Sovereign Trust endorses essay competition for Wole Soyinka at 80

Continuing its efforts towards promoting academic excellence amongst youths, Sovereign Trust Insurance plc has singularly endorsed the prize money for the essay competition instituted in honour of Nigeria’s Literary Giant and Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka as part of activities to mark his 80th birthday on July 13, 2014.

Project WS is an International Cultural Exchange Programme designed for the purpose of using the platforms of Literature, Arts and Culture to affirm and uphold the dignity of the Nigerian society; focusing on youths as the future of humanity. The project was premiered in 2010 on the 76th Birthday of Wole Soyinka.

The project has three main categories namely: the essay competition which is open to Nigerian secondary school students anywhere in the world; the stage plays which features renowned Nigerian and international actors and the advocacy lectures. The project sets out to engrave in the hearts of the youth, the uncommon view that education, arts and culture are authentic panacea to fear, violence and their resultant erosion of individual will and self actualisation.

The Pan-Nigerian Secondary School Essay competition being a cultural exchange project chooses pertinent topics which are thrown open to senior secondary school students all over Nigeria and the Diaspora. Interested students are encouraged to submit essays on selected topics based on which finalists are selected; the number of which tallies with the age of the Noble Laureate.

This year’s essay topic for the finalists is themed, “Path to Freedom and the Future”. The final stage of the essay competition will be held live as all the selected finalists will converge at the same venue to write the final stage of the essay at the same time. The first three winners will get cash scholarships and laptop computers while their respective schools get desk top computers as well.

Teju Kareem, project coordinator and executive producer, said that the organising committee expresses its profound gratitude to the management of Sovereign Trust for finding the Project WS a laudable initiative worthy of support. He further enjoined other corporate entities to follow in the stead of Sovereign Trust Insurance in identifying and supporting worthy causes as a way of ensuring the progressive movement of our dear country.

Segun Bankole, chief spokesperson of the Company, said that the underwriting firm is noted for relentlessly supporting projects that are in line with the company’s CSR philosophy in bringing about positive changes in our society. He further said that the focus of this project are the youths who are the future of our great nation because they hold the key to change and prosperity in Nigeria and the world at large.