KAMGHARIDA EJIOGU WINS 2026 DESIRE TO INSPIRE SCHOLARSHIP PUBLIC VOTE WITH 10,152 VOTES
-Calls for unity, collective purpose among Agwa people and Nigerians
E-ISSN: 2354-4481
By Rita Onuoha
By Grace Chidimma Ibe
Kamgharida Ejiogu, a Nigerian from Obudi-Agwa, Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State, has emerged the winner of the public voting round of the 2026 Desire To Inspire Scholarship after polling 10,152 votes, representing 49.65 per cent of the total votes cast.
The online voting exercise, which closed on Monday, October 26, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST), recorded 20,449 votes across five finalists selected from more than 200 applicants.
Ejiogu’s closest challenger, Liya Kassa, finished as runner-up in the public voting round with 8,679 votes, representing 42.44 per cent. Camila Weitzel secured 789 votes (3.86 per cent), while Taryn Bates polled 609 votes (2.98 per cent). Gabriel Sarabia received 220 votes, representing 1.08 per cent.
The result places Ejiogu ahead of the other finalists by 1,473 votes, underscoring the strong public support she received during the competition.
In her appreciation message, Ejiogu thanked the scholarship organisers for providing the platform and expressed gratitude to everyone who voted for her, contributing to her victory in the public voting round.
She particularly acknowledged the people of Agwa and Nigerians for their tremendous support throughout the voting exercise.
Expressing surprise at the scale of the response from her community and country, Ejiogu called for unity of purpose among Agwa people and Nigerians, emphasising the importance of collective action in achieving shared goals.
She noted that the support demonstrated during the competition illustrated what communities could accomplish when their members rallied behind a common objective.
The achievement has drawn attention to the contributions of Nigerians living abroad and the potential of young people of Agwa origin to excel in academic and professional pursuits.
Scholarship selection process
According to the official scholarship website, the Desire To Inspire Scholarship is a publicly funded educational award established to recognise young people from historically underrepresented minority groups who aspire to careers in healthcare and demonstrate a commitment to inspiring others.
For the 2026 edition, the organisers stated that the scholarship would provide a total of $3,500, distributed among three recipients: $2,000 for first place, $1,000 for second place and $500 for third place.
The selection process involves an assessment of applicants’ written responses and interviews for shortlisted candidates. Five finalists subsequently advance to an online public voting competition.
However, the organisers clarify that the public voting result constitutes only 10 per cent of each finalist’s overall score, while judges’ assessments account for the remaining 90 per cent. Consequently, winning the public vote does not automatically guarantee the overall scholarship award.
The official announcement of the 2026 scholarship winners is scheduled for October or November.
A history of supporting young scholars
The scholarship has recognised outstanding young applicants in previous years. In 2025, Dayana Munoz, Carly Byrd and Addison-Piper Flores emerged as the first-, second- and third-place winners, respectively. They received awards of $2,500, $1,500 and $1,000.
In 2024, Isaiah Buffong, Nyobi Fleming and Andra Campos took the first three positions, receiving $1,500, $1,000 and $500, respectively. The 2023 winners were Amya Wallace, Berhan Hagezom and Zenabe Bakayoko.
The scholarship’s continued operation reflects its stated commitment to helping young people pursue educational opportunities while encouraging them to inspire and support others in their communities.
Ejiogu’s performance in the 2026 public voting round highlights the power of community mobilisation and the importance of education, dedication and collective support in pursuing ambitious goals.
While the final scholarship outcome remains subject to the organisers’ overall scoring process, her public voting victory represents a significant milestone for the Obudi-Agwa community and Nigerians who supported her campaign.
