Zain Africa Challenge underscores corporate philosophy – Oparah

THE Head of Public Relations and Corporate Social Responsibility, Zain Nigeria, Mr. Emeka Oparah has said that the firm’s annual Africa Challenge television quiz show involving 32 Universities across the continent is a tangible expression of the telco’s brand philosophy of “a wonderful world” reports CHARLES OKOH.

Speaking at the National Qualifying Tournament (NQT) held recently in Abuja, involving 16 universities across the nation, he expressed confidence on the ability of the nation’s representatives in not only doing well but retaining the trophy won by the University of Ibadan last year.

A press statement to ITRealms Online listed the five institutions that qualified for Season IV of the Zain Africa Challenge to include: University of Ibadan (UI); University of Nigeria (UNN), Nsukka; University of Abuja; University of Maiduguri and University of Jos (UNIJOS) and that these universities will compete against 28 other universities in Africa for this season’s trophy.

“It was a special experience that the nation in her first participation in the tournament last year, brought back the winners’ trophy. The country’s representatives at this year’s tournament again have all it takes to win the trophy back-to-back,.” Oparah said.

He extolled the tremendous talent of Nigerian students, urging the representatives not only to bring back the trophy, but to use the platform as provided by the company to make friends across the continent because, as future leaders, they need to expand their circle of influence and globalize their perspectives to meet the increasingly high standards of leadership.

For students of the University of Ibadan, the qualifying tournament brought back special memories as its representatives, once again, showcased amazing intellectual ability, easily earning one of the five slots for the nation.

The statement also said with the qualification, UI will not only represent Nigeria at the International Festival in Uganda’s capital, Kampala later in the year, but will also defend the highly prized trophy it won last year, UI conquered 31 Universities in Africa to emerge winner of the Zain Africa Challenge Season III.

The 16 Universities, which participated in the National Qualifying Tournament (NQT) were selected by the National Universities Commission (NUC). They included Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; Bowen University; Federal University of Technology, Owerri and Katsina State University (now Musa Yar’ Adua University, Katsina).

Others were Niger Delta University; Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife; University of Abuja; Ambrose Ali University; University of Calabar; University of Jos; University of Maiduguri; Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi; Federal University of Technology, Akure; University of Nigeria, Nsukka; University of Lagos, Akoka and University of Ibadan.


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