2017 POSITIVENAIJA ESSAY COMPETITION
The 2017 PositiveNaija Essay Competition aims to encourage Nigerian patriotism, nation building as well as a platform for excellence!
Title of Essay:
HOW GREAT IS NIGERIA!
Objective:
Inform the world through your essay, what genuinely makes Nigeria a great country today, which every Nigerian and Non-Nigerians should be proud of.
Eligibility:
- Essay submissions are free – at no cost to the participants
- Open to all nationalities
- PositiveNaija Team and the Advisory Judges are not eligible
Essay format:
- Maximum of 1,500 words
- At the beginning or end of the essay, state only your full names, nationality, email and telephone number(s).
- Must be submitted in both MS Word & Portable Document format (PDF)
Essay expectations:
- 1 essay submission per person
- Must be original, no plagiarism and not previously published
- The competition language and the language of entries is English.
- Truth, logical consistency, facts, narrative structure/organisation, creativity/initiative
Reward [Starting Cash Prizes] | [Current Cash Prizes]
- 1st prize: ₦75,000 [₦80,000]
- 2nd prize: ₦50,000 [₦55,000]
- 3rd prize: ₦25,000 [₦30,000]
- 4th prize: ₦15,000
- 5th prize: ₦10,000
- 6th prize: ₦9,000
Reward [Certificates]:
Top 10
Reward [Publication]:
- 1st position: Essay published as the ‘Foreword’ in the Inaugural 2017 PositiveNaija Series
- 2nd – 10th positions: Essays published in the Inaugural 2017 PositiveNaija Series
- 1st – 10th positions: Essays are published weekly on the blog.
Timelines:
- Submission dates by participants: 1st July 2017 – 31st August 2017 (SEE ANNEX 4 for status of entries)
- PositiveNaija review and submit Top 10 best entries to Advisory Judges: September 1 – 8, 2017.
- Blind review by Advisory Judges who shall [individually] assess, grade and rank the entries: September 9 – 19, 2017.
- Decision of Top 3 entries by Advisory Judges are published (without ranking) on the Competition Page: 20th September 2017
*Decisions by the Judges are final and are not subject to legal appeal
- The Top 3 entries are published on the Competition Page: 21st September 2017
- Profiles of the Top 3 participants are requested and published: September 21-22, 2017
- The audience will then determine the final ranking and winner with an open and public online vote – multiple votes are allowed (SEE ANNEX 1 below for voting weights): September 22 – 28, 2017
- PositiveNaija collates: September 29 – 30, 2017
- Overall winner (and essay)/results are declared/published on 1st October 2017 on PositiveNaija
- Payments made and certificate issued to winners on 1st October 2017
Sponsorship:
We welcome sponsorships for the 2017 PositiveNaija Annual Essay Competition. Identifying, supporting and partnering with us on this competition is a testament to your personal, institutional or corporate conviction on the greatness, development and potentials of Nigeria/Nigerians.
For transparent and accountability purposes, every sponsorship for this competition received shall be made available on the blog [for privacy, sponsors can choose to use the initials of their names] (SEE ANNEX 3 below). We shall also provide up-to-date progress report to you.
Your support – financial or service-oriented, could therefore be targeted to the following areas (SEE ANNEX 2 below for account details and guidance):
- Prizes: Top 1 – 10 Essays (Target: 10 million Naira)
- Media/Publicity (Target: 3 million Naira)
- Administrative/Logistics (Target: 2 million Naira)
- General/Overarching – If your support is targeted to the general/overarching running of the competition, we will ensure equity in its distribution to the entire competition process.
We are committed to making the PositiveNaija Annual Essay Competition, the most rewarding educational prize competition in Nigeria by the year 2022.
Submission:
Email: positivenaija@yahoo.com
Deadline: 31 August 2017
Advisory Judges (4):
Eire. Ifueko Alufohai (Mrs.) - BA, LLB, LLM
Legal Practitioner and Executive-level professional with over 20 years combined experience in legal practice, legal advisory services, and administration.
Sharon Kaburuk - BSc, MSc
Communications Specialist. Creative Director, TaTsuniya and initiator #NigerianHistoryMatters. Over 7 years experience in Brand & communications, event coordination and administration.
Mr. Osagie James Osemwegie - Bsc, Msc
Mr. Emmanuel Akpata
Strategy Consultant with academic background in Economics, Consumer behaviour and System Dynamics.
*Click on the photographs of the Advisory Judges for further information.
Acceptance of Terms
By participating you declare that you accept these terms and conditions.
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ANNEX 1 – Voting Rights and Weights
*The Advisory Judges shall grade each entry with a total of 100
*The grades of the Advisory Judges shall have 80% (0.8) voting weight
*The audience can vote as many times possible
*The votes of the audience shall have a 20% (0.2) voting weight
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ANNEX 2 – Sponsorship Guide
*Account information (Bank name: Access Bank; Account name: Toju Ogbe; Account number: 0006376703)
* Use ‘2017 PositiveNaija Essay’ as support description. You can also send an email/sms indicating your support provided.
*We do not accept cash; please make all financial contributions via the account information provided.
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ANNEX 3 – 2017 PositiveNaija Essay Competition Sponsors
*Only received contributions of support are listed below in the order they come in/we receive them.
Institutions
| Name | Contribution | Category |
| GreCo Power & Energy Ltd | ₦25,000 | Prizes |
Individuals
| Name | Contribution | Category |
| I. T. I. | ₦70,000 | General |
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ANNEX 4 – Status of Entries (press release)
- Total number of entries: 46
- Nationalities: Bulgarian (1); Nigerians (45)
- Names from No. 10-46 do not imply their positions in the Competition rather, largely in the order their essays were received.
- We are willing to provide feedback to all who did not make it into the Top 9 the reason why (as far as they request for it via email).
| No. | Names | Positions | Advisory Judges (/400) | Public Votes |
| 1. | Olawale Lekan Christopher | 1st Position | 269 [215.2] | 1,116 [223.2] |
| 2. | Udeme Akpan | 2nd Position | 287.5 [230] | 455 [91] |
| 3. | Kenneth Okpomo | 3rd Position | 288 [230.4] | 91 [18.2] |
| 4. | Chinedu Mpamugo | 4th Position | 267.5 | – |
| 5. | Olatoyese Adesinmi | 5th Position | 264 | – |
| 6. | Sa’id Sa’ad Abubakar | 6th Position | 262 | – |
| 7. | Jonathan Mairiga | 7th Position | 261 | – |
| 8. | Igbokwe Kingsley Chukwudi | 8th Position | 260 | – |
| 9. | Onowori Fego Eunice | 9th Position | 232 | – |
| 10. | Odetokun Blessing Odeleke | – | – | – |
| 11. | Borislav Dimitrov | – | – | – |
| 12. | Akinkitan Joel Sunday | – | – | – |
| 13. | Nwede Chiamaka Stellamaris | – | – | – |
| 14. | Adetayo Olaniyi | – | – | – |
| 15. | Adaeze Nwachukwu Franklyn Mmachukwu | – | – | – |
| 16. | Ugochukwu Onyinyech | – | – | – |
| 17. | Onwosi Ikechukwu Destiny | – | – | – |
| 18. | Justina Bonny | – | – | – |
| 19. | Olawehinmi Taiwo Dorcas | – | – | – |
| 20. | Susan Chioma Omeh | – | – | – |
| 21. | Kennedy Daagema Terlumun | – | – | – |
| 22. | Tolulope Victoria Oluwatoye | – | – | – |
| 23. | Kolawole Michael Ibukun | – | – | – |
| 24. | Chimaobi Fedorah Ukamaka | – | – | – |
| 25. | Adekunle Adeola | – | – | – |
| 26. | Abubakar Muhammed Mujaheed | – | – | – |
| 27. | Amao Taiwo Oluwadamilola | – | – | – |
| 28. | Ojo Bibitayo Emmanuel | – | – | – |
| 29. | Msonter Anzaa | – | – | – |
| 30. | Obidike Anthony Chukwudozie | – | – | – |
| 31. | James-Ibe Chijindu Terence | – | – | – |
| 32. | Odiakosa Alfred Uchenna | – | – | – |
| 33. | Ogbeide Mascot Osama | – | – | – |
| 34. | Oladosu Oyetunde Samuel | – | – | – |
| 35. | Obiagwu Ogechukwu Cynthia | – | – | – |
| 36. | Nwagbo Ebubechukwu Bruno | – | – | – |
| 37. | Ijoma, Daniel Onyebuchi | – | – | – |
| 38. | Joy Chidinma Awa | – | – | – |
| 39. | Shomide Patricia Oladayo | – | – | – |
| 40. | Haruna Abdulmajid | – | – | – |
| 41. | Emmanuel Innocent | – | – | – |
| 42. | Idim, Abasi-ama | – | – | – |
| 43. | Christopher Mercy Tochukwu | – | – | – |
| 44. | Bello Sarafadeen | – | – | – |
| 45. | Osben Chimaobi Chidelu | – | – | – |
| 46. | Amina Ajuma Abubakar | – | – | – |
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ANNEX 5 – Lessons Learnt (Internal)
- Time (ensure maximum availability, and sufficient spacing)
- Continuous monitoring of entries (particularly Top 10) – provision of statement and actual practice
- Apply voting for Top 10 essays (Segment A & Segment B {Segment B first})
- Sponsorship: Core PNp
*Last updated 02-October-2017
