Essay Competition: Family Calls On Edo First Lady To Redeem Pledge To Their Daughter

The family of Musa Favour, the 2019 winner of the women category, National Festival for Arts and Culture Essay Competition (NAFEST) has appealed to the wife of Edo state governor, Besty Obaseki to honour her words and redeemed her pledge so as to enable their ward continue her education.

The Edo governor’s wife had in 2019 promised monetary reward and scholarship benefit to Musa Favour who emerged winner of the Women Annual Essay Writing.

In a statement signed by the father, Lawal Musa, and made available to newsmen in Lokoja on Wednesday, the family begged the governor’s wife to honour her words as they depend on it for their daughter to continue with her education.

,“A passionate appeal made by the family of Mr L.L Musa to Her Excellency, Wife of Edo State Governor, Mrs Besty Obaseke to redeem her pledge made to our daughter, Miss Favour Musa during the November 2019 National Festival For Arts and Culture Essay Competition in which she emerged Winner of the women category of the annual essay writing competition (NAFEST), The statement partly reads.

“The competition took place in Benin City, Edo State, between October 16th and 26th 2019, and drew participants from 28 states of the federation. The theme of the competition “Our Royalty, Our Pride” was organized to celebrate Arts and Culture in order to foster unity among the various ethnic groups in Nigeria.

“According to the November 11th 2019 edition of Unilorin Bulletin, Musa Favour who was then an SS3 Student of the Unilorin Secondary School, represented Kwara State at the competition and emerged as the first and overall best in the competition.

“She was then promised a cash prize of N500,000, by her Excellency, Wife of the Edo State Governor, Besty Obaseki. The Governor’s wife also pledged a school bag, some books and education scholarship.

“Favour Musa who is currently a year one Medical Student at the University of Ilorin, is yet to see any ray of hope towards the fulfilment of the Governor’s wife pledge and promises.

“Two years and three months down the line, neither the Scholarship nor cash prize has been received and yet every effort made by recipient and her family has been abortive as several calls and correspondence to the Aids of the Governor’s wife, are not returned.

The Award recipient and her family have not been able to establish direct contact with her Excellency since 2019 November, hence the use
Of the media.