Queen’s Commonwealth Selects Elegbede as Panel Judge

Femi Ogbonnikan in Abeokuta

A Nigerian journalist, Wole Elegbede, has been selected as a member of a panel of judges in the 2018 edition of the Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition.

The Commonwealth Royal Society in London, organisers of the competition, said in a statement in its website that “Following an unprecedented number of applications, 150 voluntary Judges for the 2018 Competition have now been selected and are ready to start reading following the 1st June deadline.”

The CRS’s Programmes Officer for Education and Youths, Coral Flemming, in a letter to the journalist stated: “I am delighted to inform you that your application has been successful, and we would be delighted to welcome you as a Junior Judge”!

Elegbede worked with The Guardian newspaper in Lagos as Features writer in the 1980s and later with The Champion newspaper as Foreign Affairs Editor and Acting Editor of Sunday Champion in the 1990s. He had served as Chief Press Secretary and Special Assistant on media to various governments in Ogun State, as well as a member of Board of Directors of Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu.

Flemming further disclosed that “With the imminent Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London and this years’ theme of Towards a Common Future, it’s such an exciting time to be involved with the competition, and we can’t wait to share all the incredible entries with you. The competition closes on Friday 1st June, and we are keen to have as many entries as possible from every corner of the Commonwealth before then.”

The RCS says the Queen’s Commonwealth Essay competition is the world’s oldest schools’ International writing competition, established in 1883. This year’s theme is titled ‘Towards A Common Future’.

“Through the sub-themes of sustainability, safety, prosperity and fairness, the 2018 theme asks young writers to explore how The Commonwealth can address global challenges and work to create a better future for all citizens, particularly young people.”

While accepting his selection, Elegbede said “I will be willing to contribute my quota as one of the citizens of The Commonwealth to ensure a thorough and successful competition this year in accordance with my personal vision to be a solution to the challenges that confront humanity.”