The Essay That Never Was: A Story of Faith, Fire, Rejection and Refinement

So, some months back (ending of July 2023, I presume), I submitted my entry for the 12th edition of the Bible Society of Nigeria's NYSC Essay Writing Competition and National Symposium. As a young person with a passion for writing, governance, and personal growth, this competition represented an opportunity to not only showcase my skills but also to contribute to a meaningful discourse. Initially, I was not so interested in the competition, because I had other things to do, but one day, something just “woke me up” with these words: <blockquote> “Your silence in the face of adversity is an acceptance of the adverse.” </blockquote> Yikes! Would I, a person with a passion for changing the world around me one way or another, be inclined towards accepting the status quo? I don’t think so. So, I spoke to some of the smartest people I could find, having long discussions through the nights and days on the various ways Nigeria’s institutions could be made strong, and after a lot of “back-and-forths”, I finally and passionately penned all the ideas I got (from them) with research works and Scriptural references (the rules — besides, it’s organized by a Christian NGO, duh!), whilst ensuring that I followed their assessment criteria strictly. <a href="https://medium.com/@samuelbolugee/the-essay-that-never-was-a-story-of-faith-fire-rejection-and-refinement-cc32d1e1c620">Visit Now</a>