On behalf of the founders and supporters of SAK International, I would like to express our sincere gratitude to all the people who sent in entries to the first National Anticorruption Essay Competition between the period of 23 September and 6 November 2002. It was a marvel to have thousands of Nigerians taking their pens to dissociate themselves from that culture of "free-floating corruption". To those who missed the deadline for submission, and to those who have not won any prize on this occasion, please be informed that your essays are very much appreciated. It was quite difficult to select winners, bearing in mind the ultimate aim of the competition as a whole. You could improve and/or resubmit your entry as we have kept open an annual opportunity to win a prize should your essay stand out amongst thousands of others. Also quite important to SAK International (and to the anticorruption cause) is the fact that this competition is now creating a network of selfless and highly credible entrants (especially those to whom the prizes do not seem to be the real or only incentive), from which the anticorruption spirit could potentially spread further! Below are the winners and prize amounts for the 2002 (first) National Anticorruption essay competition.

Winner of the 2002 "Samuel Metseagharun Prize" of N100,000:

JUDE UDECHUKWU (signorjude@yahoo.com) with the Essay "CORRUPTION AND BAD GOVERNANCE: STUMBLING BLOCK ON THE PATHWAY OF DEVELOPMENT-A CASE STUDY OF NIGERIA"

Level 2: 1st prize N50,000: DINA JAMES OLUSEGUN

P.O.BOX 888,AKURE,ONDO STATE

2nd prize N40,000 Sunday Olugbenga Abe (ayoyimika2003@yahoo.com)

3rd Prize N25,000 Martins Oloja (oloja2002@yahoo.co.uk)

The following 17 entrants have also won N5,000 each.

1 Adamu Mohammed Sanni (admosa2002@yahoo.co) University of Agriculture Abeokuta PMB 2240 Abeokuta Ogun State.

2 Adewale Sabitudeen Adeyemi, Dept. Of IND. MATHS, UNIVERSITY OF BENIN

3 Oluwatoba A. Oguntuase (vijay2002ng@yahoo.com) PO Box 17141 GPO Dubge, Ibadan, Oyo State

4 Ohehen Oghoaregbe Nelson (baba_nelso@yahoo.com). University of Benin.

5 Akanmo Kufre Akan Dept. of Science technology University of Calabar, Calabar.

6 Ikubaje John G. Assistant Programme Officer (Research) Centre for Democracy and Development

7 Austin Mamedu, Austin Mamedu & Co

8 Porbeni George (Corruption in Nigeria: Issues And Remedy)

9 Ambassador J. A. Onoja, faculty of Social sciences, Department of economics, Ahmadu Bello University. Zaria.

10 Alumona Micheal N michealalumona@yahoo.co.uk C/o 17 Folami street Idi-Oro Po Box 2943 Mushin Lagos.

11 Abdulahi Adamu Abdulahi Petroleum Training Institute, PMB 20 Effurun, Delta State

12 Rose Igbinosun (rosiepetals@email.com)

13 Somina Prabo sominxc@yahoo.com Po Box 2096 Diobu, Port Harcourt

14 Solomon Ifeayi Kehinde Asiegbu. 47 College Road, Sabon-Tasha Kaduna, Kaduna State

15 Ubong King (ubongking2001@yahoo.com). 32 Ebong Essien Street Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

16 Sammy Bokeime 15 Mbonu Street D-Line Port Harcourt

17 Reva Akiti-Barth (The scourge Of Corruption In Nigeria)

Level 1

The original prize format for level 1 entrants (involving prizes for the schools of winners) could not be followed due to difficulties in getting various schools to be officially involved. The following level 1entrants have nevertheless won N5,000 each.

1 Uloaku A Okwuonu (uloakuada@yahoo.com). Ntigha Grammer school Isiala -Ngwa L.G.A Abia State.

2 Ohazue Nwakaego Nigeria Youth Aids Programme

PMB 3152, Surulere, Lagos

3 Uchenna Nwafor 21 Umejiego St, Okpoko, Anambara state

School: Unity Comprehensive Girls High school, okpoko, Anambra State

4 Kenneth Joe Ambrose 34B Idua Rd Eket, Akwaibom State

School: St Francis Secondary school, Eket, A.K.S

5 Joseph Agbuna Frow c/o Mr Irikefe Opuidi (V.P), Madegbe International College

Agbaro, P.O Box 240, Delta State

6 Efremfon Edet James 19 Iboku St, Calabar, Cross River State iefideejames@yahoo.com School: Brotherhood Community Comprehensive Secondary school Obo Atori, NSU Ibom local government Area, Akwa Ibom state

7 Ubong Effiong Okon Immaculate Conception Seminary

Mfamosing, P.M.B 1170, Calabar

8 Okebaram Sixtus Taiye St Anthony?s secondary school

P.M.B, 1458, Ilorin Kwara State

9 Omoyele Akinwole Diamond Federal Government College, P.M.B 1054, Idoani, Ondo State

10 Oto-Obong Paul Idem P.O Box 1827, Makurdi, Benue State

Nigerian Air force Secondary school, PMB 1031, Makurdi, Benue State

11 Patrick O Owobi St Murumba College, Jos, Plateau State

12 Jubil Iswe Tom c/o The Principal, Community Secondary School, Ugep, P.M.B OR: House Post Office Box 132. c/o Miss Yvonne Azele, Ugep

Yakurr LGA, Cross river state

13 Vriterhire Omonigho Federal Government College. P.M.B 1029, Wukari, Taraba State

14 Martin Owobi S.t John Vianney Minor Seminary

P.O Box 40 Barkin Ladi ( JSS3)

15 Oyelola Oyewale Jacob Ebenezer Baptist Church, P.O Box 10, Eleyele, Ile-Ife, Osun State School: Grammiyam Memorial Grammer School, P.O Box 696

Ile-Ife, Osun state

16 Mukoro Elo P. Asaba girls grammer school, Asaba Delta State.

17 Ayemere A Comfort. Holy trinity Grammer School, P.O.Box 2

Sabongidda-Ora, Owan West Local Governement Area Edo State

18 Azuka Chioma Akosa S.S 3a Federal Govt. Girls College, P.M.B 40

Lamgtan North, Plateau State

19 Shehindemi Olabudu c/o Mrs Folake Olabudu, P.M.B 2008 Yaba, Lagos sholymon@yahoo.com SHOLYMON@'yahoo.com

School: Ebenezer comprehenisive high school, Alagbado, Lagos

20 Adebayo Festus Ajayi Crowther memorial Grammer school, Bariga-Lagos

All winners should please contact our local field officer Mr. Andy Okunor on telephone number 08023190942 to arrange for the collection (payment) of prizes according to individual suitability. The alternative number to call is +44(0)121 4413745 or Fax:+44(0)121 243 5787. All winners would be expected to have a copy of their essays and/or a valid proof of identity.

For the benefit of those who never heard about the " first National Anticorruption Essay Competition" or the organisation called SAK International, below is a brief reintroduction:

SAK Foundation (Nigeria) and SAK International (UK), both charitable organisations, were formed following the gruesome murder of Mr. SAK Metseagharun, a gentle and reputedly incorruptible Nigerian who was a one-time Chairman/Administrator of the Delta state Board of Internal Revenue and until his death, the Chairman of the Escravos (Ugborodo) Community Trust. His murder by very close relatives over what is now being referred to as "crumbs from the table of oil wealth" raised a lot of questions in the minds of those who knew him (Please visit our websites, www.saknigeria.org and www.sakinternational.org).The first and most pertinent question was "why did it happen?" and it soon became apparent to us that he lived (and died) in a country where a game of corruption is the national art. Another answer to spring up was the role of multinational oil companies in local and global politics. These answers directed the initial aims and objectives of the various "SAK bodies" that are currently evolving. However, an anticorruption campaign is the most clear cut object of SAK International amongst a few other objects, the combination and complexity of which (we believe) got some people (Including the Charity Commission for England and Wales) scratching their heads.

Last year we made a national call for essays from 3 (experimental) levels (level 1 or secondary school level, level 2 or post secondary school level and senior level 2 or postgraduate/highly learned participants), with various prizes available for grabs including the ?Samuel Metseagharun Prize" of N100,000. We received thousands of entries but did not anticipate the diverse administrative difficulties, cynicisms, attempted perversion of the competition by unknown people and lack of cooperation from relevant others. This has sadly made it impossible to appropriately carry out the competition at the extremely important "level 1", aimed at the younger minds before they solidify corruption as smartness. More encouraging, the competition at the level 2/senior level 2 has been a success. As an organisation, we have learnt a great deal in the last year and the reality of disillusionment and failure stared us in the face, but strengthened by our own sermon as given in last year's publication, we have confirmed our commitment that will stand despite whatever obstacles and failures we encounter.

Revised format for the annual anticorruption Essay competition:

The "2nd National anticorruption essay competition" (23 September 2003 to 6 November 2003) and subsequent competitions remain at two levels:

Level 1 -Secondary schools students

Level 2 -Others including undergraduate, postgraduates and freelance writers.

Level 1 prizes are as follows; 30 level 1entrants would win N5,000 each for writing a brilliant essay.

Level 2 entrants/competitors at post-graduate level are further sub-classified to include "senior level 2 entrants". For the ordinary level 2 entrants prizes are as follows: 1st prize N50,000, 2nd prize N40,000 and 3rd prize N25,000. 17 other level 2 entrants would also win N5,000 each for writing a brilliant essay.

There is only one prize for senior level 2 entrants and that is the "Samuel Metseagharun prize " of N100,000.
For level 1 entrants a minimum of 1,000 words but no fixed maximum and level 2 a minimum of 2,500 and no fixed maximum may increase the chances of an essay. Entrants would have to choose a heading that best describes the contents of their essays but it should relate to the issue of corruption and how best we can significantly reduce it.

All Essays should be e-mailed (for administrative and technological convenience as the readers are mainly based abroad) to: essays@sakinternational.org Do not forget to include your level, use your own e-mail address/contact details and Keep a copy of your essay.

All e-mailed essays would eventually be archived as data on the internet in the not too distant future. Except an entrant provides written objections, by entering this essay competition all entrants concedes the copy rights of all materials to SAK International.

Signed

Andy Okunor

Field officer