8-year-old Oladele Odedoku Wins Ojodu LCDA Spelling Bee, Advances To State Competition

Eight-year-old Oladele Odedoku of has emerged winner in the Primary category of Ojodu Local Council Development Area’s 2021 Spelling Bee Preliminary competition, while Oyeyemi Oluwafunmilayo of Babs Fawunwa Senior Secondary School beat others to win the Senior Category.

The competition, in its maiden edition under the leadership of Mr David Olusegun Odunmbaku (DOS), held at the council secretariat on Tuesday, October 26, 2021, had over 150 students from Ojodu LCDA.

The director, Spelling Bee Competition, Mrs Abimbola Odunmbaku, said the present administration is keen on elevating the standard of learning and ensuring that qualitative education is upheld in all our institutions of learning through necessary interventions and subventions.

On how the ‘Spelling Bee’ competition started, Abimbola said: “Let me reiterate the objectives of the “Spelling Bee” Competition which is an initiative developed and promoted by the former First Lady of Lagos State (now a distinguished Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigerian), Chief Mrs. Oluremi Tinubu OON, under the New Era Foundation.”

“The Spelling Bee Competition seeks to ignite the education potentials of pupils and students, to promote friendliness among students within the Local Government Area and the State as a whole, encourage students and pupils to cultivate the habit of reading and lastly, enable pupils and students have sense of belonging in the state and also make effective use of their leisure time.”

“My profound gratitude also goes to the ever-supportive First Lady of Lagos State, our dear Governor’s wife, Dr. Mrs Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu who has been consistent with this remarkable event every year; an event which serves as a veritable avenue for our children to showcase their intellectual adeptness. I won’t go further without appreciating the efforts of all our teachers who have been working assiduously to prepare the pupils.”

“Similarly, I appreciate the Executive Chairman, Hon. David Olusegun Odunmbaku (DOS) for his immense support towards the success of this year’s Spelling Bee exercise. It is worthwhile to note that the present administration is keen on elevating the standard of learning and ensuring that qualitative education is upheld in all our institutions of learning through necessary interventions and subventions.”

She admonished all participants and students to always cultivate winning and positive attitudes to life by inculcating the habit of studiousness and aspiration for academic excellence.

“It is my aspiration that Ojodu LCDA’s representatives emerge winners in the main exercise at the state level in order become One Day Governor of Lagos State and enjoy other benefits attached to winning,” Abimbola said.

Contestants were selected from elimination rounds, which produced 3 finalists from each category.

At the end of the day, Moses Favour of Oke-Ira Primary School emerged the first runner-up in the Primary Category, while Anyaelegbulem Francis of Ojodu Primary School (III) was the second runner-up in the Spelling Bee.

Owolabi Emmanuel of Agidingbi Senior School was the first runner-up in the Senior Category, Solagbade Temiloluwa of Ojodu Junior School got the second runner-up position.