A group of 11 students from Queen’s College in Lagos, Nigeria, have embarked on a journey to represent their country at the prestigious First Lego League (FLL) Asia Pacific Open Championship in Sydney, Australia.
The students left Nigeria on Monday and are eagerly anticipating the robotics challenge, set to commence on June 29.
These exceptional students had previously achieved first place in the 2021 Robotics National Competition, which earned them the opportunity to represent Nigeria at the FLL championship in Greece.
Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 restrictions in Greece, they were unable to participate.
Similarly, in 2022, they secured the 2nd runner-up position in the Robotics National Competition, qualifying them for the championship in Brazil, which they were also unable to attend.
Mrs. Onyindamola Obabori, the Director/Principal of Queen’s College, expressed her admiration for the students’ remarkable achievements.
She highlighted that “the girls, known as Queen’s College Team Aurora, are strong proponents of diversity and excellence in STEM education.”
“Their innovative approach to robotics and their ability to adapt to challenging circumstances truly sets them apart from their peers,” she said.
Mrs. Obabori confidently expects the team to return with at least one award, emphasizing the commitment and seriousness of Queen’s College in fostering excellence.
The principal conveyed her satisfaction with the qualification and expressed excitement about the opportunity. She acknowledged the previous setbacks faced by the students in attending international competitions, attributing them to financial constraints.
She also expressed gratitude to corporate bodies and the college’s alumni association for their support, as they organized extensive fundraising campaigns to facilitate the students’ travel.
The principal shared that “the students will have the chance to participate in cultural displays at the event, showcasing the rich heritage of Nigeria.”
She called upon all stakeholders “to unite with the government in supporting and promoting science and technology, acknowledging that the country has some catching up to do in these areas.”
The principal stressed the importance of nurturing robotics and coding skills and urged everyone to work together towards achieving this goal.
Heading the delegation is Mrs. Temitayo Okunoren-Makindipe, the Second Vice President of Queen’s College Old Girls Association.
She took on the responsibility of fundraising and project management to ensure that the students could seize this valuable competition opportunity.
As an engineer herself, Mrs. Okunoren-Makindipe aimed to encourage and inspire the girls, and she expressed her gratitude for the success of their fundraising efforts.
Mrs. Okunoren-Makindipe shared that approximately 50 teams from around the world, including Korea, America, and Japan, are expected to participate in the championship.
She expressed her confidence in the students’ abilities and mentioned that 10 of them would actively take part in the competition, while one student would observe.
The captain of Team Aurora, Miss Damilola Ekundayo, voiced her team’s readiness to bring honor to Nigeria.
She conveyed her optimism and determination for success throughout the four-day championship, which is set to commence on June 29.
Miss Ekundayo emphasized their intention to showcase the identity and capabilities of Nigerians on an international stage.
