The competition, which was organised to celebrate the 78th birthday of IBB, saw winners emerging in four categories.
Over one month after winning an essay competition organised in honour of former Military Head of State, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (retd), winners of the competition are yet to get their prizes, SaharaReporters can confirm.
The competition, which was organised to celebrate the 78th birthday of IBB, saw winners emerging in four categories.
Competitors from each category were given different topics to write and winners from each category were promised N100,000 each.
SaharaReporters reliably gathered that six weeks after winners of the competition were announced, none of those announced has been paid the cash prize.
It was also discovered that judges, who painstakingly scrutinised all entries and picked the winning essays were yet to be paid as well.
Lead organiser of the competition, Earl Yemi Saka, announced on his Facebook page on August 17 that winners have been selected and will be contacted to get their prizes.
He said, “I'm aware two of our winners are my friends on this platform while I've sent out a friend request to one and expecting an invite from one because of no clear distinction to identify her profile in search results. Winners will be contacted on how to claim their prizes.
“I just obtained from winners and judges their bank details few days ago, this is a demonstration that the process for them to get paid is on.
“Like I said, though we are experiencing a little hitch, but the process for them to get paid is on and they will be paid soon.”
One of the contestants, who spoke with our correspondent lamented that the winners are yet to be paid despite public announcement in different media platforms.
He said, “The winners have not been paid and it is getting serious. The winners were announced on Facebook and media organisations also reported it making many people to think that the winners had been paid.”
A source close to some of winners also confirmed to SaharaReporters that no money had been given.
“It is true that they’ve not been paid. It is over one month since they were declared winners with no hope or date of when they will get their prize.
“They have been waiting and are losing hope of ever getting their money.”