Benson Udoh, Nigeria "Who Am I?" competition finalist

	Benson Udoh

Their changing environment caused each successive generation to become continuously modified in form and characteristic until my present state was attained, which enables me to become better adapted to survive in, and influence, the environment in which I find myself today.

Religion argues that I am a medium whose existence was predetermined by a higher authority in an ordered sequence, such that my presence or absence today in Africa is not accidental, but related to my ultimate function to myself, my fellow Africans and the world, after which, at the expiration of my allotted time, I will be recalled, assessed and rewarded accordingly.

To society, I am a security number, a photograph, a unique set of fingerprints, an identifiable unit of a system.

Either an asset or a liability based on my state of mind and status in society.

FRIDAY'S FINALIST  Ask Jesus, Mohammed, Mozart, Hitler, Einstein or our own Mandela. They became who they are to the world because of what they did. Friday's entry

To my family, I'm a link in the genealogical chain, with a tag and a DNA trail that attempts to explain how, when and where I started to exist.

Finally, to myself, I believe that who I am really depends on how I live in relation to others; how my thoughts, words and conscious or unconscious actions affect positively or otherwise, who or whatever shares the environment in which I find myself.

Ask Jesus, Mohammed, Mozart, Hitler, Einstein or our own Mandela. They became who they are to the world because of what they did.

Conclusively therefore, I am what I do today, relative to the environment I find myself.

Posterity alone reserves the right to justify who I claim to be.

For Benson Udoh to win an expense-paid trip to the UK and Bush house, text VOTE FRIDAY to +44 77 86 20 50 85