Lagos marked a historic moment on Tuesday as 13-year-old Ebunoluwa Seth Oluwatimilehin, a student of Igando Community Senior High School, emerged as the overall winner of the 15th UBA Foundation National Essay Competition (NEC), becoming the youngest champion in the contest’s fifteen-year history.
The SS2 student also became the first male winner in more than eight years, breaking a longstanding trend of female victors. Ebunoluwa claimed the grand prize of a N10 million educational grant, which he can use to pursue higher education at any African institution of his choice.
Expressing his excitement, Ebunoluwa said, “I am incredibly grateful and overwhelmed. This competition has shown me that passion and hard work truly pay off. It has been an amazing journey that has deepened my love for writing and expressing my ideas.”
The second-place prize of N7.5 million was awarded to Njoku-Kelechi Emerald of Christian International High School, Owerri, while third place went to Bayero Fatima Auwal of Cornerstone Montessori Schools, Gudu, Abuja, who received N5 million. In addition to these grants, all twelve finalists received brand-new laptops and educational materials to support their studies.
This year’s competition attracted thousands of entries, with strong participation from rural communities across Nigeria, underscoring the initiative’s national reach and impact.
UBA’s Group Managing Director and CEO, Oliver Alawuba, praised the Foundation for its 15-year commitment to nurturing literacy and writing skills among youth. He also emphasized the bank’s dedication to diversity, stating, “UBA encourages diversity. Nobody in UBA will ever be judged based on ethnicity, religion, or culture. We see diversity as a strength. In fact, if you get diversity right in Africa, you have gotten the whole world right.”
Alawuba commended the finalists for reflecting these principles in their essays, highlighting their contributions to promoting unity and inclusivity.
Bola Atta, Managing Director and CEO of UBA Foundation, reiterated the importance of education in shaping Africa’s future. “For 15 years, this initiative has been central to our commitment to empowering young minds. We are investing in the academic future of these brilliant students and, by extension, the future of our continent. Education remains the most powerful tool to uplift Africa, and we are thrilled to see this programme growing across the continent,” she said.
UBA Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of UBA Group, continues to run initiatives across Africa aimed at empowering the underprivileged through scholarships, educational resources, healthcare interventions, and poverty alleviation programs, focusing on education, economic empowerment, environment, and special projects.