UI Campus Journalist Clinches Grand Prize in National Essay Competition

By Olatunji Haleem

The Courtroom Scribe, Mr. Adekunle Adebajo has clinched the grand prize at the 2nd Annual Scholarship Essay Competition organised by the Nigeria Higher Education Foundation.

Mr. Adekunle who is a 400 level student of the Faculty of Law in the University of Ibadan and the Editor-in-Chief of Mellanby Hall Press Organisation (MHPO) won the grand prize based on his essay “The Educated differ from the Uneducated as much as the Living from the Dead – Aristotle”. The announcement of Mr. Kunle as the winner was published on the website of the National Higher Education Foundation as it also stated that he(Mr.Kunle) will be awarded with a grand prize of 100,000 naira in addition with a year of paid tuition.

Kunle Adebajo

“And now, it is with great pleasure and pride that we announce Adekunle Adebajo, 400 level student of the Department of Law at the University of Ibadan (U.I) as the Grand Prize Winner of the 2nd Annual Scholarship Essay Competition based on his essay “The Educated differ from the Uneducated as much as the Living from the Dead – Aristotle” The NHEF is awarding Adekunle Adebajo with a Grand Prize of ₦100,000 in addition to a year of paid tuition.”, the announcement partly stated.

While responding to the development, Mr. Kunle Adebajo told UCJ correspondent that he was honored to be declared as the winner of the competition. Though he admitted that there are better writers out there but the imprecise nature of writing makes the determination of superiority difficult. He said he has always been grateful to God.

“I feel honoured by my declaration as the winner. I know there are many essayists out there who are better. But the art of writing is one devoid of mathematical precision. And so, superiority is a difficult thing to determine especially when participation is enormous.

In my not-too-short trajectory as a writer, I have never been this gratified. I give God all the thanks.”, he said.

He added that “I am equally elated by the fact University of Ibadan has come top in the competition through my humble handiwork. I hope more positive recognition will come the institution’s way especially at this trying period.”

While giving advice to other writers who have always tried to stand out in every possible way, Mr. Kunle said the best thing is to never quit as such person will be celebrated some day.

According to him, “Do not quit. To be great, it is either you do something worth writing about or you write something worth reading. If writing is your calling and you do the latter, you’ll achieve both ends because great writers still find their way in the eulogies of other authors. Everyone starts as a bad writer and proceeds as a disappointed writer. Even JK Rowling had her manuscripts rejected severally. If you refuse to quit, then you will no doubt end as a celebrated writer. Writing is a journey. To stand out, you have to keep fuelling your tank of knowledge while labouring your wheels of practice.”

Upon declaration by the National Higher Education Foundation of Mr. Kunle as the winner of the essay competition, Nnacheta Chinazo of the Department of Geography at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) and Oyintare Jennifer Abang, a student of the Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) were declared as the 1st and 2nd Runner-up of the competition respectively.

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