Funtaj International school has emerged winner of the MTN Anti Substance Abuse Programme (ASAP) Quiz Competition, which took place on Tuesday, 14 June 2022.
The competition was organized in collaboration with the MTN Foundation and National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to raise awareness on substance abuse among secondary school students in Nigeria.
The keenly contested competition saw representatives of Funtaj International school, Ramat Sakman, Oluwatoyinsola Adeyemi, and Ataba Shehu emerge winners in both the first and second categories of the competition.
Intelligence Quotient School, Abuja and Government Secondary School, Ilorin finished second and third, with 45 and 35 points, respectively.
Commenting on the competition, Shadrack Haruna, Secretary of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), spoke on behalf of the Chairman, NDLEA, Mohammed Buba Marwa. In his opening remark, he said, ‘’For those of you who are part of this program, the lesson for you to take to your friends and peers is don’t use drugs.
‘’As we know, drug use amongs youth in Nigeria is frightening. Young persons of school age have been found to use all kinds of substances including unconventional concoctions and so on.
This quiz competition will provide you with the necessary knowledge and information to make healthier personal choices and avoid risky situation that can predispose you to drug use. Also, to build skills to help you resist the pressure to use drugs and encourage peer education.”
Lauding the effort of the ASAP quiz finalists, Odunayo Sanya, Executive Secretary of the MTN Foundation, urged students to take advantage of the knowledge and academic excellence instilled in them as they prepare to be school ambassadors. She said,
‘’As you travel through life, I want you to hold to the memory of this competition. Any time you are overwhelmed, remember that you did this, and you can do it again.
‘We believe in you and this is why the MTN Foundation is investing resources to ensure the message is clear. We want a drug free Nigeria and we are counting on you to bring this to life. We believe through this process, we have reunited you as our ASAP ambassador.
“We expect that as it is custom with an ambassador, you will show this in the home and in your schools. You will take the message back to your peers and you will join us in a drug free nation.”
Following the announcement of results, the students from Funtaj International school could not hide their joy. The students ascribed their achievement to thorough reading, extensive research on the subject and keeping focus.
The three finalists took home prizes including phone tabs and learning support materials. The other ten participating schools were also not left out as they were also presented with learning support materials.
