Focus shifts to made-in-Nigeria products, as entries open in Okonkwo essay contest 

Since its debut, the Mike Okonkwo National Essay Competition (MONEC), has lent itself as a platform where pupils debate topical national issues, and in the process display their understanding and grasp of conventional national matters.

Additionally, the competition has over the years been very successful in reshaping the thought pattern of secondary school pupils, improve their writing skills, as well as help them to develop problem-solving skills.

This much was buttressed during the last edition of the competition when Professor of English/chief examiner for the competition, Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, described the work of last year’s winner of the contest thus: “Her expressive ability and the application of necessary grammatical disposition made her the first prize winner for this year’s competition.”

The topic of 2016 edition of the competition, which Miss. Fadilah Saliu-Ahmed, a pupil of Zamani College, Kaduna State, won was, “The State of the Nigerian Nation: Redefining our Values.”

According to organisers of the competition, the topic for this year’s edition of the competition, which is part of activities to mark the 72nd birthday of Dr. Mike Okonkwo, the Presiding Bishop of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM) is, “Made in Nigeria Products: The Vehicle for Sustainable Development.”

In the competition, which is one of TREM’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities aimed at raising standards in the education sector, the star winner’s school gets three sets of desktop computer and a printer, while the student goes home with a trophy, laptop computer, N100,000.00 cash and a plaque.

The first runner up’s school gets two sets of desktop computer and a printer, while the student goes home with a cash prize of N75,000.00 with a plaque. The second runner up school gets a desktop computer, and  the student gets N50,000.00 cash prize and a plaque.

Entries for this year’s edition opened March 13th, and would last till May 12th, 2017.  For participation, the entry requirements include: an essay of maximum of 2000 words, a passport photograph of the student/ personal details, school name, as well as name and telephone contact of the principal.

The essay could be submitted through email to added@trem.org, or by post to TREM International Headquarters, Lagos. Prizes for this year’s competition will be presented to the winners at the 18th Mike Okonkwo Annual Lecture, which has been scheduled for Tuesday, September 5th, 2017, at the Muson Centre (Shell Hall) by 10.00 am prompt.