For Soyinka students get scholarships

 BY OMIKO AWA

5^th from the right, Miss Sopundi Mgbearike, winner of the essay competition, surrounded by other participants and officials of WS/78.

THIS year’s International Cultural Exchange (ICE) project, which was part of the activities lined up to honour the Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka (WS/78), who recently turned 78, was quite eventful.  

3rd from right: Prof. Hope Eghagha, Commissioner for Higher Education, Delta State; Prof. Robert Fox of Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, USA; Barr. Yusuf Olaniyonu, Ogun State Commissioner for Information and Strategy; Prof. Segun Ojewuyi; Mr. Teju Kareem and cast of actors of Home from Britain and the US. 

   Organised by Zmirage Limited and GlobalNewHaven Multimedia outfit, the celebration, which was planned to hold in two countries —Nigeria and the UK— saw the Nigerian phase ending on July 17 and the London leg today.

    Aside from beginning the advocacy lecture entitled From Tigritude To Transcendence; The Conscience And Conscientiousness Of Wole Soyinka, delivered by Professor Robert Fox of Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, USA, the event featured dance, drama, poem recitations and essay competition.  

   With the topic, The Mind Of A Patriot, the jury for the essay competition shortlisted 78 names from across the country and in the Diaspora, of which 15-year-old Miss Sopundi Mgbearike of Graceland International School, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, emerged winner and was awarded a scholarship worth N250, 000, while her school got a desktop computer system.

   The second prize winner, 17-year-old Miss Chidinma Emmanuel of Betenas Unity High School, Idanre, Ondo State went home with N150.000 and a laptop for her school, while the third prize winner, 16-year-old Miss Aliyah Ibrahim of Zamani College, Kaduna, got N100, 000 and a laptop for her school.

   All the participants went home with consolation prizes, which included some of the books written by the Nobel laureate.

    The 78 pupils were entertained at Prof. Soyinka’s Abeokuta residence after the award.