CHINYERE OBI-OBASI: Read how talented kids and teens were celebrated by the KOLA KIDS INITIATIVE on its 3rd edition

The 3^rd Kola Kids and Teens Award held on the at Sandralia Hotel, Jabi on July 3, 2016. It was a very colourful event which kicked off with national anthem, followed by speech from the promoters of the award before the award ceremony proper.

The room was filled with awardees, their families, friends and their well wishers.

The promoters of the award explained that there were a lot of outstanding children who they intended to bring to the attention of the world in other to encourage them as worthy ambassadors of the country. They were also happy that for the first time, they were bringing awardees from outside Abuja.

The KOLA 2016 awardees are: Chinedu Angel Obi-Obasi, Kareen Happuch Odinenu, Amemusito Choir, Ekwupulum Ikechukwu Hezekiah, Babatimilehin Gabriel Daomi, Ms. Teresa Oyibo Ameh (KOLA Kids Woman,2016) and Sir. Ikechukwu Nwobi (KOLA Kids Man,2016)

The last two were adults who were known philanthropists.

Before the plaque and certificate was presented to any of the awardees, the audience is shown a documentary of that particular awardee.

The profiles of the awardees were as follows;

Chinedu Angel Obi-Obasi is a 10 year old outstanding student, leader, voracious reader, writer, critical thinker and performer.

The last of 5 children, Chinedu showcases her leadership abilities professionally as a head prefect of Heritage Academy and personally as she constantly equips herself with the books she reads. At such a young age, she has read over 100 books.

Chinedu was the first runner up in a keenly contested spelling bee competition organized by Lyght Consult.

She has performed at the reading hosted by Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) in honour of Dr. Wale Okediran. She also read her short story at the event organised by Lyght Consult and also at the special reading by Abuja Literary Society.

Enmeshed in humility, Chinedu continually showcases her intelligent and critical mind which is not common among her peers coupled. Just recently, on children’s day, she was on National Television speaking on the Rights of Nigeria Child. A literary critic, she was seen on NTA Weekend deal, critiquing Dr. Wale Okediran’s book, ‘After the Flood.’ She hopes to publish her first book next year.

Karen Happuch Odinenu is a 19 year old brilliant composer, singer, instrumentalist and entrepreneur.

Her journey to musical excellence begun at the age of 13 when she decided she wanted to learn how to play a guitar and so she started saving for it.

With encouragement from her family who provided her with her first guitar, she became exposed to a new world where she could transport herself and her listeners to a beautiful world with her music.

Karen-Happuch started public performances at a young age and has performed at renowned events and places such as Freedom Hall, The Presidential Villa etc. She showcased her entrepreneurship skill set as a leading member in Junior Achievement, Nigeria which led her and her team to represent Nigeria in South Africa.

Her musical video on YouTube has garnered a lot of views and shares.

Despite the challenges she faces in her musical career, she continues to excel and set outstanding records academically. Her motivation and ambition to excel is continually taking her places and opening the right doors for her.

Amemusito Choir is a group of talented, young people within the ages of 6 - 18, who love to sing and are gifted with the abilities to play different musical instruments.

Amemusito was created in 2009 with the vision to groom children and make them good citizens and good ambassadors of the country and the world at large and mentors to young ones through music.

This dream was initiated by the wife of the former German ambassador to Nigeria Mrs. Cecilia Toledo de Schmillen whose love for music is based on a passion which drives her to create wonderful strides in order to achieve her dreams.

One of such dreams led to the establishment of AMEMUSO which performs a world class event annually known as Operabuja which features artistes and musicians from around the world.

Amemusito owes its success mostly to their music director Joshua Opara who has them geared with the mission of singing to change the world.

Ekwupulum Ikechukwu Hezehiah is an innovative automobile designer and fabricator. As a child, he always had the belief that he would go places.

He started out by making designs for toy cars from a young age of 7 years and even fabricated his designs. His dream to make a real automobile was hindered by the environment he found himself, but he never let it kill his dreams.

In 2015, after months of hard work and dedication invested in the design, purchase, construction and application of a high level of auto-mechanical engineering, Hezekiah's dream to design and fabricate an automobile came to fruition when he created his first, human sized, gasoline engine powered automobile and sports cars. An automobile he named Hezeki 1.2.

The showcasing of his automobile wasn't met with the anticipated excitement he hoped for nonetheless, Hezekiah is relentless in dream to be a leading automobile producer in the nearest future.

His plans include refinement of his product to higher models and with God on his side, he knows he would make it.

Babatimilehin Gabriel Daomi is a 15 years old creative innovator, manufacturer and entrepreneur.

Currently an arts student, his keen interest in science leaves him determined and poised to change his world and make it better through his inventions.

Babatimilehin applies a scientific approach as he observes his environment to determine what works and what doesn't and then hypothesizes, creates and applies solutions to the everyday challenges he discovers. His resourcefulness sees him making his inventions from discarded materials and disused electronics.

Among his inventions are Toilet Soap Holder, Toy Motorized Speed Boat, Handy Vacuum Cleaner, Table Fountain Water, Toy DC Motorbike, Candle Holder (Chandelier), Self-Water Flower Vase, Self-Watered Flower Vase, Necklace Holder, DC Phone Power Bank, Toilet Tissue Dispenser, USB Portable Air Fan, Mini Pumping Machine and Salt/Pepper Dispenser.

His Mini Digital Microscope won accolades and award at a hotly contested competition in Lagos by reputable NGO, Vision 20:20 Initiatives, among over 500 secondary schools in Lagos State.

Babatimilehin attributes his success to God from whom he draws inspiration and who is his Mentor and Motivator.

It is his hope and vision to make Nigeria great, to invent Nigerian products for Nigerians and reduce the country's reliance on technologies from foreign countries and place Nigeria among technology-developed countries in African and in the world.

The KOLA Kids Woman award was given to Ms. Teresa Ameh (also known as Aunty Talatu). Ms Ameh is a mother, a civil servant and a writer. She is also the author of seven books for children including The Twins’ visits, Lessons from Aunty Talatu and Drop that Phone!

She is a member of the Association of Nigeria Authors, Abuja Literary Society and Abuja Writer’s Forum. She is also a patroness of Arojah Theatre Concepts.

She was a two term Vice Chairman of the Association of Nigeria Authors (Abuja Chapter) and has donated two mini libraries at the orphanages in Gwarimpa, Abuja.

Her project, Aunty Talatu Reads is aimed at encouraging reading among children.

KOLA Kids Man, 2016 award was given to the Managing Director of Iyke Connections Ltd which runs a chain of luxury shops.

He is the founder of Ikechukwu Nwobi Nwajiakwu Foundation, an NGO that caters for Orphans, Widows and Education for younger ones. He was represented by his staff.

He maintains the philosophy of always reaching out to other people, especially the less privileged.