The winners of One Million for the 2025 #YuletideWritingCompetition have emerged following an extended peer review session of the entries on 21/12/2025.
Below are the winners and breakdown of the nominations from the writers.
FICTION (200k each)
Silent Dusk by Collins Undelikwo won the fiction genre. Writers rightly noted that this story was so well written that reading it felt like watching a movie. It packed suspense, imagery and was delivered in a pulsating pace. Please read this story!
WE WERE TAKEN ON A TUESDAY by Ebenezer Mowete is the runner-up. The show don’t tell mantra was evident throughout this story, with expressions and one-liners that made it stand out.  Kudos!
- A Shoe That Matches by Becky O. Peleowo wasn’t nominated.
- WE WERE TAKEN ON A TUESDAY by Ebenezer Mowete had 2 nominations from Peace and Emmanuel.
- Hell On Earth by Peace Habila-Okwoli was nominated by Roselyn.
- A December To Remember by Salimat Atere got a nomination from Ebube.
- Silent Screams by Roselyn Sho-Olajide received no nomination.
- THE THINGS WE TAKE TO THE GRAVE by Chisom Arueze was nominated by Ebenezer.
- Silent Dusk by Collins Undelikwo had 4 nominations from Becky, Salimat, Chisom and Victor.
- DON’T YOU DARE HONEY ME! by Ebube Ezeadum was nominated by Chukwuemeka.
- I Am A Soldier by Emmanuel Enaku wasn’t nominated.
- A Brief History Of Truth by Victor Oladejo was nominated by Collins.
NONFICTION (200K for the winner and 100k each for the runners-up)
The Silent Squeeze On Nigerian Households by Chukwuemeka Oluka won the nonfiction genre. The writer expectedly carried the day in what is clearly his forte. His arguments were backed with verifiable data, and we noted his ability to narrate in a relatable, localised and unique manner. Well done!
A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF ONLINE SEARCH FOR A SPOUSE IN NIGERIA by Emmanuel Enaku is the runner-up here. Emmanuel covered a lot of ground here. It is, of course, an interesting social topic, and writers mentioned their familiarity with some of the illustrations therein. You rarely go wrong with such a story. Congrats Emmanuel!
ETHNORELIGIOUS OR ENVIRONMENTAL SCARCITY? by Roselyn Sho-Olajide ties with Emmanuel for the second place. It hits differently reading stories like this, where writers step beyond their secure realm. Roselyn courageously took a deep dive to analyse this burning issue and proffer solutions in a comprehensible style. Well done!
- NIGERIA’S RISING DEBT, INFLATION, AND THE STRAIN ON THE AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD by Ebenezer Mowete wasnt nominated.
- A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF ONLINE SEARCH FOR A SPOUSE IN NIGERIA by Emmanuel Enaku got 3 nominations from Becky, Salimat and Victor.
- Debt, Inflation, and the Demands of Economic Responsibility: A Disquisition on The Nigerian Condition by Collins Undelikwo was nominated by Ebube.
- The Silent Squeeze On Nigerian Households by Chukwuemeka Oluka had 4 nominations from Chisom, Emmanuel, Collins and Roselyn.
- ETHNORELIGIOUS OR ENVIRONMENTAL SCARCITY? by Roselyn Sho-Olajide got 3 nominations from Peace, Chukwuemeka and Ebenezer.
POETRY (100K each)
Weakness by Peace Habila-Okwoli won here. This flow in this poetic dialogue made it stand out. And our Madam Brevity delivered in her usual concise manner, laced with metaphors and I dare say, some unique expressions. Kudos Peace!
When Christmas Was Christmas by Chukwuemeka Oluka came second. In a Nigerian parlance, this brings nostalgia in this most wonderful time of the year. Beware, this poem will give you goose bumps! Congrats Chukwuemeka.
- In This Christmas Of Cracked Roads by Ebenezer Mowete
- Incompatible by Emmanuel Enaku
- I Do, Or Knot? by Becky O. Peleowo
- When Christmas Was Christmas by Chukwuemeka Oluka
- Weakness by Peace Habila-Okwoli
The other stories are also good. I particularly enjoyed Chisom’s story, Collins’ disquisition and Becky’s I Do, Or Knot! Thanks to everyone who participated in this competition, and I urge you to keep writing without waiting for contests because writing is good for the soul!
The winners should send their details via email to admin@cmonionline.com
I wish you a merry Christmas and a prosperous new year!
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