FUTA 200 level student wins 2024 NCDMB annual national undergraduate essay competition

By Odie Ramon, Yenagoa.

The 2024 competition is the 8th edition essay organized for higher institutions across Nigeria which was held at the Content Tower Ox-Bow Lake Yenagoa, the Bayelsa state capital, with the Topic: NIGERIAN CONTENT AND OPPORTUNITIES IN AFRICAN LOCAL CONTENT ADVANCEMENT.

After a thorough screening exercise by the panelists from over 2000 entries, 10 made the final list.

Speaking during the Award and Prize giving ceremony, the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr. Felix Ogbe said, he was quite impressed that the program has become another signature event for NCDMB, comparable to their Science Quiz Competition for High School students, which was conceived to stimulate interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education. 

He said the  NCDMB has sustained the sponsorship of the contest for 8 years because of the huge importance the Board attaches to education and the intellectual development of young members of our society.

Engr. Ogbe who was represented by the General Manager Corporate Communications and Zonal Coordination NCDMB Barr. Esueme Dan Kikile said, the sponsorship of the competition is in line with the board mandate, which is capacity-building and local content development.

“The NCDMB began to sponsor this competition because we understood the need to inculcate Local Content consciousness among undergraduates in our higher institutions, to make them understand that Local Content is an economic imperative for sustainable development of our local economy, creation of job opportunities and national security. 

“Furthermore, the annual national undergraduates’ essay competition is one of NCDMB’s multiple interventions to lift the standard of education in Nigeria. It aims to promote proficiency in writing, awareness of local content and its benefit to the national economy, and to engender citizen engagement from the undergraduate level. 

“Through this program, the Board seeks to promote liberal arts education, and the development of vital soft skills required in the workplace and business in the emerging digital world economy

“The program will help to enhance effective communication, analytical, and critical thinking skills as well as problem-solving abilities in our undergraduates. More specifically, we hope that this program will continue to generate interest and awareness about the criticality of Nigerian content law and philosophy in the oil and gas sector as a national economic agenda for job creation, poverty reduction, industrial development, and inclusive economic growth.  As a Board, we are committed to the capacity development of Nigerians and the development of opportunities for our communities

“We have built a strong and reputable brand, and every project we get involved in must be excellent, professional, and world-class.

“The topic for this year is Nigerian Content and Opportunities in African Local Content Advancement. This is another well-conceived topic considering that most African countries are understudying Nigeria in the implementation of Local Content”.

The chairman of the occasion, Dr. Mrs. Alice Atuwo, who was represented by Mrs. Adonbazi Tonbra, commended NCDMB for the initiative, saying EDTF was born as a child of necessity for the development of education in Bayelsa.

She described the competition also as a child of necessity where students from all over the country are brought to come and write essays. Additionally, the students should be careful and aware of devices that want to distract them from their studies.

In his welcome address, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Mahogany 21st Century Concepts Limited described the academic exercise as a prestigious one.

He thanked NCDMB for sustaining the essay competition in the last eight years and still counting. “The competition is organized annually to promote academic excellence. It’s intended to create awareness for our young ones, to build capacity and confidence and to also develop talent that will make them take advantage that is abound in the Oil and Gas industry”.

The highlight of the event was the presentation of awards and prizes to the 10 winners. While all the 10 winners got a laptop each, the 3rd runner up got five hundred thousand nairas, a laptop, and a plaque; the second place got seven hundred thousand nairas, a laptop, and a plaque, while the overall winner went home with one million nairas, laptop, and a plaque.