The Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, United Bank for Africa Plc, Mr. Philip Oduoza, has advised students in secondary schools across the country to always follow career paths that are in line with their talent.
Oduoza, who said this at the bank’s head office in Lagos, during the grand finale of the fifth edition of the UBA Foundation National essay competition for Secondary Schools in Nigeria, pointed out that one of the critical success factors in life is for students to determine their career based on your talent.
“Are you very good in mathematics? Are you very good in english? These should determine where your career should be,” the UBA boss said. He also urged secondary students to choose a mentor, to guide them towards achieving their career objective.
“Choosing a career focuses you as an individual, drives you for action and also to actualise your goal. Your mentor should be someone you can always go to for advice. Again, you cannot go wrong by reading, but please read positive materials. Reading is essential to broaden your knowledge and horizon and most importantly, you must maintain self-discipline,” he advised.
Meanwhile, Miss Emediong Uduak Uko, a 15 year old student of British Nigerian Academy, Abuja, won the prize of N1 million education grant. Emediong emerged the winner from over 3,326 entries received across the country. Also, Starish Ugie-Oritse-Ete Enonuya of The Lagoon School, Lagos and Eze Ugochinyere Golden of Living Word Academy School, Abia, emerged first and second runner ups, winning N750,000 and N500,000 educational grants respectively.
Oduoza, commended all the participants and the schools for encouraging the students. He said the competition which started in 2011 in Nigeria had also be extended to Ghana and Senegal which had also produced winners in the last few years.
On her part, the MD/CEO, UBA Foundation, Miss Ijeoma Aso, commended the participants and expressed delight at the increase level of participation recorded this year
