Sowemimo Efunjola Olumayowa, a student of Medicine and Surgery at the Lagos State University (LASU) College of Medicine, emerged as the winner. Bieni Precious Chinonso, a History and International Relations student at LASU, took second place, while Hamzat Kabir Olorunwa, a Physiology student at LASU, came in third.

Adebiyi Omotola Elizabeth, a Mechanical Engineering student at LASU, secured the fourth position, and Ashinze Emmanuel Chidi, a Chemical Engineering student at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), rounded out the top five.

The competition, which saw over 200 entries from various tertiary institutions in the state, aimed to raise consciousness among youth about environmental preservation, desertification, and climate change mitigation efforts to commemorate World Environment Day 2024. The goal is to achieve a sustainable environment for healthy living.

According to Dr. Tunde Ajayi, General Manager of LASEPA, the initiative was designed to encourage youth participation and drive environmental sustainability. “When you have an initiative that drives participation of the youth, it’s something that is sustainable, something that you can pass on to generations,” he said.

Dr. Ajayi emphasized the importance of involving young people in environmental activism, stating that “competition is adrenaline for them” and drives them to take action. He also highlighted the benefits of the competition, including engraving environmental sustainability ideas in the minds of young people, making them ambassadors for LASEPA and champions of environmental causes.

The competition saw brilliant submissions and exciting energies from participants, with winners emerging from various institutions, including the College of Medicine and engineering school. Dr. Ajayi expressed his excitement about the outcome, stating that the experience would forever be in the minds of the participants.

LASEPA’s decision to involve tertiary institutions was strategic, as it allowed for a structured curriculum and instruction on environmental sustainability for the next four years. This, according to Dr. Ajayi, would ensure that young people are deliberate about communicating environmental activities and become a network of environmentalists and sustainability advocates.

Engr. Rotimi Akodu, Special Adviser to the Governor on Environment, reiterated the Lagos state Government’s dedication to ensuring a safe environment for future generations. He emphasized the importance of involving young people in environmental activism.

According to Akodu, LASEPA has successfully brought together students from various schools to participate in debates and share their opinions on environmental issues. He expressed satisfaction with the participants’ performance, stating that the exercise will be continued on a yearly basis.

Akodu pointed out that this initiative will enable students to engage in preliminary debates at various levels before the annual event, thereby ensuring that they are thoroughly prepared and empowered to make meaningful contributions to the discussion.

A representative of the Dangote Group announced that the company will not stop on just the sponsorship of prizes for the winner and runner up of the LASEPA Environmental Sustainability Competition, but will also be providing a unique opportunity for the outstanding 5 to take a tour of the Dangote Oil Refinery located in the Lekki Free Zone.