Organisers seek donations as Brightest Agric Contest targets N100m scholarships for students

The organisers of the Brightest National Agric Science Quiz Contest say they are “still far from this year’s target” of raising N100 million in scholarships for the competition’s student participants. 

In a recent statement, Oladapo Ojo, the executive producer of the competition, called for more donations from corporate bodies and the general public.

The Brightest National Agric Science Quiz Contest is a competition to promote the study of agricultural science with technology across high schools.

The competition is organised by JustMedia Production and sponsored by OCP Africa, BlackCountry Farms and Providus Bank.

The organisers said OCP Africa had committed N10 million to the scholarship fund while appealing for more donations.

“This will go a long way in setting the ball rolling for the first educational crowdfunded initiative in Africa designed to create life-changing opportunities for young, aspiring Agriculturists, Scientists, Researchers, Inventors, etc,” the statement reads.

“We welcome others to do the same as we are still far from this year’s target of raising N100m from the general public to support the University education of these brightest minds.”

Eighty-one students qualified for the second stage of the competition after being selected from a pool of over 16,039 students from 2,559 schools across Nigeria who sat for the national qualifying exams.

The N100 million scholarship fund will be disbursed to the 81 students depending on their performance in the competition.

The Brightest National Agric Science Quiz Contest began airing across top TV stations in Nigeria and Africa on April 6.

The contest will run for 13 weeks — Saturdays on Independent TV Benin at 4 pm, BCOS Ibadan at 4:30 pm and Sundays on Africa Magic Family CH 154 and NTA Kaduna at 5 pm, AIT Network and STV Jos at 6 pm.