Author: PositiveNaija

UNN Emerge Overall Winner Of NSA-NMC 2018 Statistics Competition

The University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) has emerged the overall winner of the 2018 edition of the annual Statistics Competition for tertiary institutions in Nigeria organized by the Nigerian Statistical Association in collaboration with National Mathematical Centre, at Kwali, FCT, Abuja.

In addition, a four hundred level student of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), Mr. Chibuike Ugwu emerged the overall winner in the undergraduates category.

Usman Dan Fodio University, Sokoto came second while Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka took the third position.

Speaking at the closing ceremony of the annual event, the Director General and Chief Executive, National Mathematical Centre, Abuja, Professor Stephen Onah said the competition was instituted to identify and encouraging young talents in Mathematical Sciences across the country.

In his words:

“The National Mathematical Centre, remains resolved with the support and encouragement of government and other stakeholders, to deliver on its mandate in this respect of identifying and encouraging young talents in Mathematical Sciences.

One of the objectives of this competition is to stimulate enthusiasm in the learning of Mathematics and Mathematical Sciences among young Nigerian Students.”

In his remarks, the President of NSA, Prof. Sidney Iheanyi represented by the First Vice President, Dr. Ebuh Godday said:

‘‘The sole aim is to rekindle in the competitors the dying interest for statistics and to develop sufficient capacity in this field.

We believe that statistical knowledge is a sine-qua-none for national development.

Going forward, we hope to make the programme assume a global dimension.’’

Over 40 universities participated in the contest in which the three winners emerged tops.

Benedict Egwuchukwu 3.90

Benedict Egwuchukwu, an Accounting graduate at the American University of Nigeria, Yola (AUN) has been named the best graduating student of the university with a 3.90 Cumulative Grade Point Average (on a 4.0 scale).

Twenty five other graduates, including three post graduate students, received awards for academic excellence with a total of 158 students receiving their graduate and masters degrees and post-graduate diplomas at the AUN, Yola.

Benedict Egwuchukwu also won awards for the best graduating student in Accounting, best graduating student in the School of Business and Entrepreneurship, VPAA and Provost’s Award for academic excellence, Haruna Musa Award for Academic Excellence, and Afrinvest Award for Academic Excellence.

Delivering his valedictorian speech at the graduation ceremony, Benedict Egwuchukwu stated:

“I decided not to let university pass through me.

People tend to shy away from challenges but my advice is to tackle them head on, the lessons learnt are invaluable.”

According to Dawn Dekle, the AUN President:

“This awards ceremony is amongst the most treasured occasions at AUN, as it provides us an opportunity to remember the achievements of the last year, and to honor those students who went above and beyond to contribute to AUN.

The graduation awards are meant to recognize excellence and foster competitive spirit. Our graduating seniors have excelled in academics, community service, athletics, and leadership. They have made us proud, and also brought international recognition to AUN.

Hard work brings success. It’s often said that there are no short cuts in life, but wherever you intend to go, hard work will be the most direct route for getting there.

I hope all of you graduating seniors will keep that in mind as you move forward from AUN and onto the path that awaits you.”

Fatima Abubakar Jauro 3.89

According to Fatima Abubakar Jauro, who won the best graduating student in Economics with a CGPA of 3.89:

“I feel happy and grateful, I’m sure if I had gone to another school, I probably won’t be able to reach my potential.

I’ve always wanted to study Economics since SS1, so I’ve been so passionate about it, so I was scared that if I go to another school they won’t give me that Economics. So coming to AUN, considering that I got what I wanted, I tried to put my all. I was passionate about it that was why everything was so easy and sweet.”

Abubakar Musa Bala

Abubakar Musa Bala, a graduate of Software Engineering who got the Stanbic IBTC award for academic excellence and the Sigma Pension Award for Community Service as well as being the founder of an NGO named AMB Foundation to train secondary school students from public schools in Yola on basic information and communications technology and computer based tests said:

“If you look at the exams nowadays like the JAMB exams, it is computer-based and most students are not privileged to have computers in their schools, most of them don’t know how to use these computers.

In a situation whereby an exam that is very critical to every student’s success, like JAMB exams is the key to university. so if you don’t know how to use the computer definitely you will not be able to pass JAMB exams.”

Kazayet Zachariah 3.77

Kazayet Zachariah, emerged the best graduating student in Business Administration with a CGPA of 3.77.

Hafsat Adamu

Hafsat Adamu emerged as the best graduating student in English Language and Literature as well as received the Royal Exchange Healthcare award for Academic Excellence.

Beat Drone Wins Techfest 2018 Prize

Beat Drone, a startup that provides drone services for farmers has emerged winner at the Techfest 2018, which held in Lagos from 15 to 16 May 2018.

Beat Drone, one of the featured startups under Passion Incubator, won the ₦5 million cash prize and ₦5 million in technical supports from the sponsors of the event. The sponsors include Diamond Bank, Interswitch, Visa, Microsoft, NIBSS, Deloitte, MTN Nigeria and Beat FM.

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Boubini Jones-Wonni Emerge Best Graduating Student From Miles College In USA [2018]

18-year- old Boubini Jones-Wonni, has emerged as the best graduating student and Valedictorian from her class [2018] at Miles College, Metropolitan Birmingham, Alabama, United States of America, USA.

Jones-Wonni who was declared by the university authority as best graduating student on May 5, 2018, got her admission in 2014 after making the best result in the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination, SSCE, at the Word of Faith Group of Schools in Abuja and was also the best student at age of 14.

She was initially granted admission by the University of Alabama, Birmingham, USA, at age 15 to study Medicine, but could not make it to the school due to late resumption. She therefore settled for Miles College in Alabama to pursue her first degree in Biology.

Born on October 23, 1999, she started her education at Banky’s Private School in Abuja, where because of her intelligence, she was asked to enroll for the common entrance at primary three. She made the best result and was admitted into Word of Faith Group of Schools in Abuja, where she sat for the 2013/2014 SSCE and had an outstanding result with ‘As’ and ‘Bs’ in all her subjects, and was made valedictorian of the year.

Boubini Jones-Wonni said:

“I want to express my gratitude to God and then to the Federal Government through the Presidential Amnesty Programme, PAP, to avail me of this opportunity to gain admission into Miles College in Alabama to pursue my first degree in Biology.

Today, I have successfully completed the programme, I thank God for being with me throughout the programme, and He crowned my effort. I was not expecting this but I thank God.”

Howard University, Washington D.C, USA, has granted her admission to study medicine, where she will become a trained neurologist and surgeon soon.

Oluwafemi Adedairo Wins World Mathematics Team Challenge [2018]

Oluwafemi Adedairo of the Nigerian Tulip International College (NTIC) has won the World Mathematics Team Challenge after defeating renowned schools across the globe.

According to Oluwafemi Adedairo:

“It was a big surprise. I feel happy and excited about it. I want to thank my teachers and the Almighty for this award.”

Speaking at the NTIC award-giving ceremony, the Deputy Managing Director of NTIC, Mr. Feuzullah Filbin, said the school’s accomplishment in the competitions was due to hard work by the students.

In the words of Mr. Feuzullah Filbin:

“The secret behind our success is the hard work of the students and also their dedicated teachers.

In this academic session, NTIC students participated in various competitions where there made themselves, their families, the NTIC families, Nigeria and the Africa continent at large proud at global scenes by returning with 62 international medals. 11 gold, 22 silver and 29 bronze medals and produced twelve first positions, four second- position and eight third positions at national competition.

Some of the competitions participated in include: The Intellectual Challenge, University of Cambridge UK, GISUTECH-International Robotic and Technology competition UGANDA, GOLDEN Climate International Project Olympiad KENYA, International Math Challenge THAILAND, Malaysian International young inventors, Mendel Biology International Olympiad KYRGYZTAN, Universal Competition for Educational Posters TADJIKISTAN, Universal Project Olympiad USA, World Mathematics Team Championship and Global Math Challenge, conducted online.

At National level, the students participated in competitions such as, Mathematics Without Borders, Nigerian Round, National Mathematics and Science Olympiad, Association of Chartered Certified Accountant, World Scholars Cup, Abuja Round and IQ League, Abuja.”

Abubakar Ibrahim Wins 2018 Michael Elliott Award For Excellence In African Storytelling

Abubakar Ibrahim, a Nigerian reporter and editor whose work conveys the human toll of terrorism and displacement, has been named the winner of the 2018 Michael Elliott Award for Excellence in African Storytelling.

The International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) said Abubakar Ibrahim, a news editor at the Daily Trust in Nigeria, was selected by a distinguished jury from among 238 applicants for this prize.

Ibrahim’s story that won him the prize: ‘All That Was Familiar’, was published in Granta magazine in May 2017.

His story puts a human face on a story often expressed in numbers: More than two million people from northeastern Nigeria, northern Cameroon, and southern Niger have been internally displaced since Boko Haram began its insurgency.

Abubakar Ibrahim tells about the struggle of two women, one from Cameroon and one from Nigeria, to find their loved ones and return home.

The Michael Elliott Award, which was established in 2016 in honour of Michael Elliott, is given by ICFJ in partnership with ONE and the Elliott family.

Michael Elliott was an outstanding editor and philanthropist whose life was a testament to the power of storytelling to bear witness to and improve the human condition.

The prize aims to advance the work of an emerging journalist covering Africa who strives to strengthen people’s voices and improve their well-being.

According to Emma Oxford, Elliott’s widow on the 2018 award:

“Mike would be thrilled by the breadth and depth of talent displayed by the entrants for this year’s award.

The Elliott family, along with ONE, ICFJ and many generous supporters, is proud to help support the development of quality journalism in Africa.

I am hugely grateful to the staff of ICFJ and my fellow judges for their thoughtful review of the broad range of entries.

The winning story exemplifies outstanding storytelling on a difficult and important topic. Abubakar’s fearless reporting and powerful writing brought home to me the hardships faced by women, in particular, displaced by the scourge of Boko Haram.”

Two broadcast journalists were commended as finalists for the award, which includes Lindile Mpanza of South Africa’s SABC Digital news, for her report on sexual abuse of widows.

The other finalist is Ridwan Dini-Osman of Ghana’s GHOne, for his coverage of a community in crisis because its drinking water is contaminated.

Abubakar Ibrahim would receive the award and a cash prize at a reception in New York on May 24.

He would also spend time in U.S. newsrooms to learn new skills and share knowledge in an intensive, customised programme run by ICFJ, to help deepen future reporting that engages and empowers Africans.

The inaugural winner was BBC Kenya health reporter Mercy Juma.

 

Olanrewaju Tejuoso Wins 2nd Prize Prix du Ministère Sénégalais de la Culture at Dak’Art 2018

Olanrewaju Tejuoso has won the 2nd prize of the  Prix du Ministère Sénégalais de la Culture at Dak’Art 2018.

The international exhibition titled “A New Humanity”  housed the works of seventy-five (75) artists from thirty-three (33) countries with three (3) from Nigeria [Ndidi Dike, Emeka Udemba and Olanrewaju Tejuoso aka Olan]. The Prix du Ministère Sénégalais de la Culture at Dak’Art 2018 renewed the invitation of five (5) international commissioners.
 
Encounters and exchanges focused on: “Contemporary African Art and transformations of the intellectual and normative frameworks.”

Continue reading Olanrewaju Tejuoso Wins 2nd Prize Prix du Ministère Sénégalais de la Culture at Dak’Art 2018