MVP Ojelum gets UK scholarship award

Organisers of the NNPC/Shell Cup on Monday unveiled one of the most outstanding players (MVP) of the 2017 competition, Ernest Ojelum, as winner of an International Summer School Scholarship in the United Kingdom.

Ojelum alongside Iyobor Arase emerged joint MVP and were sent on a training tour of The Netherlands with the Feyenoord Rotterdam football club, among other benefits of the NNPC/Shell Cup competition.

The recipient, who is a student of Henson Demonstration School in Benin City, will be joining other international scholars at the University of Sussex later in the year in an all-expense paid programme.

Speaking at the occasion, the General Manager, External Relations of Shell Nigeria, Mr. Igo Weli said the emergence of Ojelum was a result of a conscientious procedure that involved the partnership with the University of Sussex and Henson Demonstration School.

“We are delighted that our new partnership with the University of Sussex has brought a whole new excitement and incentive to the NNPC/Shell Cup to validate our belief that education and football can go hand-in-hand,” he said.

The National Petroleum Investment Services (NAPIMS) Group General Manager, Mr. Roland Ewubare, represented by the Community Relations and Public Affairs Department of NAPIMS Deputy Manager, Ms. Julie Utang, expressed excitement on the improvement of the 20-year old tournament, which has made the championship a standard in youth sports competition.

“We are encouraged by the emerging partnerships with Feyenoord and University of Sussex that have changed the whole motivations around the tournament, making it a household name in every part of Nigeria,” said Ewubare.

Speaking on the award, an overwhelmed Ojelum said “from the announcement of my name as one of the MVPs at the finals in 2017, the transformation to my life and world of experience I’ve been exposed to by NNPC and Shell are far beyond my expectations,” he said.