By ZAKAA LAZARUS-Abuja
The Nigerian Army, in a vigorous pursuit of its Civil-Military cooperation efforts, is empowering Nigerian students across the nation. This became evidently manifest when the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, empowered winners of this year’s maiden edition of the COAS literary competition.
The annual competition aimed at harnessing creative minds and promoting critical thinking amongst primary school pupils, as well as students of secondary schools and tertiary institutions across the country, through literary works in Essay, Art and Poetry. The competitors were required to focus their literary works on the theme “The Nigerian Army: Pride of the Nation”.
The maiden competition generated 381 entries across the country, as Bakare Isaac Ayodeyi of Lead City University, Habila Amen of Command Secondary School Kaduna and Adekunle Ore-Ofe Kerenhappuch of Command Children School Mokola Ibadan emerged winners of the Essay Category for Tertiary, Secondary and Primary Schools. Olawale Muheez Olamilekan of Lagos State University, Mary Stephen Raymond of Command Secondary School Jos, and Abubakar Abdulmalik of Command Children School Sokoto were winners of the Poetry category for Tertiary, Secondary and Primary School. In the literary art category Oyakhire Favour Erosereme of the University of Benin, Idajor Ronaldo Goodluck of NAOWA College Abuja and Meshack Daniels of Command Children School Bori Camp emerged winners from the Tertiary, Secondary and Primary Schools.
At the presentation of cash gifts and awards to the winners during the Nigerian Army Day Celebration 2024 in Jos, Plateau State, General Lagbaja congratulated them for coming out tops in the various categories, noting that the competition is meant to showcase the creative ability of the Nigerian youth and to provide the participants a platform to showcase their talents to the world.
The COAS pointed out that the literary competition was introduced and geared towards employing the instrumentality of arts and literary works to shape the thoughts and perception of Nigerians, particularly children and youth, and as a form of support to the nation’s educational sector.
The Army Chief appreciated the organizers, the Department of Civil Military Affairs, the independent panel of assessors led by Professor Caroline Obiageli Emeka-Ogbonna and other stakeholders for their commitment in bringing the initiative to fruition, adding that their effort will go a long way in enhancing the cognitive development of Nigerian youth.
