About 60 public and private secondary school students representing their schools are to participate in the inaugural Ogwashi-Uku secondary schools quiz and debate competitions instituted by Aweleka Social Club of Nigeria and co-sponsored by Ifedinma Social Club of Nigeria.
The competition conceptualised as an annual inter-school programme for secondary schools in Ogwashi-Uku, capital of Aniocha South Local Government Area of Delta State, aims at stimulating intellectual development and healthy competition amongpublic and private secondary school students. The competition is scheduled on October 1, 2022, at FrankBryan Event Hall, Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State.
The Chairman of the Organising Committee, Mr. Harry Odibe, hinted that kind-hearted individuals and institutions from Ogwashi-Uku have donated different prizes worth thousands of naira for the students to compete.
The awards include: The Professor Ikechukwu Enwemnwa Award for the Best School in Quiz, The Professor Nduka Otiono Award for the Best School in Poetry, The Dr. Celestine Iwendi Award for the Best School in Debating,
The Derry Nwaduba Foundation Award for the Best School in Drama, The Global Lives Touching Foundation Award for the Best School in Talent Display and The Comrade Cyril Ohai Award for the Best Debating Student.
There would be other individual awards and recognitions for outstanding students in various categories of the competition. During the sensitization tour to the schools, about 60 students from six secondary schools have so far declared interest to participate in the competition.
The President of Aweleka Social Club of Nigeria, Mr. Tony Mordi, explained that the competition is a step further in the Club’s strategic contributions to the educational system in the town.
“The Club will continue to engage in such activities that will encourage our young ones to embrace education and focus on their studies,” Mordi declared.
The Club has been engaged in different activities to support the young ones educationally. These include the award of scholarships to some primary school pupils, the provision of writing materials, school uniforms as well as the supply of lawn mowers to the schools to reduce manual labour by the students and in turn create more time for their studies, sports and other recreational activities that would promote intellectual and physical wellbeing.
The President of the co-sponsoring social club, Ifedinma Social Club of Nigeria, Michael Anialua, noted: “This is a valuable project in the town for well-meaning individuals to support.”
He further observed that: “Supporting our educational system through programmes of this nature will further encourage and provoke our youths’ self-confidence and intellect, and will help in building their social capacity, thereby making them responsible members of our society in attaining their desired goals in life.”
Accepting the naming of the poetry prize in his honour, award-winning writer and professor of African Studies at Carleton University, Canada, Prof. Nduka Otiono, praised the foresight of the organizers of the literary competitions and offered a brand-new laptop for the winner of the poetry prize. For his part,Hon. Jude Elue, the Executive Secretary of Local Education Board Aniocha South LGA, stated that the competition is the first of its kind in the town and appreciated the social clubs for their good intentions.
He also added that the competition should be sustained as it will help in reduction of crimes and youths’ restiveness as well as other vices associated with idleness and ignorance.
It should be noted that Aweleka Social Club of Nigeria which was founded in 2008 as a not-for-profit organization, is committed to charitable, educational, and humanitarian services for the less privileged in society.
Similarly, Ifedinma Social Club of Nigeria, which was established in 1986 as a social, charity and non-profit organization, focuses on fostering unity amongst the people. Both social clubs have larger number of their membership drawn from Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State.
