One of Nigeria’s brightest legal minds, Reginald Aziza, a graduate of Cambridge University and currently a doctoral student at Oxford University, is offering scholarships to Nigerian law students through the Reginald Aziza Foundation.

In a statement on the foundation’s website, Reginald said applications for the third edition of the Reginald Aziza Leadership in Law Scholarship Award were open.

“We welcome applications from prospective law school students with demonstrably strong academic qualifications and leadership skills, but who are in need of financial assistance. Do you believe you deserve the scholarship or do you know someone who does? Put in an application or encourage the person to do so. I would be delighted to be a part of your success story!”

According to the website the award was conceived as “an impactful way to shape the Nigerian society by grooming the next generation of thought-leaders in the legal profession”.

The aim is to identify the brightest talents going into the Nigerian Law School, fund their tuition fees, provide personalised support and mentorship through their studies, and link them with opportunities for employment and further education in the best universities in the world.

Reginald was profiled by Africa Legal in April 2018 and, at the time, said his focus had been to grapple with how to enable Africa to take its share of global funding.

“In any business decision care has to be taken so that the risk is managed. One of the big challenges for African countries is assuring investors of political continuity. That’s why it is important that institutions like the banking sector and the legal system are well functioning. People need to know that the courts will uphold the rule of law and that banks are safe,” he said in the interview.

Securities law is the subject of his current thesis at Oxford.

Reginald was born in Warri, the oil hub in Nigeria’s Delta region.

“I love going back to Nigeria. When you arrive in Lagos the warmth and humanness of the place hits you and you think ‘I am home’. It’s relaxed, the people are friendly and the food is wonderful,” he said.

To apply for the award click here. Applications close on 30 November 2019

To read more about Reginald click here