Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, has challenged students and indeed the youth population in Nigeria to emulate the life of heroes like Professor Wole Soyinka.

While addressing students who participated in this years’ edition of the Wole Soyinka International Cultural Exchange program held at the Obas’ Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Thursday, Governor Amosun urged the youth to never give up on Nigeria in spite of the many challenges facing the nation.

Encouraging the 82 secondary school students who participated in the Wole Soyinka Essay Competition titled, ‘Challenges or Not, You Must Love Your Country’, Governor Amosun said, “just like Professor Soyinka is doing, you must continue to show love and support for the country irrespective of the challenges facing the nation.”

The essay competition was held as part of activities marking the 82nd birthday of the Nobel Laureate.

Responding during the event, Professor Soyinka called on all stakeholders across the nation to join hands in the fight against corruption and other related practices saying it is a battle for everybody.

The respected scholar said the nation must be returned to its place of honour and dignity where anybody found to be corrupt in the society should be ashamed to walk freely.

Soyinka while speaking on the theme of the event which is “Corruption: A battle for the Arts,” enjoined creative writers and artiste to use their work to fight corruption.

While suggesting a way out of the corruption menace which, he said, has eaten deep into the fabrics of the nation, Prof. Soyinka said: “Anybody caught or found to be guilty should be made to face the full wrath of the law.”

Governor Amosun also expressed his joy with the fact that many Nigerians now appears to appreciate arts while promising to extend the participation in the subsequent edition of the program to all students in Nigerian and beyond.

Amosun who congratulated the winners of this year’s contest charged other students to be more diligent irrespective of the challenges of growing up saying, “tough situations don’t last, but tough people do.”

The highpoint of the event was the presentation of trophies to Miss. Naomi Akinremi of St. Peters College, Olomore, Abeokuta; Miss. Adedoyin Sotonwa of Mayflower Secondary School, Ikenne and Friday Zacheaus of Adeola Odutola College, Ijebu-Ode who came 1st, 2nd and 3rd respectively.

•Photo shows Professor Soyinka.

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