Plus de soixante-dix personnes et groupes de jeunes ont envoyé leurs œuvres en réponse à l’invitation à raconter une histoire en mots ou en images animées sur la devise de cette Journée mondiale de l’océan «Pour un océan sans plastique». Ils venaient de six pays: Belgique, Cameroun, Indonésie, Kenya, Nigéria et Sénégal.
Un jury international a examiné attentivement leurs soumissions et a choisi les gagnants parmi les six catégories du concours.
And the winners are
Story or speech - Intergenerational submissions with children of up to 12 years
Collaborations with Faromika Tolulope Goodness (12 years) from FUTA Staff Secondary School, Akure, Nigeria, and Adeogun Jesusemilore Glory (11 years) from Abeokuta, International School (FUNIS), Nigeria, won a Turtle Prize.
The collaboration with Fakoya Fathia Ibukunoluwa (10 years) from New Bridge Hall Schools, Eyita, Ikorodu, Nigeria, receives a Shark Prize.
The following collaborations win Samba and Kumba encouragement Prizes: Abiodun-Solanke Jedidiah (6 years) from the Maravilla International School, Loto, Nigeria, Samb Marianne (11 years) and Wane Rokhaya Ndiaye (11 years), both from the Kawabata Yasunari School in Dakar, Senegal.
Story or speech - age group from 13 to 18 years
Yann Ekono, 14 years, from Kribi in Cameroon impressed the jury with a moving story about a little catfish and its family suffering from the effects of plastic in the ocean. He won a coveted Sea Lion Prize.
Fakoya Salamot Itunuoluwa, also 14 years old, but from Linksbond College, Ijede, Ikorodu, Lagos, Nigeria caught the attention of the international jury with a story line that mixed food chain facts with story telling. That was worth a Sea Lion Prize as well!
The jury awarded three Turtle Prizes
- Akapo Emmanuel, 15 years, of the FUTA Staff Secondary School in Akure, Nigeria
- Ajayi Clement Bayo Ayomide, 14 years, also of the FUTA Staff Secondary School in Akure, Nigeria, and
- Mamoune Lila Bel, 18 years, from L' Ecole Escale in Brussels, Belgium, for her beautiful though sombre poem.
The jury also awarded Shark Prizes to
- Alogba Jomiloju Francisca, 14 years, of the FUTA Staff Secondary School in Akure, Nigeria
- Amodu Maxwell Emmanuel, 14 years, of the FUTA Staff Secondary School in Akure, Nigeria
and Samba and Kumba Encouragement Prizes to
- Ajakaye Susan, 14 years, Dada Samuel, 15 years, Enikuomehin Faderera, 14 years, Faromika Ifeoluwa Faith, 16 years, Faromika Oluwadunsin Joy, 14 years, Oguntunde Mercy Oluwapelumi, 14 years, Ojokoh Joy, 13 years, and Oyetayo Mercy, 13 years, all of the FUTA Staff Secondary School in Akure, Nigeria
- Watata Situma Samuel, 15 years, from Kongowea Primary School in Mombasa, Kenya
Story or speech - age group from 19 to 24 years
In this category the international jury recognised a number of particularly interesting submissions.
Nansi Kono Yvan Jr., 21 years, from Cameroon, wins one of the coveted Sea Lion Prizes for his moving story "The tears of the sailor" (Les larmes du marin, FR) about the unintended consequences of throwing plastic away that ends up in the sea - food for thought even for less dramatic immediate outcomes.
Adeleye Tolulope David, 22 years, from Abuja, Nigeria, also wins a Sea Lion Prize for his maths-cum-narrative story about setting Boroni Free From Plastic Ruins.
Achu Prince-Will, 20 years, from Cameroon was awarded a Turtle Prize for his thoughtful poem with a pointed multi-lingual ending.
Avenaroro Praise, 22 years, from Lagos State and a former member of the student club of Mundus maris at the Federal College of Fisheries and Marine Technology, Victoria Island, also wins a Turtle Prize.
Another Turtle Prize goes to Calabar University Team, Cross River State, Nigeria: Akpau Precious Etuk, 22 ys; Ayi Ekpenyong Emmanuel, 22 ys; Okon Akanekong Edem, 24 ys, and Martins Mfon Okon, 21 years, for their documentary group work on plastic in the ocean.
Chukwudi Innocent Ugochuckwu Vicky, 20 ys, from Alagbado, Lagos State and also former member of the student club of Mundus maris at the Federal College of Fisheries and Marine Technology, Victoria Island, bags another Turtle Prize for the appeal to kick the plastic addiction.
The jury also awarded several Shark Prizes to
- Efetobor Jude, 23 ys, from Lagos State for the informative presentation of different challenges posed by plastic pollution and what to do about it.
- Akomaye Alah Emmanuel, 20 ys, also from the Federal College of Fisheries and Marine Technology (FCFMT), Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria, for his advisory on what to do about plastic pollution.
- Okolie Collins, 22 ys, from FCFMT, Lagos, Nigeria, for a short analysis of the issues and proposal of counter measures.
- Osayamen Asamago Abigail, 22 ys, from FCFMT, Lagos, Nigeria, for reflections on wider ocean problems and approaches to solving the plastic crisis.
- Tietcheu Nguepnang Brenda Telma, 22 ys, from Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon, for her appeal to protect the ocean in the format of a poem.
- Uduakobong Wilson, .20 ys, also from FCFMT, Lagos, Nigeria, for his article about plastic, its impact in the ocean and what can be done about it
Samba and Kumba Encouragement Prizes go to Adekoya Oluwafemi, 22 ys, Erhiemu Jr. James, 23 ys, Etok Jim Aniebiet, 22 ys, all from FCFMT, Lagos, Nigeria, and to Ngovi Ann Muia, 22 ys, from Mombasa, Kenya.
Video story, intergenerational age group with up to 12 year olds
The jury recognised work by kids and their parents or tutors and likes to encourage their commitment to protect the ocean with two Shark Prizes that go to
- Barro Moustapha, 11 years, at the Amadou Assane NDOYE school in Dakar, Senegal, and
- Mbengue Tabara, 10 years, from l'Ecole Mame Abdou Dabakh de Yoff-Dakar, Senegal
The jury also recognised the video with Abiodun-Solanke Charis, 5 years, from Victoria Island, Nigeria, with a Kumba and Samba Encouragement Prize.
Video story, age group 13 to 18 years
Adeleke Blessed Oluwaseun, 15 ys, from FUTA Staff Secondary School in Akure, Nigeria wins a Shark Prize for the submitted video cum explanatory text.
Video story, age group 19 to 24 years
The Special Bluefin Tuna Prize of the Jury goes unanimously to Zahrah Izzaturrahim, a 22 year old anthropology student from the University of Diponegoro, Semarang, Indonesia, for her video "What if".
Congratulations to all winners, participants and supporters, not to forget the international jury, for their excellent contribution towards raising more awareness about the ocean and protecting it altogether more effectively.
Happy World Oceans Day!