Adebayo Adenrele
An Ekiti-born Popular Content Creator, Enioluwa Adeoluwa, has rewarded outstanding public secondary school students in Ekiti State with a total sum of N3 million under the maiden edition of the Professor Femi Adeoluwa Essay Prize organised through Eni’s Book Club.
The competition, which targeted students in public secondary schools across the state, focused on the topic: “Education Beyond the Classroom: What Should Young People Be Taught That Schools Currently Ignore?”
At the award ceremony held on Monday in Ado-Ekiti, Stella Owoseni of Amoye Grammar School, Ikere-Ekiti, emerged overall winner and received the star prize of N1.5 million, while Phebe Oluwasusi of Government Science College, Ayede-Ekiti, came second and received N1 million.
The third position went to Aminat Ayoola of Eyemote High School, Iyin-Ekiti, who received N500,000.
Other special recognitions included Esther Majinnasola, who won the Best Researched Essay category and Ifeoluwa Ayanfekristi, who clinched the award for Best Grammar and Spelling.
The essay competition was initiated by Enioluwa Adeoluwa in honour of his father, Professor Olufemi Adeoluwa, a former Vice Chancellor of Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science and Technology (BOUESTI), Ikere-Ekiti.
Speaking at the ceremony, Enioluwa said the purpose of the competition was to revive reading culture among young people and encouraging intellectual engagement among students in public schools.
He explained that the competition was conceived to encourage students to cultivate the habit of reading, think critically and contribute ideas toward solving societal challenges.
According to him, the initiative was also designed to inspire young Nigerians to embrace education beyond conventional classroom learning.
Also speaking, the Ekiti State Commissioner of Education, Dr Olabimpe Aderiye hailed Enioluwa for the initiative, saying the intervention was a testament of his commitment to quality education.
She expressed her delight at the gesture of the popular content creator who chose to honour and celebrate his father in his life time.
The father of the Convener, Professor Olufemi Adeoluwa also expressed his profound appreciation to his son for the recognition, saying he has been involved in several interventions especially, in education, as well as helping the less privileged.
He noted that the students, regarded as future leaders, must begin early to think about practical solutions to Nigeria’s challenges rather than focusing solely on paper opportunities.
