Thelma Ihenacho of Meadow Hall School has emerged global junior winner in the 2020 Wole Soyinka Essay Competition in the francophone and anglophone category.
Thelma Ihenacho receives a prize of $600.
The competition received more than 2,000 entries from more than 20 countries.
Tyrone Nkululeko Takawira from Zimbabwe of Ashesi University emerged global senior winner.
Other winners include: Toluwanimi Sonuga and Joseph Divine from Nigeria, Emily Suh from the USA, Shaoyuan Li from China, Vera Honham Anthonio from Ghana, Sampada Dahal from Nepal, and Pamphile Sassi Aubert from China/Nigeria.
The topic of the competition this year was “I AM because YOU ARE”, philosophy on the interdependence of the human family.
Alliance Francais de Lagos made the announcement, applauding the participants, and disclosing that the two winners will take the DELF examination for free as soon as it will be possible to organize it, in addition to the cash prize they won from Wole Soyinka International Cultural Exchange (WSICE).
According to the organizers, the theme was inspired by the recent happenings in the world, especially the COVID-19 pandemic that has significantly affected the fabric of collective humanity, in particular, due to its protocol of social and physical distancing.
The 2020 Wole Soyinka Essay Competition was grouped into two categories: junior (12-16 years) and senior (17-22years) and it attracted participation from five language zones of the world: Anglophone (English), Francophone (French), Cinophone (Chinese), Hispaphone (Hispanic) and Lusophone ( Portuguese).
According to the statement, over 2000 entries were submitted by participants from Nigeria, South Africa, United States of America; Cuba, Cameroon, Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia, China, United Arab Emirates, Canada, amongst others.
*This news was first copy-edited by Favour Mishirya Nuhu on the 29th of August, 2020 and was last modified by Toju Micheal Ogbe on the 31st of August, 2020.
