From Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
Secondary school students from all 36 states of Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory are gearing up for a battle of knowledge in the 2024 Roseline Etuokwu SIGMA national secondary school quiz competition, where N8million is the total cash prize for participants.
The competition, organised by the Sigma Club, University of Ibadan, as gathered, would connect with and inspire secondary school students.
This was disclosed by the leader of the SIGMA club, University of Ibadan, Eniola Moses, known as SIGMA Chief, a 400-Level student of the Department of Linguistics, UI, Ibadan, at a press conference he addressed at the Conference Hall of the Alumni Centre of the institution.
According to him, the club believes that these students are the future university scholars, and by introducing them to the club during their formative years, they could instill values and provide guidance on how to thrive in higher education.
His words: “The Roseline Etuokwu Sigma Secondary School Quiq Competition is philanthropic initiative of the Sigma Club at the University of Ibadan, designed to connect with and inspire secondary school students. The club firmly believes that today’s secondary school students are tomorrow’s university scholars. By introducing the club to them during their formative years, we aim to instill values and provide guidance on how to thrive as students in higher institution.
“During the competition, we emphasise the importance of moral and educational knowledge, moulding students into well-rounded individuals who stand for all that is pure’ as the Motto of the club. Our aim is to keep these students on the right path before they enter university, serving as a compassion for making informed choices as they aspire to pursue higher education.
“In 2021, the competition was inaugurated by Old Chief Ibrahim, covering some secondary schools in Ibadan North Local Government of Oyo State. In 2022, the competition continued by Old Chief Eluwa Lucky, attracting over 300 secondary schools from all the 33 local governments in Oyo State. More than 700 students participated, with various schools, students, and teachers receiving gift items. The first-place winner received a prize worth N250,000, the first runner-up got N200,000 and the second runner-up received N150,000.
“In 2023, the competition expanded to the South West Region, drawing over 3,000 students from 1,000 secondary schools across the six states. Again, various participants were rewarded with gift items. The 2023 first-place winner received N500,000, the first runner-up N200,000 and the second runner-up N150,000. Still under the leadership of Old Chief Eluwa Lucky.
“The 2024 competition is set to go national now under the leadership of the current Sigma Chief, Eniola Moses, a 400 level student of the Department of Linguistics, University of Ibadan, with over 20,000 students from 6,000 secondary schools across Nigeria’s 774 local governments expected to participate. It will be divided into three stages: State, Regional, and final national competition.
“With the generous sponsorship of the Rams Charity Foundation, that has been our sponsor from 2021 up till date, the 2024 competi6offers a total of N8million in cash prizes. These are distributed as follqs: state winners, and FCT will get N100,000 each, making a total of N3.70millon; regional winners from the six zones of Nigeria will get N250,000 each, totallng N1.50million.
“At the final national competition, six first school shall be rewarded. The champion will be rewarded with N1million; second position will get N750,000; third position will also get N500,000. However, the fourth, fifth and sixth position winners, will get N100,000 each, totalling N300,000.”
“The Chairman, Planning Committee of the competition, Olagoke Olaoluwa, said adequate arrangements have been made by the club to take care of transportation feeding, accommodation, and security of the participants. He added that two representatives shall be accepted from each school, saying they must be boysand girls for gender balance, except were the schools are boys only or girls only.
He stated further that two teachers would also accompany the representatives from each school, so that the female teachers could take care of the female students. The competition, he said, is open to all public and private secondary schools in Nigeria.
Olaoluwa revealed that the competition at the levels of state and region would be computer-based, while at the national level, where national media coverage would be provided, there would be elements of paper-based quiz.
The Quiz Maste, Owonifaari Toluwaleke, assured that adequate measures have been emplaced to guarantee the security of the questions.