WIPO Announces Winners of National IP Essay Competition in Nigeria

September 8, 2021

The 2021 WIPO National Intellectual Property Essay Competition concluded with three winners and 15 finalists among over 140 entrants.

At a virtual ceremony announcing the winners, Mr. Tolu Ogunlesi, a Nigerian Journalist and Special Assistant on Digital and New Media to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, H.E. Muhammadu Buhari, stressed the importance of clarity in creative writing as an effective tool for communication, engaging audiences, and shaping human society

The winners’ announcements were made by Ambassador Tunde Mustapha (Permanent Mission of Nigeria to the United Nations in Geneva, and a member of the Panel of Judges) and Ms. Susan Chioma Omeh (overall winner of the maiden edition of the Competition).  

WIPO Deputy Director General Hasan Kleib, who is responsible for the Regional and National Development Sector, congratulated the winners, noting that this competition showed the interest by students to questions relating to how intellectual property works to promote innovation and creativity.  

Winners

Ms. Oyinkansola Komolafe, a third year law student of the University of Ibadan emerged as the overall competition winner, while Ms. Chimdiebere Anya-Awa, a fourth year law student from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and Ms. Honour Dahunsi, a third year law student from the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, both shared the first runner-up spot.  

In reflecting on her competition experience, Ms. Komolafe, the overall winner, pointed out that the research process for her winning essay was one that “really tickled her analytical skills and exposed [her] to the limitless prospects that exist in the field of IP”. 

As part of her prize, Ms. Komolafe’s essay has been published by the WIPO Magazine (September, 2021), while she will receive a WIPO scholarship to participate in the blended Advanced International Certificate Course on IP Asset Management (AICC) as well as a scholarship to undertake any WIPO DL course of her choice. She will also receive an IP-based internship opportunity with one of Nigeria’s leading law firms and an invitation to participate in a WIPO sponsored IP Study Tour.

Writing for the WIPO National Essay Competition was an interesting experience. One of the things that particularly stood out for me was the extent of the research I had to do to write a winning essay. The process really tickled my analytical skills and exposed me to the limitless prospects that exist in the field of Intellectual Property.

Oyinkansola Komolafe (winner)

Ms. Anya-Awa’s entry , in addition to sharing the first runner up position, was singled out for commendation by the Members of the Panel of Judges for its originality and creativity.  Her entry is available. Explaining the creative inspiration underpinning her essay, Ms. Anya Awa reflects on how a designer she follows on social media had helped in streamlining her thought processes on the interface between IP and SMEs. In developing her story around this Instagram business, she was able to produce a compelling essay on how  “regardless of how small scale a business is […], the application of IP can only make it better”.  She remains convinced that so much can be achieved by SMEs if they are only aware of the IP assets they hold.  

I have never written an essay better; I remember all my drafts, all the edits, I just wanted to turn in a winning essay. I am super happy it was a winning essay, especially most creative and original! That's on some new level.

Being one of the winners feels so good. Sincerely, I had just surface knowledge of IP before the competition, and now, I know quite a lot through research and listening to some of the finalists from last year:

Chimdiebere Anya-Awa (first runner up)

Ms. Dahunsi, who shared the first runner up position with Ms. Anya-Awa, casts her victory as one of resilience. She participated in the maiden edition of the WIPO National IP essay competition in 2020 but was not one of the winners. Undeterred, she decided to once again put in for the 2021 edition of the competition as the competition gave her “a platform to improve [her] writing and research skills”.  Her excitement at emerging a runner-up in this competition therefore underscores her conviction that “with determination, hard work, consistency and the grace of God, [she] can achieve a lot with her writing skills”.  Her entry is available .  

Writing the WIPD 2021 essay competition made me realize that I can achieve anything I set my mind to do because the world remains my oyster. Also, a very big thank you to the organizers of this essay competition because it was indeed a big opportunity to research and collate ideas on how IP rights can play significant roles for SME's which will, in turn, lead to economic recovery in Nigeria.

Honour Dahunsi (first runner up)

Both Ms. Anya-Awa and Ms. Dahunsi will, in addition to IP-based internship opportunities with leading law firms in Nigeria, receive a WIPO scholarship to participate in the WIPO Summer School in South Africa, scholarships to enroll for any DL courses of their choice, as well as an invitation to participate in the WIPO IP Study Tour.  All winners and finalists received WIPO certificates of achievement signed by the WIPO Director General, Mr. Daren Tang.

The Finalists

The 15 finalists will each receive an IP-based internship or innovation leadership fellowship, a WIPO scholarship to undertake any DL Courses of their choosing, as well as an invitation to participate in the WIPO sponsored IP study tour.  They are:

1. Queen Letam Nwibani Rivers State University, (Law)
   
2. Blessing Nwankwo Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife(Law)
   
3. Badrudeen Lawal Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye (Law)
   
4. Moses Olanrewaju University of Ibadan, Ibadan (Law)
   
5. Abdulrahman Adebowale Adetunji University of Ibadan, Ibadan (Law)
   
6. Gesiye-emi Emiemokumo Niger Delta University, Bayelsa (Law)
   
7. Chioma Janefrances Ibeh University of Nigeria, Nsukka (Dentistry)
   
8. Oludayo Olufowobi University of Lagos, Akoka (Law)
   
9. Victor Fabarebo University of Ibadan, Ibadan (Law)
   
10. Maduabuchi Kingsley Arinze University of Nigeria, Nsukka (Mechanical Engineering)
    
11. Joshua Chizoma University of Nigeria, Nsukka (Law)
    
12. Priscilla Okiwelu University of Nigeria, Nsukka (Law)
    
13. Agnes Chisom Obeta University of Nigeria, Nsukka (Public Administration and Local Government)
    
14. David Oluwatimilehin Adetula University of Ibadan, Ibadan (Dentistry and Dental Surgery)
    
15. Joan Eseohe Edegbai Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma (Law)
    

I am very excited to be one of the finalists for this year's WIPO National IP Essay Competition.

While I did my preliminary checks to learn about the contest, I found a list of the finalists for last year's edition. Seeing the list, I noticed almost all the finalists were law students, save just one person whose discipline is in Engineering. To be honest, I was initially discouraged because I thought I had just a little chance at making it to any shortlist this year.

Giving it further thought, I got motivated by that single non-law student on the list; I told myself that "if an aspiring engineer could do it last year, then, a dentist-in-training can also make it happen this year". That was the motivation for me and it helped me to really make out some good time to research the topic and write. I am really happy that I found the motivation to participate in the competition.

David Adetula (finalist)

The Competition

The second edition of the WIPO National IP Essay Competition was launched by the WIPO Nigeria Office on April 19, 2021, as part of efforts to commemorate the 2021 World IP Day in Nigeria, themed “IP and SMEs: Taking your ideas to market”. With a key objective of promoting research and learning in the field of IP, the competition was open to all students of tertiary institutions in Nigeria.

Students were required to submit an essay of 1500 words addressing the theme “Intellectual Property, SMEs and Economic Recovery in Nigeria”. The Competition garnered extensive interest and by the final submission deadline day of May 27, 2021, the WNO had received 143 entries, drawn from a total of 29 tertiary institutions and 19 distinct disciplines.

An expert panel of 18 judges was appointed by the WNO to assess the entries.  A full report on the competition is available

My participation in the WIPO National IP Essay Competition 2021 has strengthened my belief that maximizing the potential of IPRs is a sine qua non for a prosperous Nigerian future. The rate at which SMEs with a well-managed IP system will positively impact the Nigerian Economy is indeed greater than I envisioned. I am most grateful for this opportunity.

Badrudeen Lawal (finalist)