UNIUYO law graduate gets Oxford scholarship after setting academic record

Ikanna Okim, the daughter of ace journalist Sunny Okim, has been offered a full scholarship to study at Oxford.

In 2021, Okim graduated with first-class honours in Law at the University of Uyo (UNIUYO).

She was reported to have set a record at UNIUYO as the first student in 36 years to achieve the feat.

In the following year, Ikanna also graduated with a first class at the Nigerian Law School.

Speaking in a recent interview, Ikanna revealed that she has been offered full scholarship admission to study at Oxford in London.

She is to study at the UK university as an Oxford-Hackney BCL graduate scholar.

Ikanna said she intends to acquire her PhD in corporate and commercial law after her master’s programme at Oxford.

“This would mean burning the midnight candle, doing your tasks diligently, and being genuinely interested in what you’re studying,” she said.

Okim said her childhood experience contributed to her academic success.

“I had a fantastic upbringing. I tell people all the time that I was raised with intentionality,” she said.

“My parents did things to task our minds and help us think independently and critically.

“Growing up, we would read newspapers and explain what we read to my dad.

“Remember, my dad is an astute journalist and writer. We had intensive yet fun ways of learning things beyond our age.

“I believe that it helped our curiosity and our ability to understand complex things.”

Ikanna opened up about her academic works and upcoming books.

She named her family members and lecturers at the university as her inspiration.

“It has taken a village to build the woman I am now,” she said.

Okim’s father Sunny is the publisher of The Frontier, an online newspaper in Nigeria.