The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has awarded postgraduate scholarships to 500 graduates from Ogoniland in Rivers State, to support advanced education, research and human capacity development.
Key Highlights
- HYPREP awards postgraduate scholarships to 500 Ogoni graduates.
- 300 master’s degree students received ₦500,000 each.
- 200 doctoral students were awarded ₦1m each.
- Scheme is part of implementing the UNEP report’s recommendations on human development and alternative livelihoods.
- Project Coordinator Prof. Nenibarini Zabbey urges beneficiaries to see the scholarship as a call to service.
The project’s coordinator, Prof. Nenibarini Zabbey, disclosed this at the scholarship award ceremony on Friday, explaining that the initiative is designed to develop expertise across various academic disciplines and encourage research that would benefit the region.
He said the scholarship scheme forms part of HYPREP’s efforts in implementing the recommendations of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report on Ogoniland, particularly those relating to human development and the promotion of alternative livelihoods.
‘A call to service’
Zabbey congratulated the beneficiaries and urged them to use the opportunity to contribute to Ogoni’s development and help address the environmental challenges confronting their communities.
“I congratulate all the beneficiaries of the HYPREP Ogoni postgraduate scholarship. For many of you, it is finally a dream come true. Beyond the grant, this intervention is also about renewing hope and the future we are co-creating in Ogoni,” he said.
The project coordinator noted that postgraduate education came with a responsibility to apply acquired knowledge to solving societal problems.
“Education gives you knowledge, but it also places a responsibility on you to use that knowledge to improve society.
“I encourage you to see this scholarship as a call to service. As researchers in different fields, you must understand that you hold an important place in shaping the future of Ogoni,” he added.
He encouraged the recipients to develop practical ideas and research-based solutions to challenges affecting their communities, noting that the programme was intended to prepare them for roles across different sectors of the economy and support sustainable development.
Clean-up requires collective responsibility
Zabbey reaffirmed HYPREP’s commitment to environmental remediation and livelihood improvement in Ogoniland in line with the UNEP report, stressing that the project required the active involvement of researchers and other stakeholders to achieve its objectives.
He said the success of the clean-up exercise and the region’s long-term development depend on collective responsibility and the contributions of its people, particularly postgraduate students.
“Just as the success of the Ogoni clean-up exercise requires the commitment of all stakeholders and partners, Ogoni’s future depends on the contributions of its people, particularly postgraduate students,” he said.
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Zabbey identified government institutions, the Rivers State government agencies, local government councils, Ogoni communities, traditional institutions, Renaissance Africa Energy Limited and civil society organisations as partners supporting HYPREP’s work.
Under the scholarship scheme, 300 master’s degree students received ₦500,000 each, while 200 doctoral students were awarded ₦1m each.
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