The fight against malaria, a disease that still claims hundreds of thousands of lives in Africa every year, received a fresh boost this week as the Federal Cooperative College, Eleyele, Ibadan, officially flagged off the Geneith Health Competition (GHC), a nationwide campaign designed to empower young people as frontline ambassadors in the war against malaria.
The ceremony, held on Monday, August 25th, 2025, inside the college’s conference room, drew an impressive audience from senior figures in government and healthcare, members of the academic community and student leaders all gathered to witness the unveiling of what promises to be one of the largest student driven health initiatives in Nigeria.
Since its official launch on May 2nd in Abuja by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate who was represented by Dr. Godwin Ntadom, Director of Public Health, the competition has won widespread endorsement across the country. Education and health ministries, pharmaceutical leaders and student unions alike have rallied behind its ambitious goal: to raise a generation of youth who will take ownership of their health and environment in the push for a malaria free Nigeria.
Presiding over the Ibadan flag-off was Hajia Wosilat Giwa, Chairperson of the Governing Council Board at the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria. She was joined by other heavyweights in the pharmaceutical sector, including Pharm. Tanko Ibrahim Ayuba, President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), and Pharm. (Prof.) Cyril Odianose Usifoh, immediate past president of PSN. Commissioners of health and education from different states also lent their support.By sending a strong signal that the fight against malaria demands collective effort.
For the host institution, the moment carried special weight. Dr. Ibrahim Abdul Ganiyu, Provost of the Federal Cooperative College, called the event a timely intervention given malaria’s stubborn grip on his student body. He said that malaria is a killer disease and anything that supports its eradication is welcome at this time. He further said that President Bola Tinubu’s eight-point agenda is to reinvigorate the healthcare system for the benefit of all, and this initiative keys directly into that vision and their students are ready to take up the challenge.
In a sobering revelation, Dr. Abdul Ganiyu noted that nearly 90% of students who visit the campus clinic present with malaria-related symptoms. To help, the college is procuring 1,000 doses of malaria treatment drugs to ensure students remain healthy and can fully participate in the competition.
The flag-off ceremony itself was infused with energy and optimism. From Dr. Ademiluwa, the Registrar, to Comrade Oyewumi Festus Ayomide, National President of the National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS), college officials and student leaders alike pledged their commitment.
At the heart of it all was Prince Cletus Ilobanafor, MD/CEO of CEOAFRICA and the brain behind the Geneith Health Competition. He delivered a rousing charge saying that Malaria remains Nigeria’s deadliest enemy, causing immense human suffering and economic loss.He hoped that through the competition, the students would rise as ambassadors, armed not just with awareness but with practical action. He reiterated that prevention is the ultimate cure of Malaria.
Backed by an unprecedented ₦1 billion commitment from Geneith Pharmaceuticals with₦400 million in direct cash prizes and ₦600 million in scholarships, training, and incentives, the initiative is not merely a contest, but a movement. Students are encouraged to register not only to compete, but to gain access to health education, treatment, and a platform to champion sanitation and prevention in their communities.
Student leaders were quick to embrace the call. They hailed the initiative as a life-changing opportunity.
Mrs. Sulaimon Rofiat Ambimbola, Head of the College Clinic, emphasized the synergy between education and health.She said that good sanitation, prevention and awareness are key to eradicating Malaria.
Registration for the competition opened on June 1st, 2025, and runs until February 15, 2026, with details available at www.geneithhealthcompetition.com.
As Ibadan takes the lead in this campaign, the Federal Cooperative College has positioned itself as a model for student centered health advocacy, demonstrating that when education, healthcare and youth energy intersect, the fight against malaria can take on a new momentum.
