Three hundred teachers are in contention for this year’s Maltina Teacher of the Year award.
Corporate Affairs Adviser, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Mr. Kufre Ekanem, said in a statement that the panel of judges, headed by Prof Pat Utomi have begun screening of the teachers.
The number of entries is nearly double that of last year which was 176.
Ekanem said applications came from all states of the federation and the FCT.
He said the judges have the task of selecting state champions from the lot among whom they would shortlist the best 10 for further screening. The top three would be selected from among them.
“The valid entries will now be subjected to further scrutiny and thorough assessment process by the panel of judges to pick the state champions. From the state champions, the 10 best entries will thereafter be invited for another round of assessment where the panel will further subject the 10 finalists to rigorous scrutiny in order to determine the Maltina Teacher of the Year for 2017. On October 12, 2017, the winners will be announced and celebrated at a grand event in Lagos,” he said.
The overall best winner will get a total of N5 million spread across five years, training abroad, as well as a block of classrooms for his/her school.
Ekanem said the firm hopes to boost the teaching profession through the award which is one of the programmes funded under the NB/Felix Ohiwerei Education Trust Fund.
“It is our hope that through the Maltina Teacher of the Year initiative, we can inspire this nation to accord our teachers their deserved credit and bring back respect to the teaching profession in Nigeria,” he said.
Nigerian Breweries Plc (NBL) on Tuesday opened entries for this year’s edition of the Maltina Teacher of the Year Award.
At the unveiling at the Eko Hotel&Sutes, Victoria Island, Lagos on Tuesday, the firm’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Mr. Nikolaas Vervelde, recalled that the initiative, which began in 2015, is to recognise and celebrate exceptional teachers nationwide.
It remains part of the organisation’s continuous commitment to the development of education in the country, Vervelde further explained.
Represented by the firm’s Corporate Affairs Adviser, Mr. Kufre Ekanem, Vervelde also stated that for the first time, the competition would be expanding its tentacles to accommodate teachers across private schools nationwide.
According to him, the contest sponsored under the initiative of the Nigerian Breweries Felix Ohiwerel Education Trust Fund (NB-FO-ETF) intervention in the education sector, has brought about the construction of over 280 classrooms and 30 libraries in both primary and secondary schools across the 44 communities in Nigeria, in addition to impacting over 20, 000 students directly.
He said the expansion of NB-FO-ETF birthed the Maltina teacher of the year, anchored on the fact that despite the sensitive role teachers play in moulding future leaders, they are often underestimated.
According to him, collection of applications which opened on Tuesday, would last till Friday July 7, adding that interested teachers are to download application forms from the Maltina website -www.maltina-nigeria.com.
Applications forms should be completed and uploaded to the website or sent by email to maltinateacheroftheyear@heineken.com or by post to P.M.B. 12632, Marina, Lagos.
“As it was the case in the previous editions, all duly completed applications will be subjected to an intense selection and judging process. An external and independent panel of judges has been constituted to ensure transparency, credibility and objectivity of the initiative,” he added.
He said the five-step evaluation process of entries received would result in 37 champions (one per state and the FCT), subject to entries meeting the threshold as set by the panel of judges. From among the states champions, the teacher of the year 2017 will emerge.
He added that all state champions and winners would be rewarded at a grand ceremony on Thursday, October 12, to also commemorate the World Teachers’ Day.
The Maltina Teacher of the Year Award has so far produced 42 state champions and two overall winners. The maiden winner was Mrs. Nkemdillim Obi of the Federal Government Girls College, Onitsha, Anambra State, while Mr. Imo Essien, a teacher at the Special Education Centre for Exceptional Children, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State who the subsequent edition.
The Maltina Teacher of the Year 2016 will be unveiled on Thursday in Lagos to celebrate and showcase exceptional teachers and the teaching profession.
The race for the Maltina Teacher of the Year 2016 has sparked excitement and expectations from teachers. After a rigorous screening, the pool of state champions are in the final.
The Maltina Teacher of the Year, established to recognise, reward and celebrate exceptional teachers, is an initiative on the platform of Nigerian Breweries – Felix Ohiwerei Education Trust Fund. The Fund was established in 1994 by Nigerian Breweries to enable it play active roles in the development of education in Nigeria.
Since then, the Fund has impacted over 20,000 students across the country. It has built and furnished over 280 classrooms, 280 sanitary facilities and libraries in 40 communities. It has granted scholarships to students and tertiary institutions.
According to Kufre Ekanem, Corporate Affairs adviser, Nigerian Breweries Plc, “the Education Trust Fund expanded its intervention in education in 2015 through the Maltina Teacher of the Year initiative. The initiative was hinged on the realisation that teachers seldom get recognition despite their pivotal role in training, coaching and determining the quality of education.”
At the end of collecting, screening and judging of entries, 19 State Champions, two runners-up and a winner, Mrs Rose Nkemdilim Obi, emerged.
Each State Champion will get N500,000, the 2nd and 1st runners-up will receive additional N750, 000 and N1, 000,000.
The Maltina Teacher of the Year 2016 will get additional N1,000,000 instantly plus N1,000,000 every year for five years, a development training abroad and a block of six classrooms built at her school.
Due to popular demand, Nigerian Breweries (NB) Plc, organisers of the Maltina Teacher of the Year Award, has included private school teachers in this year’s edition of the contest.
Corporate Affairs Adviser of NB, Mr Kufre Ekanem, who made this known at a briefing, said the Maltina teacher of the year, Mrs Rose Obi, as well as popular demand by private school institutions, influenced the organisation’s decision to call for applications from across board.
Mrs Obi, who teaches Chemistry at Federal Government Girls College, Onitsha, served as PTA teacher with the school for a decade, before her appointment was regularised by the government. She was only two years old as permanent teacher when she won the award.
Ekanem said: “We have expanded the scope of the competition to include private school teachers this year. The winner is one of the reasons we did this. Initially, when we started, it was meant to be for all schools, but the ministry of Education appealed to us to make it exclusive to public schools, because private schools were generally considered more privileged, and we heeded their advice. But from the history of the 2015 winner, we have decided to open it to all schools.”
Ekanem called on those who did not qualify in their previous attempt to try again. He urged them to be mindful of the rules involved in the competition, as the process would be very intense this year.
The firm’s Human Resource Officer, Mr Peter Fatoyinbo, said the competition aims to improve education standards in the country, as well as recognise and celebrate teachers and the teaching profession.
He said: “Teachers’ influence is always felt in all aspects of the society. Whatever we become is a direct outcome of what teachers have passed to us. Thus, schools should always provide basic training. Maltina Teacher of the Year competition always promotes excellence in teaching. We hope this effort to extend it to private schools can continue to promote teaching profession in the country.”
Mrs Obi, in her interview with The Nation, said the competition was not a sham, adding that errors in filling the application form as well as non-membership of the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) could disqualify candidates.
“In filling the form, we are asked to fill the subjects we teach and recent awards. We are also told to fill out TRCN number to show that we are registered professionally and another important part is the teacher’s philosophy. This means, what you are doing in that classroom. My own philosophy is active learning. We are no longer in the lecture method. We create positive environment for the students to learn and participate. One of the organisers of the competition also came to the classroom to watch me teach, without prior notice,” she said.
Mrs Obi admitted not being prepared for the fame and opportunities the award has bestowed on her.
“I have received my N500,000 for being a state winner and N1million for being the national winner. In December, I also received the first N1million yearly grant, which is to last for the next five years. I had to postpone my trip for a training in the United Kingdom (UK) to May, for personal reasons; otherwise, my visa had been ready since April. As for the promise to build a block of classrooms in my school, I met with the school and they opted for a staff quarters and renovation of the classrooms instead, because our PTA has recently built us a block of classrooms,” she said.
Mr Gozie Obi could barely contain his joy when his wife, Nkemdilim Rose, was announced winner of the Maltina Teacher of the Year award in a colourful ceremony held at the grand ballroom of the Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island on Monday.
To think that he had nearly stopped her from teaching because of the pittance she earned as a part-time teacher employed by the Parents-Teachers Association (PTA) of the Federal Government Girls’ College, Onitsha! Today he is glad that he did not.
His 37-year old wife, whom he described as a combination of beauty and brains, was rewarded with N5 million for emerging the best among 19 finalists unveiled during the ceremony. (She would receive the award in tranches of N1million on World Teachers Day each year for five years.)
In addition to the N5million and the N500,000 she had earlier won for being the best teacher from Anambra State, Nigerian Breweries Plc, sponsors of the award, would send Mrs Obi for overseas training, and build/furnish a block of six classrooms worth N25 million for her school.
Obi told The Nation that for 10 years, his wife taught Chemistry and Mathematics at FGGC Onitsha without being recognised as a full-time staff in terms of remuneration, despite her efforts.
“Initially, when she started as a PTA teacher, the remuneration was so poor compared to the effort that she put in. At a point, I wanted to ask her to look for another thing to do. But she said it was not the money but her passion for the job,” he said.
Confirming her husband’s claim, Mrs Obi said in those tough years, it was her passion that kept her going. Two years after being absorbed, she has reaped the reward of that passion.
“It was the passion that kept me. You can see where it led me. The scope of the job for permanent and PTA teachers are the same. But when it came to salaries, the PTA remuneration was very poor. The highest I earned was N24,000.
“When I was employed by the Federal Ministry of Education (two years ago), I was given Senior Education Officer – they jumped two levels (Education Officer Level 1 and 2) to account for the years I had spent,” said Mrs Obi, who holds a BSc and MSc in Chemistry from the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.
If any in the hall doubted the decision of the Pat Utomi-led panel to award the grand prize to Mrs Obi, all doubts disappeared when she gave her response. She spoke articulately without reading from any speech about the important roles teachers play and how the initiative would restore dignity to the teaching profession.
“I thank Nigerian Breweries for this mind blowing opportunity given to teachers. Your aim is to restore the fortunes of the teaching profession. The Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) cannot thank you enough for what you have done. The winners receiving awards today represent an infinitesimal part of the hard working teachers dedicating themselves to teaching in our schools,” she said.
• Mrs Mohammed
First Runner up, Mrs Binta Mohammed, who teaches English at the Federal Government College, Maiduguri, Borno State, was rewarded with N1 million – in addition to N500,000 she got for being the best teacher at the state level. Second Runner Up, Daniel Sunday Udiong from Akwa Ibom won N750,000 (plus N500,000) for his effort.
In an interview, Mrs Mohammed said the insurgency has not dampened her passion for education. She added that she would use part of her prize to help internally-displaced people (IDP) in Borno State.
• Daniel
“I can tell you, there are so many people that are displaced. So many people are in the IDP camps. With so much, I think I will take part of this money to the people that are in the IDP camps,” she said.
In his address, Managing Director of Nigerian Breweries, Mr Nicolaas Vervelde, said the firm would continue to support education.
“In 1994, we raised the profile of our support of the education sector when we established the Nigerian Breweries-Felix Ohiwerei Education Trust Fund to enable us to contribute to the development of the sector. Everywhere in the world, teachers play a vital role in sustainable national development by training, coaching and modelling which is critical to determining the quality of education, “he said.
The remaining sixteen finalists emerged from Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Kogi, Adamawa, Imo, Abuja, Benue, Ekiti, Katsina, Kwara, Edo, Ebonyi, Delta, Abia, and Cross River states.
SOME of Nigeria’s biggest entertainers, like AY The Comedian, Iyanya, Kiss Daniel, Gordons, Akpororo, I Go Dye among many others last Sunday, stormed Port Harcourt for the biggest annual comedy concert in Nigeria, AY Live Sharing Happiness edition.
Kiss Daniel
Sponsored by Maltina, the event which held at the Aztech Arcum, Stadium Road, Port Harcourt was the final leg in this year’s AY Live concert series after dates in Lagos and Abuja.
Comedians who got guests doubled over in laughter all night included Ushbebe, Gordons, Acapella, Akpororo, Helen Paul, Funny Bone, Romeo, Dan D’Humorous, Ajebo and Hezekiah amongst many others.
Some of Nigeria’s hottest artistes, Iyanya, Kiss Daniel, Yung 6 and PH’s favourite, Fortune were also on display to keep guests on their feet
AY
throughout the night.
From dancing competitions, signing on the Maltina Wall of Happiness and winning exciting gifts including four iPhone 6 phones courtesy of Maltina, the Port Harcourt edition of AY Live 2015 definitely left its mark on the Garden City with the insatiable crowd asking for more.
The winner of the maiden edition of the Maltina Teacher-of-the-Year award will be announced on Monday, October 12, 2015, at a grand ceremony in Lagos.
The overall winner of the award will emerge from 10 finalists screened by the panel of judges last week. The national winner will get N1 million and another N1 million to will be paid into his account yearly for five years.
The runner-up will take N750,000, while the school that produces the national winner will also become a beneficiary of infrastructural development and projects worth N25 million.
Nigerian Breweries Corporate Affairs Adviser, Kufre Ekanem, believes that the initiative would greatly elevate the teaching profession.
“On October 12 when the prizes will be awarded, the teaching profession will be put on a scale and celebrated in a grand event. Teachers are used to watching other professions celebrated on TV, now is their time to be celebrated,” he said.
The race for Maltina Teacher-of-The-Year started on May 20, 2015 and generated unprecedented interest from teachers across the country.
The award instituted by the Nigerian Breweries/Felix Ohiwerei Education Trust Fund is aimed at restoring the pride of teachers and the dignity of the teaching profession.
The Panel of Judges that screened the applicants was chaired by Prof. Pat Utomi, Founder/Chief Executive Officer CEO), Centre for Values in Leadership. Others include: Mrs. Mopelola Omoegun, Professor of Education, University of Lagos; Prof Thomas Ofuya, Vice Chancellor, Wellspring University; as well as Mr. Olusegun Adeniyi, Chairman, Editorial Board, ThisDay.
To mark Father’s Day, some Abuja residents,last Sunday, relaxed in an atmosphere of ‘complete happiness’ at the Abuja edition of 2015 A.Y Live comedy concert series.
The Abuja edition featured popular comedians like Akpororo, I Go Dye, A.Y, Helen Paul, Ushbebe, Elenu, Ajebo, Fred Bright, Pencil and others, in addition to musical performances from some of Nigeria’s biggest music names including M.I Abaga, Phyno and others.
The 2015 A.Y Live series, which aligns it success with Maltina’s ‘Complete Happiness’ campaign brought music and comedy from the country’s top performers to Lagos and Abuja. Following the successful hosting of the show, all is now set for the Port-Harcourt edition which comes up later in the year.
According to Maltina Senior Brand Manager, WoleAdedeji, the A.Y Live show has endeared itself to friends and families.
“Communal moments which occur in the aftermath of a funny joke or during a wonderful musical or stage performance are the little things that bring families together and solidify friendships and relationships,” said Adedeji.
“Naturally, being a brand that is all about happiness, laughter, love and sharing, the experience of Nigeria’s most successful comedy concert series is one that resonates with us. It is an experience that we want to share with our consumers, who in turn will share it with their loved ones. This is why our partnership with A.Y Live has such great synergy. We aim to achieve the same thing – to make people happy.”
Comedian and organiser of the show, Ayo Makun (A.Y), quipped that Nigeria could use some of the happiness Lagos experienced at the Easter Special and Father’s Day edition.
“This is a good time to bring friends and family together to share a bunch of laughs and lovely moments with some of the country’s finest comedy and musical talents,” he said.
“Lagos has experienced this happiness and the feedback was great. People in Abuja wanted to know why the show didn’t come to their city first, so it was great to be able to come here and put on a show for them. I looked out and saw happy people enjoying the evening with loved ones. At the end of the day, that is what this is all about.”
A.Y Live show which began in 2007, has grown to become one of Africa’s biggest comedy events and has partnered with Maltina, which was launched in Nigeria 39 years ago, to pursue its “Complete Happiness” campaign.
This year’s edition of popular comedy show series, A.Y Live, has again retained the support of Maltina, a brand of the Nigerian Breweries Plc.
The show, tagged: Complete Happiness, will take place on April 5, at Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Comedians who have made the show’s list this year include, I Go Dye, Seyi Law, Ushbebe, Princess, Helen Paul and musicians such as King Sunny Ade (KSA), Onyeka Onwenu, Wizkid, Timaya, Yemi Alade and Korede Bello among others.
The partnership began last year, when the brand declared its support for A.Y Live and another comedy show, Laffmatazz, by Gbenga Adeyinka, as part the beverage’s Laugh out Loud activation. The shows held in Lagos and Ibadan respectively. It is however not clear if Laffmatazz is able to also retain this support.
It will be recalled that at the start of the partnership last year, Corporate Affairs Adviser, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Kufre Ekanem, said that support for these two shows was derived from its new agenda that borders on ‘Sharing the Happiness’.
This time round, Maltina’s Senior Brand Manager, Adewole Adedeji, noted that the brand’s decision to continue its partnership with A.Y Live is because of its interest in being a part of consumers’ happy moments.
“Maltina as a brand that constantly preaches happiness is keen on promoting activities that stir up the happy self of every individual. We believe the secret to living a long healthy life is to stay happy and AY Live delivers that exact recipe. Last year was amazing, the feedback from our consumers was mind-blowing, so there was certainly no questioning our partnership this year because we hold the happiness of our consumers dear to heart,” he said.
The series is expected to continue in Port Harcourt and Abuja, later in the year.
IN a show filled with suspense, drama and excitement, the Utere family, from Port-Harcourt, Rivers State, was crowned winner of the 8th edition of the dance reality TV show, Maltina Dance All, last weekend at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The grand finale saw the Uteres going home with the star prize of N10 million after securing the largest number of votes in the keenly contested competition.
The show, which is reputed for promoting family values, bonding and happiness, is sponsored by Maltina, a premium malt drink from the stable of Nigerian Breweries Plc.
Apart from the grand prize of N10 million, the Utere family also earned the title of Nigeria’s number one dance family, while the Uzodinma family, who claimed second position, went home with N3milion. The Odigie family, who came third, was rewarded with N1million. The four families that made it to the grand finale competed in two dance styles: Rhythm of Naija and Hip-hop.
Speaking at the event, Senior Brand Manager, Maltina, Mr. Adewole Adedeji, stated that the competition had been very effective in audience engagement.
“The MDA platform has been sustained over the past eight years because we are a consumer-centric organisation. We will continue to invest in the things that create positive experiences for consumers to connect with one another and with our brand. The reason we have sustained it this far is majorly because it connects with consumers,” he said.
Celebrating the victory, Wilfred Utere, on behalf of the family, said: “It is so overwhelming to be crowned winners tonight. We have really worked hard to be here today. I want to thank all those who have supported us all the way. I want to also thank Maltina for giving us a platform to showcase our talents and to also be rewarded with this huge amount of money.”
