{"id":973,"date":"2026-06-20T20:12:23","date_gmt":"2026-06-20T20:12:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/?p=973"},"modified":"2026-06-20T22:47:24","modified_gmt":"2026-06-20T22:47:24","slug":"oau-emerges-first-institution-to-win-universityduel-smart-challenge-same-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/?p=973","title":{"rendered":"OAU emerges first institution to win both UniversityDUEL, SMART Challenge same season"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>*<strong><em>Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Nigeria, shines again, as the first University to win total N4 million and scholarships from UniversityDUEL and SMART Challenge in the same season 2026, as TheSTEMAfrica Initiative officially presents the University with trophies and prizes for emerging champions of the two initiatives <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gbenga Kayode | ConsumerConnect<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;To Obafemi Awolowo University, honour is due!&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>TheSTEMAfrica Initiative stated this as the organisation formally celebrated Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Nigeria, as the double champions of 2026 UniversityDUEL Competition and SMART Challenge.<\/p>\n<p>The OAU, a citadel of academic excellence, had emerged the winner of the second edition of the UniversityDUEL Competition this year.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-987 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/OAU-University-Duel-and-SMART-Challenge-2026-WInners-cc.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"672\" height=\"375\" srcset=\"https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/OAU-University-Duel-and-SMART-Challenge-2026-WInners-cc.png 672w, https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/OAU-University-Duel-and-SMART-Challenge-2026-WInners-cc-300x167.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 672px) 100vw, 672px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><em>The three Great Ife outstanding students, double champions and award recipients of 2026 UniversityDUEL Competition and SMART Challenge<\/em><\/p>\n<p>The event, which streamed live on TikTok, held June 12, in the Oduduwa Hall of the prestigious University.<\/p>\n<p><em>ConsumerConnect<\/em> reports the UniversityDUEL Competition is a premier contest designed to showcase Nigeria\u2019s emerging talents in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).<\/p>\n<p>In this year&#8217;s event, which latest 11 weeks, the competition featured total 62 Universities and 186 students across Nigeria, who were tested in Applied Mathematics, Data Analysis, General Knowledge, and Verbal Reasoning\u2014highlighting the technical capabilities shaping the West African country&#8217;s digital future.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"5Uooy5RPNF\"><p><a href=\"https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/?p=977\">Nigeria\u2019s National AI Trust, digital economy gain global support at co-creation workshop in UK: Minister<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"\u201cNigeria\u2019s National AI Trust, digital economy gain global support at co-creation workshop in UK: Minister\u201d \u2014  Consumer Experience Is A Top Priority\" src=\"https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/?p=977&amp;embed=true#?secret=xzjnFFzO2i#?secret=5Uooy5RPNF\" data-secret=\"5Uooy5RPNF\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Three outstanding OAU students &#8211; Abdul Quayum Alli, Lekan Adesina, and Ogungbayi Imran &#8211; who headkined the honour, had represented University throughout the competitions.<\/p>\n<p>The authorities of the University affirmed that their performance across both UniversityDUEL and the SMART Challenge secured the historic &#8220;double victory&#8221; for the University.<\/p>\n<p>After the intellectual duel, MTN Nigeria awarded N3 million to the UniversityDUEL winners and N1 million to the Smart Challenge champions, alongside scholarships.<\/p>\n<p>TheSTEMAfrica officially, presented the trophies, prizes to OAU as champions in competitions June 12.<\/p>\n<p>Mr. Oladapo Ojo, Founder of TheSTEMAfrica Initiative, and Dr. Ore Sofekun, Consultant to the Initiative, led the historic presentation of trophies and prizes in the presence of Prof. Adebayo Simeon Bamire, Vice-Chancellor of OAU, members of the University community, alumni, students, and other distinguished guests.<\/p>\n<p>The University disclosed Dolapo Adegoke also attended on behalf of MTN Nigeria, a key supporter of the UniversityDUEL 2026 season.<\/p>\n<p>Speaking during the award presentation on the OAU campus, in Ile-Ife, Mr. Ojo, Founder of STEM Africa Initiative, urged Africa, especially Nigeria, to move beyond merely consuming technologies, and begin to develop its own, so as to drive meaningful, sustainable national development and progress.<\/p>\n<p><strong>TheSTEMAfrica Initiative highlights value of STEM education <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Ojo, in his address, also emphasised that true development requires a shift from consumption to creation.<\/p>\n<p>He stated: \u201cIf Africa and Nigeria are to move forward, we must go beyond consuming technology to developing our own.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>As regards the core essence of the talent-oriented initiative, the organisers said the competition serves as &#8220;a catalyst for this transformation by helping students recognise the practical value of STEM education.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The Founder of STEM Africa Initiative said: \u201cMTN Nigeria identified with this initiative and supported it as a proud sponsor.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe goal is to drive change across Africa by enabling young people to see the benefits of STEM and its transformative potential in their lives.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><strong>DSA: Event a historic achievement for Great Ife<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Speaking at the award-givung ceremony also, Prof. John Odedire, Dean of Student Affairs (DSA) at OAU, applauded MTN Nigeria for sponsoring the competition.<\/p>\n<p>Prof. Odedire described the event as a historic achievement for the prestigious University.<\/p>\n<p>The Dean of Student Affairs also observed although OAU placed third in the inaugural edition of the initiative in 2025, the University returned to claim the first position this year.<\/p>\n<p>He averred: \u201cWhat we are celebrating today is a double victory.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;This is the first time an institution has won both the University Duel and the Smart Challenge competitions in one clean sweep.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Award recipients at ceremony, applaud event sponsors<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Commenting on his experience during this year&#8217;s UniversityDUEL, Quayum Alli, one of the award recipients, commended the MTN-backed initiative for providing a prestigious platform that recognises academic excellence and nurtures future innovators.<\/p>\n<p>Alli noted that while more students should have access to such opportunities, the initiative reflects MTN\u2019s strong commitment to advancing STEM education in Nigeria.<\/p>\n<p>He declared: \u201cIt is encouraging to see a company like MTN genuinely invest in students\u2014not only by providing digital skills for the future, but also by helping bridge the gap between classroom theory and real-world application.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Adesina Lekan, another recipient of the prize money and scholarship, lauded MTN Nigeria\u2019s sponsorship.<\/p>\n<p>Adesina said increased publicity would attract broader participation in future editions of the initiative.<\/p>\n<p>As Obafemi Awolowo University makes history as first University to win both UniversityDUEL and SMART Challenge in the same season, the University authorities remarked in a statement via the institution&#8217;s verified social media account: &#8220;With this achievement, OAU becomes the first University in history to win both competitions in a single season, underscoring excellence in academic competition, innovation, teamwork, and problem-solving.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Congratulations to the Great Ife community on this landmark achievement.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>*Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Nigeria, shines again, as the first University to win total N4 million and scholarships from UniversityDUEL and SMART Challenge in&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":986,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_FSMCFIC_featured_image_caption":"Prof. Adebayo Simeon Bamire, Vice-Chancellor of OAU (3rd Right), Award Winners, Some Members of the University Community, Students and Alumni in a Group Photograph at the Event on University Campus, in Ile-Ife        Photos: TheSTEMAfrica 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href=\"https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/?cat=5\" rel=\"category\">Brand Leaders<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/?cat=20\" rel=\"category\">Highlights<\/a>","tag_info":"Highlights","comment_count":"0","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/973","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=973"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/973\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":998,"href":"https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/973\/revisions\/998"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/986"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=973"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=973"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/consumerconnectng.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=973"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}