In a quest to promote reading culture, healthy and intellectual competition amongst secondary school students in Nigeria and beyond, UBA’s Foundation National Essay Competition (NEC) has produced its 2023 overall winner in the country.
The programme targeted at senior secondary students in Nigeria, is organised yearly, as part of the foundation’s education initiative which aims to promote the reading culture and encourage healthy and intellectual competition amongst youths in Nigeria and across Africa
The competition produced a student from Fountain Heights Secondary School, Surulere Lagos, Adaeze Chukwuzolem Onaro, as the overall winner of the Competition.
She was selected among 11 other finalists to clinch a N5 million scholarship to pursue her studies in any African university of her choice, along with a modern laptop and other prizes.
Adaeze’s victory marked a historic moment as the first of three girls to claim the top prizes in a competition that attracted nearly 12,000 entries from Senior Secondary School students across Nigeria, out of which 12 finalists were selected.
Following the second essay written by the 12 selected finalists, Adaeze emerged winner and secured a prestigious scholarship worth N5 million to pursue her studies.
Her elation and gratitude were evident as she said the opportunity has changed my life, and I appreciate the UBA and the UBA Foundation for this.”
The UBA Foundation’s commitment to fostering education and transforming lives was further underscored through the constant mentoring that Adaeze will receive throughout her educational journey.
In another vein, a Sweet Haven High School, Kano State, Abdulhameed Khadijah Husna, clinched the second prize of an N3 million educational grant, a laptop, and additional prizes. Meanwhile, Chukwuma-Okoh Naomi from Queens College, Yaba, Lagos, secured the third prize, which included an N2.5 million grant and a brand-new laptop. The remaining nine finalists, which included two boys, were not left empty-handed, receiving brand-new laptops and consolation prizes.
Speaking at the grand finale of the programme in Lagos, the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, UBA, Oliver Alawuba, said the bank is committed to youth empowerment and proud to be associated.
According to him, yearly, we put aside a percentage of our profits to change lives, and we are committed to doing this every year.
The National Essay Competition has become a crucial platform for promoting education, literacy, and critical thinking among Nigerian youth, making a positive impact on their lives and society at large,” Alawuba said.
The Managing Director/CEO of UBA Foundation, Bola Atta, who commended the winners for their exceptional brilliance and encouraged those who did not secure top positions to view it as a challenge for improvement.
She said the Foundation’s dedication to extending this impactful competition to other African countries, reinforces its commitment to socio-economic betterment through initiatives in Education, Environment, Economic Empowerment, and Special Projects.
“It is important to note that this same competition is being replicated in some other African countries where UBA operates such as Ghana, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Senegal, Uganda, and Cote D’Ivoire. Other countries like Zambia, Gabon, Chad, and the Benin Republic have plans to conduct the NEC in the first quarter of 2024,” Atta said.
