14-year-old Oluwadamilola Adeolu Oreofe, a student of St. Lawrence Metropolitan College in Ado Ekiti, won the junior category at the 2026 African Spelling Bee in Harare, Zimbabwe, on March 20. Representing Nigeria, she emerged champion among contestants from over 20 African countries. The victory earned her a $5,000 educational scholarship. President Bola Tinubu congratulated her through a statement issued Thursday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga. Tinubu described her achievement as a reflection of the value of investment in education, literacy, and youth development. He stated that the feat brings honour to Nigeria and inspires young Nigerians to pursue academic excellence. The President affirmed his administration's commitment to strengthening the education sector to support Nigerian youths in global competitions. Oreofe previously placed second in the 2023 MTN Spelling Bee and the 2024 Ekiti State Spelling Bee, fifth at the 2025 African Spelling Bee, and second at the 2025 Nigeria Spelling Bee. Ekiti State Government has honoured her with cash rewards and pledged to sponsor her, along with her mother and coach, to represent Africa at the upcoming World Spelling Bee in China.
President Tinubu praises investment in education while the federal government continues to underfund public schools across states like Ekiti. Oreofe's success emerged despite the system, not because of it, given the reliance on state-level rewards and private coaching. If her achievement is proof of what Nigerian children can do, it also exposes how rare such support is for most students. The gap between presidential praise and classroom reality remains wide.
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