The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, has lauded Master Peter Arotiba, the best candidate in the 2018 West African Examination Council (WAEC) Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE).

NAN reports that Abubakar charged Arotiba, the overall best SSCE student in the whole of West Africa, to “keep the flag flying”.

Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, in a statement on Wednesday, in Abuja, said the CAS made the call when the SSCE Best Candidate visited him in Abuja.

Daramola said the alumnus of the Air Force Secondary School (AFSS), Ikeja, Lagos, stunned the academic world by emerging the best overall candidate in the 2018 examination with 9 A-1s in nine subjects, beating more than 1.9 million candidates who sat for the Examination.

The air chief had on Monday, presented an Award of Excellence to Arotiba during the NAF 55th Anniversary Dinner/Gala Night in Abuja.

The CAS assured him that the entire NAF Family was excited about his outstanding performance.
He noted that Arotiba, by his various academic achievements, had carved a niche for himself and placed the name of AFSS Ikeja, and “indeed all NAF Secondary Schools, on the global map’’.

He, therefore, urged him to keep the flag flying and continue to make NAF and Nigeria proud by being a worthy ambassador.

He also stressed that excellence was not a function of where one comes from, but a product of hard work, discipline and determination.
Abubakar noted that the NAF, on its part, would continue to support him in his future endeavours.

Arotiba, who was born on Nov. 5, 2001, to Mr and Mrs Olu Arotiba, hails from Mopa-Moro Local Government Area of Kogi State.

“He has won many laurels and awards, which include first position in the 2017 Naija English Championship, organised by Dragnet Solutions Limited.
“Also First Position in the 2018 Naija Mathematics Championship and Overall best result in 2017 Joint Promotion Examination of NAF Secondary Schools.

“Arotiba was also part of the AFSS Team that came second in the second edition of the CAS Inter-NAF Secondary Schools’ Quiz Competition.

“His Team also came first in the 2017 Young Engineering Project Quiz Competition,” Daramola said in the statement.

He noted that the boy also consistently recorded outstanding academic performances throughout his time at AFSS Ikeja, emerging overall Best Student in JSS2, JSS3, SS1, SS2, and Best Graduating Student in SS3.

“He recently gained admission into the Prestigious University of Ibadan, where he is studying Medicine and Surgery,” he said.

The NAF spokesman said Master Arotiba was accompanied on the visit by his mother.