Alumni of the Hubert H Humphrey Fellowship have extolled the program for it’s high impact on the development of it’s beneficiaries in Nigeria.
The president of the Hubert H Humphrey Fellowship Alumni Association (HHHFAA) in Nigeria, Abosede Oyeleye, who spoke at a press briefing held at the American Corner in Ikeja, Lagos, Thursday said the fellowship is a very prestigious program funded by the United States’ government.
Oyeleye added that the US Department of State spends more money on a single beneficiary of the program than it does on any other exchange program.
She also explained that the press briefing was to inform the public of lined up activities to mark the 45th anniversary of the program.
According to her, the activities include a seminar, a medical outreach and a reconnect event for fellows.
The activities, slated for the 8th of December, will hold at 21st Century Technologies, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos.
Oyeleye said highly accomplished speakers, some of whom are fellows of the program, are expected to grace the event.
Amanda Roach Brown, the acting public affairs officer of the U.S. Consulate General, Lagos, said the HHHF was established to honour the exemplary public service career of the 38th vice-president of the United States and that the first fellows of the program arrived in the United States in 1979 – just after the death of Vice-President Humphrey.
Roach Brown added that Humphrey was a civil rights advocate in 1948 even though he was not disadvantaged as a white man serving as a city mayor.
Humphrey embodied the selfless spirit of true public service, she said, adding that Nigeria has about 110 fellows.
Clemson Ayegbusi, the Established Opinion Leaders Specialist of the U.S. Consulate General, Lagos, expressed his excitement about the program, saying he looked forward to selecting awardees, not minding the rigorous nature of the process.
Noting that although Nigeria is awarded only three slots, sometimes less, he said some countries are unable to produce one awardee because of the high criteria the U.S. Department of State uses in selecting them.
Adanma Odefa-Wachuku, moderator of the meeting and also a fellow, appealed to the Nigerian government to chip in some funding for the program as well as negotiate for more slots for Nigeria.
She added that the fellowship is a life-changing experience with unquantifiable rewards.
The meeting ended on an expectant note with a photo session.
