Stay, Build, or Leave?

1. About the Competition

We (https://tpa9i.info) invite secondary school students to submit original essays on one of the most urgent questions facing young Nigerians in 2026: should I Stay, Build, or Leave, and why?

This is not a competition for the loudest opinion. It is a competition for reasoned judgement. Students must define what each option really means, weigh the opportunities and constraints shaping them, state the criteria they would use to choose, and defend a position with evidence. Any reasoned position is welcome: staying, building, leaving, or a hybrid path such as leaving to study and returning to build.

We are looking for nuance, evidence, ethical reasoning, and clarity—not guilt-tripping, not romanticising abroad, and not slogans—for a cash prize award.

2. The Essay

Your essay must do five things:

1. Define the three options: What does stay mean? What does build mean (and how is it different from simply staying)? What does leave mean—temporary study, permanent emigration, or something else? Note that the options can overlap: a student may leave to study and still build from the diaspora.
2. Analyse the opportunities and constraints shaping each option in 2026: Education, employment, entrepreneurship, digital and remote work, security, healthcare, cost of living, visas, family expectations, and networks. Acknowledge that these differ by class, gender, region, and privilege (i.e. leaving is not equally available to everyone, and staying is sometimes not a free choice).
3. State your criteria: What matters most to you—purpose, family, safety, income, contribution, freedom, belonging? Be explicit about how you would weigh them.
4. Take a reasoned position and defend it with evidence: You may argue for stay, build, leave, or a hybrid. You must address at least one serious counterargument to your position.
5. Say what contribution means: Whether you choose to stay, build, or leave, explain what you owe, if anything, to Nigeria, and what Nigeria owes you.

3. Eligibility

This competition is open to students currently enrolled in Nigerian Secondary Schools (JSS 1–3 and SSS 1–3). Entries must be the student’s own original work.

4. Essay Requirements

1. Length: No more than 3,000 words.
2. Language: English.
3. Originality: Plagiarism/Cheating or AI-generated essays will be disqualified. AI may be used for research purposes and disclosed; the argument must be the student’s own.
4. Structure: Introduction → definitions → analysis of opportunities and constraints → criteria → position → counterargument → conclusion.
5. Evidence: Use at least two concrete, credible sources or examples (local, national, or your personal observation).
6. Tone: Respectful and reasoned. No ethnic, regional, or partisan attacks. No shaming of those who stay or those who leave.

5. Prizes and Recognition

Cash Prize & Publication

Winning essays will be featured and published online with full attribution across official TPA9i educational platforms.

6. Submission Guidelines

a. Deadline: 06/11/2026 (06 November 2026).

Submissions must be typed or pasted directly into the official Google Form before the deadline. Early submission is strongly recommended as intake may close early once evaluation capacity is reached.

7. Terms and Conditions

1. Entries must be original and unpublished.
2. Judges’ decisions are final.
3. Organisers may publish winning essays with attribution.
4. Students retain authorship.
5. Any misrepresentation, hate speech, or plagiarism leads to disqualification.
6. The competition does not endorse any particular answer to the question.
7. Winners shall be verified and any wrongly provided information will lead to disqualification.