A development advocate, Kashim Musa-Tumsah, has presented N2.9 million as reward to 29 impressive candidates of the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination in Yobe State.

Mr Musa-Tumsah, a seasoned lawyer and diplomat, paid each candidate N100,000 for scoring over 300 marks in the recent examination.

Speaking at the occasion in Damaturu on Saturday, the event’s chairman, Suleiman Gimba, noted that Mr Musa- Tumsah’s support was a way of rewarding excellence and encouraged others to follow suit.

He said the committee had earlier conducted a mock Computer Based Test (CBT) for some candidates to prepare them for the UTME.

Mr Gimba said unfortunately none of the candidates they trained got over 300 marks to win the prizes as the winners emerged independently.

The chairman, however, said they would work with the winners to see that more students perform better in the forthcoming UTME in the state.

He announced that Mr Musa-Tumsah, alias KMT, had concluded arrangements to offer scholarships to people living with disabilities in various higher institutions in the state.

In her remarks, the representative of Mr Musa-Tumsah, Adama Balla, said that the development advocate held education, especially among girls, so dear to his heart.

She said, “For the girls here today, you have proved that investment in girl-child education yields the greatest reward. This is because if a girl is educated, she transforms her family, community and nation. Let no one ever tell you that your place is not in the lecture hall, laboratory or leadership table.’’

Ms Balla commended Governor Mai Mala Buni for declaring a state of emergency in education, saying the governor’s projects and programmes in the sector had enhanced teaching and learning.

A beneficiary, Bashir Ajiya of Nigerian Tulib International College, thanked Mr Musa- Tumsah for the prize, which, he said, would spur him to do more in his future endeavours.

(NAN)