A graduate student of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Adedoyin Farinmade, has emerged as the overall winner of the 2023 World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) Nigeria National Essay Competition.

WIPO Nigeria Office director Tobi Moody disclosed this on Wednesday when he led the competition’s finalists on a study tour of the Nigerian Copyright Commission office in Abuja.

According to Mr Moody, the WIPO Nigeria Office holds the essay competition to engage students in tertiary institutions on intellectual property.

“What we try to do is to give them a topic that is centred on the theme of the World IP Day. For this year, the students have written an essay on ‘Gender Inclusivity as a Means of Driving Equation and Creativity in Nigeria’,” said Mr Moody. “I’m pleased to tell you that all the students represented here have stood out exceptionally in terms of ideas and on the basis of that they have been invited for a study tour in Abuja.”

The WIPO official added, “We have decided to do a study tour to give students an opportunity to meet relevant stakeholders and institutions that are related to intellectual property in Nigeria. That is why we have come on a tour to the Nigerian Copyright Commission.”

NCC director-general John Asein commended the finalists. Mr Asein said the commission developed the initiative titled ‘We Win IP’. According to him, this means “women empowering women in IP”.

He said the commission had thought that a woman would emerge an overall winner for the 2023 edition, “but surprisingly, a man emerged winner this year.”

The overall winner of the competition, Mr Farinmade, said he participated in the competition to share his knowledge and give recommendations on gender inclusivity in IP space.

“I took out time to research about the issues that women face in the IP space and issues that women have using and engaging in the IP system. And I was able to come up with solutions that would help women to interact with the IP system,” the student explained.

He said, “In other countries, women have engaged in the IP system and in one way or the other, this will add value to their economy. I feel that in Nigeria too, if we have more women participating and engaging in the IP space, it is going to be a way forward to grow our economy.”

(NAN)