Three secondary school students have emerged winners of the 2026 Bishop Mike Okonkwo National Essay Competition for Secondary Schools in Nigeria, with the top three contestants receiving a combined N1.7 million in cash prizes, alongside laptops, tablets, plaques and trophies.
The winners were honoured at the 25th Mike Okonkwo Annual Lecture held in Lagos, where their achievements were celebrated as evidence of the growing capacity of Nigerian secondary school students to engage with critical issues through research and writing.
Clinton Chimenem Agburum of Deeper Life High School, Port Harcourt, emerged overall winner of the competition. He received a cash prize of N800,000, a laptop, plaque and trophy.
Mosorireoluwa Alimi-Adeiga of Holyland Senior College, Ipaja, emerged first runner-up and was rewarded with N500,000, a laptop and plaque.
Oloruntimilehin Elijah Oladipo of Isolo Comprehensive Senior High School, who came second runner-up, received N400,000, a tablet and plaque.
The schools of the three outstanding contestants were also recognised, with officials receiving computer sets in appreciation of their students’ performances.
Giving the Chief Examiner’s report, Professor Akachi Ezeigbo disclosed that the eventual winner had demonstrated remarkable improvement between the two stages of the competition.
According to her, Agburum moved from fourth position among the seven finalists in the first round to clinch the top position in the second round.
Ezeigbo said 850 entries submitted from different parts of the country met the technical requirements and were subsequently forwarded to the panel for assessment.
She noted that the quality of the entries provided encouraging evidence of the impact of science and technology on education, particularly in the way students access information, conduct research and express their ideas.
The Chief Examiner also observed that the students were increasingly positioning themselves to take advantage of technological advancement, even as they await what she described as a fundamental overhaul of the existing curriculum.
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| L-R: Chairman of the Occasion, Barrister Femi Falana (SAN): Keynote Speaker, Mrs. Ayo Obe; Presiding Bishop of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM) Dr. Mike Okonkwo; First Position of Mike Okonkwo National Essay Competition for Secondary Schools in Nigeria, Agburum Clinton Chimenem; Bishop Peace Okonkwo; Second Position, Alimi-Adeiga Mosorireoluwa, Third position Oloruntimilehin Elijah Oladipo; The Chief Examiner, Prof Akachi Ezeigbo during the presentation of gifts to the winners at the25th Mike Okonkwo Annual Lecture to mark Dr. Mike Okonkwo’s birthday at 81st birthday held in Lagos. |
She urged them to retain the habit of critical thinking, stressing that “AI is useful but the human mind is still superior.”
The university don also encouraged the students to cultivate the habit of reading, saying continuous reading remained essential to acquiring knowledge, developing analytical ability and broadening their understanding of the world.
She further appealed to the organisers of the competition to sustain the award, noting that initiatives of such nature could encourage young people to read, conduct research and develop their writing skills.
‘The cash award shaped my life’
A major highlight of the event was the address by Dr Oluwatobi Babarinsa, a former winner of the Bishop Mike Okonkwo essay competition.
Babarinsa, who won the competition in 2006, reflected on how the recognition he received two decades ago influenced his academic and personal development.
He acknowledged the impact of the competition on his academic journey and expressed appreciation to Bishop Mike Okonkwo for establishing and sustaining the initiative over the years.
The former winner urged the latest beneficiaries to make the most of the opportunity, reminding them that the award they had received could have a lasting impact on their lives.
Babarinsa told the students that the cash prize he received 20 years ago was instrumental in shaping his life, urging them not to regard the award merely as a financial reward but as an opportunity to invest in their future.
The latest edition of the competition therefore ended not only with the recognition of the three young writers but also with a reminder of the potential of educational initiatives to influence the lives of beneficiaries long after the prizes have been presented.