A 13-year-old Lagos student, Ebunoluwa Seth Oluwatimilehin, has become the youngest laureate in the 15-year history of UBA Foundation National Essay Competition, a milestone that also ended an eight-year streak of female winners.
The Senior Secondary (SS2) student from Igando Community Senior High School emerged overall winner yesterday at the grand finale held in Lagos, rising above thousands of entries from public and private schools nationwide.
His victory was particularly notable for a public-school participant, given the competition’s longstanding tilt towards candidates from more privileged backgrounds.
Master Ebunoluwa’s feat earned him a N10 million educational grant, which he is free to deploy at any higher institution in Africa, when he begins his tertiary education.
An elated Ebunoluwa expressed joy, saying, “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 winner, Njoku-Kelechi Emerald of Christian International High School, Owerri, received a N7.5 million educational grant, while the third-place prize of N5 million educational grant was awarded to Bayero, Fatima Auwal of Cornerstone Montessori Schools, Gudu, Abuja.
In addition to the monetary grants for the top three winners, all 12 finalists were given brand-new laptops and other educational materials to support their academic pursuits.
The 2025 edition got several thousand entries, with significant participation extending beyond major cities, into rural communities across the country.
UBA’s Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Oliver Alawuba, who commended the foundation’s 15-year commitment to the initiative, explained the competition’s strategic role in reviving the culture of reading and writing among the youth.
Emphasising the bank’s broader mission and the significance of the essay topic, Alawuba stated, “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 praised the finalists for exemplifying the principle in their essays and teaching valuable lessons in building a united capacity.
Managing Director/CEO, UBA Foundation, Bola Atta, who expressed gratitude to all stakeholders, reiterated the importance of education and how it was pivotal to the future of Africa.
Atta stated, “For 15 years, this initiative has been a cornerstone of our commitment to giving back and empowering the youth.
“We are investing in the academic future of these brilliant minds and, by extension, in the future of our continent. Education remains the most powerful tool to lift our continent, and we are thrilled to see this programme snowballing across Africa.”
The foundation has a long-standing tradition of philanthropy, with numerous initiatives across Africa aimed at empowering the underprivileged, from educational scholarships and initiatives to healthcare interventions and poverty alleviation programmes.
A 13-year-old Lagos student, Ebunoluwa Seth Oluwatimilehin, has become the youngest laureate in the 15-year history of UBA Foundation National Essay Competition, a milestone that also ended an eight-year streak of female winners.
The Senior Secondary (SS2) student from Igando Community Senior High School emerged overall winner on Tuesday at the grand finale held in Lagos, rising above thousands of entries from public and private schools nationwide.
His victory was particularly notable for a public-school participant, given the competition’s longstanding tilt towards candidates from more privileged backgrounds.
Master Ebunoluwa’s feat earned him a N10 million educational grant, which he is free to deploy at any higher institution in Africa, when he begins his tertiary education.
An elated Ebunoluwa expressed joy, saying, “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 winner, Njoku-Kelechi Emerald of Christian International High School, Owerri, received a N7.5 million educational grant, while the third-place prize of N5 million educational grant was awarded to Bayero, Fatima Auwal of Cornerstone Montessori Schools, Gudu, Abuja.
In addition to the monetary grants for the top three winners, all 12 finalists were given brand-new laptops and other educational materials to support their academic pursuits.
The 2025 edition got several thousand entries, with significant participation extending beyond major cities, into rural communities across the country.
UBA’s Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Oliver Alawuba, who commended the foundation’s 15-year commitment to the initiative, explained the competition’s strategic role in reviving the culture of reading and writing among the youth.
Emphasising the bank’s broader mission and the significance of the essay topic, Alawuba stated, “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 praised the finalists for exemplifying the principle in their essays and teaching valuable lessons in building a united capacity.
Managing Director/CEO, UBA Foundation, Bola Atta, who expressed gratitude to all stakeholders, reiterated the importance of education and how it was pivotal to the future of Africa.
Atta stated, “For 15 years, this initiative has been a cornerstone of our commitment to giving back and empowering the youth.
“We are investing in the academic future of these brilliant minds and, by extension, in the future of our continent. Education remains the most powerful tool to lift our continent, and we are thrilled to see this programme snowballing across Africa.”
The foundation has a long-standing tradition of philanthropy, with numerous initiatives across Africa aimed at empowering the underprivileged, from educational scholarships and initiatives to healthcare interventions and poverty alleviation programmes.
Nume Ekeghe
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