St. Theresa’s Girls Secondary School, Olokoro, Umuahia, has emerged winner of the 13th edition of Vision Africa Radio 104.1FM School Debate.
The Methodist Girls High School, and Shinning Lord’s School, both in Umuahia, came second and third respectively while the Immaculate International Schools, Amuzukwu-Ibeku, Umuahia, came fourth.
Representative of the Methodist Girls High School receiving their gift
The debate which featured many secondary schools across Abia, was organised by the radio station in conjunction with the Abia State Ministry of Education.
Speaking at the Debate Prize presentation held at the premises of Vision Africa Radio, Umuahia, Bishop of the Methodist Church, Nigeria and President of Vision Africa, Sunday Onuoha expressed gratitude to God for sustaining the programme.
Bishop Onuoha enjoined parents to always encourage their children to participate in debate, quiz and other school activities that promote learning and development.
He urged other stakeholders in the education sector to join him in establishing more radio stations in the state in order to build the younger generation.
The cleric also urged Abia indigenes and other Igbos in the diaspora to come home and invest, noting that the primary reason for investing should not be to make money, but to transform lives and society.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Uche Eme Uche, congratulated the winners and encouraged the schools that could not make it to the top to worker harder next time.
The Commissioner, represented by the Ministry ‘s Head of Department, Scholarship, Mrs Angelina Nkoro, promised to sustain the partnership with the radio station for the good of Abia youths.
In his remark, Media Entrepreneur, Chief Ray Nkemdirim congratulated the students and the teachers, of the various participating schools, saying that he was thrilled by their intellectual and cultural displays during their presentations at the event.
Nkemdirim, who lamented that most parents in the diaspora had failed to connect their children with their Igbo roots and culture, called on the Igbo in the diaspora to come home and contribute their quotas towards building the Igbo culture.
He said: “Most of us in the diaspora only come home during Christmas or festive periods, hoping that we will meet our culture as solid as we left it.
“There is nothing we do to contribute to building the Igbo culture.
“It is events like this that actually deepen the Igbo culture and allow these young ones to realise and appreciate the values of our ancestors.
