LAGOS – The Mosan-Okunola Local Government Council Development Area, Lagos, on Saturday said it had directed schools under it to prepare their students for the 2016 “Spelling Bee’’ competition.
Mr Olufemi Ojikutu, Head of Department, Education and Library Services in the Council, made the disclosure to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Lagos.
Ojikutu said the competition was usually held around April and May but that the council’s preparations were in top gear so that one of its students could emerge the winner.
He said that the council had once produced a second runner-up, noting that it intended to emerge as the winner in this year’s edition.
“Who says we cannot produce the winner who will be a One-day Governor of Lagos State.
“We have informed the schools to start preparing their best students and preparation is already in top gear,’’ he said.
Ojikutu said the primaries for the competition would hold at the various schools, while the short listing would hold at the council secretariat before the final.
He urged teachers and students in the council’s area to be focused and strive to be the best among their peers.
NAN reports that the Spelling Bee competition was conceived in 2006 and adopted by the Lagos State Ministry of Education to encourage academic excellence.
The competition has helped students and pupils to improve on their spelling skills, increase vocabulary and develop correct English language usage.
The winner of the competition is made one-day governor of the state with a sum of between N150,000 to N75,000 for the winner, first and second runners-up. (NAN)