By Gami Tadanyigbe, Abuja
The Dayo Keshi Literacy Prize For Storytelling initiative recently awarded top three winners in the maiden edition of storytelling competition founded by Mrs Dayo Keshi, president of AfriGrowth Foundation.
The award presentation which held in Abuja had in attendance friends and families of top three winners of the competition, Ifeanyichukwu Alum, from Rosa Mystic Academy in first place, Elijah Dayisi from Local Education Authority Primary School, Azahayapi second place and Joan Ogeh from Eucharistic Heart of Jesus Model School in third place.
In addition to prizes of school bags, storybooks, exercise books and hampers of provisions.
The top three contestants also went home with cash prizes, Alum in first position received a cash prize of N25,000.00 with the second and third receiving cash prizes of N15,000.00 and third N10,000.00 respectively.
Speaking at the presentation of award Mrs Dayo Keshi explained that due to the current COVID-19 pandemic with the schools temporary closed and children at home, AfriGrowth Foundation decided to organize the Dayo Keshi Literacy Prize for Children Storytelling.
She said it was meant to engage school children in the act and art of reading at home with the believe that storytelling is one of the most effective ways of developing literacy and encouraging reading and writing.
According to her, the initiative which is part of the Library Literacy Program of the foundation has since inception established 41 libraries and provided instructional materials in schools in underserved communities around Nigeria.
However, she said under this programs also is an annual reading competition to assess overall impact of library program which had to be done online this year.
“School children,aged 8-10 years and resident in Nigeria were invited to develop and tell a short story, in a captured video for duration of 3-5 minutes.
“The video is send to our platforms between August 1, 2020 to August 22, 2020, leading to selection of top 10 in the maiden edition” she said.
Keshi, while congratulating all the children that participated in the maiden edition of the competition disclosed that pupils in 4th to 10th position drawn from different parts of the country will be given consolation prizes.
She pointed out that submissions from all 119 participants were very impressive.
“Videos submitted by contestants were generally informative, impressive and phenomenal so choosing the top ten winners wasn’t an easy task for the judges.
“I encouraged children to always strive to bring out the best in themselves by reading building their knowledge and working towards coming on top.
“Look beyond the prizes and recognition received; as the competition transcends beyond award of prizes, but more importantly, the lessons learned and exceptional efforts made” she said.
Mr Nnanna Alum, father of the first place winner appreciated AfriGrowth Foundation and said his son’s creativity has greatly improved.
He urged the foundation to continue to improve the literacy of children and organize similar competitions.
“Mrs. Dayo Keshi encouraged all children to continue to grow in the art and act of reading it gives me joy to know our efforts towards educating our son is not in vain” he said.
Mother of Joan, Mrs Lucy Ogeh said that the competition assisted her to discover her daughter’s talent for writing stories as they made effort to join the competition at the tail end while also urging the foundation to keep up the good work.
