A 300-level University of Lagos student, Migwe Obinna Nicholas, has narrated how the Nigerian Education Loan Fund saved him from dropping out of school, describing himself as the only member of his family to have made it to university.
Nicholas, who is studying Theatre Arts and Film Studies at UNILAG, shared his experience in an interview with former Big Brother Naija housemate DeeOne, posted on Instagram on Monday.
The undergraduate said he currently lives in his local church because he has no personal accommodation after leaving his sister’s home following disagreements with her husband.
“I’m the only person in my family that has made it to university. I’m using student loan to fund myself through school right now. I live in my local church while schooling. I don’t have my own apartment right now,” he said.
According to him, he grew up in a poor family and moved from Ebonyi State to Lagos at the age of eight to live with his elder sister.
He explained that although his sister supported him for years, he had to leave after securing admission into UNILAG because her husband wanted him to abandon his educational ambitions and join his business.
“I come from a broken family, like a poor family. I’ve been with my sister since I was about eight years old. But when I got admission to the University of Lagos, her husband actually asked me to leave the house.
“He always wanted me to go into his line of business, which was selling accessories, but that’s not what I wanted. I wanted to go to school and become a music artist,” he said.
Nicholas, who performs under the stage name BMX Royce, said he initially struggled to cope with the sharp increase in tuition fees.
He disclosed that he had considered abandoning his education until he applied for the Federal Government’s student loan scheme.
“I was thinking about dropping out, but I had to take that loan because I didn’t want to stop. If the loan didn’t come, only God would have helped me.
“Seriously, I was going to drop out about two sessions ago, but then I took the loan because I didn’t want to stop,” he said.
The student said NELFUND currently pays his tuition fees, while the monthly upkeep allowance has been inconsistent.
He explained that beneficiaries could apply for tuition support and a monthly stipend of ₦20,000.
“I applied for both. They paid my school fees, but for the stipend, they paid about three months before they stopped. This session, they’ve paid my school fees again, but I’ve only received one stipend so far.
“I’m not complaining about the stipend. As long as they pay my school fees and I’m able to register my courses, that’s fine,” he said.
Nicholas described the application process as straightforward, encouraging eligible students facing financial hardship to apply.
“It’s easy. Just go to their site, register with your email and school credentials. They’ll verify it and you get paid,” he said.
He, however, advised students whose parents could comfortably sponsor their education not to apply for the loan unnecessarily.
“If you have your parents sponsoring you, you don’t have to be greedy by taking the loan. But if you’re in my situation, it’s different.
“They gave us two years after NYSC to repay it. I believe that by then I’ll be able to pay because I have faith in what I’m building,” he added.
Nicholas said completing his university education remained a personal mission because no one in his family had previously attained that milestone.
“I’m the only person in my family that has made it to university. I’m the last born, and I want to keep that legacy going,” he said.
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