By Michael Nnebife
The Wole Soyinka International Cultural Exchange, WSICE, has appealed to the Anambra State Government to partner with it for the 2025 Wole Soyinka International Essay Writing Competition slated for July 13 this year.
The National Coordinator of WSICE, Mrs Linda Amadi Olowookere, made the appeal recently, while presenting a speech during an award ceremony organized in Awka, the Anambra State capital, by Blossom Fount College, Awka, in honour of its students who won first position in Spoken Words, and second position in Essay Writing in the 2024 Edition of the competition held in Nigeria and London in July last year.
‘This Year, 2025, the 16th Edition will take place again in Prof Soyinka’s Residence at Ijegba Camp, Abeokuta on July 13.
‘Through the representative of the Anambra State Commissioner for Education here, we’re sending our letter, requesting Anambra State Government to host us.
‘We wish to use the channel of meeting with you to communicate with the state government, come July 13, we can also come here to organize the Prof Wole Soyinka @ 91 Essay Writing Competition in Anambra State for schools in the 21 local government areas in the state,’ the Coordinator appealed.
She explained that WSICE honoured Prof Soyinka’s exceptional life and career as a distinguished artist and global humanist.
‘Our project celebrates the values and virtues of Soyinka, particularly his relentless fight for social and cultural justice, freedom and respect for human rights,’ Mrs Olowookere said.
According to her, ‘The mission of WSICE is to foster unity among people, transcending nationality, culture, or religion, by focusing on our youth as the future of humanity.’
Olowookere, who spoke among other things, disclosed that WSICE enjoyed the sponsorship of Zmirage Multimedia Ltd, Nigeria and UK, led by Dr Teju Kareem, and co-produced with Prof Segun Ojewuyi, a former Dean, College of Art and Media, Southern Illinois University.
‘We also receive invaluable support from public and corporate organizations, including Ogun State Government,’ she added.
Responding, the Anambra State Commissioner for Education, Prof Ngozi Chuma-Udeh, thanked the WSICE for organizing a platform, which, she said, displayed cultures of different parts of Nigeria.
The Commissioner, represented on the occasion by the Public Relations Officer of the State Education Ministry, Mr Nnaemeka Egwuonwu, congratulated the Students of Blossom Fount College, Miss Favour Molokwu, who won first position in Spoken Words Competition; and Master Johncollins Okoye, who took second position in Essay Writing Competition, all in the 2024 Edition of the Wole Soyinka International Essay Writing Competition.
Mr Egwuonwu expressed satisfaction with the achievement of the state Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, in the Education Sector, and pledged to take the request of the WSICE to his principal.
