CSR: UBA Foundation invites entries for essay competition

UBA Foundation, the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and sustainability initiatives arm of United Bank for Africa Plc, is inviting students in senior secondary schools across the country to submit entries in the 2014 UBA Foundation National Essay Competition.

The Foundation said the annual competition, which is in its fourth consecutive year, is aimed to challenge the reading, research, writing and critical thinking skills of Nigerian students, adding that it had witnessed increased participation from students since it was first launched.

Similar essay competitions are going on simultaneously in Senegal and Ghana as 'part of UBA's efforts to continue to intellectually challenge African youths to improve their capacity to compete in an increasingly global world', according to the managing director and chief executive officer, UBA Foundation, Ms. Ijeoma Aso.

'The Essay competition is a follow-up to our Read Africa initiative, which involves giving out literature books to secondary school students to help rekindle the reading culture. With the essay competitions, we are seeking to further challenge the students' she explained.

Eligible senior secondary students willing to participate in the competition are expected to send in handwritten entries on the topic 'Is Social Media a safe place to make friends? to the UBA Foundation's office in Lagos. Entries for the Nigeria competition close by November 14, 2014, the statement said.

A distinguished panel of judges made up of professors from reputable Nigerian universities will review the entries and select an initial shortlist of 12 for further assessment until the overall three best candidates emerge.