Abdulfattah Emerges Young Lagos Writer 2015

A STUDENT of International School, University of Lagos, Ms Nusaybah Abdulfattah, has emerged winner of the third edition of Teecoks Writing Competition among secondary school students in Lagos State organised by Dr. Towunmi Coker Literary Initiative tagged ‘Young Lagos Writers. The award ceremony was held last Thursday in Ikeja, Lagos, for the 2015 edition and had People’s Democratic Party’s governorship candidate, Mr. Jimi Agbaje as chairman.

In a hall crowded by fellow students from over 20 schools who vied, Peace Okorafor of Babington Macaulay Junior Seminary School, Agege, and Ms Victoria Olayinka of Sonmori Senior Comprehensive High School came second and third respectively. The overall winner, Abdulfattah, went home with the star prize of N100,000 cash, an iPad mini 32GB, eight Nigerian novels, school materials and a carton of Mimee noodles. Second and third runners-up also got many gifts as well as those who took from fourth to tenth positions.

While setting up the writing initiative three years ago, Coker said the motive “is to promote reading and writing culture, tell our own stories, build and train emerging writers and lovers of writing so that writing doesn’t die in our country. Nigeria is known for producing wonderful writers and intelligent storytellers, and we want to maintain this and even achieve more.”

However, she expressed sadness that some of the students engaged in various forms of malpractices in their entries that ranged from outright copying and plagiarism of other people’s works particularly from the internet.

According to her, “It’s heartbreaking for students to copy stories from online word-for-word. I’m particularly distressed that there is desperation among students about winning the prize as I receive emails from students asking me to make them winners. I’m wondering the kind of values young people are imbibing these days. Not winning does not mean you are not good. Too bad there is a bit of corruption among our students.”

Coker, threatened to disqualify any school caught cheating in future to serve as deterrent and advised school authorities to moderate their students’ entries to avoid incidence of plagiarism and copying. She also tasked schools to ensure only creative works are submitted rather than plagiarized ones that do not show ingenuity and innovation.

Earlier, chairman, Agbaje, had charged the students to read and write as it imbues confidence in them. “You can’t express yourself if you don’t seek knowledge through reading. There is no way to have education if you don’t learn to read and write. The founder of this competition is a medical doctor, but she is still reading and writing. If you can read and write, you can hold your head high.

“Students must learn to read about other people’s lives to inspire their own lifestyles for the better. Learning gives confidence; you will be stars!” Agbaje said.

Also, Pastor Lolu Awoniyi advised the students to embrace knowledge through education to avoid being inferior to their mates. Guest speaker, Abigail Anaba, author of Sector IV, taught the students elements of good story writing and how they should apply them. Touch Point performed a drama skit about possible career paths for students and how they could apply themselves productively.

The two past winners – Feyi Pitan Sadiku and Chidinma Ejikeme – also spoke encouragingly to the students. Olu of Agege, Alayeluwa Oba Kamila Akani Oyedeji Isiba and Mr. Valentine Okelo of May and Baker, makers of Mimee noodles, also counseled the students on good behaviour and the need to be committed to their studies.