Seplat empowers 50,000 youths in Edo, Delta through scholarships

Chief Operating Officer (COO), of Seplat Energy, Mr Samson Ezegwuorie, yesterday, expressed optimism that the organisation is meeting the needs of youths in its host communities of Edo and Delta states through sponsorship of scholarship programmes for over 50,000

youths.

Ezegwuorie, who spoke during the Seplat Energy 2022 Pearls Quiz Competition in Benin City, where Green Park Academy, Benin, defeated Deeper Life High School, Warri, to emerge, the winner of the yearly competition, said the firm has touched over 50,000 students across Edo and Delta states, many of whom have received a university education. He also disclosed that some of them have done internships with Seplat Energy, while others are being employed all over the world today.

He said: “When I was watching our student display today, I just told our senior partner that Nigeria is so blessed; that if we do the right things, we won’t just be exporters of crude oil, but exporters of talents to the rest of the world against the brain drain syndrome we are witnessing in the country today.”

Also speaking, the Managing Director, of Seplat Energy, Mr Ayodele Olatunde, said the Seplat Energy Pearls Quiz competition is a yearly event open to schools in Edo and Delta states, which is aimed at encouraging academic excellence among youths, motivates those that are hard-working and eventually reward them.

“We want to check academic excellence among our youths. It is meant to give back to those that will represent us in the future as leaders. Ours is to create an enabling environment. I thank Edo and Delta state governments for creating the enabling environment. I also thank the parents and guardians who made it possible.

“I want to equally thank teachers who followed students up to make sure they grow to this level, and to the company for supporting the creation of a platform that makes this happen. One of our objectives is to teach children how to win and win sustainably.”

Speaking earlier, Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, represented by the Permanent Secretary of, the state Ministry of Education, Mr Augustine Oghoro, said the exercise will make a positive impact on students in numerous ways, and will also encourage them to take their studies seriously.

“Winners and losers will leave here equipped to improve on their performances for future challenges. It will also prepare them to engage in ‘healthy competition with their peers and others in the wider society in pursuit of intellectually based scholarship schemes, as well as other competitions along the winding paths of life.

“This exercise has also brought students from Edo and Delta to square up in a friendly atmosphere. Undoubtedly, they will all mix and chart new friendships, know themselves better and deepen the bond of unity and love among people from the two States.

“Significantly, these young ones will also learn from this contest that hard work pays and that there is always reward for sincere and genuine effort at achieving worthy goals in life.”

The 2022 edition of the competition held at the Imaguero Secondary School, Benin, was won by Green Park Academy, Benin, Edo, who beat Deeper Life High School, Warri, Delta, to clinch the first position with a cash prize of N10 million sponsored project of their choice, while the three participating students went home with N100,000 scholarship fund.