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Kogi State Chairman of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Dr. Kennedy Obohwemu has revealed that no less than 1,000 essay entries were received from students spread across the length and breadth of the state as the 2017 ANA/Rotary literary contest for schools and colleges kicked off last month with the Essay Writing category.
The history-making multi-staged literary competition is geared towards encouraging healthy academic rivalry among youngsters. It is open to all public and private Secondary Schools spread across all 21 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Kogi State.
For the first stage of the competition which was concluded last Friday, students were made to write an Expository Essay on the topic: ‘The Power of your Vote: A catalyst for a stable and united Nigeria’.
Dr. Kennedy Obohwemu, who is also the President-Elect of the Rotary Club of Lokoja Metro, announced the results of the preliminary rounds while speaking to newsmen in Lokoja.
“In assessing the entries, examiners looked out for how much students knew of the issue, their capacity to express that knowledge in standard English usage and their ability to follow tested methods of expressing knowledge acquired through observation, reading and experience,” Dr. Kennedy said.
The next stage of the competition, which is the sub-regional finals, is scheduled to begin next week Wednesday, June 28, 2017 and last till Wednesday, July 12, 2017. The Sub-Regional Finals will produce champions in each of the 21 LGAs of the State. The Regional Finals will follow almost immediately, producing winners in each of the three Senatorial Districts (Kogi Central, Kogi East and Kogi West). The grand finale will hold in September.
For the sub-regional and regional finals, participants shall go through quiz competition, debate and spelling bee
stages.
For the quiz, participants shall be served with standard WASSCE/WAEC question papers on English Language (Comprehension, Lexis & Structure, Test of Orals). They shall be further tested on Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and General Knowledge.
The debate shall feature sensational arguments on topical issues and current trends in Science, Technology, Politics, Religion and the Arts. Examiners shall look out for the ability of candidates to express themselves in an informed opinion on contemporary issues of national significance. Topics shall be disclosed to schools at least two weeks before the scheduled final date.
The spelling bee shall assess the candidate’s ability to spell words in the English Language correctly. Students shall pick numbers from a pool of questions, and shall be required to provide the correct spellings (as response to the questions) within a stipulated period of time. The current edition of the Oxford Advanced Learners English Dictionary is recommended for use. Participants should pay attention to stress patterns and syllables in the English Language. Correct application of Syntax and Morphology shall be looked out for. Words could be long or short, but attention must be drawn to details.
A number of mouth-watering prizes are available for winners of the historic competition, including scholarships worth N250, 000, fully equipped library, laptops, educational materials, branded souvenirs from sponsors like Grace FM 95.5, 7-Up, Glo, Thermocool, Scanfrost, Treasures Bakery, etc. Teachers of winning schools also go home with as much as N100, 000.
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