African Students Clinch Top Honours As KDI School Graduates New Global Policy Leaders

Michael Olugbode in Abuja

African students were among the standout performers as the KDI School of Public Policy and Management held its 2025 Commencement ceremony, reinforcing the institution’s growing role in shaping a new generation of global policy leaders committed to ethical governance and sustainable development.

The award recipients included Stephen Ojegbola from Nigeria, who earned the Academic Excellence Achievement Award in Intellectual Property and Development Policy.

Speaking at the ceremony in Sejong, the Dean of KDI School, Prof. Joon-Kyung Kim, congratulated the graduating class on what he described as a hard-earned achievement, while urging them to prepare for greater responsibilities ahead.

“Today is a day to take pride in how far you have come. After hardship comes happiness, but beyond one mountain lies another mountain. You are now part of our global KDI community of over 73,000 alumni across 143 countries, and wherever you go, you belong to something bigger,” Kim said.

The dean highlighted KDI School’s global standing, noting that it was the first institution in Korea to receive the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs and Administration (NASPAA) accreditation twice and that it has been recognised for the fifth consecutive year as an excellent institution by the Korean Ministry of Education.

He added that KDI ranked in the global 51+ tier for Social Policy and Administration in the 2025 QS World University Rankings by subject and placed second worldwide in citations per paper.

He however stressed that the true measure of success lay beyond rankings and awards, insisting that: “More important than accolades is what you take with you—the skills to use data, the values to serve others and the commitment to improve the world around you,” describing Korea’s development experience as a roadmap to sustainable development for emerging economies.

In a keynote address, the Ambassador of Rwanda to the Republic of Korea, Bakuramutsa Nkubito Manzi, charged graduates to embrace collaboration in addressing complex global challenges.

He said: “The era of isolated policy-making is over. Climate change, global health security and rising inequality demand cooperation, empathy and intellectual humility. Your success in public service will not be measured by profit, but by impact.”

He added that KDI training had equipped graduates with the ability to analyse policy through the lens of public good and ethical governance, urging them to become “solution makers, not just problem identifiers,” inspired by Korea’s transformation known as the Miracle on the Han River.

Several other African students received academic awards for exceptional performance at the ceremony.

Alinafe Yoyola of Malawi (Master of Development Policy), Alieu Ceesay of The Gambia (Master of Data Science for Public Policy and Management) and Mustapha Colley of The Gambia (Master of Public Policy) won the Academic Excellence Achievement Award, while Pamela Mwale of Malawi, a Master of Public Policy graduate, earned a place on the Dean’s List.

Also, Nander Esmeralda Ndam (Master in Intellectual Property and Development Policy) from Nigeria and Samson Garama Dadu (Master of Public Policy) from Kenya received awards for Student Community Service.

Reflecting on his experience, Ojegbola said he chose KDI School for its unique partnership with the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO).

He said: “This programme links intellectual property directly to development policy. Everything here is intentionally designed to bring the best out of students, and the experience challenged me to grow beyond my expectations.”

Another graduate, Muyama Christine from Uganda, described her journey as demanding but transformative.

“Policy works not when it assumes self-sufficiency, but when it recognises interdependence,” she said, adding that her time at KDI had shown her the power of community and shared purpose.