12 students bag KPMG maiden scholarship award

As part of efforts to further demonstrate its commitment to students’ future, KPMG Professional Services, have awarded scholarship to 12 tertiary institution indigent undergraduates.

KPMG is a global network of independent professional services firm with expertise in the provision of audit, tax and advisory services to clients in various industries and sectors of the economy.      According to the firm, the scholarship programme, which is committed to improving communities and contributing towards education advancement, is awarded to Nigerians, who are interested in pursuing a degree programme in any Nigerian Institutions.

Speaking at the maiden edition of the KPMG scholarship programme in Lagos recently, the Chief Operating Officer and Risk Management Partner at KPMG Nigeria, Victor Onyenkpa, said the total amount for the award is N8.59 million, noting that investment made in education is the most powerful asset in one’s future.

According to him, the winners emerged through a screening process involving more than 276 candidates, who graduated from public secondary schools, and are either in higher institutions or just gained admission.

“I would say a big congratulation to the 12 of you who made it through despite all odds. First, the competition was a very strict and standard one. People already got disqualified even before they applied due to our standards of excellence, which we invoked for the contest.     “Hence, all the 276 applications we received were those that had at least five A’s or five B’s at the O’ level stage, and scored at least 230 in JAMB/UTME. And are on either first class, or second-class upper level, if already in school. So for the 12 of you to have emerged from the 276 applicants after the administered screening test, you deserve an accolade.

He continued: “One of our most cherished values at KPMG is improving our community. And the best way to do this is to invest in education because if you train a child, you train a nation. What we sell to our clients is knowledge. And to accomplish this, we use people who are smart, intelligent, and hardworking. Therefore, people are very important to us at KPMG.”

“I want you to see yourself as a bit disadvantaged. In that; you have not been privileged to have attended private schools, or have the whole luxuries of life like some of your pairs may have, but this should spur you to take your academic very seriously because it is on education that can bring about the required difference in your lives.

“I went through few of your stories, and I understood how some of you have been fending for themselves in school through doing odd jobs and entrepreneurship. Thank God we have now come to the rescue but please don’t stop. Don’t get relaxed in your money fetching skills,” he added.