NCDMB Essay Competition: University of Ibadan student wins N1m cash Prize

A second year Political Science student of the University of Ibadan, Mr. Ayotomiwa Elesho has won N1 million prize in the 6th Annual National Undergraduate Essay Competition sponsored by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB).

A missive on the website of the Board, which was obtained by NewsDirect said.

Winners of the essay competition were celebrated at the award ceremony held in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State on Wednesday.

The essay by the 23-year-old was judged the best amongst over 2000 entries submitted by undergraduates who must be within their first and 2nd year in the university.

Victor Sunday, a 200level Law student of University of Nigeria, Nsukka emerged second and won a cash prize of N700,000  while the Bayelsa born Doutimibraladei Timothy Frank, a 100 level student in the department of mechanical engineering, Federal University of Otuoke emerged third and won a cash prize of N500,000.

Each of the participants wrote an essay on, “Strategizing for Transformation to Clean Energy Landscape: The NCDMB Intervention.”

Speaking at the event, the Executive Secretary NCDMB, Engr. Simbi Wabote noted that the annual national undergraduates’ essay competition is one of Board’s multiple interventions to improve the standard of education in Nigeria as well as promote proficiency in writing, awareness of local content and its benefit to the national economy.

Wabote was represented by the Manager Corporate Communication, Barr. Esueme Dan Kikile pointed out that the Board continues to prioritise the sponsorship of  the competition because of the need to inculcate local content consciousness among undergraduates in our higher institutions.

While speaking on the choice of the topic for the year, Esueme said, “in March 2021, President Muhammadu Buhari declared the years 2021 to 2030 as Nigeria’s Decade of Gas and announced the Federal Government’s determination to fully exploit the nation’s abundant gas resources to accelerate the economic development of Nigeria.

This declaration aligns fully with the rising global demand for cleaner energy sources.

Also, in August 2022, the Federal Government launched the Energy Transition Plan which was applauded by the United States Government for being the first in the African Continent.”

He hinted that the topic was expected to stimulate the young ones to deploy their creativity in capturing the strategies that should be considered in transiting into cleaner energy as well as appraise the Board’s interventions in this regard.

He stressed that the Board will continue to introduce programs that will engage Nigerian youths, especially the undergraduates.

Earlier in his remarks, the Chairman of the event, Sen. Inatimi Rufus Spiff said, the choice of the topic for the competition is timely as the effects of climate change ravaging our global landscape is making nations consider alternative sources of energy.

He commended the Board for consciously impacting and enhancing local participation in the oil and gas industry in an appreciable manner.

He said, “I wish to thank the management and staff for the initiative which in all ramifications is worthy of emulation.

“The era where artisans and other unskilled personnel were brought from abroad to work in the oil and gas industry even where local capacity abound has become a thing of the past through the effort of the Board.”