COOU English Student Wins EASTCOSEL 2026 Essay Competition, Receives ₦50,000 Prize

A student of the Department of English, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU), Aghaegbuna Emmanuel Chubuike, has emerged as the overall first-place winner of the inaugural Essay Writing Competition organised as part of the South East Regional Conference of the National Association of Students of English and Literary Studies (EASTCOSEL 2026).

Emmanuel’s outstanding performance in the online competition earned him a cash prize of ₦50,000 and a Certificate of Excellence, placing him at the top among participating students from the South East region.

The essay competition was introduced as part of EASTCOSEL 2026 to provide students of English and Literary Studies with a platform to demonstrate their intellectual ability, creativity, research competence and proficiency in written English.

Emmanuel distinguished himself through the quality of his submission, ultimately emerging as the competition’s first-place winner.

The prize was announced at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, the venue of the regional conference.

Emmanuel’s achievement has brought considerable pride to the Department of English and Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, further highlighting the intellectual potential and academic excellence of the University’s students.

The President of the National Association of Students of English and Literary Studies (NASELS), COOU Chapter, Egwuatu Ruth Ifeoma, formally communicated the achievement to the Department, describing it as a feat worthy of recognition and encouragement.

Reacting to the development, the Head of the Department, Prof. Ikechukwu Asika, commended Emmanuel for his impressive performance and for representing COOU with distinction on a regional academic platform.

The achievement was also described as an encouraging reflection of the Department’s commitment to nurturing students beyond conventional classroom instruction and providing opportunities for them to engage in intellectual, creative and scholarly activities.

Emmanuel’s success is particularly significant as it came through a regional competition that brought together students of English and Literary Studies from across the South East. It demonstrates the capacity of COOU students to compete favourably with their peers and excel when presented with opportunities to showcase their talents and intellectual abilities.

The Department of English has continued to encourage students to participate actively in academic competitions, conferences, literary engagements and other intellectual activities as part of its broader commitment to developing confident, creative and academically accomplished graduates.

Emmanuel’s achievement therefore adds another remarkable chapter to the growing record of academic and intellectual accomplishments by students of the Department of English, COOU.

The Head of Department expressed the hope that Emmanuel’s success would inspire more students of the Department to embrace opportunities for academic excellence, intellectual creativity and positive representation of the University.