In a ceremony held at the Bishop’s Court, GRA, Onitsha, the Rt. Rev. Owen Nwokolo, Bishop on the Niger, honored over twenty outstanding students from various schools within the Diocese On The Niger for their exceptional performance in the 2024 Universal Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
Among the distinguished recipients of the Episcopal Educational Merit Award Certificate and gifts were Munachimso Obidike from Lady Hannah Model School, Awada, who secured the top spot with a remarkable score of 321. He was closely followed by Emmanuel Onugha from St. Marks Standard Secondary School, Omagba, and James Eze from Dennis Memorial Grammar School, Onitsha, both achieving an impressive score of 316.
Emmanuel Ofili from St. Christopher Junior Seminary, Onitsha, and Chinonso Ibegbunam from Patterson Memorial Grammar School, also performed exceptionally well, each scoring 314 points.
Noteworthy mentions include Ugochukwu Ugomuanya and Chinedum Ubabuike from DMGS, scoring 313 and 307 respectively, and Lotanna Anazodo from St. Christopher Junior Seminary, achieving a score of 304.
Twin brothers Kelechi and Izuchukwu Iyida from Patterson Memorial Grammar School demonstrated commendable performance with scores of 296 and 278 respectively, while Chilotam Chukwudi from Anglican Grammar Girls, Onitsha, emerged as the only female recipient, scoring 270.
In his address, Bishop Nwokolo underscored the historical significance of education within the Diocese On The Niger, dating back to 1857, and emphasized its pivotal role in shaping society’s future. He reiterated the Diocese’s commitment to providing quality education while maintaining a zero-tolerance policy towards examination malpractice.
The event also featured insights from educational stakeholders, including the Diocesan Education Secretary, Venerable Nwachukwu Uzo-Okeke, and Lady Ngozi Agbasimalo from the Diocesan Education Board, who lauded the Bishop and his wife for their unwavering dedication to the educational sector.
Principal Venerable Chigozie Anieto of DMGS, Onitsha, delivered a brief lecture on the importance of hard work and goal-setting, while school managers and principals expressed their joy at the students’ achievements, attributing their success to qualified teachers, conducive learning environments, and diligent efforts.
Recipient students, including Munachimso Obidike, James Eze, Chilotam Chukwudi, and the Iyida twins, expressed gratitude to the Bishop for the recognition, affirming that their hard work had paid off.
This ceremony serves as a testament to the commitment of the Diocese On The Niger towards nurturing academic excellence and fostering a culture of learning and achievement among its students.
