Godspower Evuarherhe Oyubu, a young Lecturer in the Department of Integrated Science at the prestigious Delta State College of Education Mosogar, Nigeria has won the race out of over 75,000 applicants from 49 Sub Saharan African Countries and over 10,000 applicants from Nigeria to appear as one (1) of fifty seven (57) candidates selected from Nigeria and 1 of 700 selected from Africa to represent Nigeria and the Continent in the 2023 Cohort of the prestigious Mandela Washington Fellowship For Young African Leaders.
This prestigious Fellowship is one of the most competitive Fellowships in the World.
The Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders is the flagship program of the U.S. Government's Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI). YALI was created in 2010 and celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2020.
Established in 2014, the Mandela Washington Fellowship has brought nearly 5,800 young leaders from every country in Sub-Saharan Africa to the United States for academic and leadership training. The Fellows, between the ages of 25 and 35, are accomplished innovators and leaders in their communities and countries.
During the 2023 Cohort of the Mandela Washington Fellowship Experience which took place between 22nd June-3rd August, 2023, for the Leadership Institute, Godspower was placed at the Staley School of Leadership Studies, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, USA where he received a robost training, mentorship and networking sessions with Academic, Business and NGOs Founders within the United States as well as other Young African Leaders from 23 Sub Saharan African Countries. The Fellowship also availed the opportunity to visit top NGOs within Kansas State, Historical Sites and Kansas State Capitol Building where the Fellows at Kansas State University received a warm welcome from the Governor of Kansas, Laura Kelly.
The 2023 Cohort of the Mandela Washington Fellowship Program ended with a life changing Summit gathering all 700 Fellows from 49 Sub Saharan African Countries at Washington, D.C. The participants had very strategic networking sessions with Fellows, U.S Government Officials and were also privileged to receive a powerful speech from the U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken as well as an amazing congratulatory letter address to all Fellows from the U.S. Vice President, Kamala Harris."
They also had the opportunity to visit the White House, Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King Jr Memorial at Washington, D.C.
Godspower's work at Kerux Academic Institute (KAI) can be summarized below:
1. Vision
Mentoring youths academically and professionally to become the next generation of African and Global Leaders
2. Mission Statement
Transforming the Minds and Empowering the Hands of youths via Digital and Technical Skills to curb Youth Restiveness and prevalence of crime amongst the African Youth Community.
To achieve the above vision at KAI, with the knowledge, skills and expertise Godspower received from the prestigious Mandela Washington Fellowship, he's working on a project to provide quality education on digital and technical skills via in person and virtual training where students, youths and teenagers within and outside his home community can participate.
These training sessions will be handled by experts and top minds in business, leadership, digital and technical skills - most of whom are past Fellows of the Fellowship, while others are Institute Mentors and other American Networks.
Godspower is also open and willing to provide mentorship to applicants of the Mandela Washington Fellowship. Applicants seeking for guidance can reach Godspower via email at [email protected]
To know more about the Fellowship, follow Godspower on his official Facebook page @ Oyubu Godspower
Recounting his experience, Mr Godspower mentioned that the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders left an indelible mark in his life. He also believes that every Young African Leader looking forward to making tangible change in his community needs to experience this prestigious Fellowship. In his words, "the MWF is a Life-Changer which has thoroughly sharpened my thoughts on Leadership, connected me to incredible people and made me believe that we need transformed Africans to transform Africa."
God Bless The US Government for the unwavering commitment to empowering Young African Leaders
God bless the US Department of State for her Indefatigable Efforts
God bless President Barrack Obama for this life changing Initiative
God bless President Joe Biden for his commitment to the African Continent
God bless IREX for the Incredible work in organizing the Fellowship
God bless all Institute Partners especially my Host Institute, Kansas State University, Staley School of Leadership Studies (The WildCat Family), for hosting us during the summer of 2023.