Zenith Bank sponsors 5 students to global Microsoft championship

Zenith Bank on Monday said it sponsored eight Nigerian students to the global Microsoft championship just concluded in Disneyland, California in the US.

The bank told our reporter in Lagos that the students successfully participated in the championship out of which one, Katherene Eta, took the third place position in the competition.

Eta was presented $1,500 as prize money.

It listed the students as Oluwatamilore Adeniran, Favour Oloriegbe, Husna Bello, Katherine Eta and Fatimo Ndanusa.

The bank said that the sponsorship was part of its corporate social initiative projects for which it earmarked N2.55 billion in 2016.

“All the students, who successful participated in the championship, returned to the country at the weekend and we are prepared for more sponsorship in future,’’ the bank said.

Katherene Eta, the third place winner in the global championship, described the competition as a wonderful experience, “especially when you are competing with your peers from around the world.”

“It was not all fun and games, but a wonderful opportunity to read and prepare for the test which lasted for just about 50 minutes.”

She commended Zenith Bank for the sponsorship of the trip, stressing that without the assistance of the bank, “we would not have been able to go to the championship.”

Mrs Edna Agusto, the Chief Executive of Readmanna, the organisers of the competition in Nigeria, said the students for were selected from secondary schools across the country.

She said that the championship was all about promotion of digital literacy, adding that the competition was based on some key Microsoft applications.

Augusto said that digital literacy was now very important for students, especially in view of the growing unemployment in Nigeria.

Mr Adeyemi Stephen, a Microsoft Specialist and teacher who accompanied the students on the trip, said that Microsoft applications were useful in all areas of human endeavour as“they are what everybody needs”.