President Muhammadu Buhari will grant scholarships up to Doctorate level to three young Nigerians who emerged the best in the final exams of the 774 Young Nigeria Scientists Presidential Award for 2022.
Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, STI, disclosed this at the 2022 edition of the 774 Young Nigerians Scientists Presidential Award (774-YONSPA) on Monday in Abuja.
Mr Onu said Buhari will receive and grant scholarships to the young pupils at the opening ceremony of the STI Expo 2022, starting on March 14, 2022.
The minister said the 774 YONSPA which he created at the inception of his tenure as minister and had been ongoing since 2017 is to inspire and prepare young minds to take up careers in the sciences.
He noted that the competition started at the local government levels where candidates competed in STEM subjects of Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Biology.
Mr Onu said it is imperative to nurture young pupils to come out the best because Nigeria needs the best hands and minds to solve national problems.
He maintained that Nigeria is anxious to produce a Nobel laureate in the field of sciences and that these young pupils needed all the encouragement the country could give.
According to him, their performances were extraordinary at the concluded examinations.
He also exhorted other candidates who emerged the best in their states to become the best in their university years.
Mohammed Abdullahi, Minister of State for STI, said the programme was initiated to “Catch them young for the future’’.
“I am aware that all senior secondary schools in the 774 Local Government Areas of the federation competed at the local and state government levels and you emerged as champions,’’ Mr Abdullahi said.
Maryam Ogunbayo of Gombe state emerged first and the overall best in the competition.
Master Gbolahan Ayinde of Ogun state emerged second while Uchendu Judith from Edo state took the third position.
NAN
