As young Nigerians continue to make the country proud on the international stage, an 8-year-old boy named Tuyva Benibo has achieved an outstanding feat by emerging as the winner of Outstanding Animation at the International Kids Coding Competition (IKCC).
In an interview, Benibo explains his motivation to achieve the feat and also advises young students to learn coding.
Tuyva said: “My name is Tuyva Benibo. I attend Holden Park School. I am 8 years old and I am currently in year 4. I feel good about representing Nigeria, and winning at the International Kids Coding Competition because I’ve never done it before and the feeling is amazing. Winning the outstanding animation entails knowing how to code, how to make animations, and what blocks of codes to use.”
Benibo explained how he got inspired to learn to code as he advised the young ones.
He said: “Every day when I was dropped off earlier in school, I went to Mr Edward’s class and he taught me and the other participants how to code and how to get a good score on the project. I have been learning how to code for one year now. The experience is amazing because I can express my thoughts and imagination and I can also make awesome projects that will be worth watching and playing.
I would like to tell other children that they should keep coding once they’ve got really used to pulling on a sense of blocks and how to make really awesome projects.
Benibo’s teacher, Mr Paul disclosed he was proud to see Benibo represent the country and he also advised young students to be determined.
The teacher said: “My name is Edward Paul. I was so glad when I saw that Tuyva won the coveted title. looking at the list, with the number of countries and participants, and seeing Nigeria in that list, it was a proud moment for me being the teacher who taught Tuyva.
“And from there, you can be inspired to pursue various careers and some of your opportunities can be exposed to them for working with tech companies because you’re looking out for skillful people that can fill out so many places that are actually vacant. So I feel there are lots of opportunities that are exposed to them. So I’m looking forward to them, liaising with other tech companies for opportunities, especially internationally, also looking at using careers from these opportunities, some being inspired to go to other parts.”
Similarly, the Assistant Head of School, Holden Park School which Benibo attends expressed her excitement after the feat saying that the project of the school has yielded positive gains.
Assistant Head of School stated: “My name is Veronica Mordi. I’m the Assistant Head of School of Holden Park School. I was really excited because our children have all along been engaging with you know, with coding lessons that they didn’t have in their clubs. You know, animations at all. And so I just felt “Wow, this is just our one chance to just put them out there and let them explore it outside of the usual school environment” because we are not just helping them learn in school want them to see the application of it, you know, the world of coding and animation and how it’s applicable to education, how they learn and they see the relevance in industries as well.
She added: “So the competition was just a good move for us and now hearing that we actually went and we did well. Not just well with you know, like everything really awesome for the children. The whole school is brimming with joy. They’re excited and beyond that, it just reinforces the fact that children are ready for this new century.”
