Anti-Corruption Day: Bellinadia School Emerges Winner of the 2022 Corruption Tori Essay Competition
Edache Samuel, a JSS 3 student of Bellinadia School Abuja, has emerged the first prize winner of the 2022 Corruption Tori National Essay Competition, defeating a hundred and fifty students, from more than a hundred schools, that participated in the competition.
The nationwide essay competition organized by Signature TV, producers of Corruption Tori, was on the topic “My Role In The Fight Against Corruption”.
The result which was announced Friday at the Corruption Tori Anti-Corruption Townhall and the Ordinary Nigerian Icon Award was to mark the International Anti-Corruption day, which took place at Dei Dei, a local community in Abuja.
The winner of the essay competition Edache Samuel a JSS 3 student of Bellinadia School Abuja, who won a tablet for himself and the sum of one hundred thousand naira for his school was also honoured with the Corruption Tori, anti-corruption Ambassador Award at the event.
The second prize winner was Oji Favour Chinemelum from Baptist High School, Abuja, who got a tablet and a cash prize of fifty thousand naira for her School, while the third prize winner Gianna Osuobeni of El-Amin International School, Abuja, also went home with a tablet and a cash prize of Thirty thousand naira for her school.
Others who were recognized for their performance in the Essay Competition included David Ibukun Ayo from Newton National College Abuja, Mameh Deborah from Government Secondary School, Wisdom Frank from Emerald Royal International School Mpape, Abuja, Emmanuel Essien from Pacesetters College, Okongwu Mmesomachukwu from GSS Pyakasa and Nigel Akhagbeme also from Bellanadia School Mpape.
In an interview with newsmen, the Chief Executive Officer of Signature TV, VinMartin Obiora Ilo said the aim of the Townhall, Essay Competition, the Ordinary Nigerian Anti-Corruption Icon Awards and other activities put together by Signature TV was to amplify the fight against corruption, take the campaign to the grassroots and reward ordinary Nigerians in the local communities.
He said majority of Nigerians in the rural areas fight corruption in their little and impactful ways every day and deserved to be recognized and honored.
Ilo said the project which started over four years ago and is supported by the MacArthur Foundation, collaborates with anti-graft agencies and other nongovernmental agencies involved in the war against corruption.
In his acceptance speech Edache JSS 3, said even though it was a difficult exercise to emerge winner, he was very happy and promised to take the war against corruption to the next level.
According to him, as young people are the future generation, there was need for them to take the fight against corruption seriously urging other students and Nigerians to always live above board and shun corruption in the society.
In his keynote address at the Townhall, the Director General of the National Orientation Agency, Garba Abari who was reprsented by a director of in the agency, Kenneth Onyejepu lauded MacArthur Foundation, Corruption Tori and Signature TV, for the initiative of taking the fight against corruption to the grassroots and to school children. He said the agency through its campaign for ethics and integrity is reaching out to school students also.
Kenneth Onyejepu frowned at the manner in which Nigerians have reduced the national core values where honesty, fairness and equity have taken a sudden flight, replaced by dishonesty, graft corruption and other social vices.
He said that as the nation prepares for the 2023 elections, there was the need for patriotism to ensure that the right people were voted into office.
His Royal Highness Idris Musa (MFR), the Sarkin Jiwa of FCT, Abuja who was the guest of honour at the Townhall while commending Corruption Tori for grassroots sensitization in local languages said for Nigeria to fight corruption successfully, all hands must be on deck.
At the event, Corruption Tori presented the Ordinary Nigerian Anti-Corruption Awards to three Nigerians drawn from across the 36 states of the federation, nominated by ordinary Nigerians who either in personal dealings or observation found them deserving in their stance against corruption.
The awardees were, John Ishaleku from Lafia in Nassarawa State, Chukwwueke Chidinma Peace, a student of Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, Owerri, Imo State and Paul Isicheilim Eugene, a taxi driver in Abuja.
It will be recalled that on July 5th 2022, Signature TV unveiled Corruption Tori Season 3 with the theme “Carry the Fight Against corruption for your head, na you get am” which is aimed at mobilizing and recruiting more rural Nigerians into the anti-corruption vanguard.
There was also traditional musical display by the Gbagi dance troupe in Dei-Dei to spice up the occasion.
The Corruption Tori, Anti-Corruption Townhall had in attendance, anti-corruption agencies, students, government officials, traditional leaders, community representatives, Market Associations, Gbagi indigenous associations, okada riders, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), members of the press and other guests.
