Oyebanji rewards 14-year-old spelling bee champion with N2m

Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, has gifted 14-year-old Ekiti-born Miss Oluwadamilola Adeolu, who recently emerged winner of the Africa Spelling Bee competition, her coach, and her school, St Lawrence Metropolitan College, Ado Ekiti, cash gifts worth N8m.

This comprised N2m for Miss Adeolu; one million for her coach, Mrs Esther Omolayo; and N5m for the school.

Oyebanji also pledged to sponsor the Spelling Bee African champion, together with her mother, Mrs Oluwabunmi Adeolu, and coach to the world championship slated for China later in the year.

The governor, according to a statement by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media, Yinka Oyebode, on Tuesday, spoke in Ado Ekiti while receiving the Africa Spelling Bee Champion, her mother, School Proprietor, Mr Lawrence Oluwafemi, and her coach in his office.

Oyebanji assured that his administration remained committed to prioritising education as a central pillar of development.

The governor, who commended Miss Adeolu for bringing honour to Ekiti State and Nigeria, described her achievement as “a reflection of the state’s long-standing tradition of academic excellence.”

He said the feat underscored the value of diligence, discipline and excellence for which Ekiti people are widely known.

The governor added that his administration had made deliberate efforts to reposition the education sector through strategic investment in infrastructure, capacity building for teachers, provision of learning materials and policies aimed at improving the quality of teaching and learning across the state.

Oyebanji noted that his administration was taking concerted efforts to align the curriculum with the demands and realities of the 21st century.

While congratulating the African spelling bee champion for the feat, the governor said his government would continue to support and reward excellence in all sectors, particularly in the education sector, to encourage students and teachers to strive for greater achievements and uphold the state’s reputation as a centre of academic distinction.

The governor urged students across the state to remain focused on their studies, stressing that hard work, determination and discipline remained the surest path to success.

He said, “Damilola has once again demonstrated what Ekiti people are known for – diligence, hard work, honour and excellence, and I am so proud of her.

“As a government, in the last three and a half years, we have done everything humanly possible to reposition the education sector in Ekiti State from the primary and secondary to the tertiary education system, and we are also looking at informal education.

“After conquering Africa, what is next is to conquer the world. I learned that she will be going to China to represent Africa, the state will sponsor her, her mother, her coach and two others from the school and as a token of appreciation.

The state government will give Damilola N2m, her coach, N1m and the school, N5m.”

Earlier in his opening remarks, the proprietor of the school, Mr Oluwafemi, who commended the state government’s education  policies, particularly the governor’s deliberate approach to improving the sector, said such commitment had contributed significantly to the recent successes recorded by students across the state.

Oluwafemi described the governor’s gesture as a strong affirmation of his commitment to rewarding excellence and hard work in the education sector.

The Spelling Bee champion, Miss Adeolu, expressed her profound gratitude to the governor for the recognition and support extended to her, especially the plan to sponsor her to China to represent Africa at the forthcoming World Spelling Bees competition.

She described the gesture as a motivation to aim higher.