he United States embassy in Nigeria has instituted a $20,000 grant in
memory of Usman John-Paul, a final-year student of the University of
Ilorin who died during a visit to the U.S.
Mr. John-Paul drowned in a water fall on June 25, 2016 while on Mandela Washington Fellowship in the United States.
The U.S embassy also donated books worth about $20,000 to the university’s library.
The embassy’s counselor on public affairs, Aruna Amirthanayagam, who
disclosed this during a visit to the university, said the books and the
prize were for young Nigerians working in the areas of Mr. John-Paul’s
interest, namely Peace, Child Rights and Sustainable Development.
The diplomat described Mr. John-Paul as a young man who spent a short
but meaningful life having been a child parliamentarian, a UNESCO prize
winner and model student, who was on the Mandela fellowship at the time
of his demise.
The U.S Fellowship, he disclosed, is awarded annually to 1,000 students in Africa, including 100 Nigerian Students.
Mr. Amirthanayagam, who was accompanied by the embassy’s coordinator
of the Mandela Fellowship, Diran Adegoke, condoled with the family of
Mr. John-Paul and the university.
He said the late Mr. John-Paul epitomised multiple talents and
leadership qualities and advised students to join the Young African
Leaders Initiative Network online for several benefits that await them.
The Vice-Chancellor of the University, AbdulGaniyu Ambali, said the
university community believed that the demise of Mr. John-Paul was a
divine call, which every soul has to answer at the appointed time.
He, however, maintained that the sad occurrence would not dampen the
spirit behind the relationship between the university and the United
States.
