A female student of Port Harcourt-based Graceland International Secondary School, Shalom F. Ibekwe, has emerged the best student poet in Nigeria in the 2022 competition organized by a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)-backed none governmental organization (NGO).
Ibekwe, who scored 79 per cent, was followed by two of her school mates, Ukemeabasi Jacob (71%) and Uzoma S Uzoma (69%) to leave Arnold Abata of Saint Maria Goretti to the 4th position in the senior secondary school category.
In the junior secondary school category, Zoey Okpere-Udo also from Graceland topped others with 83 per cent while Ngozi obasi from CITA International with 81 per cent came second to put Akioya Zara (78%) of Kids-Ville Academy and Jedidiah Chika (77%) also of Kids-Ville Academy behind.
According to the result announced by a Professor from the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Kontein Trinya, the champion from the primary school level is David Chikadi from Kids-Ville Academy with 79 per cent in the UNESCO poetry champion.
MaryJane V. Olaocha (77%) from The Lord’s Montessori came next while Emmanuel Ikechi (73%) from Master Builder International and Grace Samaila (68%) also from Master Builder International followed. A child prodigy (six years) named Philip Daniel of Kids-Ville won special commendation from the organisers.
The champions in each category carted home N150,000, Second person took N100,000 while the third went home with N50,000.
The organizers, Youth Orientation for Development (YOD), led by a youth ambassador, Emmanuel Ejiogu, who is also the President of YOD, said the completion would move to other states from 2022.
Read also: What UNESCO-YOD wants to achieve with poetry contests in Nigeria
He said in an interview: “We are close to our objectives. There is increase in participation and in interest among the students. In that perspective, we are getting there. We focus on getting the topics that address the ills of the youths. It is good that they have used poems to express how they feel about those issues.
“Yes, we have chosen Port Harcourt for now but we want to go nationwide. This kind of project involves a while lot of resources. We want to perfect what we are doing here. By next year, we consider expanding on this.”
The competition kicked on March 21, 2022, but the grand finale and award day came on May 28, 2022.
In a keynote address, the Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Ipalibo Banigo-Harry, represented by Paul Damgbor, Director of Documentation in her office, said poetry is a medium of expression; a classical language that appeals to creativity and self-actualisation.
The medical doctor who won poetry and other awards in literature at school said the state celebrates them all. “You have what it takes to face the future. The organizers have put in much. Now, Rivers State people are part of the global poetry movement. It will sell your creative ability.”
The judges said from evidence, the teachers coached the students well, but that the selected finalists were invited for on the spot poetry test to match what they would write there with what they submitted.
The youth director of YOD, Euriel Momah, told the excited audience that poetry is important part of literature that reflects what happens to society. “So, we chose the topics from what affects the society most.”
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