I Wrote About a Dream. Then I Had to Become It.
A reflection on competition, conviction, and the essay that shaped everything after.
By Agiounime Agianpuye – 2020 Top 10 Finalist
Participating in the maiden edition of CDEC in 2020 and emerging among the Top 10 was a defining moment. What did that achievement mean to you then, and how has it shaped who you are today?
In 2020, I was just a child with a big idea and a bigger dream. I wrote about a Nigeria I believed in – one powered by technology and built by people willing to think differently.
The 2020 CDEC topic, “Nigeria of My Dream: Making It Happen with Technology,” stood out for how practical and forward-looking it was. It didn’t just invite me to imagine a better Nigeria – it pushed me to think about how technology could make that vision real, reflecting SystemSpecs’ broader belief in innovation as a driver of meaningful national development.
I came 4th. And honestly, that accomplishment taught me a lot.
Making the Top 10 in the maiden edition of CDEC felt like proof that my voice mattered, that my ideas had value. But what it means to me now is much deeper than that. It marked the point where I stopped waiting for permission to speak.
CDEC themes invite bold thinking. Looking back, how did writing on the 2020 topic influence your perspective on nation-building and your personal growth journey?
Writing that essay required more than ideas. I couldn’t just dream – I had to research, think critically, and build a clear argument. That discipline of grounding your vision in reality is one I carry into every room I enter today.
I learned that nation-building is not abstract. It starts with clear ideas and people willing to take responsibility for those clear ideas.
What is the one thing CDEC gave you that money simply cannot buy?
Of everything CDEC gave me, the one thing money simply cannot buy is the confidence that I earned. There is a real difference between being told that you are capable and proving it to yourself. CDEC gave me the latter – and with it came something I have never been able to shake off: a sense of responsibility.
Now as a graduate, do you feel a responsibility to use your voice for social good because of that early recognition?
Every single day, I feel that way. It shapes the choices I make, the causes I speak up for and the kind of professional I am becoming.
Your essay stood out among many entries. What is one idea you shared in 2020 that you believe remains especially relevant today?
The core idea I wrote about in 2020 still holds today, perhaps even more urgently: that technology is only as powerful as the intention behind it. We have more tools now than we have ever had, but tools don’t build nations – people with purpose do. Six years later, I would write that essay again, word for word, with even deeper conviction.
Technology has evolved rapidly. How do you think it has reshaped the way young people learn, think, and engage with society?
Technology has compressed time and expanded access – both positively and dangerously. Young people today can learn anything, connect with anyone, and amplify any idea within seconds. But the challenge is no longer access to information. It is the discipline to discern, to pause, to think critically rather than simply react quickly. That is the quiet crisis no one is talking about loudly enough.
If your original essay could directly influence a national policy today, what change would you advocate for?
If my 2020 essay could directly shape national policy today, I would advocate for mandatory digital literacy from primary school – not as an elective or a privilege, but as a foundation.
The Nigeria of my dream doesn’t just consume technology. It produces it. And that has to start early.
How did writing for CDEC change the way you approach research, critical thinking, and problem-solving in other areas of your life?
Writing for CDEC taught me to argue with myself first – to challenge my own assumptions and build a case strong enough to survive critique. That internal rigour has shaped everything: how I approach research, how I solve problems, how I communicate in rooms where the stakes are high.
The ability to communicate clearly – to take something complex and make it land simply and compellingly – has opened doors that qualifications alone never could. CDEC trained that muscle in me before I even knew I would need it.
How has participating in CDEC influenced your long-term aspirations?
CDEC planted a question in me that still drives everything: What problem am I uniquely positioned to solve? That question led me to Health Care Management. It is now leading me deeper – into Health Informatics, digital health systems, data-driven care. Every time I articulate that vision, I hear an echo of 2020: use technology with intention, for people, for something that lasts.
The essay was not just a competition entry. It was, looking back, a personal manifesto.
What advice would you give to students who hope to stand out in future editions of the competition?
Write the essay you are afraid to write, not the safe one. Not the one that sounds impressive. Write the one that actually reflects what you believe. Judges – and the world – can feel the difference between a performance and a conviction. Also, read. Widely, hungrily, and far beyond your comfort zone.
If we fast-forward 20 years, what do you hope people will remember about the CDEC initiative?
Twenty years from now, I hope what people remember about CDEC is simply this: it took children seriously. It looked at young Nigerians and said, your ideas are worth competing for. In a world that too often asks young people to wait their turn, CDEC handed us a microphone early. That is not a small thing. That is everything.
In one sentence, what does being part of the maiden CDEC Top 10 mean to you today?
Being part of the maiden Top 10 was the first time I truly understood that my voice – shaped with care and courage – could travel further than I could.
Finally, what advice would you give young people trying to balance strong foundational learning with the fast pace of technological advancement?
Build your roots before you chase aspirations. The skills you learn today may be obsolete in five years. But the ability to think critically, communicate clearly, stay curious, and adapt with humility – that never expires. Master the fundamentals. Then let technology amplify them.
Being 4th in 2020 didn’t define me. But it refined me. And sometimes, that is the greater gift.
Agiounime Agianpuye
Healthcare Management Graduate · Health Informatics & Digital Health Enthusiast
