…Recognizes top 30 contestants for demonstrating critical thinking and community-driven initiatives
By Inyene Pius
In commemoration of the second anniversary of the Golden Initiative for All (GIFA), CityWatch Newspaper today, Wednesday, February 18, 2026, held the grand finale of its state-wide essay competition, with top 30 contestants recognized for demonstrating critical thinking and community-driven initiatives.
The event, which took place at the ARISE Showroom, Wellington Bassey Way, was held to honour the top 30 contestants of an essay entitled, “Proposing and Critically Evaluating Innovative Strategies that the Golden Initiative For All (GIFA) Can Adopt to Enhance Community Engagement and Skill Development for Sustainable Impact,” which was designed to inspire creative thinking and catalyse youth-driven solutions for sustainable development across the state.
In her welcome address, the Editor-in-Chief of CityWatch Newspaper, Annie Joseph, congratulated the top 30 contestants for emerging from a large pool of entries, noting that the competition was organised to celebrate GIFA at two, as well as promote intellectual engagement and healthy academic rivalry among young people.
Paying tribute to the founder of GIFA, Patience Umo Eno, she commended Helen Eno Obareki for sustaining the initiative’s outreach to vulnerable groups, including children, youths, persons with disabilities and low-income families.
She also acknowledged the support of the CityWatch staff, which according to her contributed immensely to the organization and success of the contest.
Providing an overview of the selection process, Dr Tony Johnson, a staff at CityWatch disclosed that 226 entries were received and assessed by a multidisciplinary panel drawn from academic disciplines, such as History, Law, Communication Arts and Environmental Studies to ensure fairness and originality in the evaluation process.
In her remarks, the Press Secretary, Office of the First Lady, Comrade Uduak Ekong, described the initiative as impactful and timely. She congratulated the winners and cautioned participants against excessive reliance on Artificial Intelligence (AI), advising them to use it only as a supportive tool for creativity and critical thinking.
She further announced the sponsorship of three of the contestants: Brigid Dominic, Precious Nse, and Magdalene Okon, for a leadership training at the next batch of the MORE Leadership Academy.
Also speaking, the Personal Assistant to the Governor on New Media, Emma Akpabio, congratulated the contestants for their participation and emphasised the importance of building productive relationships, cultivating the right attitude and acquiring requisite knowledge that would give them a competitive edge.
Reeling out projects and initiatives executed by Governor Umo Eno across various local government areas in line with the ARISE Agenda, Emma highlighted strides in healthcare delivery, infrastructural renewal, agricultural expansion, rural development, security enhancement and education reforms as indicators of the administration’s development-focused governance.
He further urged the contestants to seize emerging opportunities by registering on the ARISE portal, stressing the transparency of the recruitment process and the Governor’s commitment to merit-based engagement.
“Please do well to follow “Arise Imprint” on social media and submit a two-minute pitch of your business ideas ahead of the next batch of the entrepreneurship support programme slated for the following month,” he added.
In his goodwill message, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Research and Documentation, Essien Ndueso, lauded CityWatch Newspaper for organising the competition as a fitting tribute to GIFA’s second anniversary, noting that the initiative would help preserve the legacy of Pastor Patience Umo Eno for future generations.
Similarly, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Local Media, Amos Etuk, commended the organisers for supporting good governance through youth-oriented programmes and praised GIFA’s social welfare interventions over the past two years.
He further harped on the relevance of the contest in shaping a promising future for Akwa Ibom State, and urged the participants to demonstrate civic responsibility by obtaining their Permanent Voter Cards and participating in the ongoing voter registration exercise conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Speaking on behalf of the participants, the overall winner, Brigid Dominic Ekanem, expressed appreciation to GIFA, CityWatch Newspaper and supporting dignitaries for their sustained commitment to youth empowerment, noting that the competition had challenged young people to think critically about community engagement and sustainable skill development in Akwa Ibom State.
Highpoint of the event was the presentation of certificates of participation to Brigid Dominic, Ventus Kingsley who secured second place, Magdalene Okon who clinched the third position, and 27 other shortlisted contestants for their creativity and dedication. The cutting of the anniversary followed afterwards.
