Category: Education & Innovation

Squadron Leader Fredrick Oyenusi, has broken a twenty-year-old record in the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) after winning the Tie of Merit award, only awarded to a distinguished officer.

This feat by Squadron Leader Fredrick Oyenusi was recognized during the graduation ceremony of Senior Staff Course 40, which took place at AFCSC Jaji, Kaduna.

Squadron Leader Oyenusi also won 4 additional awards namely the Best in Tri-Service Terms, Best Commandant’s Paper, Best Director’s Paper in the Directorate of Air Warfare (DAW) and the First in order of Merit in DAW.

The senior NAF officer, who is a C-130H aircraft pilot, holds 2 Masters degrees; one in Aerospace Vehicle Design and the other in Safety Engineering from Cranfield University and University of Aberdeen respectively.

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, who was the Special Guest of Honour at the graduation ceremony restated the government’s commitment to prioritize the training of Armed Forces personnel, noting that they remained the bastion of national unity.

He also congratulated the graduating students and charged them to apply the knowledge they had acquired to make honest and useful contributions to national development.

The Senior Staff Course, in particular, is aimed at preparing selected officers of the rank of major and equivalent in the armed forces for higher responsibilities both in staff and command appointments.

The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar who expressed delight in the feat attained by Oyenusi said the officer reflected the 3 core values of the NAF namely “integrity first, service before self and excellence in all we do’’.

He promised that the current leadership of the NAF would sustain efforts at human capacity building as tangible dividends were being yielded for enhanced professional performance.

Squadron Leader Oyenusi, who came first with the Tie of Merit award was followed by Squadron Leaders Austin Idoko, Hakeem Sarki and Chinedu Mbam occupied the second, third and fourth positions overall while Squadron Leader Fulus Kaze emerged sixth overall.

Keren Chigozie-Nnah has emerged the 2018 overall national champion of the Nigeria Spelling Bee contest.

2018 National Champions of the Nigeria Spelling Bee Contest

National Champion is Keren Chigozie-Nnah of Deeper Life High School, Port Harcourt.
National 1st Runner-up is Ephraim Edokpa of Christ Ambassador’s College, Kaduna
National 2nd Runner-up is Ogochukwu Anyaso of Bishop Okoye Spiritan Secondary School, Port Harcourt

Junior 1st, Neta Nnabuenyi of University of Nigeria Secondary School, Enugu Campus;
Junior 2nd, Sheriff Abdrahman of King’s College, Lagos, and
Junior 3rd, Abdulhafeez Sheidu of Dopemu Primary School, Lagos.

The Grand Finale which held at the International Conference Centre of Landmark University, Omu-Aran, Kwara State was the culmination of the 2018 Season which was conducted in more than 20 states across the federation. Regional Finals were held where the best emerged to compete at this finals level.

Addressing the spellers, coaches and the audience, the Vice Chancellor, represented by the Registrar welcomed all spellers from far and near and asked them to inculcate some of the core values of Landmark University in their daily activities and to be the best they can be.

The 2018 Nigeria Spelling Bee competition lasted for 6 distinct Rounds, which included a round of questions from selected Nigerian indigenous language words and another round of words drawn from the book, “Dreams of Tomorrow” by R.B. Alade.

According to Nigeria Spelling Bee:

“We want to use this medium to appreciate all stakeholders in the Nigeria Spelling Bee dream and especially thank Landmark University for an amazing reception given to the best spellers in Nigeria and the coaches/parents as they camped for the National Finals events.

We also appreciate the Minister of Education, represented by Mr. Aiseodion Abel.”

The national champions and representatives of Nigeria shall participate at the African Spelling Bee 2018 in Mombasa, Kenya.

Registration for the next season commences 1st of August 2018 on www.NigeriaSpellingBee.com

Six school pupils have emerged winners in speech writing at the fifth Korean Speech Competition in Abuja, winning cash sums of ₦20,000 and ₦30,000 to support their education.

The pupils – Operipo Esther, Soo Uke, Akande Toluwanimi, Maduka Providence, Aderogba Oluwaseyi and Afiniki Bossan – were awarded the prizes for displaying their communication skills in the Korean language.

The Korean Speech competition was organised by the Korean Cultural Centre of Nigeria and was aimed at encouraging bilateral educational relationships between Nigeria and Korea.

According to the director of the Korean centre, Han Sungrae:

“The competition is to assist language students to improve their communication skills in Korean language.

The pupils write about the Korean culture and compare it to the Nigerian culture. When the first prize winner emerges, we recommend them for visiting programmes. The judges will pick the recommended winner to visit Korea for certain duration, usually about a week.

We encourage people to learn more about Korea and its culture and language. The participants have improved greatly.

The intermediate groups started out as beginners, so this has made them very familiar with the programme and language.”

Ifeoma Nnamani has emerged overall winner of the Peace Write Now writing contest organised by the Embassy of Ireland on the theme ‘Fostering Sustainable Peace and Dialogue in Nigeria’.

The winners include Ifeoma Nnamani (in first place), Damilola Adeniran (second), Stephen Angbulu (third), Ehi’zogie Emmanuel (fourth), and Samsudeen Quadri (fifth).

Continue reading Ifeoma Nnamani Wins 2018 Embassy Of Ireland Writing Contest

Kambinachi Kanu, a ten year old primary school pupil has emerged global winner in the 9-12 year-old category of Ericsson’s Girls Who Innovate Competition under the theme; “the Future of Education”.

Ericsson through its ninth annual participation in the ‘Girls in ICT Day’ across the Middle East and Africa hosted the second edition of the annual contest, which has seen Kambinachi Kanu emerging winner.

Continue reading Kambinachi Kanu Emerge Global Winner Of 2018 Ericsson’s Girls Who Innovate Competition

Kenneth Okpomo has emerged overall winner of the Daisy Alliance 2018 Student Scholarship/Essay Contest receiving a cash prize of $300.

This year’s essay contest themed “The North Korean Nuclear Conundrum: Is a Peaceful Resolution Possible?”, was aimed at analysing the rising conflict tensions in the Korean Peninsula as well as exploring peaceful strategies and solutions. The contest open to undergraduate and graduate students from any country who are currently enrolled in a college or university had a cash prize reward of $200 and $100 to the second and third winners respectively.

In the words of Kenneth Okpomo:

“This contest, in my candid opinion, required  a good grasp of global affairs and extraordinary analytical skills to win.

I appreciate Daisy Alliance for the opportunity and particularly, Dr. Gregory Hall, Executive Director of Daisy Alliance and Associate Professor at the Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce at the University of Kentucky. 

I also encourage other Nigerian students to similarly strive for literary excellence.”

According to Dr. Gregory Hall in the award letter:

Dear Mr. Okpomo, congratulations!

On behalf of my colleagues at Daisy Alliance, I am pleased to inform you that we have reviewed your submission to our essay contest and have granted it distinction.

You will be receiving in short order a $300 award.

We found your paper to be well organised, and thoughtfully written. You did a fine job addressing the various aspects of this complex problem.”

The Daisy Alliance is a nonpartisan grassroots peace organisation seeking global security through nuclear nonproliferation, disarmament, and the elimination of all Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) – nuclear, chemical, and biological.

Lagos State Senior Model College, Kankon has emerged winner of the Star Prize of the Season IX of the Lagos State Schools Governor’s Quiz Competition after overcoming Epe Senior Grammar School.

In the Junior and Primary School Category, Idimu Junior High School, Alimosho and Military Nursery/Primary School, Yaba also defeated Community Junior High School, Debojo and Araromi Primary School, Gbagada to win the Junior Secondary and Primary Schools categories respectively.

Speaking at the event, Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr. Idiat Oluranti Adebule announced that Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode approved cash rewards of ₦100,000 to all participating students to motivate them and their colleagues, with the Teachers and Schools receiving between ₦100,000 to ₦250,000.

Adebule said the Lagos State Schools Governor’s Quiz Competition was designed to develop the mind of the pupils by creating healthy rivalry among school children in public and private Primary, Junior and Senior Secondary Schools across the State.

She noted that the competition has broadened the horizon of school children resulting in a noticeable improvement in the results of terminal examinations like BECE, NECO and WAEC.

According to Adebule, the standard of the Lagos State Schools Governor’s Quiz Competition has also contributed to the relative ease with which Lagos schools win other Quiz Competitions.

Dr. Idiat Oluranti Adebule stated:

“My amiable and brilliant pupils and children, I am happy to acknowledge your overt display of knowledge in all facets of life – Science & Technology, Business Studies, Humanities, Art & Craft and Current Affairs.

Public School Students have in the last one month won the PZ Cussons Chemistry and NNPC National Science Quiz Competitions. Tadese Fatai of Abibat Mogaji Senior School, Iloro won the star prize at the PZ Cussons while the NNPC National Science Quiz Competition State’s Final was won by Ezeunala Ekene Franklin of Meiran Community High School, Meiran.”

Adebule, therefore, advised all children of the State in public or private schools to devote more time to their academic pursuit, invest their youthful energy and intellect to create job opportunities rather that roam the streets and embrace social vices like internet fraud, hooliganism, rape, examination malpractice, alcoholism and drug abuse.