By Foster Akpore
The Ejiro & Otive Igbuzor Foundation held its maiden written and oral essay competition on Saturday, December 14, 2024, at Government College, Ughelli, the venue of the 17th Chief Demas Akpore Memorial Lecture with the theme: The Ideas and Philosophy of Chief Demas Akpore which was delivered by Chief Jomo Akpore and Chaired by Sir (Chief) Ominimini Ubiuvwevbi, PhD
Secondary schools across Orogun participated, tackling the thought-provoking topic: “Gerontocracy and Development: Balancing Tradition, Progress, and the Future of Leadership in Africa.” The competition aimed to ignite critical thinking among young minds about Africa’s leadership landscape and development challenges.
Aragba Secondary School clinched the first prize of ₦40,000, led by its representative, Clement Angel, whose impressive combined score of 61 (30 in the written test and 31 in the oral test) earned her the top spot.
Orogun Grammar School secured second place, winning ₦30,000, represented by Ovie Winners, who scored 50 (33 in the written test and 17 in the oral test).
Ebor Secondary School came in third, claiming ₦20,000, with Ederie Victory achieving a commendable score of 47 (23 in both the written and oral tests).
Consolation prizes of ₦5,000 each were awarded to the remaining participating schools: Orhoera Secondary School, Emonu Comprehensive High School, and Imodje Secondary School.
The essay competition included a rigorous written test, held on Friday, December 6, 2024, at Orogun Grammar School and overseen by Mr. Foster Akpore, which accounted for sixty percent of the total score. This was followed by an oral defense round, which contributed the remaining forty percent, where participants demonstrated their understanding of gerontocracy’s impact on Africa’s socio-economic development and explored the interplay between tradition and progress in shaping future leadership.
The individual scores, announced by Sir (Dr.) P.O. Itedjere, KSM, who presided over the competition with the assistance of Ms. Nefertiti Ayo Okotie and Madam Okorokporo-Obaseki Mercy, are as follows:
Clement Angel (Aragba Secondary School): 30 (written) + 31 (oral) = 61
Ovie Winners (Orogun Grammar School): 33 (written) + 17 (oral) = 50
Ederie Victory (Ebor Secondary School): 23 (written) + 23 (oral) = 47
Owhe Eseoghene (Orhoera Secondary School): 27 (written) + 17 (oral) = 44
Etaroghene Joy (Emonu Comprehensive High School): 5 (written) + 21 (oral) = 26
Alexander Mary (Imodje Secondary School): 0 (written) + 21 (oral) = 21
The event received sponsorship from Chief Do-Good O. Efe-Nogo JP, the Onotu-Uku of Orogun Kingdom, who contributed ₦200,000 to the competition. Despite invitations, Ekruopia Secondary School (Obodeti) and Omo Secondary School (Ovara) declined to participate.
Chief Efe-Nogo has praised the participants of the maiden edition of the Ejiro & Otive Igbuzor Foundation Essay Competition for their intellectual engagement. Speaking to our correspondent over the phone, he emphasized the importance of nurturing critical thinking and leadership skills among young people.
“I am committed to advancing education and sustainable development in Orogun Kingdom,” he stated, highlighting his dedication to fostering growth and empowerment through educational initiatives.
The competition concluded with resounding applause for the Ejiro & Otive Igbuzor Foundation, recognizing its efforts to inspire the next generation to think critically about governance and development in Africa.
The Foundation’s President and Executive Director Executive Director, Dr. Otive Igbuzor and Mr. Monday Osasah, FSM, expressed gratitude to Chief Efe-Nogo for his unwavering support and hinted at plans to expand the initiative to include more schools across Delta State.