Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has honoured Master Michael Offorkaile, the Abia-born student who scored 367 in the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), emerging as the fifth-highest scorer nationwide.
The Governor received the student, his parents, and the management of Grundtvig International Secondary School, Oba, Anambra State, at the Government House on Monday, where he commended the teenager for his exceptional academic achievement.
Otti said the feat reflects the values of excellence and merit that his administration seeks to promote, stressing that the state will continue to celebrate outstanding Abia indigenes.
“We don’t take this for granted. We celebrate our own when they do well, and as a government founded on meritocracy, we will continue to recognise excellence,” the Governor said.
He encouraged the young scholar to see his impressive UTME result as the beginning of a greater academic journey and urged him to strive for even higher achievements at the university level.
The Governor also directed the Commissioner for Tertiary Education to work out details of a support package for the student, reaffirming the state’s commitment to investing in education and rewarding excellence.
Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Prof. Uche Eme Uche, disclosed that the Governor personally directed her to identify and bring the student to Abia for recognition, describing the process as challenging due to the strict policies of his school.
Speaking during the visit, the Principal of Grundtvig International Secondary School, Mr. Ige Bello, and the student’s father, Mr. Odinaka Offorkaile of Umunneochi Local Government Area, said Michael’s outstanding performance was a reflection of his consistent academic excellence.
In his remarks, Master Offorkaile expressed gratitude to Governor Otti for the honour and support, describing the Governor as his role model.
“I will continue to perform, inspire and encourage students from Abia State and Nigeria,” he said.
The visit ended with the presentation of the school’s yearbook to Governor Otti by the school principal, with members of the Abia State Executive Council in attendance.
