Last Updated on December 16, 2014 by admin

An undergraduate student in the Department of Microbiology, Mr. Charles Besidonne, has done the University proud by emergingone of the top three in the 1st African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO) Continental Essay Competition.

The keenly-contested Essay Competition with the theme, “The Role of Standards in Promoting Sustainable Development in Africa”, attracted 112 entries from 14 African Countries, with 27 from Nigeria and opened to all African countries and youths below 35 years in approved Universities and Colleges. He came third with 82.5 per cent score while the other two winners, Mr. Toung II Peres, a Camerounian and Mr. Godswill Chijioke Olemgbe, a Nigerian came first and second with 84 per cent and 83.5 per cent scores, respectively.

In a letter to the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Olusola Oyewole, the Director-General and Chief Executive, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Dr. Joseph Odumodu, stated that Besidonne’s “position in the essay competition further reaffirms that the efforts of Government at improving the quality of education in Nigeria is yielding fruits” and that SON would sponsor the students to the Award Ceremony.

According to him, ARSO is an inter-governmental body established in 1977 with its Central Secretariat in Nairobi, Kenya. It is the arm of the African Union, responsible for matters of standardisation andis made up of 34 member-states of Africa, represented by National Standards Bodies (NSBs) of Africa. Nigeria is represented by the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), which also holds the Office of the President.