Khadijat Sikirulahi, a graduate of Forestry from the University of Ibadan, has been selected as a Mastercard Foundation Scholar at the University of British Columbia in Canada. She was chosen from more than 11,000 applicants across Africa for the Master of Sustainable Forest Management programme.
From Heartbreak to Forestry at UI
Khadijat's journey began with disappointment when she received her admission to the University of Ibadan and found Forestry listed as her course of study instead of Medicine. She had long dreamed of becoming a medical doctor and was so upset that she cried excessively and eventually fell ill.
Determined to pursue her original ambition, she rewrote JAMB and explored other universities to study Medicine and Surgery. However, none of her attempts succeeded. She then resolved to give Forestry a fair chance.
Finding Passion in Forestry Science
By her second year at UI, Khadijat had grown genuinely captivated by the science of forests, including biodiversity, climate resilience, and the connection between forestry and community livelihoods and ecosystem health. She no longer sought a way out of the course.
After completing her undergraduate degree, she set her sights on postgraduate opportunities abroad. She sent cold emails to professors, researched graduate programmes, and submitted scholarship applications, facing both silence and rejections. Last year alone, she submitted six scholarship applications.
Selection and Recognition
The effort paid off when she was selected as one of 42 Mastercard Foundation Scholars for the University of British Columbia's Master of Sustainable Forest Management programme, from a pool of more than 11,000 applicants across the continent. She announced the achievement on LinkedIn on August 21, 2026.
In her post, she credited her lecturers Quadri Onilude, Gbenga Ige, Samuel Olalekan Olajuyigbe, and Alfred O. Onefeli for their support and recommendation letters, and thanked family members and fellow scholars who helped ease her transition.
Netizens Celebrate the Scholar
Social media users congratulated Khadijat. @Olatomide Ojajune said: "Congratulations Scholar Khadijat Sikirulahi. Your story reminded me of my journey into Forestry. From Microbiology dreams to forestry, even having to convince family I won't end up becoming a carpenter."
@Kehinde Yusuf said: "Congratulations, Scholar Khadijat. Yes, indeed, a closed door could just be a redirection. I can relate to that. It's been wonderful knowing you, and I am super excited for what lies ahead. Cheers, 'Dija." @Abdulmujeeb Adediran said: "Masha Allah! Man proposes, God disposes. Baarakallahu feekum, Khadijat Sikirulahi. This shall be the beginning of greater things in your journey."
In a related story, Legit.ng reported that another UI graduate named Yusuf had bagged a master's scholarship to study in Canada, sharing a journey marked by numerous rejections before his breakthrough. Khadijat's selection as a Mastercard Foundation Scholar positions her for advanced studies in sustainable forest management at one of Canada's leading universities.
