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By Godwin Chukwumaechi, Port Harcourt
Niger Delta Science School, Rumuola, Port Harcourt has emerged winners of the 2023 annual Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) sponsored science quiz competition in Rivers State.
The school clinched the trophy in the senior secondary school (SS 2) category at the competition which was concluded at the weekend in Port Harcourt.
Niger Delta Science School garnered a total of 65,899 points to beat Comprehensive Secondary School, Oginigba (58,285 points) and Enitona High School, Borokiri, Port Harcourt (57, 851 points) to second and third positions, respectively at the finale.
The school came third in 2022 competition with the 2023 edition having contestants slugging it out in three stages: The Olympiad, the Championship and the Grand Finale.
This year’s competition focussed on the theme, ‘Net Zero Science,’ and was open to SS 1 and SS 2 levels in secondary schools in Rivers State. Other schools that participated in the finals were Community Senior Secondary School, Rumuomasi (4th position); Model Secondary School, GRA (5th position); Community Secondary School, Aleto Eleme (6th position); and County Grammar School, Ikwerre/Etche (7th position).
NLNG’s general manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development Andy Odeh, addressing participants at the event, said; “We are very proud of the students who participated in this competition.
“They showed great enthusiasm and knowledge, and they are a credit to their schools and to Rivers State. We hope that this competition will inspire other young people to learn about science and to pursue careers in science-related fields.
“We are delighted that this year’s science quiz competition is focussed on climate change and net-zero emissions. This is a critical issue that we all need to be aware of, and we believe that this competition will help to raise awareness among young people and inspire them to take action and become agents of change,” he said.
Odeh stated that the company recognised the importance of science in achieving its vision of being a globally competitive LNG company and helping to build a better Nigeria.
He said; “Science is so pervasive that there is hardly anyone in the four corners of Rivers State that hasn’t today counted on science to achieve one elementary task or the other. The fisherman who wakes up, takes his net, enters his boat, and paddles it to that part of the sea where he hopes to make his big catch has depended heavily on science. So is the teacher who woke up this morning, checked his time, his emails and updates on the phone, entered his car and drove to this place. We all depend on science to improve our lives and the way we live it. We depend on science to plan our days and do our tasks. Every new day with new discoveries and inventions, science’s hold on us becomes even stronger and tighter.
“For us at NLNG, science is far from being a subject in the classroom, it is the most credible vehicle to take us from where we are today to where we wish to be tomorrow. Like I said before, we must demystify science to make it accessible to every child in this state. One way of doing this is to create a buzz around it. This time, the buzz is a quiz competition around the subject matter. This way the young and curious can be interested in it, can be familiar with it,” he said.
Odeh said that NLNG had, through several intervention projects, shown commitment to the development of science, citing the NLNG University Support Programme, targeted at modernizing and equipping laboratories and technical workshops in selected universities in six geopolitical zones in the country; Hospital Support Programme which focuses on increasing capacity in 12 teaching hospitals in the country; and The Nigeria Prize for Science, which is arguably the most prestigious science prize in Africa.
Representing the Rivers State Ministry of Education, Dr. Mrs. Ataisi Ngerebara, director of Science and Education at the ministry, said NLNG has given opportunity to children who, before now, had no opportunity to showcase their talents. She said science was driving development in the world and that there was a need for young scientists and science enthusiasts in Nigeria to be encouraged in innovativeness and creativity. She stated that the Rivers State Ministry of Education was fully behind the NLNG Science Quiz Competition.
Also speaking, the chairman, Science Teachers Association of Nigeria, Dr Peter Nwagor appealed to NLNG to include tech projects to be exhibited by the contestants, adding that this will make the contest more real.
“One year ago, we gathered here for this. Champions emerged from this competition. We hope the winners will justify it at national and international competitions.
“We appeal to the NLNG to include tech projects to be exhibited by the contestants. It will make the contest more real”, he said.
