Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, has gifted Miss Oluwadamilola Adeolu, who recently emerged winner of the Africa Spelling Bee competition, her coach, and her school, cash gifts worth N8 million.
The governor also pledged to sponsor the Ekiti-born Spelling Bee African champion, together with her mother and coach to the world championship, holding in China later in the year.
Receiving the student of St. Lawrence Metropolitan College, Ado Ekiti, the state capital, her mother, Mrs. Oluwabunmi Adeolu; school proprietor, Mr. Lawrence Oluwafemi and her coach, Mrs. Esther Omolayo in his office on Monday, Oyebanji said that his administration remains committed to prioritising education as a central pillar of development.
Commending Oluwadamilola for bringing honour to the state and Nigeria, the governor described her achievement as a reflection of the state’s long-standing tradition of academic excellence. He added that the feat underscored the value of diligence, discipline and excellence for which the people of the state are widely known.
Oyebanji explained that since the inception of his administration, deliberate efforts had been made 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.
He added that his administration had ensured a deliberate balance between what is being taught, how it is being taught and where it is being taught, adding that concerted efforts are also being made 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 that his administration would continue to support and reward excellence in all sectors, particularly in the education sector in order 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 remain the surest path to success, while assuring that the government would continue to create an enabling environment for them to thrive.
He said: ‘Damilola has once again demonstrated what Ekiti people are known for diligence, hardwork, honour and excellence, and I am so proud of her. As a government, in that last three-and-half years, we have done everything humanly possible to reposition the education sector in Ekiti State from the primary, secondary to the tertiary education system, and we are also looking at informal education.
‘Our strategy is to ensure that we strike a balance between what is being taught, how is being taught and where it is being taught because for you to have the best in that sector, the content and the curriculum must be alive to serve the needs of the state, the country and globally.
‘After conquering Africa, what is next is to conquer the world, I leant that she will be going to China to represent Africa, the state will sponsor her, the mother, her coach and two others from the school and as a token of appreciation, the state government will give Damilola two million naira, her coach, one million and the school, five million Naira’.
Earlier, Oluwafemi, who commended the state government’s education policies, particularly the governor’s intentional approach to improving the sector, said that such commitment had contributed significantly to the recent successes recorded by students across the state
Describing Oyebanji’s gesture as a strong affirmation of his commitment to rewarding excellence and hard work in the education sector, Oluwafemi noted that the recognition would further inspire both the students and staff of the school to remain dedicated to academic excellence and discipline.
The Spelling Bee champion 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.
