U.S. Embassy presents prizes to #USNGandMe winners

The American Embassy, Friday, presented prizes to winners of the USNGandMe essay and video contest it organised to commemorate 245th independence anniversary of the United States of America and 60 years of bilateral relations with Nigeria.

While Ilufu Akah emerged as grand winner of the essay competition, Jesse John was top in the video category.

Speaking at the ceremony, assistant cultural attaché of the U.S Embassy in Abuja Peter Burba, said both countries have benefited from cultural exchange in the last 60 years, urging Nigerians to believe in their institutions.

“Obviously, American culture has an endless influence on Nigeria. As the participants pointed out, United States international development programmes related to education, health have benefited Nigerians. I also want to add that Nigerian culture, especially literature, has really inspired a lot of Americans. In my High school we even read Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart,” he said.

Speaking, Akah who expressed delight over the prize said the US mission has impacted his community in the area of health, education and grant for food security.

He advised young people to always take advantage of every advantage that presents itself. 

He said, “We should take every opportunity that comes our way. I was trained in the University of Calabar in the field of medical sciences. When I first saw the contest, I was like I am not a language expert, how do i write but here we are today. My message to the youth is that at every point we should give every opportunity that comes our way a shot.”  

 On his part, John, whose short video was on political inclusion of persons with disability and young people, lamented that the youth and physically challenged were marginalised in the political process.