A non-governmental organisation, Mike Okonkwo Educational and Youth Initiative, has announced entries for the 15th Mike Okonkwo National Essay Competition for secondary school students in Nigeria.
The competition, which is one of the presiding Bishop of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission, Dr. Mike Okonkwo’s Corporate Social Responsibility activities, is aimed at raising the standard of the educational sector in the country.
It is also, according to the convener, to sensitise students by making them analytically minded so as to excel in their world by developing their ability to think through issues.
The essay competition, he disclosed, had contributed in no small measure in encouraging the writing skills of children in secondary schools and also in helping them become solution providers to the nation.
“Over the years, the competition has been very successful in reshaping the thought pattern of the students to develop problem-solving skills,” he said.
The Mike Okonkwo National Essay Competition spans over a decade of developing and rewarding the writing skills of Nigerian youths towards national development.
Entries for the competition, which is also part of the activities lined up to mark the 73rd Birthday of Dr. Mike Okonkwo, is now open till June 1, 2018; and the topic for this year’s competition is “Nigeria’s Unity: Matters Arising.”
Like previous years, the star winner school gets three sets of desktop computers and a printer, while the student goes home with a trophy, a laptop, a plaque and a cash gift of N100,000.00. The first runner-up school gets two sets of desktop computers and a printer and the student goes home with a cash prize of N75,000.00 and a plaque. The second runner-up school gets a desktop computer, while the student gets a plaque and a cash prize of N50,000.00.
For participation in the competition, the entry requirements include: Essay of maximum of 2000 words, a passport photograph of the student, full name, address, contact telephone number, class, school, name and telephone contact of the
principal.
Essay could be submitted through email to essay@trem.org or by post to The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM) International Headquarters, Obanikoro/Anthony-Oke, Bus Stop Lagos.
The prizes for this year’s competition will be presented to the winners at the 19th Mike Okonkwo Annual Lecture, another initiative by the foundation, which has been scheduled for September 5, 2018 at the Muson Centre.
The topic of the essay competition is also the topic for this year’s annual lecture.
