A student from Rivers State has emerged as the overall winner of the 2026 Mike Okonkwo National Essay Competition after outperforming hundreds of young writers from across Nigeria.
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Agburum Clinton Chimenem of Deeper Life High School, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, secured the top position with an average score of 79 per cent across the three stages of the competition.
He defeated Alimi Adeiga Mosorireoluwa of Holyland Senior College, Ipaja, Lagos, who scored 75 per cent to take second position, while Oloruntimilehin Elijah Oladipo of Isolo Comprehensive Senior High School, Lagos, came third with 70 per cent.
For emerging as the winner, Agburum will receive a cash prize of N1 million, a laptop and a plaque. The first and second runners up will also receive laptops and plaques.
The competition attracted more than 1,000 entries, although 850 submissions met the requirements for assessment by the judging panel.
Chief Examiner of the competition, Prof. Akachi Ezeigbo, said the quality of many of the entries demonstrated that Nigerian students were paying close attention to the rapid transformation of education through science and technology.
She particularly highlighted the growing influence of artificial intelligence in learning, noting that many participants were able to produce more detailed and factual essays with the help of AI.
The winning essay examined the expanding role of artificial intelligence in areas including medicine, geography, entertainment and politics, while highlighting how the technology can improve learning and make work more efficient.
The achievement places the Rivers State student among the latest young Nigerians demonstrating that intellectual curiosity, writing ability and an understanding of emerging technology can open doors to national recognition.
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