By Oluseye Ojo
•Management of the school with some graduands
In a bid to pave the way for accessible and impactful education in Nigeria, the Brigham Young University-Pathway Worldwide, is charting a new course With a focus on learning, practical application, and individual development.
This came to the fore at a recent graduation ceremony for 200 students that proudly donned their caps and gowns, from Brigham Young University-Pathway Worldwide programme in Lagos, Nigeria.
The PathwayConnect’s completion ceremony, held at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Opebi, Ikeja, Lagos, recently was a momentous occasion and the sixth of its kind in the city.
Dr. Victor Ukorebi, the International Area Manager for BYU-Pathway and a revered figure similar to a Vice Chancellor in Nigeria, presided over the ceremony. Akinsola Olaoluwa, the Assistant Area Coordinating Missionary for BYU-Pathway Nigeria, expertly guided the proceedings.
Founded in 1875 by a religious leader, Brigham Young, and being sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, BYU is a prestigious private research university in the United States.
Ukorebi explained that as a pathway programme, BYU-Pathway Worldwide aims to facilitate online learning for students, ultimately preparing them for admission into degree programmes offered at BYU in Idaho in the United States or Ensign College in Accra, Ghana.
He drew attention to the unique mission of BYU-Pathway Worldwide, explaining its focus on employment-driven education. “Most of our students in Nigeria are working for companies in the United States,” he stated proudly.
“This is what sets us apart and makes us unique from other institutions. We have had a total of 7,000 students in Nigeria since our inception in 2018.”
In his thought-provoking keynote address, Ukorebi stressed the significance of learning and cultivating the right attitude. He introduced an acronym, L.E.A.R.N, where L stands for learning, E for educating others, A for having the right attitude, R for repentance, and N for being nice to others.
Dr. Larry Hall, an Assistant Area Coordinator with BYU-Pathway. who came from the United States, said the programme was designed to give quality education to people at a highly subsidised rate.
Communication Director for Lagos, Abuja, Enugu Council of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Ikpe George Nkanang, also.said: “One thing that is marvellous in the BYU-Pathway is that after obtaining two degrees, I came to study the programme. In fact, I was ashamed of myself. What I learnt here diferred from what I was taught in the university.
“What is happening here is the application of the knowledge that you learned. It happens here in the Pathway. So, they teach you this, deep leadership, and how to be useful in you community. Your education is not for you. Your education is for the advancement of the general community that you live in; and that’s what Pathway focuses on. So, it is individual development.
“It is a programme that focuses you and trains you to become a leader. It is driven by church and some NGOs. The students pay subsidised tuition fee. I don’t think each student pay up to N13,000 per session.”
Elder Christian Chigbundu, an Area Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in his closing remarks, advised the students “Be courageous, be mentally tough, be discipline, be passionate, be patient, develop yourself, work to live and live to work and balance your time.”
The Area Coordination Missionary for Nigeria for the churxh, Susan Sorenson, also charged them: “You can’t begin to imagine all of the people that will be blessed from this point forward, the lives that you will touch, and it will have an eternal impact on other people in your life.”
Mrs. Moyosore Asubiojo, the Board and Partners Relations Manager from Venture Garden Group, encouraged tr graduands to see opportunities to learn, develop themselves, and make the best out of every challenge.
Two among the standout graduates, Oladipupo Abiodun and Gloria Ogbuehi, expressed their immense excitement and gratitude for the programme.
Abiodun, acknowledging the value of the knowledge he gained, emphasised: “I feel so blessed to be a part of this journey and I invite others to join us.”
Ogbuehi shared a similar sentiment, saying: “The PathwayConnect programme has taught me perseverance, patience, and time management. It has also shown me the importance of using my education to make a positive impact on my community.”
It is expected that the 200 graduates, having been armed with their newfound knowledge, are set to make a lasting difference, both in their own lives and in their communities.