Fifteen-year old student of Federal Government Girls College, Ikot- Obio Itong, Akwa-Ibom state, Otong Usungobong Paul, on Monday, emerged the overall winner of the grand finale of the 2022 edition of the UBA Foundation annual National Essay Competition (NEC).
Otong clinched the best prize after beating eleven other finalists at a competition that had over 5,000 entries from students of Senior Secondary Schools across Nigeria.
Another 15-year-old student of Value Spring College, Lagos, Princess Sholabomi, emerged second place while 15-year-old Sharon Nwajiaku of Ota Total Academy, Ogun State, clinched the third position.
Topic for the essay this year was ‘ASUU Strike has often cost Nigerian students time. Advise Governments on how they can reach an agreement with ASUU to improve Tertiary Education in the Nation’ while the topic for the final competition among the shortlisted 12 finalists was ‘Nigeria and the Brain Drain: The Interface between a Better Life and a Loss of Fortunes’.
The champion of the competition got a scholarship worth N5m to study in any African university of her choice, as well as a brand-new laptop among other gifts.
She will also be supported throughout her educational career and beyond with constant mentoring by the UBA Foundation.
