Benue Delta emerge champions in Mobil STAN science quiz competition

The annual competition which was held in Abuja and organized by the Science Teachers Association of Nigeria (STAN) has been enjoying the financial support of Mobil Producing Nigeria (MPN) for the last 17 years.

After a keenly-contested competition that attracted participants from all states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Odang Omoha and Akuhwa Fater of Benue State defeated bested other challengers to emerge winners in the secondary school science quiz category with 122.5 points. That feat fetched the two brilliant students the top prize of N200,000 and a trophy.

Adebayo Shalvah and Benstowe Tamunoiduari of Rivers State came second with 118.25 points, while the all-female duo of Uwalaka Ngozi and Amadi Uzoaku of Imo State won the third position with 116 points. Both the 2nd and 3rd place winners went home with N100,000 and a trophy each.

In the primary school science quiz category, Delta State’s representatives, Ufuoma Morgan and Omohwovo Uyota grossed a total of 128 points to emerge winners. In second place was Ondo State, represented by Seidu Abdulrazaq and Owamoyo Evans who scored 117.25 points, while the third position was clinched by Imo State’s representatives of Nwabueze Pascal and Akukwe Kevin with 116.75 points. Delta’s representatives went home with a cash prize of N100,000 while both Ondo and Imo state representatives received N50,000 each.

Winners also emerged in various categories in the project section. The major highlight of this was the Teachers’ Project, where Mr. Seun Olufolaji of Benue State came tops and went home with a N200,000 cash prize and an HP laptop worth N100,000.

After a grueling exercise that lasted one week in Abuja, the winners in all the categories were treated to a reception at the exquisite Transcorp Hilton Hotel in the nation’s capital by the competition sponsors, Mobil Producing Nigeria.

Speaking at the ceremony, the General Manager, Public and Government Affairs, Mobil Producing Nigeria, Mr. Paul Arinze, said the sponsorship of the event was a demonstration of the company’s commitment to corporate citizenship and an opportunity to contribute to the development of science education in the country.

He said: “As the institutional sponsor of this competition for the last 17 years, we are delighted that in partnership with STAN, we are providing a veritable platform for outstanding science students in the country to showcase their intelligence and skills. We place a high premium on the development of science and technology education, and have over the years demonstrated this commitment in Nigeria through various scholarship schemes (both undergraduate and post graduate) as well as science infrastructure provision to several schools in Nigeria at all levels.”

“Last year we also brought to Nigeria Dr. Bernard Harris, the first African American astronaut to walk in space, to motivate our children to know that they can aspire to do anything in the sciences if they would put their minds to it. Our expectation is that the Mobil/STAN National Science Quiz and Project competitions will continue to re-awaken the interest of students and teachers in the sciences.”

In his remarks, the Minister of Education, Prof Ruqayyat Rufai, who was represented by Dr. Aderemi Adedibu, charged the winners to see their exploits as an opportunity to aim higher for a glorious future, adding that the country would be looking to them as those that will launch her into the league of technologically advanced nations.

The President of Science Teachers Association of Nigeria (STAN), Dr. Prince Okorie, commended MPN for its unwavering support for the competition over the years. He enjoined other corporate organisations to emulate the company’s gesture. Dr Okorie expressed joy at the gesture by MPN with its sponsorship to broadcast the various stages of the quiz competition on the network service of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) over a 26 week period after the competition to enable a wider audience of students benefit from the knowledge the competition provides.

Over N20m was spent by the NNPC/MPN JV on various categories of prizes for winners, transportation, accommodation and feeding of delegates, cost of publicity/awareness for the event, and post event broadcast on the network services of FRCN.

Contact:
Mobil Producing Nigeria 
Mobil House, 1 Lekki Expressway 
Victoria Island 
PMB 12054, Lagos 
Nigeria 
Public and Government Affairs