The 2015 PZ Cussons Carex Chemistry Challenge (PZCCC) winner is Master Anthony Ekene Ike-Okoro. The 14 year old SS3 student of Top Grade Secondary School, Surulere, Lagos, was crowned champion after a series of practical and theory sessions, making him the competition’s youngest winner since it debuted in 2013.
He emerged winner with a total point of 88.8%, to lead the first runner up; 17 year old Wajul Kareem, of Abibat Mogaji Millennium Senior Secondary School, Agege who finished with a score of 75.4%.
Following hot on their heels was Samuel Joseph, a 15 year old student of the same school as Kareem, who came third.
For his feat, Anthony Ike-Okoro won a cash prize of N700,000, a laptop, and a gold medal; while his Chemistry teacher, Mr John Odinibe Nnani, went home with N100,000; and the school won a trophy and chemistry textbooks worth N100,000.
The Group Corporate Affairs and Administration Director of the organising firm, Mrs Yomi Ifaturoti, said the competition was aimed at promoting excellence among secondary school students.
She said the experience in the last three years has proven that public schools still retain some good quality, despite a contrarian perception held by most people, seeing as the 2015 edition produced two students who attend public school among the four finalists.
Chairman Advisory Board of PZCCC, Prof Oladele Osibanjo, while congratulating the organisers for conceiving the project, said the initiative would popularise the study of Chemistry as an important science subject.
