Groups and philanthropists must return to massive support educational awards to recapture the attention of the young ones.
A UNESCO Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) that runs annual international poetry competition in Nigeria has therefore, warned that failure to support efforts to drag the love of the youth back to education would spell disaster for Nigeria.
The leader of the Youth Orientation for Development (YOD), a UNESCO NGO, Emmanuel Ejiogu, gave the warning in Port Harcourt Tuesday, March 21, 2023 at the flag off of the 2023 edition of the international poetry contest.
Speaking at the venue, the Royal Oxbridge International Schools headquarters on Abacha Road in GRA 2, the UNESCO Ambassador called for massive sponsorship so that the prizes to be won can wow the youths who now look away from education for better successes in life.
Represented by Badom Greatman, the Rivers State Coordinator of UNESCO-YOD who is also the CEO of Maiden International Education Limited, called on the Rivers State government to come into partnership and support of the poetry project in the state.
Ejiogu, who observed that the contest is now in the 3rd edition, commended the outgoing deputy governor of Rivers State, Ipalibo Gogo Banigo, who just won election to the Senate, for her personal support to the contest.
The education development and support expert said they expected up to 10,000 entries in the 2023 edition, saying the first edition attracted over 1,500 entries while the 2nd edition in 2022 attracted over 3,000.
He said the awards for 2023 would fetch N150,000 to winners in each of the three categories while the first runners up will carte home N100,000 and the 3rd position winners in each of the three categories would get N50,000 each.
He said winners usually get more offers from public spirited persons like the outgoing deputy governor.
He gave the themes of the categories for primary, junior secondary and senior secondary categories to include ‘Lets Bury the Hatchet’ as well as other titles that suggest that together we overcome or that our strength is in our unity.
According to the UNESCO-YOD, the themes are carefully selected to encourage young people and students to see positive images for the nation and shun divisive tendencies.
He preached against ethnic and religious bigotry saying the young ones must not be introduced into such passions.
Greatman urged students and pupils around Rivers State to begin to make entries right away till April 30, 2023, saying the grand finale would be sometime in June after the handover of government.
He warned that the selection and judging process of the contest will remain strict, saying professors in the Unilag are the ones to review the entries from Rivers State.
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He mentioned some of the keg qualities of poems as originality and creativity as well as relevance.
The UNESCO-YOD appealed to Literature students to understand that they must make poem part of their everyday life.
In his remarks, Baridam’s assistant, John Best Uche, said themes of the year were made to help fight against societal ills.
The proprietress of Royal Oxbridge, Omolola Otebolaku, said the young school was proud to host such an event, adding that the school would build on the feat to aspire higher in academic pursuits.
Some established poets read their works to inspire the younger ones.
