Miss Akande Emerges Winner of 2025 NCDMB’s Undergraduate Essay Competition
By Gladness Freeman – A sixteen year old 200 level student, Miss Josephine Oyinkansola Akande, from the Obafemi Awolowo University, has emerged as the winner of the 9th edition of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, NCDMB Annual National Undergraduate Essay Competition after presenting an essay on the topic: Sustaining Local Content Policies in Transforming Oil and Gas Industry.
Miss Josephine Akande emerged winner at an award ceremony held at the NCDMB Head Office, Oxbow lake Road, Swali, Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital where she also got the star prize of one million naira and a laptop as after beating several other undergraduates from various higher institutions to make it to the top ten finalists.
Speaking during the event in a keynote address, Executive Secretary, NCDMB Engineer Omatsola Ogbe noted that the board has sustained the event for nine years due to the huge importance of spreading the local content initiative among youths for them to fully understand the context of the local content policy and explore opportunities in the Nigerian oil and gas industry.
Engineer Ogbe who was represented by Mr Teddy Bai pointed out that the essay competition helps to engage young people in research inorder to enhance their critical thinking skills and to further build their capacity and competency.
“The competition aims to promote proficiency in writing, stimulate academic excellence and create awareness of local content and its benefits to national development ”
He congratulated the winners and all the undergraduates who were the top ten finalists while also encouraging them to remain focused on their studies and strive to aquire more knowledge.
Chairman of the occasion, Professor Barclays Ayakoroma commended the NCDMB for sustaining the essay competition as it has helped many young people to develop themselves in making research and writing.
Professor Ayakoroma urged all undergraduates in various higher institutions, particularly those from Bayelsa State to ensure that they send in their entries for the next essay competition.
He equally appealed to the management of the NCDMB to provide cash prizes for the other seven participants who are also part of the finalists to encourage them.
In his opening remark, Chief Executive Officer, Mahogany 21st Century Concept Ltd, Mr Eyinimi Omorozi informed that the NCDMB essay competition challenges the minds of young people and encourages them to participate actively in the oil and gas industry.
“We are here to celebrate the brightest minds in the education sector, this exceptional students did justice to the theme of the essay and we saw brilliance in display while defending their essays”
Mr Omorozi expressed gratitude to the management of the NCDMB, the panel of judges, the ten finalists and everyone who was present at the event.
Other winners are Opeyemi Sultan Sonuga, 2nd position and Precious Amarachi Aguigwe, 3rd position. All other participants went home with brand new laptops.
