By Amaechi Agbo

Determined to equip the students with the requisite practical skills/know-how to make them better prepared to face the larger society after graduation, the Department of Computer Science, ESUT, recently held a one-day Programming Competition for the students titled “DEV-WAR”.

The competition which was held at the Information and Communication Technology Centre (ICTC) on February 28, 2025 had a total sum of three hundred and fifty thousand Naira (N350, 000. 00) prize money at stake.
The competition which was organised in collaboration with and industrial expert in Computer Software Development – “Digital Dreams Limited” lasted for five hours, from 11am to 4pm with the questions set in two sections. Out of the 69 registered students, only 9 turned up for the contest at the end of which winners were selected.

Although the identities of the winners are not yet made public, ESUT Monitor gathered that the winner scored 72%, first runner up, scored 63%, among others.
The winner will pocket home the sum of N200, 000 reward, the 1st runner up will get N100, 000 prize, while the 2nd runner up will be rewarded with N50, 000. The Vice-Chancellor, ESUT, will present the awards to the winners in his office on Wednesday 26th March 2025.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with ESUT Monitor, the Head, Computer Science Department, Engr Dr Ekene Ozioko said that the competition was a motivation driven-passion organized to upgrade the practical skills of the students to make them better prepared after graduation.

Engr Ozioko who expressed worry that majority of graduates could not write a working programme, noted that as the engine room of computing, Programming is critical. While noting that the competition will be a yearly event in order to encourage the students to take programming seriously, he equally added that the names of the winners will be in the departmental honour’s roll.

“The essence is that computer is all about programming and we observed that many students leave the university without having in-depth knowledge about computer programming and still have phobia for programming. Not up to 5% of them can comfortably write a working programme, so there is a serious gap between the skills they are supposed to acquire and what actually they have acquired.

“We needed to bridge the gap and reorientate them on the expected industrial skills that will make them an employer of labour and employable. We collaborated with Digital Dream Limited who sponsored the logistics while Computer Department provided the prize money which included N200, 000 for the Winner, N100, 000 for the first runner-up, N50, 000 for the second runner-up and a consolation prize of N10,000 to the other participants.

“Out of the 69 students who registered, only nine participated in the contest which lasted for five hours. We marked and were able to get the best three. We wrote to the VC and he scheduled a date for the award presentation on Wednesday. The winners will be unveiled on that day.

“The competition was meant for the whole students in ESUT. 69 Students cut across various departments in ESUT registered. The winners have emerged but we have not informed them. They will all come to the award ceremony on Wednesday. The best three will take home a total sum of N350, 000 while consolation will be provided for others.

“The competition will be sustained and made a year programme by the department because it is meant to encourage and motivate the students,” Engr. Dr Ozioko said.