Chiagozie Felix Ogbonna of Government Secondary School Owerri has emerged winner of the 2025 edition of the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria. (ACPN) Poetry Competition which was concluded recently in Awka, Anambra State.
His submission was chosen from hundreds of online entries from secondary school students across Nigeria. The theme of this year’s poetry contest was, “Drug Abuse; A Road To No Road.”
Chiagozie, 16, was one of only four contestants selected and invited to the finals from earlier rounds of the competition which began in July, The other finalists were from FCT Abuja, Benue and Osun States.
At the finals in Awka, each of the finalists were given an opportunity to present their poems to a live audience of ACPN conference attendees. Chiagozie was adjudged winner after a flawless performance.
Speaking on Chiagozie’s success at the competition, Mrs. Blessing Njoku, Vice Principal in charge of Special Duties at Government Secondary School Owerri, said she was not surprised at all.
“Chiagozie is one of our best students and he emerged from a highly competitive field within the school from which the most promising were chosen. A lot of work also went into his preparations and rehearsals for this contest. So, we knew he had a fighting chance,” Mrs. Njoku said.
“Besides, Government Secondary School Owerri has a rich history of successes in student competitions, including academics, sports and extracurricular activities,” she added.
It will be recalled that in recent times GSS Owerri has won national and regional championships in Cricket, in addition to emerging one of the best performing schools nationwide in WAEC examinations.
The poetry competition was part of the 44th Annual National Conference of the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria and aims to draw public attention to the dangers of drug abuse and addiction.
