The University of Nigeria, Nsuka, Enugu Campus, and Princeton College, Surulere, Lagos, have emerged winners of the 12th National Travel Essay Competition 2023 in the tertiary institutions and secondary schools categories respectively.
Merciful Nwafor of the University of Nigeria, Nsuka, Enugu Campus, and Oyedeji Moyinoluwa of Princeton College, Surulere, Lagos, emerge winners won the prize.
The secondary school category essay was titled, ‘Implications and threats of unruly passengers to safe and secure air travel,’ while the tertiary institution was ‘Curbing the trafficking of illicit drugs in Nigeria’.
Both winners emerged following a session of an oral defense of their respective essays before a select group of independent assessors at the grand finale of NTEC 2023 in Lagos recently.
The panel was chaired by the Managing Director of Skyway Aviation Handling Company Plc, Mr Basil Agboarumi.
He was joined by Prof. Effiom Uku of Nigerian Meteorological Agency; MD, Aviation Africa Plate-Forme, Dr Ifeanyi Ogochukwu, and MD, Aviatrix Hub, Mrs Victoria Adegbe.
Others are First Officer, Paul Adebayo of United Nigeria Airlines; GM, Safety, SAHCO Mrs Christie Oseghale; and Mr Godbless Ozegbe formerly of Nigeria Airways.
The Founder and Coordinator of NTEC, Mr Ewos Iroro, said, “The topics for this year’s competition were carefully chosen following recent developments and repeat occurrences in the sector regarding incidences of unruly passengers and increased levels in the trafficking of illicit drugs through the airports, which pose serious safety and security threats to the aviation sector and the nation at large with untold implications.”
Merciful Nwafor went home with a cash prize of N150,000 and a free ticket to South Africa sponsored by South African Airways. In the same vein, Oyedeji Moyinoluwa was rewarded with a cash prize of N100,000 and a free ticket for herself and a parent to Accra, Ghana sponsored by Africa World Airlines.
Oshimade Abisola of Abiolu College, Igando, Lagos, was the first runner-up and went with a cash prize of N60,000 while Ademigbaji Favour of Sunshine Diamond College, Ibadan emerged second runner-up went with a cash prize of N40,000 in the secondary school category.
Similarly, in the tertiary institutions category, students of University of Ibadan; Daikpor Anthonia was the first runner-up received a cash prize of N100,000 while Olatunji Deborah was the second runner-up and received a cash prize of N50,000.
