In an unprecedented achievement, Christ the King College (CKC) Onitsha, representing Nigeria, has triumphed at the World Affairs Challenge (WAC) 2024, held by WorldDenver. This victory marks Nigeria’s first gold medal in the competition’s 32-year history.
The WAC competition fosters high school engagement with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, prompting participants to devise innovative solutions to global issues such as climate change, poverty, and inequality. This year, the Christ the King College team, consisting of Ekufu Ernest, Obuna Somtochukwu, Umeodinka Emmanuel, Ejike Ekene, and Ubah Jason, and guided by coach John Onuigbo, captivated the judges with their project titled “Wise Tales by Primus.” Their digital comic series, aimed at addressing environmental degradation, climate change, and substance abuse, was designed to raise awareness and motivate positive change among youths.
The team’s journey to victory began at the African Regional Competition, where they emerged as the top Nigerian team and secured a place among the top five in Africa. Their subsequent performance at the virtual global finals was marked by their comprehensive understanding and passionate presentation, particularly during the final Q&A session, which significantly impressed the judges. The panel commended the team’s presentation and their strategic use of SMART indexes, praising their innovative plans for global expansion through creative web solutions and multilingual outreach.
CKC Onitsha was officially announced as the WAC 2024 Global Champion, outperforming other global contenders. Following closely were Redmond High School, WA, USA, and TEVITOL High School, Turkey, who finished second and third, respectively.
Rev. Fr. Celestine Arinze Okafor, the principal of CKC Onitsha, commented on the win, emphasizing that the victory highlights the vast potential and inventive spirit of Nigerian youth. He praised the team for not only achieving a historic milestone but also for inspiring a proactive approach to global challenges.
“CKC Onitsha’s victory extends beyond the competition. It signifies the immense potential and innovative spirit of Nigerian youth, who not only secured a historic win but also inspired others to tackle global challenges with creativity and dedication. These boys deserve all the support they can get to build and push their project to millions of users,” he said.
The winning team from CKC Onitsha is set to travel to Denver, Colorado, USA, later this month for the awards ceremony. There, they will present their project to a worldwide audience and engage with other young innovators.
