The third South Africa Airways Essay competition 2022 (SAAEC 2022) has produced winners emerged at this year’s contest. The Grand Finale of the contest which was filled with many surprises took place in Lagos recently.
In attendance were Manager, Africa Market, South African Airways, Mr. Ohis Ehimiaghe; the Country Manager, Mrs. Kemi Leke-Bamtefa; and the Managing Director, Skyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCO) Plc., Mr. Basil Agboarumi among others.
The topic for this year’s essay contest was: “Protecting children from Illicit drugs and sexual abuse.”
In a statement, Ehimiaghe said, “South African Airways is passionate about children and takes a lot of pride in addressing issues that affect them considering that they are the future of any nation.”
The competition gained greater awareness and attracted a total of three hundred and eight (308) entries from secondary schools in Lagos and Ogun States representing a total number of forty six (46) schools comprising of a mix of students from public, private and missionary Schools.
Out of the total number of entries assessed by an Independent Panel of assessors drawn from a wide spectrum of the Aviation, Educational and Media sectors, eleven (11) top finalists were selected with total written scores ranging from 98 percentpercen percent.
The Country Manager, SAA, Mrs. Leke-Bamtefa noted that the competition is part of the airline’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CRS) initiatives as well as working with and supporting orphanages around the country among others. She also expressed delight at the blend of students from public, private and missionary schools who took part in the contest and spoke excellent and delivered eloquent presentations.
“At South African Airways, we are looking for the positive side; we are enhancing, we are promoting the potential of Nigeria and building greater on the excellent relationship shared between Nigeria and South Africa.
At the end of a keenly contested oral defense session, the following winners emerged: NGWAOGU IFEOLUWA UGOCHI, ABESAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL, IPAJA, Lagos was declared overall best while Aladetohun Kamimayo Enoch, St. Finbarr’s College, Akoka, Lagos and Oshimade Abisola Abiolu, Comprehensive College were declared first and second runners-up respectively with cash prizes.
The winners were also presented with award trophies as well as specially branded note books presented to the school teachers for their various schools including Goodie Bags with various items were also presented to all the students.
The 2018 winner of the competition, Miss Enuebuka Sharon from Murtala Muhammed Airport Secondary School, Ikeja, Lagos who was accompanied by her mother was on hand to cheer the finalists with a video showcasing her trip to South Africa and delivering her handover speech.
She equally presented the symbolic Airbus Aircraft Winners Baton to Ngwaogu Ifeoluwa Ugochi of Abesan Senior High school, Ipaja. This marks the beginning of her tenure as Brand/Industry Ambassador of the airline until she hands over to a new winner at the next edition of the contest.
In an unprecedented development at this year’s event, the Country Manager took everyone by surprise when she announced that with the kind support of the Manager Africa Market, the airline will not only send the 1st prize winner to South Africa on an all expenses paid trip as was done in the past two editions, but that all three students from 1st – 3rd positions will be sponsored by the airline this year.
She announced that the airline is currently considering taking the competition to other parts of the country and may likely begin with a pilot contest in Kaduna for the 2023 edition and possibly Port Harcourt in the following year.
By Olusegun Obisanya
