Rising Star Writing Contest Produces Winners

Winners of the second Rising Star Writing Competition, an annual children’s creative writing and awards, organised by the Writers Corner, Lagos have emerged.

The programme, held in collaboration with Vuvuzela Communication Limited and aimed at helping the children to develop their creative writing skills, saw Master Peter Adobamen, 9, of Corona School, Ikoyi, Lagos emerge winner with his poem in the junior category. Miss Valerie Akpobome, 9, of St. Saviours School, Ikoyi came second. The third position went to a year three pupil of Livingsprings Schools, Awoyaya, Miss Ogunsipe Emmanuella, 8.

In the senior category, Master Kolom Oden-Ikpi, 15, of Yaba College of Technology Secondary School came first with his short story. The second position went to Miss Nkpolara Adrina an SS 1 student of Louisville College, Ijebu-Itele, Ogun State, while an SS 2 student of Starville School, Abuja, Master Pelemo Nyajo, 15, came third.

Six pupils won honourable mention prizes in the junior category. They are: Demilade Toluhi of Temple Preparatory School, Ilupeju; Tofunmi Bankole of The Fountain School, Surulere; Racheal Unachukwu of Corona School, Ikoyi; Olafiore Olamuyiwa of Greenspring School, Anthony; Okpalaoka Chizuru of Corona School Gbagada; and Chidinma Dominic of Demmykitties School, Surulere.

In the senior category, four students also won the honourable mention prizes. They are Miss Chidera Okoye-Anaeze of Louisville Girls High School; Master Oladimeji Aremu of Princenton College, Surulere; Oghenejite Aboloko-Erica of Breakthrough Academy, Ojodu- Akute, Ogun State and Roseline Itafame of School Masters Academy, Ajah, Lagos.

Announcing the results, Chief Executive Officer of the Writers Corner and the coordinator of the competition, Mrs. Uche Udoji, said it was keenly contested by students of various primary and secondary schools across the country, adding that there were many wonderful and incisive entries.

“Just a few entries can be openly rewarded with prizes. Some of the key criteria used included the writer’s ability to humanise nature; the extent to which the work relates and affects the human person; the beauty, flow and rhythm of language; poetic license and spelling and appropriate use of punctuation marks, among others. It is important to note that in rising star writing competition, every participant is a winner.”

She thanked the sponsors of the competition, Greenlife Pharmaceuticals, the Bank of Industry and Tripplesea Group for helping to make the second edition a reality, while calling on other corporate organisations in Nigeria to support the competition.

“We sincerely hope for more participation and support in the coming editions of the competition. We look forward to more robust involvement by schools and corporate institutions in the coming edition, as well as greater participation of students from public and private schools across Nigeria.”