Adaeze Onaro, a 15-year-old student of Fountain Heights Secondary School, Surulere Lagos, has emerged as the winner of the 2023 National Essay Competition organised by the UBA Foundation.
According to a statement from the United Bank for Africa Plc, Onaro was the first of three girls to claim the top prizes in the competition that attracted nearly 12,000 entries from Senior Secondary School students across Nigeria.
Twelve finalists were initially selected for a second round of essay writing. Onaro emerged winner at the end of the process and won a scholarship worth N5m to pursue her studies at any African university of her choice, along with a modern laptop and other prizes.
Expressing gratitude, the winner said, “This opportunity has changed my life, and I appreciate the UBA and the UBA Foundation for this.”
A student of Sweet Haven High School, Kano State, Khadijah Abdulhameed, claimed the second prize; a N3m educational grant, a laptop, and additional prizes and Naomi Chukwuma-Okoh from Queens College, Yaba, Lagos, secured the third prize, which included a N2.5m grant and a brand-new laptop. The remaining nine finalists, which included two boys, also received brand-new laptops and other consolation prizes.
Speaking at the event, UBA’s Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Oliver Alawuba, emphasised the bank’s unwavering commitment to youth empowerment.
