Empowering Tomorrow’s Leaders: How UBA Foundation’s NEC is Shaping Nigeria’s Youth

Adedapo Salmon

When young Ikenna Obinna Ugwuegbulam’s father succumbed to cancer, the loss was devastating, made even more poignant by the fact that his father never got to see him enter university. Through his father’s prodding, he had earlier applied for the the UBA Foundation’s National Essay Competition (NEC) that year, and the education grant which he clinched after emerging the winner of that year’s edition, would be one that helped him through what he described as one of the darkest periods in his life, as he lost his dad just before he got into the higher institution.

To Ikenna – who won the 2012 edition of NEC- the competition embodies more than a writing competition; it was an opportunity born out of a father’s love and ambition for his child.

In his words, “My dad motivated me to participate after seeing my classmate’s name and picture published in one of the national dailies as a winner in a previous edition,” Ikenna recalls. The pride in his father’s eyes when Ikenna emerged as the winner is a memory he continues to cherish to this day.

“The grant made my university education financially seamless,” Ikenna says. Today, as a Product Manager at Kuda Bank and with a degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from the University of Lagos, Ikenna stands as real-life evidence of the Foundation’s mission, which is to empower African youth through education.

Ikenna’s story is one of the many profound impacts of the NEC, an initiative of the UBA Foundation, the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) arm of the United Bank for Africa (Plc), which is committed to the socio-economic betterment of the communities where it operates, focusing on development in areas of education, environment, economic empowerment and special projects.

For 14 years, the NEC initiative has been transforming lives. The competition, which is open to senior secondary school students across Nigeria, asks participants to write on thought-provoking topics, challenging them to think critically and express themselves.

Earlier this month, the UBA Foundation recently commenced the 2024 essay competition, promising an even grander scale than previous editions. The competition was restructured to a multi-tiered approach which will start with the selection of the top 75 entries from thousands of applicants. Each of these top 75 will be rewarded with a N75,000 cash prize.

Following this first phase, a second round of competition will unfold across four regions in Nigeria, which are Abuja, Enugu, Lagos, and Port Harcourt, where these 75 candidates will vie to be among the top 20 finalists, and will then be tasked with writing a final essay to determine the top three winners.

This competition extends more than a financial lifeline to the participants as it presents them with an avenue to discover themselves and their hidden potential. For instance, Fehintoluwa Miriam Fabelurin, a science student in her final year of secondary school, took a leap of faith at her English teacher’s suggestion and applied.

In her own words, “It seemed like something I could do, even though I was in the sciences at the time. The competition brought out the best in me, especially when it came to writing and research. It was a great way to be encouraged to develop the hidden potential I never knew I had in me”.

That leap paid off when she was announced as one of the 12 finalists, and, eventually, the overall winner. Today, Dr Fehintoluwa Fabelurin, who is doing her housemanship at Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido Ekiti, stands proudly as a medical doctor; her journey from essay winner to a healthcare professional is another shining example of the Foundation’s long-term impact. “The scholarship helped me all through my years as a medical student,” she says, emphasising how the financial support allowed her to focus on her demanding studies without the added stress of financial burden.

This sentiment is echoed by Nwajiaku-Nwadike Vivian, who secured the third position in the 2011 edition of the competition. Now a practising lawyer with a fierce passion for justice, Vivian credits the Foundation for playing a pivotal role in her journey. “Winning the essay competition and receiving the tertiary education grant remains one of the most defining moments in my life as I pursue zeal for a more just society and Nigeria,” she says. “The grant provided me with the financial support I needed to complete my law degree without distraction.”

The ripple effect of the UBA Foundation’s initiative extends beyond individual success stories. It is about creating a generation of African youth who are not only educated but also confident in their abilities and eager to make a difference in society.

The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, UBA Foundation, Bola Atta, reinforced this as she pointed out that the transformation of the African continent can only be spurred by quality education, adding that this is the doctrine that the UBA Foundation has committed to.

“Africa cannot know true development until it turns its fortune in education around. The African population is very youthful; hence, the young ones are the lifeblood of this continent and to make this continent better, each of these young ones need access to quality education as they will grow to become public administrators, officials, human rights activists, and many more,” she noted.

Atta explained that the engine of human society runs on its people, and the quality of human capital is fundamentally shaped by education, adding “When we invest in education, we elevate entire communities. Each educated child represents not just an individual success story, but a catalyst for positive change through our society as a whole.”, She added

Cognisant of the current Nigerian economic reforms, the effect of inflationary pressures, and the wide-scale increment in tertiary school tuitions, the foundation made a commendable decision to substantially increase the educational grants awarded to the participants by 100 per cent. The first-place winner will be given a N7.5 million grant to pursue their studies at any African university of their choosing, while the second and third-place recipients will be awarded N5 million and N3.5 million, respectively, a clear testament to the foundation’s commitment to fostering educational excellence despite challenging economic circumstances.

Speaking on the quality of essays that have been received in the past years and their impact, Professor Asabe Kabir Usman, a long-standing judge of the NEC, said she has been “amazed by the depth of insight” young students bring to complex issues during the competition. Professor Usman emphasised that the competition gives a platform for the authentic voices and fresh perspectives these students bring to contemporary issues, noting that when she reads entries, she sees more than well-structured essays but future leaders developing their critical thinking and finding their voices. “It is particularly rewarding to follow their journeys years later and see how that early spark of curiosity has blossomed into meaningful careers and contributions to society,” she added.

The stories of Ikenna, Fehintoluwa, and Vivian and others are just a few examples of the hundreds of lives touched by their participation in this competition. Each year, as new winners are announced and more educational dreams are realised, the UBA Foundation reaffirms its commitment to nurturing the potential of African youth.

As Fehintoluwa wisely advises, “I would like to encourage students to come out of their shell, register, participate in this competition and try new things; you do not know where this can take you in the future.” These words of hers encapsulate the spirit of the UBA Foundation’s mission: to provide opportunities, to encourage potential, and to open doors to brighter futures.