The Commonwealth Scholars and Fellows Alumni Association, Nigeria (COSFAN) today (March 9, 2020) joined their counterparts across the globe to celebrate 2020 Commonwealth Day.
This year celebration according to a statement signed by the COSFAN President, Dr (Mrs) Biola Adimula, was served as a connector to all members of COSFAN across 54 countries in the world.
Adimula explained that the theme for the 2020 Commonwealth Day is “Delivering a Common Future: Connecting, Innovating, Transforming”
She explained that this year’s theme was chosen because the governments and people of the diverse family of 54 Commonwealth countries connect at many levels through extensive and deep-rooted networks of friendship and goodwill.Connecting.
The COSFAN President disclosed that the association is a body consisting of eminent Nigerians who have enjoyed the sponsorship of the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC), United Kingdom (through the British Council in Nigeria), in their respective postgraduate academic pursuits and/or career enhancement from 1960 to date.
Accouting to her, the COSFAN’s main objectives are promoting and advancing education, especially in tertiary institutions, in order to create an aware and informed society of Nigeria.
Adimula hinted that over 2,000 Nigerians have benefitted from the UK scholarship and fellowship training, adding that their programmes and activities are targeted towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) in six thematic areas focus of Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC), UK.
She said those areas are Science and Technology for development; Strengthening health systems and capacity; Promoting global prosperity; Strengthening global peace, security and governance; Strengthening resilience and response to crises; Access, inclusion and opportunity.
Adimula added firther that COSFAN engages Universities in Nigeria in mentorship programmes in training young researchers and students on accessing Commonwealth scholarship and fellowship awards.
She disclosed that COSFAN gave access and opportunity for persons living with disabilities in 2019 to pursue their programmes adding that COSFAN produced 5,000 copies of simplified version of Lagos State Special People’s Law (2010), freely sharing them to the public through the Lagos State Ministry of Youth and Social Development and Lagos State Office of Disability Affairs (LASODA), among other community interventions.
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