A Nigerian Nottingham Trent University student, Betty Alali Odema, who provided Christmas dinners for dozens of fellow international students unable to return home for the holidays, has been honoured with a Vice-Chancellor's award by the institution.
Odema received the award – for the quality
of her academic work, her contribution to
internationalism of the university and her
support for fellow overseas students – during
the annual graduation ceremonies, watched by
senior government officials who had travelled
from Nigeria.
The Vice-chancellor's awards according to a
statement by Marcus Duffield Senior Press
Officer of the institution are given annually
to one person from each of the university's
nine schools.
University lecturer Imad El-Anis, who
nominated Betty, said: "As well as the
excellent work for the course and work to
boost internationalism, she mentored and
supported fellow overseas students.
"In 2012 she cooked and sold different
African foods to raise more than £1,600 for
a student struggling to pay tuition fees.
"And every Christmas since 2010 she has
personally funded, cooked and organized
Christmas Day dinner parties for fellow
international students unable to travel home
to their families for the festive season.
"Betty has been a real inspiration," El-Anis
stated.
Responding to her award, Odema said: "I was
overjoyed when I heard that
I had been selected for the vice-chancellor's
award – I called everyone I knew."
"My dissertation was on Niger-Delta Conflict.
That's the area I am from and I would like to
build a career working for the government or
a government agency in the region to really
make the most of the skills I have learned
during my time at Nottingham Trent
University."
She was one of five students from the
Nigeria sponsored by the Rivers State
Sustainability Development Agency.
The Nigeria delegation who watched the
graduation included the agency's executive
director Mr Noble Pepple, Rev Precious
Omuku, Honourable Joseph Poroma,
Honourable Ibiso Nwuche, Mr Godwin Poi, Mr
Kingsley Uranta and Mrs Imah Adegoke.
Victoria Crane, former director of
Nottingham Trent International College,
attended the graduation as Betty's guest. The
college prepares overseas students for study
at university.
Betty was joined by fellow graduates Auxwell
Bank Ozuru (economics), Godstime Ugele (law)
, Esther Wahu (accounting), and Daniel
Nlemogu (law). Daniel graduated with first
class honours.
Four more Nigerian scholarship students –
Thankgod Nnadi (business management), Pia
Promise (computer engineering), Adibaal Ibo
(business management) and Sotonye Davies
(law) – will graduate later this year.
Sponsorship was provided by the Rivers state
governor's special overseas scholarship
programme, created to provide first-class
education for students with disabilities from
the south-south region of the country
