For the second year in a row, a 16-year-old student has been crowned champion of PZ Cussons Chemistry Challenge (PZCCC), presently limited to Lagos State but scheduled to later go national.

Justin Ifeanyi Nwaoha of ISOLOG College, Ojodu, is the winner of the second edition of PZ Cussons Chemistry Challenge (PZCCC). At the inaugural edition last year, Emmanuel Ejiogu Onyekachi, then 16 and a final year student of Miketoy College, Ikotun, triumphed.

Justin, the new winner who is in SS3, beat off competition from three others at the grand finale held in Lagos over the weekend. He garnered a cumulative score of 72 per cent in both the theory and practical sessions of the intensive final.

For his feat, Justin was rewarded with N700,000 cash, a laptop, a trophy and gold medal, while his Chemistry teacher, Mr. Mayowa Adeoti, won N100,000 and a plaque. Chemistry books worth N100,000 were also presented to his school.

Jamiu Abayomi Animashaun of Federal Science and Technical College, Yaba, who scored a total of 62 per cent, emerged the first runner up. He was presented with a cheque of N500,000, a laptop and silver medal, while his Chemistry teacher, Mrs. Ann Ajisafe, went home with N80,000 cash and a plaque. His school also had Chemistry books worth N80,000.

With a cumulative score of 51 per cent, Azeez Balogun of Kingston High School finished as second runner-up and got N400,000 cash prize, a laptop and bronze medal. His Chemistry teacher, Mr. Obiora Onyilagha, won N70,000 while his school received N70,000 worth of Chemistry books.

Third runner-up Jeremiah Onu of FESTAC Senior College, pulled a total of 40 per cent and had a cash prize of N300,000, a laptop and a consolation medal while his Chemistry teacher, Mr. Oluwaleke Animashaun, got N60,000 and a plaque, while his school had N60,000 worth of Chemistry books.

This year’s edition, which commenced with call to entry on October 31 due to the late resumption of schools because of the containment of the Ebola Virus Disease outbreak, was open to SS2 and SS3 students in all public and private schools in Lagos State. Initiated by PZ Cussons Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of PZ Cussons Nigeria Limited, the competition is to be launched at the national level soon.

Six other students who made the Top 10 were rewarded with a cash prize of N50,000 each. They are Henry Odinakaeze Chukwuemeka of International School University of Lagos, Obinnaya Anyanwu of Eletu Odibo Senior High School and Kenechukwu Okwunze of Apostolic Faith Secondary School. Others are Light Ben Attah of Wellspring College, Modestus Nzubechi Amaechi of Starfied College and Ebube Iwuchukwu of Mill Bank Hall Secondary School.

Relieved at the end of the rigorous final stage, Justin expressed gratitude to God, his parents, teachers and the organisers, as well as the other finalists who he said provided him stiff competition.

He admitted that the practical session was the most challenging, saying: “I was shivering during the practical. While mixing the chemicals, I did something that would have messed everything up but I quickly made up for it.”

Prof. Oladele Osibanjo, Chairman of PZCCC Advisory Board, congratulated PZ Cussons for initiating the laudable competition as a means of popularising Chemistry, which he described as “an important science subject that drives through manufacturing processes.” He further said: “With this competition, I predict a bright future for Nigeria because these students have been exposed to tough test and practical sessions yet they have done exceptionally well.”

PZ Cussons Foundation focuses on education, health, road rehabilitation and provision of portable water. It has extended its interventions into constructing and donating blocks of classrooms, boreholes, health and youth centres as well as road rehabilitation.

•Photo shows Justin Ifeanyi Nwaoha, winner of PZ Cussons Chemistry Challenge 2014 (fourth left), with his Chemistry teacher, Mr. Mayowa Adeoti (first left); his father, Ogochukwu Nwaoha; his younger brother, Nkenna; his mother, Mrs. Louisa Nwaoha; his principal and some other students of his school, ISOLOG College, Ojodu; at the grand finale of PZ Cussons Chemistry Challenge 2014 in Lagos.

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