Philanthropist Organises Quiz Competition for Delta Schools

*Owa Model School wins maiden GMM/MGF Quiz Competition

Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba

A philanthropist, Dr Gabriel Mbadiwe Mabatah, popularly known as GMM, has instituted a quiz competition for public secondary schools in Ika North-East and Ika South local government areas of Delta State, saying it was his modest contribution to addressing the visible decline of reading and learning culture among Nigerian youths.

The initiative, which will ensure that the quiz holds annually, is in close collaboration with the Mabatah Grace Francesca Foundation (MGF), under the watchful eyes of the Delta State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education.

Mabatah, who hails from Emuhu town in Ika South, is a medical doctor and practising pharmacist, an entrepreneur and philanthropist whose name resonates with compassion, integrity and dedication to humanity both locally and internationally.

He stressed the need for interventions at various levels to tackle the real threat that poor reading culture poses for future leadership vis-á-vis the development of Nigeria.

Mabatah, who identified quality education, mentorship as well as skills acquisition as inevitable solutions to youth unemployment and social restiveness or insecurity, sued for conscious and responsible parenting wuth stronger institutions and improved security architecture in the nation.

He made the remarks during the grand finale of the maiden quiz competition held at the Ika National Hall Agbor after the preliminary rounds that featured 43 schools.

The event, which was attended by several traditional rulers monarchs in the catchm area, teachers and other education stakeholders, professionals, captains of industry, students, saw six schools slugging it out with three written and oral sessions comprising Mathematics, English and General Paper.

Owa Model Secondary School, Boji-Boji Owa, emerged as Champion of the GMM/MGF quiz competition, going home with tge star orize of N500,000 (five hundred thousand naira).

Ogbemudein Mixed Secondary School toook the first runner-upprice of N300,000 (three hundred thousand naira), while the second runner-up, Igumbo-Otiku Secondary School, received N200,000 (two hundred naira) as prize money;

However, each of the other three schools that made it to the finals got N100,000 (one hundred thousand naira) each as consolation prize.

In his remarks at the end of the exercise, Dr Gabriel Mabatah, who spoke through the Coordinator of GMM, Chief Isaac Iyadi, said that the quiz was inspired by glaring societal challenges, which he said underscored the need for increased investment in youth development, which has direct bearing on national development.

Reading remains a critical skill that must be acquired by our future leaders, he stressed. “There’s a noticeable decline in reading habit among Nigerian youths, which poses a threat to future leadership in the country if steps are not taken to address the problem.”

According to him, GMM was collaborating with the MGF, whose values and vision entail “supporting and encouraging academic growth among students in Ika South and Ika North East council areas through competitions, mentorship, and resource provision.”

Among the objectives of the organisation is to organise educational programmes, including quizzes, seminars, and workshops that inspire learning and identify talented students.

“It also includes supporting community driven initiatives that uplift the economic, social, and cultural well-being of Ika people and beyond as well as empower youth and volunteers through capacity-building, mentorship.

“There’s a noticeable decline in reading habit among Nigerian youths, which poses a threat to future leadership in the country if steps are not taken to address the problem.”

Also speaking, a Lagos-based chattered account and associate of the initiator, Chief Austin Ojei, advised local education authorities to strive to improve the curriculum by incorporating better knowledge of the students local environment and history as some of the students appeared more knowledgeable of foreign events than local matters in Ika-land and Delta State.