Ezeh
Smith College '16
Chinomso is the last of four children born to the Ezeh's family. She was born and brought up in Jos, Plateau State, which is situated in the north-central part of Nigeria. She completed her elementary education at Plateau Private School, graduating as the best student. She attended high school at St. Paul's Academy and during her time there, she excelled greatly in both academic and extracurricular activities. She represented the school in a good number of competitions at local, state, national and international levels, performing brilliantly in all of them and winning laurels. Also, she served as President for both the Drama and UNESCO Clubs at her school. In her senior year, she was also elected as the Deputy Senior Prefect (Girl) of the school.
She is currently undecided about her major, but she is interested in a few areas. Creative writing is one of her major interests. She plans to become a well-renowned writer and make positive impacts on society as a whole through her works. She is also interested in Economics because she believes that developing countries, like Nigeria, need more skilled economists who will be able to better manage their financial resources and use these available resources to improve the standard of living of the masses thus, reducing poverty level in the country. In addition to these, she wants to start a non-profit organization for brilliant Nigerian children whose families lack sufficient money to give them a good education. She is particularly passionate about helping financially disadvantaged intelligent children because she was, in some ways, also a victim of lack of finances, on the part of family, for a good education. And she has benefited from projects like non-profit organizations.
Driven by her zeal to succeed in a continuously changing world where success is not particularly defined, Chinomso strives daily to make sure that she accomplishes all her set goals because she is optimistic that she can contribute, no matter how irrelevant her contribution is considered, to making society a better place for the less privileged. She is currently in her first year at Smith College, and she is fully determined to make the most of her time there.
Perhaps, most importantly, she is entirely grateful to God and to USAP for giving her the opportunity to pursue her dreams and ambitions with a world-class education.
Gbolahan Adeola
Oberlin College '16
Gbolahan Adeola comes from Osogbo in Osun State, Nigeria and is the youngest of four children. His academic excellence was evident right from primary school, where he was appointed to be the Headboy in his final year, and he subsequently gained admission into Federal Government Academy, Suleja, a secondary school set aside for gifted students in Nigeria.
In secondary school, Gbolahan continued to maintain a stellar academic performance. He participated in the Maltina National Reading Competition in which he excelled and won thousands of Naira's worth of new books for his school library. He was also particularly acclaimed for his writing skill and he lent this talent to several activities in the school, including writing a play that was staged on the school's 'Mother-Tongue Day' and serving as an Editor for both the school's Press Club and the school magazine 'The Gifted Touch'. Gbolahan has also won prizes in several National and International essay competitions.
In 2011, Gbolahan was accepted into the USAP, and through it, he gained admission to Oberlin College where he plans to major in Economics and Creative Writing.
When Gbolahan isn't studying, reading novels or writing –he really enjoys writing, in case you couldn't already tell- he can be found watching movies….or writing harsh, grandiloquent movie reviews for fun.
Akenuwa Oghosa Honor
Washington and Lee University '16
Akenuwa Oghosa Honor is a first-year at Washington and Lee University, don't be surprised he didn't say freshman, his college believes that learning never ends and as such, there is no freshman, sophomore, junior or senior but first year and beyond.
He is the first of four children and was brought up in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria. He attended Deo gratias Primary school where he graduated as the best student, then went on to attend Word of Faith Group of Schools, Abuja where he graduated with both Academic and Extracurricular honors. He represented my school in a number of competitions returning with laurels. He served as the Head boy and time keeper during my stay there and was also the president of the Mathematics club.
He is currently thinking about majoring in chemistry engineering on the pre-med track, with an interest in Mathematics, Computer Science, Economics. He hopes to use these skills to help improve the state of healthcare and the overall standard of living in NIgeria, so the future generation be subject to what is facing Nigeria now . In addition to these, He endeavors to start up an air ambulance service as his way of giving back. He believes that since he benefited from the kindness of people like the USAP foundation, he must repay the favor. He currently engages in many activities on campus. He is a member of many clubs and organizations, and plays Intramural soccer for the International student Team.
He is most grateful to God and USAP for the opportunity they have given him to achieve my goals in life and giving help and encouragement when it seemed unlikely. He would also like to thank them for what they are doing for the others like him.
Gosife Donald Okoye
Sewanee: The University of the South '16
Gosife Donald Okoye hails from Nnewi in Anambra State, Nigeria and is the first of four children. His academic prowess has been evident even as a primary school pupil, where he represented his school in a myriad of competitions and brought much fame to his school, and where eventually he was appointed to be the senior prefect in his final year, and from where he subsequently gained admission into Federal Government Academy, Suleja, a secondary school set aside for the academically stellar gifted and talented students in Nigeria.
In secondary school, Donald continued to maintain an excellent academic record. He participated in various competitions and notably, the Federal Ministry of Education's Family Life HIV/AIDS Education debate in 2010 which he won and clinched the position of Nigeria's best debater for the maiden edition of that competition. He was particularly known for not only his academic and debating prowess, but also for his singing, acting as well as dancing capabilities, and he lent these talents to several activities in the school, including performing in the acclaimed play "birthdays are not for Dying" that was staged by the school's dramatic club, organizing several dances with which his school got many recommendations as well as being an integral part of the school's daily running as the dining-hall prefect. Gosife has also won prizes in several State, Zonal and National competitions.
In 2011, Gosife was accepted into the USAP, and through it, he gained admission to The University of the South where he is majoring in Biochemistry. He plans to proceed to medical school where he hopes to get a dual MD/PhD degree. As a college student, Donald has been an MUN delegate, and an officer of the Organization for Cross Cultural Understanding and the African and Caribbean Students Association as well as the Students for Life Association. At the same time, he has maintained a stellar academic record netting a 3.97 GPA at the end of his freshman year. Gosife loves research and has carried out biochemically-oriented research at his home university as well as at Yale University and the University of Mississippi Medical Center.
When Donald isn't studying, reading novels, dancing, or playing tennis (which he loves doing most of all), he can be found watching movies, or trying his hands at understanding humanity. In fact, Donald chose the path of a physician scientist so that he could bring help to those places where it is most needed as he believes that only by so doing, can he better understand the core principles that guide man in his most basic state. His long-term plans includes an aspiration for a career with the World Health Organization.