Amgbare Ekaunkumo, Yenagoa
A second year student of Federal University of Science Technology Akure (FUTA), Ondo State, Ojedele Jesuferanmi Emmanuel, has won one Million Naira(N1,000,000) at the 8th edition of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) Annual National Undergraduate Essay Competition.
The prize giving ceremony was held at the NCDMB Tower, Ox-Bow Lake Yenagoa, Bayelsa State on Monday and the essay by the 16-year-old was adjudged the best amongst over 2000 entries submitted by undergraduates who must be within their first and 2nd year in the university.
The topic for this year’s essay contest was “NIGERIAN CONTENT AND OPPORTUNITIES IN AFRICAN LOCAL CONTENT ADVANCEMENT.”
Emmanuel, who hails from Oyo State and is studying Architecture, was declared the winner among the top 10 finalists at the closing ceremony.
Miracle Okoli, a 23-year-old 200-level Law student at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, from Anambra State, took second place and received ₦700,000, a brand-new laptop, and a plaque while Okogbe Mary, a 19-year-old student at Igbinedion University, Okada, Edo State, who is in her second year studying Electrical Engineering with a current CGPA of 4.93.
She received ₦500,000, a brand-new laptop, and a plaque.
Other finalists received HP laptops as consolation prizes.
In his keynote address, the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr. Felix Ogbe
disclosed that he was quite impressed that the program has become another signature event for NCDMB, comparable to their Science Quiz Competition for High School students, which was conceived to stimulate interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education.
The Executive Secretary who was represented by the General Manager Corporate Communications and Zonal Coordination NCDMB Barr. Esueme Dan Kikile said, the sponsorship of the competition is in line with the board mandate, which is capacity-building and local content development.
“The NCDMB began to sponsor this competition because we understood the need to inculcate Local Content consciousness among undergraduates in our higher institutions, to make them understand that Local Content is an economic imperative for sustainable development of our local economy, creation of job opportunities and national security.
“Furthermore, the annual national undergraduates’ essay competition is one of NCDMB’s multiple interventions to lift the standard of education in Nigeria. It aims to promote proficiency in writing, awareness of local content and its benefit to the national economy, and to engender citizen engagement from 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 world economy
“The programme will help to enhance effective communication, analytical and critical thinking skills as well as problem-solving abilities in our undergraduates. More specifically, we hope that this program will continue to generate interest and awareness about the criticality of Nigerian content law and philosophy in the oil and gas sector as a national economic agenda for job creation, poverty reduction, industrial development and inclusive economic growth. As a Board, we are committed to capacity development of Nigerians and the development of opportunities for our communities
“We have built a strong and reputable brand and every project we get involved in must be excellent, professional and world-class.
“The topic for this year is Nigerian Content and Opportunities in African Local Content Advancement. This is another well-conceived topic considering that most African countries are understudying Nigeria in the implementation of Local Content”.
The chairman of the occasion Dr. Mrs Alice Atuwo who was represented by Mrs Adonbazi Tonbra commended NCDMB for the initiative, saying EDTF was born as a child of necessity for the development of education in bayelsa.
She described the competition also as a child of necessity where students all over the country are brought to come and write essays. Adding that the students should be careful and aware of devices that wants to distract them from there studies.
In his welcome address, Mr. Eyinimi Omorizi, the Chief Executive Officer of Mahogany 21st Century Concepts Limited, the organisers of the essay competition, said the top finalists emerged after a fierce competition involving over 2,000 undergraduates across the country.
He thanked NCDMB for sustaining the essay competition in the last eight years and still counting. “The competition is organized annually to promote academic excellence . It’s intended to create awareness for our young ones , to build capacity and confidence and to also develop talent that will make them take advantage that is abound in the Oil and Gas industry”.
