Ajala Faheezah, Abiola Khalid, and, Ogundele Damilare Emmanuel from three Public Secondary Schools in Oyo State have emerged winners of the just concluded Karim Adeyemi Foundation Essay Competition. The competition, which was organized to mark the International Day of Sports for Development and Peace selected the three top winners after a thorough review from 4 different judges.
Announcing the prizes, the Foundation’s President Abiodun Adeyemi disclosed that the overall winner Ajala Faheezah from Alayande School of Science will receive a cash prize of 300,000 while Abiola Khalid from Oke – Ado High School and Ogundele Damilare Emmanuel from Ikolaba Grammar School will receive N250,000 and N200,000 respectively. He also declared openly that all winners will enjoy a fully – funded scholarship throughout their secondary school education while adding that donations will be made to the schools present.
“I am not a man of many words, but I can assure you that we will also make donations to the schools of all winners. And more importantly, this is just the beginning,” he noted.
Speaking after the presentation, the overall winner, Faheezah, dedicated the victory to God, her mum, and her teachers, “I’d like to thank God for giving me this opportunity and my teachers for their guidance and my mum for bringing me to life. To the runner-ups and other contestants, I want us to all understand that the sky is our starting point,” the visibly excited student said.
Representing the Judges, Mr. Victor Olaoye acknowledged the students were judged on several criteria including relevance, originality, grammar, and adherence to the topic amongst others. He urged the students present at the event to ensure that originality remains at the core of their work as it will set them apart from others.
Meanwhile, the Immediate Former Commissioner for Youth and Sports Affairs in the state, Asiwaju Seun Fakorede, who was present at the event, described the initiative as a laudable one. “I must specially commend Karim Adeyemi Foundation for its efforts toward improving youth participation in sports and its general contribution to education in the state. This initiative is just one of many indicators of how much change we can make in our society. If Karim Adeyemi does not do this, no one would fault him. But I know that all beneficiaries of this foundation are very grateful,” he noted. Fakorede also urged winners to remain focused on their respective pursuits.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Foundation’s Chief Operating Officer, Olaolu Adedayo, explained that the competition was organized out of its mission to be a catalyst for positive development in education and sports.
“The foundation launched its first essay writing competition among public secondary schools in Oyo state on April 6th to mark the 2023 International Day of Sport for Development and Peace. The topic for this essay competition was Uniting a Nation: The Role of Football in Promoting Social Inclusion and National Peace. I am delighted to say the journey we embarked on to promote quality education in this regard comes to a climax today. At Karim Adeyemi Foundation, we believe every face deserves a smile. Nothing perhaps exemplifies this conviction more than today’s award ceremony. We have gathered from all walks of life with some traveling from as far as England, Germany, and Switzerland just to honour our top three participants in the Essay Competition today,” he noted.
