Emediong Uduak Uko aged 15, of British Nigerian Academy FCT Abuja has emerged the overall winner for the 2015 edition of the UBA Foundation National Essay Competition.
She clinched the first position at the grand finale, held on Monday December 7th, 2015 at the UBA House Marina Lagos, topping 12 finalist selected from 3,326 entries received by the UBA Foundation from students of senior secondary schools all over Nigeria, representing a 50% increase over 2014.
She won for herself a N1 million educational grant to study in any African university of her choice, with a laptop.
Speaking about how she felt with winning the competition, Emediong said “I am very elated, and thankful to God. I am grateful to UBA for this opportunity and for lifting a heavy load of my parents back”
The second prize was won by Starish Ugie-Oritse Ete Enonuya aged 14 of the Lagoon School taking home the prize of N750, 000 educational grants along with a laptop while the third prize went to Eze Ugochinyere Golden aged 16 of Living word academy school Abia bagged for herself a N500, 000 educational grants and a laptop.
Ijeoma Aso, the MD/CEO of UBA Foundation while congratulating the winners praised them for them for their brilliance.
“Every student who sent in an entry is a winner. It shows that he or she is confident about his or her writing skill. For those that did not win, I will say do not be discouraged. Take it as a challenge to perfect your writing and enter for the competition again in 2016.” she saidAccording to the MD/CEO of UBA Plc Mr. Phillips Odozua the bank is set to extend the competition across all other 19 African countries in which the bank has establish its footprints, starting with Ghana and Senegal which have currently produced 9 other winners.
