Anambra College Student Wins Soludo’s Cooking Competition

A student of St. Charles College, Onitsha, Ikechukwu Ifechukwu, has emerged winner of the 2025 Healthy Living Cooking Competition organised by the wife of the Anambra State Governor, Dr Nonye Soludo.

The annual competition, held on Friday at the Light House Banquet Hall in Awka, featured students drawn from secondary schools across the state’s 21 local government areas.

Contestants were required to prepare a complete recipe and assorted delicacies within one hour and 20 minutes, with judges assessing their performance based on hygiene, taste, presentation and service etiquette.

At the grand finale, Ifechukwu and his partner, who represented the Onitsha zone, outperformed contestants from the Aguata and Nnewi zones to clinch first place, while the female teams from Aguata and Nnewi finished second and third respectively.

The competition, which also included a healthy living quiz, was designed to promote good nutrition, personal hygiene and overall wellness among young people.

Speaking at the event, Dr Soludo said the initiative was conceived to address the growing inability of many youths to prepare healthy meals. She noted that the Healthy Living Cooking Competition and Healthy Living Quiz, now in their third editions, have become central to her “Healthy Living with Nonye Soludo” school programme.

According to her, the programme challenges stereotypes and misconceptions, adding that boys have now emerged winners of the cooking competition for two consecutive years.

Dr Soludo stressed the importance of early exposure to healthy eating habits, noting that teaching children to prepare nutritious meals at a young age is key to safeguarding their health and preserving cultural food practices. She also urged parents to avoid assigning household chores based on gender, saying equal training would help children grow independently and confidently.

The Anambra State Commissioner for Health, Dr Afam Obidike, said the competition was aimed at teaching students healthy eating, discipline, teamwork and creativity through practical cooking and nutrition education. He added that the initiative promotes indigenous foods, inspires interest in nutrition and hospitality-related careers, and encourages wellness as a way of life.

Expressing his appreciation after receiving his prize, Ifechukwu thanked the First Lady for providing a platform for students to showcase their culinary skills. He also credited his mother for teaching him how to prepare healthy meals, describing the experience as both inspiring and rewarding.

Meanwhile, students from the state’s six education zones also participated in the Healthy Living Quiz. At the end of the contest, Nnewi zone emerged first, followed by Otuocha and Aguata in second and third positions respectively. Dr Soludo presented cash prizes to the winners, as well as to coordinators and champions of Healthy Living Clubs across schools in the state.