Zain Rewards UNN team to Zain Africa Challenge, Pledges Support for Nigerian Varsities

 Zain Nigeria has restated its commitment to supporting Universities in Nigeria to perform their key role as purveyor of knowledge, innovation, development and change by igniting the desire for learning and rewarding academic brilliance through its popular academic programme, Zain Africa Challenge.
Speaking at a recent prize presentation ceremony held in honour of University of Nigeria’s representatives to the International Festival of the on-going Zain Africa Challenge, Emmanuel Otokhine,  public relations manager of Zain Nigeria, said the company will continue to provide exciting platforms for students of Nigerian Universities, adding that the Zain quiz show is designed to stimulate and reward academic excellence among youths in Nigerian Universities.
Otokhine also commended the University for qualifying for the International Festival two years in a roll and for being worthy ambassadors of the country at the Championship in Kampala, Uganda.
The University team comprising four team players, a coach and a Liaison were presented with cash prizes as reward for their participation in the International Championship Festival and for emerging from the keenly contested Zain Africa Challenge National Qualifier Tournament as one of the country’s representatives.
The team comprise Julius Arop a fourth year student of Civil Engineering, Odigwe Michael, a final year student of Medicine & Surgery, Samuel Ugochukwu, a 200 level student of Education & Political Science, Macdonald, a second year student in the department of Economics,  Professor Marie-Stella Nzewi (Team Coach) and Celine Ngozi Nnebedum (Team Liaison).
In addition to receiving cash prize (Institutional grants), the University was also presented with a Zain Africa Challenge trophy.
In his response the Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Bartholomew Okolo thanked Zain for its contribution to the advancement of the Nigeria tertiary Institution and opening the doors for youths across various African borders to interact and forge a long term relationship.
The Vice Chancellor who was represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration), Professor Egbeke Aja applauded the University’s Zain Africa Challenge team for upholding the good name of the Institution both at the National Qualifier and at the International Festival.
The prize presentation held on Monday, April 26, 2010 at UNN’s Campus in Nsukka, Enugu State.
The University is one of the five Institutions that made it through the highly contested National Qualifier held in Abuja, which was used to select the teams that represented Nigeria at the International Festival.
The other Nigerian teams that qualified to fly Nigeria’s flag included the University of Ibadan, University of Jos, University of Maiduguri and University of Abuja.
The ceremony was attended by many principal officials of the University including Dean of School of General Studies, Professor Elsie Ogbonna, Acting Registrar, Chris Okonta, University Librarian, Dr Charles Omekwu, Dean of Students, and Professor Malachy Okwueze amongst others.
Other representatives of Zain present at the event included Chinda Manjor, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility Programme, Uloma Osisioma, Manager Shop and Franchise,  East Region, Veronica Nwosisi, Team Lead, Indirect Sales, Enugu, East Region,  Isi Hilda Nsofor, District Manager, Enugu and Moustapha Adekunle, District manager, Enugu.