Maduako Igbokwe l Friday, December 9, 2022
AWKA, Anambra – Winners have emerged in the second edition of Anambra State Mathematics and Igbo quiz competition for senior secondary schools. The competition is christened Best Brains Competition (BBC) designed to encourage the youths on speaking Igbo language and calculation skills.
The second edition which is purely for public schools had 21 schools that participated all drawn from the 21 local government councils in Anambra State.
Each local government presented one school and two contestants for both the Igbo language and mathematics competition .
A 16 year girl from Abbot Girls Secondary School, Ihiala, Ihiala local government council Miss Ndianaekwute Oluebube emerged overall best in the mathematics quiz competition, while Miss Nwafor Chinaza Favour of Ogboji High School in Aguata local government council took first position in the Igbo category .
The overall best in each category smiled home with cash of N100,000, while their teachers got undisclosed amount from the organiser.
The winners will also get undisclosed monthly stipend for their upkeep for a year. The schools will get branded bills board with the winners pictures in front of their schools. The first runner up went home with the sum of N50,000 each and the second runner up got N30,000 each .
The second best in mathematics is Miss Nnoruka Chinonso of Community Secondary School Okpuno Awka North local government council and the third position is Miss Oynedika Ebelechukwu Stella of Abannaa Secondary School Abatete, Idemili North local government council.
Anyadike Chibuikem Chiagoziem of the Community Secondary and Technical College Nawfia, Njidoka local government emerged second in Igbo category and Uzor Somtoo Sixtus of Government Technical College Ihiala, Ihiala local government council came third position in Igbo category.
Speaking shortly after the competition, Ndianaekwute Oluebube thanked God for emerging the best, noting that he had participated in over 10 competitions but could not win any until now .
“This time I decided to work harder to make sure I win and by God’s grace I won” she said. While the winner in Igbo language category, Nwafor Chinaza Favour said that there was no special coaching she went through for the competition.
According to her, her teacher gave her books and told her the areas of concentration and asked her to read hard. She however said that ,this is her first time she is participating in public competition and thanked God for coming out the best.
“My winning was a divine intervention and I am grateful to God” she said.
The president of Akpoazaa group, the organiser of the competition , Hon Frank Igbojindu said the initiative which is an annual event was meant to encourage the younger ones to speak Igbo language and also test the mathematical skills of the students.
“We decided to give attention to Igbo language because we want to encourage the teaching and learning of Igbo language in our schools. We want to promote the Igbo culture and identity, especially the Igbo language.
In Anambra state, government has put up a policy of speaking Igbo ,we want to support the move. And we are testing the students in mathematics to promote interpersonal relationships among them” he said.
According to him,” Igbo language is the key to the programme because we want to promote and encourage the speaking of the language among the children”. He said that every Igbo man should encourage his/, her children to speak Igbo language in their homes and other places.
Igbojindu said that speaking English language alone is not the best thing for Ndi Igbo, noting that the language is the identity of igboman. He however appealed to cooperate bodies and individuals to partner the organiser to be able to increase the prize money and give scholarship to students to higher education.
According to him, the only challenge they have is the financial assistance ,which he said by God’s grace they have been providing from their private pockets He also disclosed that the overall winner will go home with N100,000, first runner up will get N50,000 while the third position get N30,000.
Also speaking the vice president of Akpoazaa, Mrs Chinaza Igbojindu urged the students to always speak Igbo in public functions.
According to her, speaking Igbo language in public places does not make any person inferior to those who speak English language. “We should be proud to speak Igbo language with honour and pride. It is your identity and be proud of the language” she stated
