SPELLING BEE COMPETITION: ABDULAZEEZ ABDULRAHMAN EMERGES LAGOS ONE-DAY GOVERNOR

 … Wins Cash Prize, Trip to Finland, Scholarship

A student of Oriwu Model College, Ikorodu, Abdulazeez Abdulrahman, has emerged winner of the 20th edition of the Lagos State Spelling Bee competition at the grand finale held on Thursday at the Adeyemi-Bero Auditorium, Alausa, Ikeja, after a tense final competition.

Speaking at the event, the Lagos State Head of Service, Mr. Hakeem Muri-Okunola, expressed satisfaction with the progress of the competition since its inception, pointing out that the initiative has become a confidence booster for many students as well as a platform to help the youth showcase their potential.

The Head of Service, who was represented at the occasion by the Permanent Secretary, Public Service Office, Mr. Samson Ajibade, applauded the organisers of the competition, emphasising that past winners have risen to the leadership positions in their chosen careers.

While extolling the efforts of the winners and all participants in the annual competition, Muri-Okunola encouraged the students not to rest on their oars but strive to achieve greater heights, reiterating the continuous support of the State Government, through the Office of the Education Quality Assurance, towards the success of future competitions.

Addressing participants at the occasion, the Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Folasade Adefisayo, who was elated with the level of brilliance exhibited by all the participants, especially the winners, commended all participating students and schools.

She stressed that the spelling bee competition has been a great motivator amongst learners in the State, maintaining that the high level of performance from the students underscores the fact that the State Government is committed to the delivery of quality education through improved teaching and learning in Lagos public schools.

Earlier, the Director-General, Office of Education Quality Assurance, Mrs. Abiola Seriki-Ayeni, expressed appreciation to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for keeping faith in the competition.

She noted that the Y2022 competition was aimed at bringing out the best in participants and justifying the State Government’s efforts in ensuring that students achieve their dreams while promoting excellence in the educational sector.

Revealing that the two-day competition witnessed students from 57 primary and secondary schools competing for cash prizes and scholarship awards, Seriki-Ayeni stated that the Office of Education Quality Assurance will continue to drive measures to improve the standards and academic excellence in both private and public schools in line with global best practices.

The Director-General acknowledged the partnership of the various private sectors towards the successful hosting of the competition while imploring participants to see the competition as a value-adding contest, work hard and take advantage of every opportunity to make their academic life more meaningful.

“We acknowledge the partnership of the private sector towards the successful hosting of Spelling Bee competitions. We appreciate Seven-Up Bottling Company, United Bank for Africa (UBA) and Kessington Adebukunola Adebutu Foundation (KAAF) for partnering with the Lagos State Government to host the 20th edition of the event”, she asserted.

Apart from having the opportunity of being the Lagos One-Day Governor, Master Abdulazeez Abdulrahman also won a cash prize of N300,000; a free trip to Finland and a Scholarship Award to any public university in the State. The first runner up, Master Oki Coordinator of Sito-Gbethrome Senior Secondary School, Badagry, got the sum of N200,000 and the second runner up, Miss Alimot Saheed from Jubilee Model Senior Secondary School, Coker-Aguda, received a cash gift of N150,000.

In the Primary School category, Sofia Muhammed of Agbowa Baptist Primary School emerged as the overall winner while Khalid Olayide of Ikosi Primary School and Daniel Olanrewaju of Keke Primary School were 1st and 2nd runners-up respectively. They also received various cash rewards.

The Spelling Bee project was initiated in 2001 by the former First Lady of Lagos State, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, through the New Era Foundation, with the aim of promoting academic excellence, good reading habits, healthy academic rivalry, and public speaking proficiency amongst students in the State.