Out of 4,000 People, Nwamaka Ogbonna was Chosen for the British Council Future Leaders Connect!

In July, Nwamaka  Ogbonna, Research Analyst, Tony ELumelu Foundation, and five other Nigerians were selected to join the British Council Future Leaders Connect, a network of emerging policy leaders from across the world.

She will be at a residential leadership training programme that will occur over several days in the UK which will end with a one-day immersive programme at the UK Houses of Parliament.

The network provides members with the opportunity to discuss some of the biggest global policy issues in the Houses of Parliament in London, develop leadership skills, learn from inspirational policy leaders and make a positive policy change in their countries and beyond.

We caught up with her to share her story.

How did you hear about the opportunity?

A friend who thought I would be a good fit sent me the link to apply.

What stages did you have to go through?

I completed an online application process where I was asked questions on global policy issues. After that stage, 12 people were chosen out of the 4000 applicants and invited to Abuja to do a presentation on the issues and answer several questions. Afterwards, the judges and the audience selected 6 people to represent the country.

I was one of the final 6 people chosen.

Tell us about the long wait? Did you at any point think you will not make it?

To be honest, I absolutely forgot about it because I sent in my application 20 minutes before the deadline so I did not have the time to review my responses thoroughly. I remembered it towards the end of June and I was certain I did not make it, but on the last day of June, the email finally came through.

What experience are you looking forward to at the BC Future Leaders Connect?

I look forward to understanding the process behind policy making, building my leadership skills and broadening my knowledge and understanding of global issues.

I believe that all of these would enable me to contribute significant value to my job.

I am excited about the opportunity and I look forward to sharing my learning and experience!

Join us in congratulating Nwamaka!