Out of the 2,948 applications received from intending scholars across the world, Toluwalase and Emmanuelle were selected to be among the 15 most qualified candidates that made the final cut and eventually emerged winners. According to Ndidi Nwuneli, a member of the West Africa Selection Committee, it was a keenly contested award. He said, “All fifteen finalists were remarkably brilliant with outstanding individual qualities but we could only select two. For Emmanuelle and Toluwalase, this is an award well deserved, and we have no doubt that they will go on to excel in their chosen field of study and do the continent proud.”