By Dalhatu Liman
A 15-year-old secondary school student, Idam Oko Jonathan Michael, has won a N100,000 essay prize after urging Nigerian youths not to lose hope despite failures in governance.
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Michael, an SS3 science student of Army Day Secondary School, Mogadishu Cantonment, Asokoro, Abuja, emerged first among more than 100 entries in an essay competition organised by the Open Africa Foundation.
The competition, themed “If Government Fails, Hope Must Not Fail,” challenged students to reflect on governance challenges and the need for young Nigerians to remain hopeful.
He received N100,000 and a plaque at the 11th annual Hope for Nigeria Conference for secondary school students, held on Tuesday at the Government Secondary School, Gwarinpa, Lifecamp auditorium, Abuja.
Speaking after receiving the award, Michael said real-life experiences and events in his environment inspired his essay.
“I used real-life experiences and activities that happened within us,” he said.
He explained that he used artificial intelligence to research figures he was unsure about to ensure the accuracy of the information in his essay.
The student said the prize money would help him meet some essential needs.
Nnajeme Obinna of Government Secondary School, Byazhin, Abuja, came second and received N75,000, while Adewumi Oluwanishola Lewis of Government Secondary School, Ushafa, came third and received N50,000.
Speaking at the event, the foundation’s chairman, Tunji Aworinde, said the initiative was established to promote peace, national unity, education and the wellbeing of young Nigerians.
He said about 300 students from 25 public and private secondary schools in the Federal Capital Territory participated in the one-day conference.
Aworinde urged the students to look beyond ethnic, religious and political differences and see themselves first as Nigerians, adding that national prosperity would benefit all citizens.
He, however, criticised what he described as inadequate government investment in education, citing poor school infrastructure and the high number of out-of-school children.
He said some pupils were forced to move around classrooms to avoid leaking roofs, while others in some states attended lessons sitting on the floor.
The chairman called on the government to tackle corruption and the mismanagement of public resources, urging authorities to channel more funds into classrooms and other educational facilities.
The conference also featured presentations on technology and artificial intelligence, drug abuse prevention and rehabilitation, as well as career opportunities in the Nigeria Police Force.
Aworinde said the foundation hoped the initiative would encourage young people to develop positive values, pursue their ambitions and contribute to a peaceful and prosperous Nigeria.
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