The Centre for Climate Change and Development (CCCD) of the Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike has announced the commencement of the second edition of its essay competition on climate change in Nigeria.
The second edition of the essay competition with the title “Climate Change and Nigeria’s Economic Development: A letter to Mr. Incoming President” commenced on Friday, November 11 and ends on Thursday, December 22, 2022.
Speaking on the competition, which is opened to young adults between the ages of 16 and 35 years, the director of the Centre, Professor Chukwumerije Okereke, said that the aim of the competition is to increase public awareness of, and engagement with climate change in Nigeria and Africa more broadly.
He stated that he was impressed by the quality of submissions received during the maiden edition and the high level of enthusiasm by Nigerian youths towards climate change, hence the decision to launch the second edition.
He said: “The competition will offer further great opportunity for young people to be the leading and driving force to climate action in the country by setting agenda to the next administration in the country. I am optimist that we will receive yet another quality submissions by the young people across the country on the topic.”
He further emphasised that climate change remains a threat to human existence, and young people have a vital role to play in climate actions and decision making in order to protect the environment.
Prof. Okereke, while calling on young adults to utilise the opportunity to set climate change agenda for the next President of Nigeria in 2023, stated that the choice of the essay topic was as a result of lack of adequate knowledge of climate change issues in Nigeria and across the globe exhibited by some Presidential Candidates in the build-up to the 2023 Presidential election in the country, hence the urgency for the young people to set climate change agenda for who will eventually emerge the next president in 2023.
He further reiterated that the Centre would continue to come up with engaging activities and competitions that further increase public awareness and understanding of climate change in Nigeria and Africa.
“My Centre is planning more engaging competitions to increase public awareness of, and engagement with climate change in Nigeria and Africa more broadly,” he said.
The second edition of the essay competition will see the winner getting a cash reward of N200,000, the second position N150,000, while the third position will get N100,000.
The top 10 essays will be announced on January 6, 2023, while the best three essays will be announced during a hybrid event on January 26, 2023.
By Chinedu Jude Nwasum
