Gombe state has emerged winner of the 2022 edition of the Young Nigerian Scientists Presidential Award, YONSPA. The representative of Gombe State in the competition, Maryam Ogunbayo of Pen Resource Academy, emerged the overall winner of the competition with 119 points beating all the other states. She was also the best in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics. Ogun, Edo and Lagos states trailed with 116, 112 and 109 points to clinch 2nd, 3rd and 4th positions respectively. In her reaction to the feat achieved by Gombe State in the prestigious competition, the Commissioner for Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr. Aishatu Umar Maigari applauded Maryam’s outstanding performance during the competition and hailed her for bringing honour to the state. She also lauded the teachers and management of her school for producing such a talented girl, whom she described as highly cerebral. The Commissioner disclosed that the Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya administration has been holding the science competition annually at the State level since coming on board three years ago in order to boost creativity among young people. According to her, “this year, the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation conducted the competition where Maryam Ogunbayo emerged first. The state government sponsored her to the national competition where she came top, making Gombe the first state in the north to win such a prestigious competition”. “This shows the effort of His Excellency in turning around the fortunes of Gombe State in the education sector and the Science, Technology and Innovation in particular, which saw the repositioning of the Ministry to break boundaries and impact the people of Gombe State in all spheres of life”. Indeed, Gombe State is working under Dan majen Gombe and Science Technology and Innovation is witnessing tremendous strides under the first scientist to head the ministry in person of Dr. Aishatu Umar Maigari.
