{"60":"2016-04-04","61":{"first":"CLEMENT","last":"ITALUME"},"62":"clementitalume@gmail.com","63":"081-642-4846","64":{"street":"54 ODUDUWA STREET, GOVERNOR'S ROAD","street2":"COLLEGE BUS- STOP","city":"IKOTUN","state":"LAGOS","zip":"23401","country":"NIGERIA"},"65":["LLM in Corporate Law & Finance"],"66":"I currently work as Company Secretary and Legal Adviser. This major would undoubtedly sharpen my skills and advance my career.","67":"I decided to apply to Delaware Law because of its unique location. I believe that my practical skills will be better enhanced through research opportunities with the world class institutions located in Wilmington, Delaware. On top of that the tuition for the LLM Program is relatively modest.","68":"I have been accepted into the LLM Program in Business Certificate Law at the Uni versity of Southern CXalifornia Gould School of Law.","69":"I aspire to become a Director in the Company where I currently work with increased pay packages and higher business stakes.","70":"In 2010, I led a delegation of four students to represent my university at the International Criminal Trial Court Competition at the Hague, the Netherlands. This was my first opportunity to lead a team to a global competition. We emerged through the national rounds through assigning tasks, research, detailed research reporting and effective mentor-ship.","71":"Born into a third world country with the harrowing vestiges of squalor and sickening shades of injustice, my chief obsession was to liberate the hapless poor, dejected and rejected segments of society from the weight of injustice under which they constantly groan. In every street corner, you could easily spot the presence of young people wasting away their lives in drug abuse and pornography, tens of young children hawking to eke out a living for their impoverished parents and myriads of depressed adults ebbing slowly away to unknown destinations. Massive retrenchment, violations of human rights and reports of petty crimes and economic hardship constantly feature in the dailies. The flush of emotion and bond that I shared with the common run of society informed my choice of law as a career. I was cocksure that beyond the alluring prospect that comes with the noble profession, a degree in law would certainly serve as a formidable tool in redressing the imbalance that exists in the society. But in my small secluded world, the constant reminder of the failure of tens of thousands who shared my thoughts and convictions but failed to live out their dreams kept hunting me. I recalled with sobriety my inability to gain admission into the University after I completed my secondary education after two unsuccessful attempts at passing the University Matriculation Examination (UME). This event revealed the chink in my academic armoury at a very early stage of my life. But those years were not wasted years; they were years of sober reflection on life\u2019s realities. I was able to learn, conceptualize and develop iron-cast principles that would later shape the course of my foray through life\u2019s rocky paths. I saw life as a snooker-board, a contest between two rivals, a heated attempt at porting all the balls on the table and a hot chase for the black ball which is the emblem of victory. This analogy alerted my inner consciousness and shapened my actions. Eventually, I passed the UME exams at the third attempt and gained admission to study law in the university. As I ruminated on happenings in the society,  it dawned on me that to leave foot-prints on the sands of history, I must go the extra-mile and stand out from the crowd. My conviction propelled my actions and gave me a clear direction as I traipsed through life's sloppy paths. \r\nAs an undergraduate, I resisted the temptation of confining myself to learning and understanding only basic legal principles and concepts and working as an intern in top-notched law firms during the semester holidays. Although, I knew that academic stardom is germane to attaining great heights in my career pursuit, I was convinced that to effect the needed change which I so earnestly crave, I would need to think and act outside the box. Consequently, I engaged in periodic writings and essays on the rights of people living with the Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). My writings caught the fancy of seaasoned journalists and editors in the Observers Magazine and was published quarterly in the Legal column of the Observers Newspapers. Interestingly, I was contacted by the Committee on National Action and Control of AIDS (NACA) with extended role to enlighten young people on the deadly effects of unprotected sex, alcohol and drug abuse. My efforts at liberating society started yielding concrete results. I developed and grew a virile network of youth with the vision of nation - building. Through membership of the Law Clinic and Partnership with Amnesty International, my team and I advocated for the rights of the less-privileged through pro bono legal representation in court. In 2010, I was nominated to lead a delegation of four students to represent Africa at the International Criminal Trial Court Competition at the Hague, the Netherlands. My university was to compete with over twenty-five universities at the national rounds. This is one event I will not forget in a jiffy. The competition was clearly a test of my intellectual artifice and my ability to lead a team. With sheer hardwork, diligence, team co-ordination and motivation, my school made it through the national rounds and consequently emerged to represent Africa in an international competition with over thirty participating universities across the globe. The spate of accolade and awards that followed our qualification showed my Dean's appreciation of my efforts and ability to co-ordinate a team. In 2011, the result of hard-work and stoic determination for academic excellence paid off when I graduated top of my class with a CGPA of 4.25 on a scale of 5.00 winning a number of awards such as the Professor Teslim Elias Prize for the best International Student, the Professor Emiola Prize for the best Company Law Student and the award of excellence for the best graduating law student. \r\nWith a solid academic track record, I was able to secure a job with an Energy Services Company, GNF Limited, as a Legal Offucer. I was saddled with the responsibility of perusing, vetting and drawing up series of legal documents. In 2015, I was part of the team nominated to conduct a corporate search on MXL Energy Services Limited  in  relation to an acquisition bid by my company. After a critical assessment of the role I played in the entire process, I was elevated to the position of Company Secretary and Legal Adviser. My new role required that I appreciate and understand a wide range of statutory provisions and business principles applicble to corporate management and performance. In my advisory role, I am challenged to have an up-to-date knowledge of sound business practices and investment decisions.\r\nEach time I take a mental appraisal of the feat I have recorded so far in life, I feel a sense of satisfaction. My stride on life's awkward rungs has proved somewhat seamless and effortless. It appears that I have brighten the little corner where I am with the candle of education. However, I feel that there is still room for improvement. I hold the view that with reasonable input from well-meaning individuals and institutions, I will make a world of difference in making the world a better place. \r\nI strongly believe that my strong academic records, exemplary leadership lifestyle, uncommon resilience and drive towards greatness makes me an ideal candidate for a scholarship award from your institution. Beyond the monetary value, a scholarship award would boost my morale in significant ways and re-inforce my commitment in serving society better.\r\nWhile I thank the committee for taking time to review my essay, I am convinced that the decision to award me a scholarship would be a step in the right direction as I will continue to defend and uphold the values which your esteemed institution is known for even after my academic sojourn in Widener University.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n","72":"ITALUME"}