18-Year-Old “Samuel Nder” Emerges Best Candidate In WAEC With 9 Distinctions.

Eighteen-year-old former student of Vaatia College Makurdi,

Benue State, Master Samuel Nder was on Thursday,

November 26, honoured as the best candidate in the May/June

West African Senior Certificate Examination (WASSCE) taken

by over 1.7million candidates nationwide.

At a colourful award ceremony held in Akure, Ondo state

during the 53rd Annual Meeting of Nigera National

Committee (NNC) of West African Examinations Council

(WAEC), master Nder and two other candidates were

rewarded for their performance in the May/June 2014

WASSCE.

Aside Nder who obtained 9A1s in the school exam to

emerged the best candidate, 18-year-old, Miss Onyinye

Oguejiofor formerly of Marist Comprehensive College,

Nteje, Anambra state placed second with 9A1s while 17-

year-old Master Oluwatobi Raji formerly of St Francis

Catholic Secondary School Idimu, Lagos, recorded 9A1s in

the WASSCE.

In the May/June 2014 WASSCE, with exam number

4081345036 Master Nder recorded A1 in Economic,

Geography, English Language, Further Mathematics,

Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry and Physics with total T-

score of 659.4325 while Miss Ogueijiofor’s T-score was

648.5706 and Master Raji had T-score 640.2125.

Currently, the best candidate is studying Software

Engineering at Saint Peterburg’s Electro-Technical

University in Russia, Miss Onyinye is studying Medicine

and Surgery at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and

Master Raji is studying Petroleum Engineering at the

University of Lagos.

Speaking at the award ceremony, Governor of Ondo State,

Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, said as a demonstration of the

state’s avowed commitment to nation building through the

apparatus of educational development.

His words: ‘’we have always welcomed with passion any

educational programme that the state is privileged to host.

Our passion is always borne out of the convictions that, no

nation can ever rise above the quality of her education.

This is because education is the vital organ and the very

pivot around which all national life resolves.’’

Mimiko who was represented by the Deputy Governor,

Alhaji Abdul-Azeez Oluboyo, commended WAEC for its

unrelenting efforts in conducting standard examinations

and producing credible results over the years.

The governor congratulated the three best schools in the

state that were honoured by the council for their

candidates performance in the May/June 2014 WASSCE and

appreciated WAEC for it investment in the future of the

children.

The chairman of WAEC NNC, Mrs. Anne Okonkwo said the

awards are aimed at encouraging the youth to strive for

excellence in their academic pursuits noting ‘’it is my hope

that some of the youth who are here today to witness this

ceremony, will be challenged by these Awards to work

harder in order to win similar laurels in future.’’

She also disclosed that NNC would present books to the

three best schools in the May/June 2014 WASSCE from

Ondo State stressing that it was in accordance with the

decision of the Nigeria Sub-Board of the WAEC

Endowment Fund Board of Trustees at its 4th meeting held

in November, 2012.

Mrs Okonkwo use the opportunity laud the federal and

other state governments for their support to the council

over the years even as she thanked Governor Mimko for

his investment in education and the performance of

schools in the state in WASSCE.

The Head of National Office (HNO), Mr. Charles Eguridu,

disclosed that the NNC ensures that the policies of the

council in Nigeria are decided in the best public interest,

and appropriate decisions are taken at all times, for the

smooth conduct of the WAEC’s operations.

Eguridu appreciated the support and understanding which

the state government has continued to give to the council

in its efforts to improve service delivery to numerous

stakeholders in the state and Nigeria as a whole.

At the event, 40 WAEC staff were given long service award

for their 20 years meritoriously service in various

capacities while Governor Mimiko described the awardees

as worthy ambassadors of the council and wished them

more years of productive service to the council and the

nation at large.