Finalists Emerge in First Bank’s Online Writing Competition Season 3

In January 2014, First bank, in collaboration with popular online art and opinion website, www.thenakedconvos.com announced the call for entries for the third season of the annual online reality writing competition, The Writer.

After one month of receiving entries and three weeks of filtering through the many entries received from all over the world, the 12 finalists to compete in this year’s competition have emerged. The 12 finalists are: Abraham IgocheOnche  - Abuja, Nigeria; DamolaFakunle - Abuja, Nigeria; Bonaventure Chukwu – Zaria, Nigeria; L.A. Lutara – Kampala, Uganda; Osasuyi Okungbowa – Benin, Nigeria and Gbolahan Adeola – Ohio, USA.

Others are Pamela Naaki Tetteh – Accra, Ghana; Blessing James Christopher – Nigeria; Rosa O – Lagos, Nigeria; Ibukun Akinnawo – Lagos, Nigeria; T.J. Benson – Abuja, Nigeria and Uko Bendi Udo – Georgia, USA.

Speaking on the quality of entries received this year, Oluwole Talabi, online Editor at The Naked Convos said, “we had a 30% increase in the number of submissions we got this year compared to 2013. We had entries from 30 Nigerian states, 14 African countries and 23 different African nationalities spread all over the world. It has indeed been a huge step forward from last year and I really can’t wait for the competition to begin.”

Two years ago, First Bank identified writing and especially blogging as a rapidly growing hobby among young Nigerians.

This trend spurred by the development of internet infrastructure on the continent provided a window of opportunity through which a lot of young Nigerians could be trained to develop their hobbies into money making vocations.

According to Olayinka Ijabiyi, head, Brand Strategy and Special Projects at First Bank Nigeria plc, “we can no longer deny the fact that now more than ever, with technology, it is possible to turn a hobby into a thriving career. This is our aim with The Writer competition – to guide every young African out there who has the passion for writing into becoming a refined writer and eventually, a published author.”

The WriterCompetition is an online ‘reality’ writing competition created by First Bank of Nigeria plc. and popular online art and opinion magazine, www.thenakedconvos.com.

The competition, now in its third year pitches 12 African writers against each other as they compete for four weeks in an online reality writing competition.