From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
A 16-year-old 200-level architecture student of the Federal University of Technology (FUTA), Akure, Ojedele Jesuferanmi Emmanuel, has emerged as the winner of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) annual national undergraduate essay competition.
Ojedele’s essay on the topic: ‘Nigerian Content and Opportunities in African Local Content Advancement,’ was adjudged the best by a panel of judges drawn from the universities.
The Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Felix Omatsola Ogbe, represented by the General Manager, Corporate Communications and Zonal Coordination, Esueme Dan-Kikile presented Ojedele with a plaque, a laptop, and the grand prize of N1 million.
The first runner-up was 23-year-old Miracle Chibuike Okoli, a 200-level law student of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Akwa, while 19-year-old Electrical Engineering student of Igbinedion University, Okada, Mary Okogbe, emerged the second runner up.
While Okoli went home with a plaque, laptop, and N700,000, Okogbe went home with a plaque, laptop, and N500,000.
Ogbe, in a speech delivered by Dan-Kikile, while expressing happiness that the annual undergraduate essay competition has become another signature event for NCDMB, noted that the Board has sustained the sponsorship of the contest for eight years because of the huge importance “we attach to education and the intellectual development of young members of our society.”
According to him, sponsorship of the essay competition was one of the ways NCDMB is lifting the standard of education to promote proficiency in writing and engender citizen engagement from the undergraduate level.
“Through this programme, the Board seeks to promote liberal arts education and the development of vital soft skills required in the workplace and business in the emerging digital economy. The programme will help to enhance effective communication, analytical critical thinking skills, as well as problem-solving abilities in our undergraduates.
“As a Board, we are committed to the capacity development of Nigerians and the development of opportunities for our communities. It is against this background that the Board recently launched the ‘Back To the Creek Initiative,’ which will support programmes aimed at developing the local communities and engender talents development. We will continue to spread the local content among our youth communities in schools and other avenues of learning,” he said.
The project consultant and CEO of Mahogany 21st Century Concepts Limited, Mr Eyinimi Omorozi commended NCDMB for the sustained sponsoring of the competition.