Ekanem, Uniben Student wins DigitalSENSE Student Essay contest 2013

Nyeneokpon Emmanuel Ekanem, a 400 level of the University of Benin, Benin City, Edo State, has emerged winner of this year’s DigitalSENSE Africa Media Students Essay Contest,
with an entry which a judge said offers good connection between improving access to the Internet in Nigeria, cybercrime activities, need for Internet Governance, and a great call for caution to avoid hurting Internet freedom.

Mrs. Nkemdilim Nweke, executive director, Operations, DigitalSENSE Africa Media, said that Ekanem, who hails from Akwa-Ibom, scored the highest over-all marks among all the contests for the year as submitted by panel of judges made up of eminent Internet Governance crusaders in Nigeria.

Nweke said that the judges of the essay include: Mr. Gbenga Sesan, executive director, Paradigm Initiative Nigeria (PIN);  Emmanuel Edet, head, Internet Governance Unit, National IT Development Agency (NITDA);  and Mrs. Titilayo Akinsanmi, chairperson of the judges and also Google Policy and Government Relations manager.

The essay was judged based on the annual theme of Nigeria DigitalSENSE Forum on Internet Governance for Development (IG4D) which held in Lagos last March, tagged “Internet Governance and Cybersecurity in Nigeria.”

Mrs. Nweke, while commending the judges, congratulated  Ekanem for this feat, and said that as the winner for 2013, Ekanem would attend the Nigeria Internet Governance Forum (NIGF) holding in Abuja on Tuesday, June 18 at Musa Yar’Adua Centre, as DigitalSENSE Student Ambassador on Internet Governance for Development (IG4D) 2013.

She explained that Ekanem’s roles at NIGF 2013, would centre on championing the crusade based on this initiative to be more meaningful in Nigeria and for Nigerians as a shining example to other youth, mostly in the Youths Forum and Plenary at NIGF this year
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One of the judges, Mr. Sesan, described Ekanem’s essay as a demonstration of knowledge of the theme and offers good connection between improving access to the Internet in Nigeria, cybercrime activities, need for Internet Governance, and a great call for caution to avoid hurting Internet freedom.

Reacting on his emergence, Ekanem said he was indeed very excited to learn that I had emerged the overall winner of that highly competitive essay contest.

In fact, at first, it sounded very unbelievable, but now, it is here and true and I am very grateful to the organizers and judges of the essay contest for a job well done.

He promised to focus on acquiring more knowledge at the Nigeria Internet Governance Forum (NIGF) on how to expand internet connectivity to millions who currently lack access to such without compromising the integrity and security of such.

“I will also make contributions based on my experiences, on how broadband infrastructure could be extended to remote communities and rural settlements to ensure that they too positively and advantageously harness the huge potential of the information superhighway to improve their lives,” he said.

He added that Internet governance in Nigeria, though commendable when compared with other African countries, leaves a lot to be desired. Citing cyber security as an issue of concern, for instance, lamented that more Nigerians fall prey to cyber criminals.
Ekanem, therefore, suggested that some deliberate effort should be expedited to ensure that the inputs of all stakeholders in internet business are synergized and directed towards enthroning a secured cyberspace.

He further advised Nigerian youths specifically on internet usage noting that internet has both positive and negative sides and people are at liberty to choose which side becomes relevant to them.

“The internet can make the next president as well as the next world acclaimed terrorist. It can also create a utopian society as well as a tumultuous society. All depends on the application.  Therefore, youths should exploit the advantageous aspect of the internet to develop their capacities and relevance in the marketplace,” he said.

Maintaining that the youths should desist from all acts capable of undermining the internet`s credibility or harm a fellow user of the internet. This is the only way the positive gains of the internet can be made available to all global citizens.