By Elizabeth Chukwuma
The United Bank for Africa, UBA plc, a Pan African Bank, under the close watch of Oliver Alawuba, a seasoned banker and UBA Foundation under the close watch of Mrs. Bola Atta, appears to have kept students in senior secondary schools, both within and outside Nigeria busy by testing their creative thinking ability in the 2024, National Essays Competitions, NEC.
As part of the Bank’s Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR, which it had sustained over the years, despite the downturn in the nation’’ economy, the UBA Foundation, was said to have Launched the 2024, edition of the NEC.
As a prelude to encouraging more Nigerian students to participate in the, Competition may have informed why the Management have considered it necessary to increase the educational grants for the top winners by 100%, this time around.
An insider told The Value News Online Magazine that the NEC, initiative which was said to have been designed ‘’to foster literacy, critical thinking, and healthy competition among secondary school students , across Nigeria, while providing the country future Leaders with the Financial support needed to pursue higher education has entered its 14th year.
This year’s Competition, according to the source, invites senior secondary school students to submit an essay on the topic: The Impact of Carbon Emission on Climate in Nigeria, Discuss the Challenges and offer Solutions. The bank had said that the essay topic aligns with the global climate change efforts, encouraging the students to engage with one of the most pressing environmental challenges.
A top official of the Money Deposit Bank, MDB, disclosed that out of the thousands of entries received so far, 75 finalists will each receive a N75,000.00 grant before participating in a regional essay writing completion that would be held I Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Lagos, the nation’s Commercial nerve center, Enugu and the oil city of PortHacourt, Capital of River state.
The UBA Foundation, which is saddled with the responsibility of organizing the Essay Competition, had said that from the 75 finalists that would emerge from the thousands of entries received from the interested students from the six geopolitical zones of the country comprising of the north central , north eastern, north western , south eastern, south and south western geopolitical regions including the FCT, the top 20, who will make to the finalist will vie for the grand prizes of N77.5 million, for the first place position, N5million for the second position and N.5 million for the third place .
There are indications that the 20 top finalists in the UBA, NEC, will receive Laptops and other educational tools that would enhance their educational pursuits. There are indications that in this 2024, UBA plc, NEC, teachers from the top three schools with the highest number of entries in the essay competition will also be rewarded monetarily for their efforts in preparing their students to participate in the NEC. , with winning submissions evaluated on originality, depth of insight and creativity.
Given the determination of the bank to ensure to ensure that there is no hanky-panky in selecting the winners of the NEC, may have informed why the bank Authorities have engaged the services of esteemed Professors of English across Nigeria.
Mrs. Atta, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, CEO, of UBA, Foundation, may have used the opportunity provided by the NEC, to reiterate the Foundation’s Commitment to education as a catalyst for development. She was emphatic that at UBA Foundation, they recognize the transformative power of education .
The UBA Foundation boss who could not hider feelings had said that through the NEC, the UBA Foundation, are not only helping young Africans realize their potential but also equipping them with the resources to shape the future of the African Continent. ‘’We are committed to empowering the African Youths to dream big and achieve greatness in the future’’, The UBA Foundation CEO, had aid.
Giving an inside information why the Foundation had increased the prizes for the three top winners of this 2024, Competition, an elated Mrs. Atta, explained that the decision was taken due to the financial Challenges faced by many families in Nigeria as a result of the worsening economic situation which many had attributed to the removal of subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, popular petrol and unification of the Autonomous Foreign Exchange , AFEM and the Parallel or Black market exchange rates markets by the incumbent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Administrations and other harsh economic policies of the government over the last one year.
Mrs. Atta, may have sounded it loud and clear that ‘’by increasing the grant prizes this time around, the Foundation has made a bold statement about its unwavering dedication to African education , noting that the adjustments reflects its awareness of the rising cost of quality education and ensures that outstanding students can pursue their academic dreams without Financial barriers.
Given that Nigeria is not the only country where UBA plc, has established presence but in other African countries , may have informed why the UBA Foundation Authorities, had extended the Essay Competion to the other 24 African countries where the bank currently operate, thus expanding opportunities for students across the African Continent to also benefit from the multi-million Education grants. Group
Mrs. Atta , could beat her chest that as a cornerstone of UBA’s CSR strategy, the UBA Foundation , on its part will continue to make positive impacts on the society through its various initiatives. An informed source told The Online Magazine that over the last couple of years, the FOUNDATION’S Read Africa, has donated hundreds of thousands of books, worth millions of naira, to students across the African Continent.
There is no gainsaying the fact that the National Essay Competition organized by the UBA Foundation, under the close watch of MRS. Atta, has enable countless students to further their education and change their lives. This is why Access Bank, Zenith, First Bank of Nigeria, GTCON and other banks in Nigeria may have to take a cue from the Alawuba led UBA plc, to assist Nigerian youths who are financially handicapped to pursue their dreams of going into tertiary institutions to continue their studies .
