On Tuesday, 8th of August, 2024, students of Obafemi Awolowo University witnessed the Legacy Hero of the 2024 edition of the OAU Inaugural Poetry Contest, Mercy Olagunju, when she took the stage to lend her voice to the inaugurated Students’ Union executives and representatives.
Recall that, the 2024 edition of OAU Inaugural Poetry Contest was held on June 9th, 2024, at the Students’ Union Building TV room. The contest began with over 50 contestant whose poetry were submitted during the Online Qualification Stage. The poetry contest, which later had 17 contestants who emerged from the Online Qualification Stage, was judged by Taiwo Hassan, Anita Nwokoji, and Victory Ashaka during a 2-day Virtual Training for Spoken-word Poetry Masterclass.
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The final event of the IPC featured 17 semi-finalists, who performed their poems. 6 out of 17 contestants, namely Opefeyitimi Fortune, Mercy Olagunju, Odugbemi Peter, Giwa Asia, Agboola Kawthar, and Igbinlola Ebenezer, proceeded to the final stage of the contest
Mercy Olagunju, an 100L student of the department of Foreign Languages, Faculty of Arts emerged as the winner, therefore, receiving the legacy box and the title of 3rd OAU Inaugural Poet.
After emerging as the winner of the contest, Mercy Olagunju was bestowed the honour of performing at the Inauguration of 2023/2024 Executive Council of the Great IFE Students’ Union.
Mercy Olagunju’s stirring performance was a highlight of the inauguration ceremony, as she delivered a powerful and uplifting poem that captured the essence of the occasion. The poem which spoke on HOPE was a heartfelt rendition to the Students’ Union leaders, extolling their potential to inspire and transform the University community.
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With eloquent words and a passionate tone, she expressed the collective hopes and aspirations of the student body, entrusting the leaders with the responsibility of shaping a brighter future.
The poem’s themes of optimism, resilience, and collective empowerment resonated deeply with the audience, leaving a lasting impression on all who listened.
Through her masterful use of language and imagery, the poet painted a vivid picture of the leaders as beacons of light, guiding the way forward with wisdom, compassion, and courage. The poem’s message of hope and encouragement served as a fitting tribute to the newly elected leaders, inspiring them to embrace their roles with confidence and dedication.
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Following her performance, she was recognised by all the principal officers, including the Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor Simeon Bamire, who all took turns to handshake her.
Click below to watch her full performance: