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By Bukola Olajide
The 2026 Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition in Nigeria, set to be hosted in Kwara State, has been officially launched by the Wife of the Governor, Professor Olufolake Abdulrazaq.
At the programme’s launch held at the State Banquet Hall in Ilorin, Wife of Kwara State Governor, Prof. Olufolake Abdulrazaq described the initiative as a platform for empowering young writers to engage with global issues creatively.
While commending the Royal Commonwealth Society, Nigeria Branch, she emphasized the organization’s long-standing commitment to youth development, education, and advocacy across member nations.
The Kwara First Lady noted that investing in young people is a strategic necessity for sustainable development, adding that the State Government has implemented policies to improve education, including teacher recruitment and infrastructure upgrades.
“As you may be aware, the government of Kwara State has committed sincere effort and huge resources into repositioning education and ensuring that each child gets a fair, competitive chance to excel,” she stated.
She further referenced the Kwara State University of Education, Kwara State Teaching Hospital, the Innovation Hub, and the Sugar Factory Film Studio as key investments ensuring that the dreams of Kwara’s youth are secured.Professor Abdulrazaq outlined the contributions of her initiative, the Ajike People Support Centre, in providing scholarships, skills training, and leadership opportunities to support youth inclusion.
The State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Lawal Olohungbebe, noted that learning competitions allow children to be impacted by lasting knowledge.
Dr Olohungbebe charged the participants to ignite a passion for intellectual vibrancy.”You are the storytellers of tomorrow, the custodians of ideas yet to be born. The platform is your canvas. Write boldly, think deeply, and let your words carry the weight of your dreams—the world is listening to you”.
In his address, the Director of the Royal Commonwealth Society, Nigeria, Mr. Blackson Bayewumi, explained that the initiative, formerly known as the Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition, has been rebranded as the Queen’s Commonwealth Writing Competition.
He said the rebrand embraces creativity in all forms, including essays, poetry, and storytelling, opened to young people under the age of 18.
Each of the Commonwealth’s five regions: Africa, Asia, Europe, the Americas, and the Pacific will have a dedicated winner, from whom the overall global winner will be selected.
The event included goodwill messages from the Minister of Youth Development, Mr. Ayodele Olawande, who was represented at the ceremony. The high point of the launch was a quiz competition where winners across various categories received gifts and certificates.
