Oriel College honours Lower Sixth student with Rex Nettleford Essay Prize

Talented writer Batu (CH4) was recently awarded the Oriel College Rex Nettleford Essay Prize. This year, the competition invited year 12 students to submit essays on legacies and colonialism, encouraging them to develop their abilities for independent research and thought.

The prizes and annual lecture series honour Oriel alumnus, Rex Nettleford, for his distinguished contributions to scholarship, culture, and education.

Batu’s essay was ‘highly commended’ as he delved into the comparison of Arrian’s view of Alexander’s conquest of Persia to the “civilising” mission of the British Raj.

He said, “History is a subject I’m passionate about; for me, reading the stories of the world’s great men and women is more compelling than any work of fiction. I’ve always been drawn to storytelling, and history brings that to life in the most powerful way.”

Following this achievement, Batu was invited to attend the 2025 Rex Nettleford Lecture on Colonialism and its Legacies at Oriel College, followed by a dinner with guest speaker, Orwell Prize and Journalism recipient, Gary Young.