…..for Emerging 2nd Runner-up in Wole Soyinka International Essay Writing Competition
By Michael Nnebife and Emmanuel Chigozie
It was a celebration of academic excellence, creativity and power of words on Thursday, 5th June, 2025, for the Management, staff and friends of Blossom Fount College, Awka, Anambra State, as they gathered to honour their two students, Master Chemelie Johncollins Okoye and Miss Ezinne Favour Molokwu, for making the school and the state proud in a national academic competition.
Miss Molokwu and Master Okoye won first and second positions in the Wole Soyinka Spoken Words Competition and @ 90 Essay Writing Competitions respectively, leading other students who came from not less than 20 states of Nigeria for the 2024 Wole Soyinka International Essay Writing Competition held in July last year in Abeokuta the Ogun State Capital.
The Governor of the state, Prince Dapo Abiodun, at the epoch-making event, gifted Okoye N300, 000 for his school fees and one laptop computer for his studies.
According to the National Coordinator, Wole Soyinka International Cultural Exchange, WSICE, Mrs Linda Amadi Olowookere, who presented Governor Abiodun’s gifts to the award-winning Blossom Fount College student, Okoye, the Governor and Prof Wole Soyinka had graciously hosted Okoye, Molokwu, and their colleagues in Abeokuta last year.
‘Written essay entries were received from all over the globe. The best 90 essay finalists from more than 20 states in Nigeria were invited to camp at Abeokuta which included participants from Anambra State.
‘Chemelie Johncollins Okoye took second position in WS@90 Essay Writing Competition and Ezinne Favour Molokwu took first position in WS@90 Spoken Words Competition. Both of them are students of Blossom Fount College, Awka,’ the Coordinator said.
She commended them for their excellent performance in the competitions, and thanked the Management and staff of the College for dedicated service, which, she said, was evidenced in the students’ performance.
In her address of welcome, the Manager of the College, Rev Sr Marie Assumpta Ezinne Okeke, Said, Molokwu and Okoye not just won the awards, but also followed in the footsteps of the iconic Prof Soyinka.
The Manager thanked the students for making the College and Anambra State proud.
She also extended gratitude to the State Commissioner for Education, Prof Ngozi Chuma-Udeh, who was represented on the occasion by the Public Relations Officer of the State Education Ministry, Mr Nnaemeka Egwuonwu, for her achievements, which, she said, had started yielding positive results.
In an interview with Fides, Sr Okeke said the College was for holistic education, leading not only in academic work, but also in other aspects, such as sports, among others.
In her remarks, the Education Commissioner congratulated the award-winning students for making Anambra State proud.
She thanked the organizers of the Wole Soyinka International Competition and the award ceremony.
In their separate responses, Master Okoye and Miss Molokwu expressed gratitude to their school for nurturing them, and the organizers of the Wole Soyinka International Competition for giving them opportunities to showcase their talents to the world.
In a vote of thanks, the Principal of the College, Mr Chris Emeghara, appreciated the guests and the friends of the College for rejoicing and celebrating with the College.
He noted that the milestone achievements of the College in academic excellence were outcomes of unreserved resilience, dedication and commitment of the Management, staff and students of the College.
Present at the epoch-making event in which the organizers of the WSICE and Wole Soyinka Essay Writing Competition rewarded some staff members of the College with awards for their dedicated service, were the South East Coordinator, WSICE, Mr Emmanuel Ugoekwe; the Chairman of the College, Sir Jerome Okoye; among others.
Drama presentations, and cultural dance by a dance troupe, all of the College, added glamour to the event which came to climax with award presentations to Miss Molokwu and Master Okoye.
