An Ekiti-born Social Media Influencer and Content Creator, Enioluwa Adeoluwa, through his literacy initiative ‘Eni’s Book Club’, has set up a N3m essay prize for Senior Classes students of Public Secondary Schools across Ekiti State tagged: “Professor Femi Adeoluwa Essay Competition”, in honour of his father.
Speaking with journalists in Ado-Ekiti at the maiden edition of the initiative, father of the Convener and former Vice Chancellor of Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science and Technology (BOUESTI), Ikere-Ekiti, Professor Olufemi Adeoluwa said that the newly introduced essay competition is aimed at reviving reading culture and encouraging young people to think critically about Nigeria’s future.
According to him, the programme was conceived to encourage students, particularly those in public secondary schools, to cultivate the habit of reading while also developing the ability to think and propose solutions to national challenges.
Adeoluwa disclosed that the essay competition is designed as an annual programme, with significant cash prizes to motivate students, adding that the first prize winner will receive N1.5 million, while the second and third prizes are N1 million and N500,000 respectively.
The Varsity Don added that each edition of the competition would focus on specific national issues in order to stimulate intellectual engagement among young people.
He explained that the inaugural competition is being conducted simultaneously among about 100 Public Secondary Schools in six centres across Ekiti State, including Ado-Ekiti, Ikere-Ekiti, Aramoko-Ekiti, Oye-Ekiti, Ido-Ekiti and Ode-Ekiti.
Professor Adeoluwa said the scripts would be sent to Lagos for marking by Eni’s Book Club, after which the winners would be announced during a public award ceremony in Ado-Ekiti.
He thereby urged Nigerian students to embrace reading and intellectual curiosity, urging them to think creatively about solutions to Nigeria’s problems and contribute positively to the country’s development.
His words, “This development programme is born out of the interest of Eni’s Book Club. It is aimed at encouraging young people to read because it is generally known that people are no longer reading. If young people read more, they can build themselves up and become better leaders of Nigeria tomorrow.
“These students are the leaders of tomorrow. If they start thinking now about solutions to the country’s problems instead of focusing on leaving Nigeria, our country will be better in the future.
“The essay duration is three hours, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., although a candidate can submit earlier if they finish before the allotted time.
“A lot of the time we know that you are what you read. No matter how brilliant a student is, without reading they cannot perform well because it is what you read that you know”.
In her remarks, the Ekiti State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Olabimpe Aderiye, represented by the Deputy Director of the Ministry, Damisi Ogunrotimi hailed the initiative, describing it as an avenue for Students in the state to contribute positively to the growth and development of the nation.
Also speaking, teachers like Adebusola Akindele of All Souls Anglican Grammar School, Ado-Ekiti and Ibukun Oloniluyi of Ekiti State Baptist High School, Igede-Ekiti extolled the programme, exuding confidence their representatives of winning the competition.
