Pauline Onyibe 
Lazarus Favour Iruoma, a 200-level undergraduate of Nnamdi Azikiwe University studying Law has emerged as the winner of this year’s edition of NCDMB annual Essay Competition carting away One million Naira and a brand new laptop.
Favour Iruoma, an 18-year-old lady From Imo State with nine others wrote on the topic, Nigerian Content and Lessons from COVID-19 Pandemic with her Essay emerging as the best.
Her Essay was chosen as the best by a team of highly educated penalists who perused through the entire write-ups before making the selection.
Also, Lucy Agbalu 17-year-old lady and 100-level student of Micro Biology, University of Calabar emerged as the second runner-up with the sum of seven hundred thousand naira with a brand new laptop.
Akinduyite Samuel an 18-year-old man of Law second year student at Elizade University took third position earning five hundred naira and a laptop while the remaining seven got brand new laptops each.
Speaking in Yenagoa on Wednesday during the award-giving ceremony, the winner of the competition Favour Iruoma said that the award will definitely open another new level in her academic endeavour adding that with this more opportunities are opened for her.
Speaking earlier, the Executive Secretary of Nigerian Content And Development And Monitoring Board (NCDMB) Simbi Wabote has said that the board is using the annual Undergraduates Essay Competition to inculcate Local Content consciousness among students of Nigerian higher institutions.
The board said that Easy Competition, champions of Local Content are being created among the young men and women in the higher institutions of learning.
Speaking on Wednesday in Yenagoa during the award/prize-giving ceremony of the 7th edition, the executive secretary represented by Esueme Dan Kikile the manager of corporate communications of the Board, stated that the event has become a signature activity on the Board’s calendar adding that is a testament to the wonderful work done by the Corporate Communication Department and the consultant of the competition, Mahogany Century Concepts Limited.
The NCDMB he said sustained the sponsorship of the contest for 7 years because of the huge importance it attaches to education and the intellectual development of young members of the society.
He said “Our sponsorship of this competition is in line with our mandate which is capacity-building and local content development. We are using this competition to inculcate Local Content consciousness among students of our higher institutions, thereby creating champions of Local Content among our young men and women in the higher institutions of learning.
“Another important reason we sponsor the essay contest is the need to challenge the students to sharpen their writing competencies, which is an important skill needed for any career path of one’s choice.
“We will continue to spread the Local Content campaign among our youth communities in schools and other avenues of learning. That will ensure that the Local Content Policy is sustained and deepened in all facets of the economy in decades to come, so it will continue to contribute towards economic development, and job creation while guaranteeing national security.
“We also use this competition to engage our youths in productive activities and to keep them away from delinquencies and distractions, which are rampant in our society today.
“This is the hallmark of the NCDMB. We have built a strong and reputable brand and every project we get involved in must be excellent, professional and world-class.
The E S said that he was proud of the transparent process deployed in selecting the winners thanking the renowned professors who dedicated their time and intellect to the competition.
Also the the executive officer of Mahogany 21st Century Concepts Limited, the organizer of the event, Eyinimi Omorozi thanked NCDMB for sustaining the annual event for seven years now.
He said that NCDMB has sustained this event for seven years infact it is now one of their flagship event. I want to thank NCDMB for that.
