Author: PositiveNaija

Boubini Jones-Wonni Emerge Best Graduating Student From Miles College In USA [2018]

18-year- old Boubini Jones-Wonni, has emerged as the best graduating student and Valedictorian from her class [2018] at Miles College, Metropolitan Birmingham, Alabama, United States of America, USA.

Jones-Wonni who was declared by the university authority as best graduating student on May 5, 2018, got her admission in 2014 after making the best result in the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination, SSCE, at the Word of Faith Group of Schools in Abuja and was also the best student at age of 14.

She was initially granted admission by the University of Alabama, Birmingham, USA, at age 15 to study Medicine, but could not make it to the school due to late resumption. She therefore settled for Miles College in Alabama to pursue her first degree in Biology.

Born on October 23, 1999, she started her education at Banky’s Private School in Abuja, where because of her intelligence, she was asked to enroll for the common entrance at primary three. She made the best result and was admitted into Word of Faith Group of Schools in Abuja, where she sat for the 2013/2014 SSCE and had an outstanding result with ‘As’ and ‘Bs’ in all her subjects, and was made valedictorian of the year.

Boubini Jones-Wonni said:

“I want to express my gratitude to God and then to the Federal Government through the Presidential Amnesty Programme, PAP, to avail me of this opportunity to gain admission into Miles College in Alabama to pursue my first degree in Biology.

Today, I have successfully completed the programme, I thank God for being with me throughout the programme, and He crowned my effort. I was not expecting this but I thank God.”

Howard University, Washington D.C, USA, has granted her admission to study medicine, where she will become a trained neurologist and surgeon soon.

Oluwafemi Adedairo Wins World Mathematics Team Challenge [2018]

Oluwafemi Adedairo of the Nigerian Tulip International College (NTIC) has won the World Mathematics Team Challenge after defeating renowned schools across the globe.

According to Oluwafemi Adedairo:

“It was a big surprise. I feel happy and excited about it. I want to thank my teachers and the Almighty for this award.”

Speaking at the NTIC award-giving ceremony, the Deputy Managing Director of NTIC, Mr. Feuzullah Filbin, said the school’s accomplishment in the competitions was due to hard work by the students.

In the words of Mr. Feuzullah Filbin:

“The secret behind our success is the hard work of the students and also their dedicated teachers.

In this academic session, NTIC students participated in various competitions where there made themselves, their families, the NTIC families, Nigeria and the Africa continent at large proud at global scenes by returning with 62 international medals. 11 gold, 22 silver and 29 bronze medals and produced twelve first positions, four second- position and eight third positions at national competition.

Some of the competitions participated in include: The Intellectual Challenge, University of Cambridge UK, GISUTECH-International Robotic and Technology competition UGANDA, GOLDEN Climate International Project Olympiad KENYA, International Math Challenge THAILAND, Malaysian International young inventors, Mendel Biology International Olympiad KYRGYZTAN, Universal Competition for Educational Posters TADJIKISTAN, Universal Project Olympiad USA, World Mathematics Team Championship and Global Math Challenge, conducted online.

At National level, the students participated in competitions such as, Mathematics Without Borders, Nigerian Round, National Mathematics and Science Olympiad, Association of Chartered Certified Accountant, World Scholars Cup, Abuja Round and IQ League, Abuja.”

Abubakar Ibrahim Wins 2018 Michael Elliott Award For Excellence In African Storytelling

Abubakar Ibrahim, a Nigerian reporter and editor whose work conveys the human toll of terrorism and displacement, has been named the winner of the 2018 Michael Elliott Award for Excellence in African Storytelling.

The International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) said Abubakar Ibrahim, a news editor at the Daily Trust in Nigeria, was selected by a distinguished jury from among 238 applicants for this prize.

Ibrahim’s story that won him the prize: ‘All That Was Familiar’, was published in Granta magazine in May 2017.

His story puts a human face on a story often expressed in numbers: More than two million people from northeastern Nigeria, northern Cameroon, and southern Niger have been internally displaced since Boko Haram began its insurgency.

Abubakar Ibrahim tells about the struggle of two women, one from Cameroon and one from Nigeria, to find their loved ones and return home.

The Michael Elliott Award, which was established in 2016 in honour of Michael Elliott, is given by ICFJ in partnership with ONE and the Elliott family.

Michael Elliott was an outstanding editor and philanthropist whose life was a testament to the power of storytelling to bear witness to and improve the human condition.

The prize aims to advance the work of an emerging journalist covering Africa who strives to strengthen people’s voices and improve their well-being.

According to Emma Oxford, Elliott’s widow on the 2018 award:

“Mike would be thrilled by the breadth and depth of talent displayed by the entrants for this year’s award.

The Elliott family, along with ONE, ICFJ and many generous supporters, is proud to help support the development of quality journalism in Africa.

I am hugely grateful to the staff of ICFJ and my fellow judges for their thoughtful review of the broad range of entries.

The winning story exemplifies outstanding storytelling on a difficult and important topic. Abubakar’s fearless reporting and powerful writing brought home to me the hardships faced by women, in particular, displaced by the scourge of Boko Haram.”

Two broadcast journalists were commended as finalists for the award, which includes Lindile Mpanza of South Africa’s SABC Digital news, for her report on sexual abuse of widows.

The other finalist is Ridwan Dini-Osman of Ghana’s GHOne, for his coverage of a community in crisis because its drinking water is contaminated.

Abubakar Ibrahim would receive the award and a cash prize at a reception in New York on May 24.

He would also spend time in U.S. newsrooms to learn new skills and share knowledge in an intensive, customised programme run by ICFJ, to help deepen future reporting that engages and empowers Africans.

The inaugural winner was BBC Kenya health reporter Mercy Juma.

 

Olanrewaju Tejuoso Wins 2nd Prize Prix du Ministère Sénégalais de la Culture at Dak’Art 2018

Olanrewaju Tejuoso has won the 2nd prize of the  Prix du Ministère Sénégalais de la Culture at Dak’Art 2018.

The international exhibition titled “A New Humanity”  housed the works of seventy-five (75) artists from thirty-three (33) countries with three (3) from Nigeria [Ndidi Dike, Emeka Udemba and Olanrewaju Tejuoso aka Olan]. The Prix du Ministère Sénégalais de la Culture at Dak’Art 2018 renewed the invitation of five (5) international commissioners.
 
Encounters and exchanges focused on: “Contemporary African Art and transformations of the intellectual and normative frameworks.”

Continue reading Olanrewaju Tejuoso Wins 2nd Prize Prix du Ministère Sénégalais de la Culture at Dak’Art 2018

Divine Oduduru 10.10

Divine Oduduru on the 21st of April 2018, broke the Texas Tech 14-year 100 meters record at the Michael Johnson Invitational in the United States of America.

Oduduru achieved the feat by running a personal best time of 10.10 seconds to emerge winner in the 100 meters invitational event.

The time of 10.10s by Oduduru bettered the previous recorded at the event held by Tyree Gailes when he ran a time of 10.11 at the 2004 Outdoor National Championships.

Oduduru who represented Nigeria at the 2016 Olympic Games is on scholarship in the United States of America.

Speaking after the achievement, head coach Wes Kittley stated that was the best he has seen of Oduduru since he arrived the campus.

Wes Kittley stated:

“I am really proud of Divine and how he set his race up.

I think he had the best start I have seen out of him since he arrived on campus. It was great to see him get a wind-legal 100-meter mark!”

After his achievement in the 100m Divine Oduduru also finished second in the 4x400m relay event.

The Nigerian and his teammates CJ Jones, Sean Hooper and Vincent Crisp finished second with a time of 3:02.82 a time which is fifth in the school’s history.

Oduduru had earlier in the year run a new indoor Personal Best (PB) of 20.49s to win the 200m at the Texas Tech Track & Field Red Raider Invitational.

Winners Of 2018 Lagos Chamber Of Commerce & Industry (LCCI) Awards

Winners have emerged in the 2018 Lagos Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI) Awards held at Oriental Hotel, Lekki Express Way, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The objective of the Annual Commerce and Industry Award is to recognize, promote and celebrate private and public institutions operating in Nigeria for best business sustainability and positive impact on the people/society.

Metrics for Selecting Awardees

  • Positive Impact on the Society: Affecting society broadly, challenging the status quo, redefining life style, creating wealth and vitality and giving people increased confidence.
  • Best Practices: Compliance with set standards, regulations, level of disclosure, corporate governance.
  • Growth Through Innovation: Enhanced product and services through innovation for increased value and facilitate limitless possibilities.
  • Service Excellence and Customers/Clients Delight.
  • Business Sustainability and creation of positive legacies

Winners of the 2018 Lagos Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI) Awards

  1. Best Business Television – CNBC Africa
  2. CSR in Education – Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE)
  3. Best Company in Local Content on ICT – Rack Centre
  4. Best Business Newspaper – BusinessDay
  5. Brand of the Year – Chivita Active Fruit Nectar

The Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) is the first (since 1888) and the largest Chamber of Commerce in Nigeria with membership strength of over 2,000 institutions spread across all sectors/sub-sectors of the economy. As part of its core mandate of trade promotion and business/policy advocacy, the Chamber organizes deserving corporate organizations, public institutions and individuals who have contributed significantly to the development of commerce & industry on an annual basis.

Theresa Lola Emerge 2018 Brunel International African Poetry Prize Joint Winner

Theresa Lola, has been named joint winner of the 2018 Brunel International African Poetry Prize and awarded one of the three top prizes of £1,000. She shared the joint prize with Hiwot Adilow from Ethiopia, and Momtaza Mehri from Somalia.

She emerged winner out of over 1,000 other international entrants.

According to Theresa Lola:

“Winning the Brunel International African Poetry Prize feels surreal, it is an unwavering highlight.

I started writing after being inspired by Nigerian poets I saw during a school trip to the Lagos Poetry Festival when I was 12 years old, so to win the Brunel International African Poetry Prize feels like I am doing my job and responsibility as a poet and human in putting Africa forward where it rightly belongs.

Going through the awkward teenage reclusive phase, I wanted to document everything I was observing and started writing what I now knew as poetry.

I was inspired by the way poets articulated and condensed heavy stories and knew poetry was the mode of writing I needed.

As a poet it has definitely bolstered my confidence, and of course sheds more light on the possibility of a poetry career.”

Launched in 2012 by Brunel University London and judged by a panel of writers and academics, the Brunel International African Poetry Prize aims at providing a platform for Africa’s finest unpublished poets.

The Prize is open to poets who were born in Africa, who are nationals of an African country, or whose parents are African.

To encourage only serious entrants, organisers ask that poets each submit a pamphlet of their best 10 pieces of work.

Unlike last year’s shortlist that had four Nigerians on it, the 2018 shortlist has more poets from different African countries including Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, Somalia, Egypt, Zambia and two poets from Nigeria.

The Prize is funded by the Commonwealth Writers of the Commonwealth Foundation.

Last year’s winner was Nigerian poet, Romeo Oriogun.