CALL FOR ESSAY SUBMISSIONS – 2025 Things Fall Apart Festival As part of the 2025 Things Fall Apart Festival, the Centre For Memories – Ncheta Ndigbo invites entries for the Annual Essay Competition, open to participants in the following categories: 1. Senior Secondary School Students 2. Tertiary Institution Students 3. General Public *Topic* "Beyond Strength and Silence: Rethinking Masculinity and Femininity in Achebe’s Things Fall Apart" In *Things Fall Apart*, Chinua Achebe presents a world where strength and silence are not just virtues, they are expectations. Okonkwo, the tragic hero, clings fiercely to a version of masculinity rooted in aggression, fearlessness, and emotional restraint. But beneath the surface, Achebe leaves room for us to question: What happens when those who cry, those who nurture, or those who choose peace are seen as weak? What does it cost a society when both men and women are forced into narrow roles? This theme invites essayists to go beyond traditional readings of gender in *Things Fall Apart*. We want you to interrogate how societal definitions of “manliness” and “womanhood” affect individual choices, relationships, and even the downfall of a culture. Can vulnerability be strength? Can silence be resistance? Through the characters of Okonkwo, Nwoye, Ekwefi, and others, how does Achebe invite us to rethink what it means to be strong, or to break? Submission Guidelines: Word count: Secondary Students: 800–1,200 words · Tertiary Students: 1,300–1,500 words · General Category: 1,600–2,000 word · Font: Times New Roman, 12pt, double-spaced · Language: English (with Ìgbò idioms or proverbs welcome!) No names, watermarks, or AI-written content allowed in your essay file. All entries must include the writer's full name, contact information, category of entry, and institution (if applicable). *Deadline for submission*: *June 14, 2025* Submissions to be sent to: [email protected] with the subject line: Essay Submission – TFA Festival 2025 *Cash Prizes (for each category)* - 1st Prize: ₦200,000 - 2nd Prize: ₦150,000 - 3rd Prize: ₦100,000 Prizes will be awarded to winners in each category, along with recognition during the festival’s grand finale on Things Fall Apart Day – July 5, 2025. Join us in celebrating the literary genius of Chinua Achebe and the enduring relevance of Things Fall Apart.