Winners emerge in Mike Okonkwo National Essay Competition

Miss Alexandra Nwigwe of Vivian Fowler Memorial College Lagos emerged the overall winner for the Mike Okonkwo National Essay Competition for secondary school students for the year 2017, with 90 percent in the first round and 80 percent in the second round of the competition.

Miss Jesudunta Mercy Ipinmoye of Corona Secondary School, Agbara won the second position with 80 and 72 percent respectively in the first and second round while Akingbade Gbenga of Emerald High School, Lagos came third. He scored 80 percent in the first round and 70 percent in the second round.

Other winners include Chinedu Chimezie of Cedar College, Ipaja, Adedeji Aderemi of Grange School, G.R.A Ikeja, Atoyebi Israel of Kings College, Lagos, Olalere Victor of Deeper Life High School, Akure, Okadigbo Juliet of State Senior Grammar School, Surulere and Kolawole Oladunni of Reagan Memorial Baptist Girls Secondary School, Yaba

According to the Chief Examiner, Prof Hope Eghagha, Head, Department of English, University of Lagos (UNILAG), the Mike Okonkwo Essay Competition for Secondary School students “received a total of 796 entries. This is after the organisers used their internal control mechanism to ensure that only qualified persons applied or submitted entries”.

“After applying standard criteria in the assessment, we concluded that 27 entries were not original; this was after cross-checking each entry carefully with internet sources to determine their originality. This is one of the problems confronting us in the education sector currently. Some students simply download material from the internet and submit same as their original work”

“After the first round of assessment in which we judged mechanical accuracy, the use of language, originality of thought, and thematic focus, 10 participants were selected and eventually invited for the second stage of the competition.

For coming top in this year’s competition, Miss Nwigwe will get a cheque of N100, 000, a Laptop, a plaque, while the school gets three sets of Computer and a printer.

Ipinmoye will go home with a cheque of N75, 000, a plaque while the school will get two sets of computer and a printer. For emerging third in the competition, Akingbade will be rewarded with a cheque of N50, 000 and a plaque while the school gets a Computer set. The other winners will get a consolation price of N20, 000 each.

The prices would be presented at this year’s Mike Okonkwo Annual lecture, billed for September 5 at the Shell Hall Muson Center, Onikan, Lagos. The theme for this year’s lecture is “Made in Nigeria Products: The Vehicle for Sustainable Development”

Mike Okonkwo National Essay Competition was initiated in the year 2004, as part of activities to celebrate the birthday of the Presiding Bishop of TREM and to contribute to the development of the education sector.