Posted by The Nation, Nigeria on June 17, 2010 at 09:02:15:
Boy, 13, beats eight girls at cooking contest
By Chris Oji
Thirteen-year-old Uchenna Obeleagu, a JSS2 pupil of Bishop Otubelu Juniorate, Enugu, has emerged the winner of the Enugu zone of the Maggi Cook for Mama Competition held on Monday.
Uchenna beat nine others, including eight girls, to clinch a place in the national finals holding on June 26 in Lagos.
The cooking competition for secondary school pupils between ages 13 and 17 is being sponsored by Nestle Foods Plc, makers of Maggi seasoning. Apart from qualifying for the grand finale, Obelegu carted away the first prize, comprising a set of cooking ware and Maggi hamper.
Uchenna, who wants to be an engineer, said his mother Mrs. Ebere Obeleagu, a civil servant, inspired his cooking skills.
"I am very happy to emerge the winner. My mum taught me how to cook. I am always with her in the kitchen whenever she is cooking. I will like to advise other boys to take interest in cooking, They should know that cooking is not only for girls," he said.
The recipe that won him the prize was roasted yam, called kpacha kpacha in local parlance, with a local sauce prepared with assorted spices.
The two runners-up, both 17, Mmachukwu Offia of Holy Rosary Girls College, Enugu and Oluchi Ezetu of City Girls Secondary School, Enugu went home with a microwave oven/maggi hamper and food processor/maggi hamper.
All other contestants went home with consolation prizes of a table top gas cooker and maggi hamper each.
The first runner-up, Offia will also compete in the grand finale in Lagos. In last year’s competition, a 13-year-old male contestant from Notre Dame Academy, Enugu won the competition.
Speaking at the occasion which was graced by the wife of Enugu State Governor, Mrs. Clara Chime, the Category Business Manager (Culinary) of Nestle Nigeria Plc, Mrs Uduak Bassey, said the competition is aimed at using cooking as a platform to foster a bond between mother and child.
"A mother’s nurturing is exceptional and essential to the development of any child, both physically and mentally. Maggi, having been the culinary partner of mothers for over 100 years, the world over, acknowledges this fact and uses this competition as a medium to celebrate their tireless efforts in nurturing the family," she said.
She added that, through the competition, Nestle hopes to promote the transfer of culinary skills from mother to child and further strengthen the partnership bond between Maggi and consumers
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