History was made in Lagos on Tuesday as 13-year-old Ebunoluwa Seth Oluwatimilehin of Igando Community Senior High School became the youngest-ever winner of the UBA Foundation National Essay Competition.
Ebunoluwa, an SS2 public-school student from Igando, also broke an eight-year streak of female winners, emerging as the first male champion in nearly a decade. He walked away with a N10 million educational grant to fund his studies at any African university of his choice.
Overwhelmed with joy, he said the victory proved that “passion and hard work truly pay off,” adding that the competition strengthened his love for writing.
Njoku-Kelechi Emerald of Christian International High School, Owerri, took second place with a N7.5m grant, while Bayero Fatima Auwal of Cornerstone Montessori Schools, Abuja, won the N5m third-place prize.
All 12 finalists also received brand-new laptops and educational materials.
The 2025 competition attracted thousands of entries, including impressive participation from rural communities nationwide.
UBA Group Managing Director/CEO, Oliver Alawuba, praised the Foundation’s 15-year commitment to the contest, describing it as a key effort toward reviving reading and writing culture among Nigerian youths.
EduTimes Africa, a product of Education Times Africa, is a magazine publication that aims to lend its support to close the yawning gap in Africa's educational development.
