By: Odieh Ramon, Yenagoa.

The Nigerian Institute of Management, NIM, (Chartered) Yenagoa Chapter organised a maiden quiz competition and career day for secondary schools in Bayelsa State , urging young minds to pursue their chosen careers based on interest, passion and love and not by compulsion.

The maiden inter-secondary schools quiz competition organized in Yenagoa by the institute is to promote excellence and also give back to society with the theme: Inspiring Future Leaders Through Knowledge and Career Discovery.

Out of the twenty schools that were invited, nine schools responded and only seven schools showed up. The Participating schools include Benny International High School, Tamara Sterling Academy, Community Secondary School, Yenegwe, New Total Child Academy, Divine International School and St. Jude’s Girls Secondary School,Amarata.

In his remarks, Head of South-East and South-South Management centres of NIM, Mr. Ibrahim Lasisi commended the Yenagoa Chapter of the Institute for organizing the event, which he described as novel, pointing out that the occasion would inspire the students to be more serious in their studies.

Chairman of the Yenagoa Chapter who also doubles as the Branch Chairman of the Nigerian Institute of Management, Dr. Sani Abubakar (FNIM) said the inspiration to organize the programme was borne out of the institution’s desire to inculcate the culture of making right decisions in the young students while choosing a career as well as encouraging them to take their academics seriously.

Sani noted that the event would be repeated next year with involvement of all relevant agencies of government and the private sector.

Keynote Speaker on Career Discovery, Augusta Ekeowei, Wife of former Secretary to the Bayelsa State Government, Gideon Ekeowei, urged Children to choose careers based on two pillars of interest and passion, and not to allow parental influence to lead them astray from their chosen career.

She charged the students to be innovative to open doors of new opportunities for them.”Career discovery helps to make informed choices and improve performance,”

She noted, adding that those talented with skills should back them up with education in order to excel.

She advised parents to guide and play advisory role in their children’s career discovery instead of forcing them against their chosen fields of study.

Also speaking, a member of the institute and Chairman, Organizing Committee, Mrs. Fidelia Mac-Ake expressed joy that the students gained a lot from the quiz competition and the lectures received, urging the students to imbibe the culture of reading.

At the end of the quiz competition, New Total Child Academy emerged first position while Blossom International School and Benny International School clinched second and third positions respectively in the senior secondary school category.

In the junior category, Tamara Sterling Academy won first position while Benny International School and New Total Child Academy emerged second and third positions respectively.

In both categories, the first positions smiled home with the sum of N100,000 each while first and second runners up went home with N50,000 and N30,000 respectively.

The participating students expressed appreciation to the organizers and sponsors, praying that the the event be made an annual programme.