Fifteen-year-old student of State Senior High School, GRA Ikeja, Lagos, Miss Oluwanifemi Ayeni; 15-year-old Roqeed Yekini of Ijegun Senior Comprehensive High School, Isolo, and 13-year-old Leila Enecha of Vivian Fowler Memorial College for Girls, Ikeja have emerged as first, second and third place winners respectively of the 2022 Bishop Mike Okonkwo National Essays Competition for Senior Secondary Schools in Nigeria.
In a statement, the competition’s Chief Examiner, Prof. Akachi Ezeigbo, while commending the organisers for discouraging handwritten entries, described the topic as friendly, and it clearly mapped out the structural expectations for the informed students as they responded by articulating their understanding of the Nigerian situations in ways that revealed their deep immersion in socio-political issues.
The writers of the 10 best essays were invited to the second round of the competition to write on the topic, ‘2023 Election: A New Nigeria or a Descent Into Chaos’.
For their efforts, Ayeni will get a cheque for N100,000, a personal laptop, a trophy, and a plaque, while the school gets three computers. Yekini, who came second, will receive a cheque for N75,000, a plaque and the school will get two computers. For the third position, Enecha will get a cheque for N50,000, a plaque, and the school gets a computer set. The other finalists will get a consolation price of N20,000 each.
The prices for the winners of the 17th Mike Okonkwo National Essay Competition will be presented at this year’s Mike Okonkwo Annual Lecture at the Zenith Shell Hall Muson Centre, Onikan, Lagos, on September 8, 2022.
According to the Corporate Services Director, Rev. (Mrs.) Oluwayomi Uteh, the Mike Okonkwo National Essay Competition was initiated in 2004 as part of activities to celebrate the birthday of the Presiding Bishop of TREM, Dr. Mike Okonkwo, and to contribute to the development of the education sector.
Uteh said the competition has helped participating students to develop more interest in research work, reading extensively, and writing constructively.
It has also given students the opportunity to bare their minds on topical issues that are significant to the social-economic development of the nation.
“The essay competition has also contributed to ICT development in secondary schools, especially government-owned schools,” she said.
