A 17-year-old girl, Barakat Adeoti, has emerged the winner of a COVID-19 essay competition for secondary schools in Badagry, Lagos State.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the competition was organised by an NGO, Real Act of Kindness (RAK) Development Foundation.
Adeoti, of Araromi Ilogbo Senior Secondary School, Oko-Afo, won the final round of RAK COVID-19 Essay Competition held on Wednesday at Ajara Vetho, Badagry.
The topic of the essay writing was “The Lessons I Learnt During The COVID-19 Pandemic”.
NAN reports that Olufisayo Sorungbe and Faith Ojerinde, both SS3 and SS2 students of Lagos Senior Model College, Kankon, came second and third, respectively.
Adeoti received a cash award of N10, 000, Sorungbe got N6, 000 while Ojerinde received cash prize of N4, 000.
Other participants were presented with consolation prizes which include school bags, exercise books, Notepad, water bottles, face caps and pens.
In his speech, Mr Mobolaji Ogunlende, Founder of RAK Foundation, said the competition was aimed at keeping the students busy during the pandemic.
“We are all suffering from COVID-19, the whole world is going through changes, all students are at home, a lot of students are willing to go back to school,
“So, I thought of a way to engage the students, and what came to my mind was the essay competition,” he said.
Ogunlende urged the students to always take advantage of similar education programmes to excel, adding that aside the cash prize, the competition was an opportunity to push themselves forward.
“For me it is not so much about the prize, it’s about the opportunities, value and leverage we are creating for the young individuals to thrive.
“In this type of competition, to me everyone is a winner, for the fact that you actually took the effort and time to participate.
“The sky is your foundation, not your limit,” Ogunlende said.
Ogunlende also commended the volunteer teachers who selected the three winner of the competition.
He described them as the pillars of success to the essay competition, adding that without them they wouldn’t have been able to achieve the aim of the competition.
Also speaking, Mr Raji Olanrewaju, the team leader of Education Volunteers for RAK COVID-19 Essay Competition, said a total of 26 students submitted answers through a dedicated WhatsApp number.
Olanrewaju said the number was later shortlisted to a round of 15 persons out of which the best three were selected.
After receiving the cash prize, Adeoti thanked the pioneer of RAK foundation for putting up an educational programme for students.
She said that she heard about the essay through her computer teacher who encouraged her to try her best.
Source: NAN
