By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A student of Corona Secondary School, Agbara Estate, Ogun State, Miss Tamaramiebi Akika, has won the 2021 annual Boston Consulting Group (BCG) Lagos International Women’s Day (IWD) essay writing competition.
The first runner-up was Sarah Chebli of Avi-Cenna International School, Ikeja GRA, Lagos, while other winning schools were Green Springs School, Anthony Village and British International School, Maroko.
The annual competition is designed to foster deep intellectual engagement with young students in celebration of women.
Each year, the essays are based on the International Women’s Day theme, offering the students the opportunity of articulating their thoughts on the subject of gender parity.
Business Post gathered students from across Lagos, aged between 10 and 18, were required to write an essay of no more than 1,000 words in response to an IWD-themed prompt.
Participating schools submitted their top five essays which were reviewed by the judges, with the best essays selected based on clarity and originality of thought and expression; compelling force of argument; and pragmatism of ideas to achieve gender parity.
Prizes doled out included a selection of books most loved by BCGers across BCG’s entire Africa system (comprising of five offices and over 300 consultants) while winning schools were also recognized.
The contest entered its second edition this year. The maiden edition, which held last year, received several exciting entries from five schools and three winners were picked from Holy Child College and British International School.
Speaking on the competition, the Partner at BCG, Mr Tolu Oyekan, said the organisation was focused on building conscious engagement among the secondary school students on gender equality and all its attendant issues.
“We expect that this will motivate the students to be more deliberate in their interactions and reactions to gender stereotypes, as we strive for a more gender-equal society,” he said.