Cash flows at Mike Okonkwo annual lecture

It was indeed a time of reward for winners of the annual Mike Okonkwo National Essay competition who were rewarded with cash prizes and a lot of gifts at the 18th annual lecture to mark the 72 years of the presiding bishop of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM).

The event which took place at the Shell hall of Muson Centre, Lagos, was well attended by dignitaries across Lagos, some of whom were president of Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Mrs. Nike Akande, who was the guest speaker and President, Erisco Foods Ltd, Chief Eric Umeofia, as well as Chairman of the occasion, Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa.

For coming top in this year’s competition, Miss Alexandra Nwigwe of Vivian Fowler Memorial College Lagos got a cheque of N100, 000, a Laptop, a plaque, while the school got three sets of Computer and a printer.

Miss Jesudunta Mercy Ipinmoye of Corona Secondary School Agbara who came second went home with a cheque of N75, 000, a plaque and the school also got two sets of computer and a printer.

For emerging the third position in this year’s competition, Master Akingbade Gbenga of Emerald High School Lagos got a cheque of N50, 000, a plaque and the school, a Computer set. The other winners also got a consolation price of N20, 000 each.

The guest of honour, Chief Umeofia also donated a cash of N1 million to the national essay competition.

The two speakers, Mrs. Akande and Chief Umeofia spoke on the topic: ‘Promoting Made in Nigeria Products’ as only way to sustain economy as participants were reminded that the only way to move the country forward economically is by patronising made in Nigeria products.

On his own part, the convener, Bishop Mike Okonkwo, presiding Bishop of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM), said the need for the topic is to help Nigeria get out of its present economic downturn so that the call by the Federal Government to diversify the economy can be sustained through promotion of Made in Nigeria products.

According to the Chief Examiner, Professor Hope Eghagha, Head, Department of English University of Lagos, Akoka, the Mike Okonkwo Essay Competition for Secondary School student “received a total of seven hundred and ninety six (796) entries. This is after the organisers used their internal control mechanism to ensure that only qualified persons applied or submitted entries”.

“After applying standard criteria in the assessment, we concluded that 27 entries were not original; in other words, they were plagiarised. This was after cross-checking each entry carefully with internet sources to determine their originality. This is one of the problems confronting us in the education sector currently. Some students simply download material from the internet and submit same as their original work,” he added.

He however lamented that parents and guardians aid their children in examination malpractices and cautioned them to discontinue the act in order to assist move the education sector forward.