13-year-old Jimoh Khairat Onize has emerged as the second runner up of the British Council Writing Competition.
Jimoh Khairat attends Dependable International School, Niger State. Her story titled “Unity and Faith, Peace and Progress” was judged to be the third best among the numerous entries received worldwide in the 11-14 years old category of the Commonwealth Class Children’s Short Story Writing Competition.
The other top entries of the British Council Writing Competition are:
- First place: Christmas Wish by Ren-Wei Yip, Malaysia
- Second place: Peace by Elena Gourley, Northern Ireland UK
An additional story in this category was awarded ”highly commended” by the judging panel.
According to the comments of the Judges as regards to Jimoh Khairat’s story:
“This is a tragic story about war, but with a hopeful ending. It contains an important message about young peoples’ voices being heard, and moments of detail create a strong sense of place and atmosphere.”
Excerpts from Jimoh Khairat’s story:
{Justice is blind.
The scourge of poverty has taken away the days of bumper harvest, days when I had surplus to eat. My stomach rumbles like rocks rolling down a volcano about to erupt: the repulsive smell from smouldering corpses for breakfast, wild fruits for lunch and putrid trash scavenged for dinner. The poison arrows of separation, parents from children. Poor orphans like me seek protection in the rainforest of southern Nigeria as the only dwelling place. The ruckus from nearby villages gives me no certitude of life for the morrow. This forced escapade only brings unrestricted imaginations of the future: a united and peaceful Nigeria.
…
The day came when I saw my best friend, Ella, lying down lifeless under a banana tree, bereft, I risked all I had left – my life. I waded through the mud barefooted, towards the direction of the non indulgent militants; the sound from marching boots led the way. A hefty grip held me and I was blindfolded, presented to their leader – a man at the brink of old age – whom I saw after the blindfold was removed… “I’d die anyway, although it’s worse than not trying”, I’d thought, so I began to speak, “Enough blood has been shed already, Nigeria is ours and we cannot disintegrate her, dialogue is paramount to ensuring a realistic victory for our cause, until you realise, united we stand, divided we fall, until then, peace or annihilation.” To my greatest surprise he believed me! Surrendering but not defeated, the southern activists decided to annul the idea of disintegration.
As I stand before a crowd united at heart, having done for my country, something heroic. Peace henceforth even forever.}
