WINNERS EMERGE AT ADVANS ESSAY COMPETITION

LAGOS, NIGERIA: 2022 – Winners have emerged in the inaugural Advans Essay Competition organized by Advans La Fayette Microfinance Bank Limited for students between ages 8 and 13, which held at the Grand Bee Suites, Lagos, on Friday, September 30, 2022, after an objective evaluation process by a selected panel of judges.

Advans La Fayette MFB Limited is a leading microfinance bank providing simple and efficient financial services to small businesses, individuals, and corporate organisations.

(L-R) John Ehiguese, Group CEO, Mediacraft Associates; Mrs. Olubukola Oyerinde, one of the judges; Jennifer Halim-Ubahakwe, Head of Legal, Compliance and Governance, Advans Lafayette Microfinance Bank; Omidiji Dabira, Winner; Chukwudubem Chetachi, First Runner-Up; Gaetan Debuchy, Managing Director, Advans Lafayette Microfinance Bank; Olawale Raheem, Head of Business Development, Advans Lafayette Microfinance Bank and Mr. Akinseye Samuel, Chief Judge at the Advans Essay Competition prize giving ceremony held in Lagos

Leading several entrants across Lagos, Ondo, Kwara, Oyo and Anambra States, 11-year-old Omidiji Dabira of Good Fortune Model International College, Ibadan, Oyo state, emerged the winner of the essay competition, tagged: My Favourite Teacher.

Nine-year-old Purity Chukwudubem Chetachi of Star of Hope Montessori Schools, Alapere-Ketu, Lagos, and 13-year-old Abegunrin Heritage Abiodun of Juli Standard College, Oke- ola, Oyo State, emerged first and second runners-up, respectively.

**(L-R) Kayode Abraham, Head, Marketing and Communication,**
Advans La Fayette Microfinance Bank; Fanny Belhomme, Project Manager, Advans La Fayette Microfinance Bank; Jennifer Halim-Ubahakwe, Head of Legal, Compliance and Governance, Advans La Fayette Microfinance Bank; Omidiji Dabira, winner of the Advans Essay Competition;
Gaetan Debuchy, Managing Director, Advans Lafayette Microfinance Bank and Olawale Raheem, Head of Business Development, Advans Lafayette Microfinance Bank during the Advans Essay Competition prize giving ceremony held in Lagos

Speaking at the Prize Presentation event, the Managing Director, Advans La Fayette MFB Limited, Gaëtan Debuchy, said that the Competition is in line with the company’s objective to help children develop effective writing skills and boost the education sector in Nigeria.

“Writing is hard work and a dying art, which is why I am super elated by the brilliance and commitment demonstrated by these young ones. This goes to show that the future of these leaders of tomorrow is truly bright.”

He applauded the support and endorsement by the Lagos State Ministry of Education, school administrators and other government representatives for their roles in ensuring the success of the competition.

The ceremony, which had in attendance government dignitaries, school owners and proprietors, and other stakeholders in the educational sector saw the winners go home with a cash prize of N100,000.00, N50,000.00 and N30,000.00 for the first, second and third positions respectively, among other gift items.

Speaking on the evaluation process, the Chairman, Panel of Judges for the essay competition and Chief Examiner WAEC and NECO, Lagos State, Akinseye Samuel Ayo said the impartial grading assessment process that midwifed the shortlisted winners were solely based on the sheer academic brilliance of the children poured out on the pages of paper.

Advans Nigeria is a member of Advans Group, a leading international microfinance group currently serving over 1.1 million clients in ten countries including Cambodia, Cameroon, Ghana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Pakistan, Nigeria, Tunisia and Myanmar. For more than 15 years, the bank has offered a complete range of financial services that has helped build over 4 million small businesses.