11Yr Old Emerges Int’l Spelling Bee Winner in Abuja

Winners that will be representing Nigeria in this year’s International Spelling Bee Competition has emerged, the event which was hosted in the Federal Capital city, Abuja as usual was fiercely contested after which 11 years old, Osalusi Daramola, of Greater Tomorrow International College, Ikare Akoko, Ondo State became the champion of the Junior category whilst 9 year old Bello Kayla of Honeyland Montessori schools, Lagos state came second and 11 years old Ogunleye Oderinsola of Greater Tomorrow International College also came third.

In the senior category 14 years old Charles David, from Greater Tomorrow International College, Ikare Akoko emerged the winner of the keenly contested event, followed by 12 years old Kamsyochukwu Ochei of Day Waterman College, Abeokuta in the second place and 14 years old Esene Gideon of Platform College, Lagos coming close third.

This year’s International Spelling Bee Nigeria train was held for the first time in the glamorous and beautiful city of Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria.

It’s coming to Abuja has been long overdue and this the first time since the first edition of the competition 10 seasons ago. On the way to the national finals this year, the Spelling Bee train had branched in Oyo, Osun, Ogun, Ondo, Ekiti, Gombe, Jigawa, Plateau, Nasarrawa, Lagos and Abuja which will be hosting the finals of this year’s oral Spelling competition,

The journey to the national finals, has seen finalists emerge from participating schools, after they had participated in the qualifiers conducted online. The competition this year takes advantage of the digital inclusion of the Bee to reach out to interested students and schools.

This year’s event was made possible through the support and sponsorship of DUFIL Company the makers of INDOMIE NOODLES which is the title sponsor and other brands amongst which are Learn Africa Plc, the official dictionary of the International Spelling Bee Nigeria, as well as Rite Foods Plc, National Information Technology Development Agency NITDA and the Public Service Training Institute, Kubwa PSIN.

The edition aptly termed the RENEWED HOPE is described by the International Spelling Bee’s organizers’ as a quest for a better Nigeria.

This year’s finalists were given a warm welcome to the great city of Abuja, where they were presented with an opportunity of a tour of the Federal Capital Territory as they went on sightseeing visit to Abuja Broadcasting Corporation owners of Aso Radio and Aso TV, the spellers were also given a trip to the Centre-point of Nigeria on the Aso Hills, in an effort to give them a feel of the city before the finals.

The winners will be representing Nigeria in the Intercontinental Spelling Bee Competition later in the year.