The announcement on Tuesday of Master Ray Iserioghene Mukoro, as the overall winner of the 2025 Prince Nduka Obaigbena National Secondary Schools Essay Competition sparked widespread celebration and emotional scenes in Abuja and Ughelli, Delta State. Others winners announced alongside Mukoro for the second and third positions include: Princewill Ogenhevwegba Kaizee, and Egarievwe Unique Efetobor.
The winners were unveiled in Abuja by Prof. Abiodun Adeniyi, a senior faculty member and Registrar at Baze University, marking the conclusion of the maiden edition of the competition. The event was organized by lawyer and Arise TV News Analyst, Barr. Frank Tietie, in honour of Prince Nduka Obaigbena, Chairman of the THISDAY/ARISE Group, whose birthday anniversary fell on July 14.
Speaking at the Citizen Advocacy and Social Economic Rights (CASER) headquarters and Law Times Media Café in Asokoro District, Prof. Adeniyi said the competition received many quality entries, with twelve essays making the final shortlist. He explained that the assessment prioritized academic integrity, creativity, and excellence.
“The essays were reviewed using key assessment rubrics that included originality of thought, depth of insight, clarity of expression, relevance to the theme, grammatical accuracy, and the ability to engage the reader,” he said.
According to him, the top three winners demonstrated exceptional understanding of Prince Obaigbena’s legacy as a media pioneer known for his entrepreneurial spirit and journalistic courage.
The final rankings were: First Place (Overall Winner): Ray Iserioghene Mukoro – 70%.
Second Place (First Runner-Up): Princewill Ogenhevwegba Kaizee – 68%
Third Place (Second Runner-Up): Egarievwe Unique Efetobor – 67%
Prof. Adeniyi described the winners as “the brightest hopes of our educational system and the future of national thought leadership,” and praised Tietie for his vision and commitment:
“Special recognition must be accorded to Barrister Frank Tietie, whose foresight and passion brought this competition to life. By championing this initiative, he has provided a meaningful platform for young Nigerians to celebrate the legacy of a national icon while discovering the power of their own voices.”
In his remarks, Barr. Frank Tietie expressed profound gratitude and personal emotion at the event’s success:
“With tears in my eyes right now, I feel such joy that no amount of money can buy. About 36 years ago, I was just like one of those boys when I first heard about Prince Nduka Obaigbena and his publications,” he said.
Tietie, who is Executive Director of CASER and Law Times Media Café, shared how Obaigbena inspired his early dream of becoming a journalist—though he ultimately became a lawyer. He recounted how his mother discouraged journalism out of fear after the assassination of journalist Dele Giwa.
“Despite many years of legal practice, the media and journalism kept calling out to me. Now, providence has made it so that the man who inspired me as a schoolboy eventually welcomed me as an analyst at Arise News.”
Tietie also thanked his classmates from Government College Ughelli including Mike, Efe, Charlie, Edjere, Ahanmisi, and Mukoro, who helped make the event possible.
“This is one small step towards a giant realization of young talents in research and writing. I pray that every young person discovers and develops their talents early in life because dreams do come true,” he said.
He further announced plans to expand the competition across Delta State and beyond.
Speaking at the event on its theme, “The Quest for Truth and Integrity in Broadcasting in the Age of Artificial Intelligence (AI),” Prof. Sam Amadi, Director at the Abuja School of Political Thought, highlighted the transformative and disruptive role of AI in journalism.
“The broadcasting landscape will be enabled by AI—with better research, real-time cross-checking, and enhanced capabilities. But we must build control systems to match its sophistication to avoid risks such as misinformation and hate crimes,” Amadi warned.
He also commended Barr. Tietie for celebrating Prince Obaigbena’s legacy in such an innovative and timely manner.
“Celebrating a legend like Nduka Obaigbena, who has pioneered journalism in Nigeria from THISDAY to AriseTV is both fitting and commendable,” Amadi said.
The 2025 Prince Nduka Obaigbena National Secondary Schools Essay Competition, in its inaugural edition, has been praised for providing a platform to inspire critical thinking, creativity, and leadership among Nigerian youths while paying tribute to one of Africa’s most influential media figures.
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