Corps Member Improves Students Vocabulary in Ijumu,  Engages 9 Schools in Spelling Bee Competition

By David Fidelis //LOKOJA//As part of his efforts to develop his host community and  spur students to get more familiar with English words, a Corps Member in Iyamoye, Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State, Onyewuchi Emmanuel has  organized a Spelling Bee Competition for students in the Local Government.

 The Personal Community Development Service project was  organised towards improving students vocabulary, spoken words -as well as written- English.

The schools who participated in the competition include Adekunle Ideal College, Iyamoye; Universal Basic Education project I ( UBEI) Iyamoye; Universal Basic Education project II; Adesola Group of Schools; At-Takwa Islamic School ( ATIC); Community High School, Iyamoye; Government Science Secondary School, Iyamoye; Lawal International Academy and Ogunmokunwa Memorial College; all in Ijumu Local Government Area.

At the end of the competition, Jinadu Taofiq (16) emerged first position( winner) in the senior category, while Ahmed Mulikat Oluwabukola (17) emerged second position (first runner-up) and Adeyemi Christiana (13) emerged third position( second runner-up).

In the junior category, Ibitoye Praise (9) emerged First Position (winner), while Ipinmoye Faith (13) emerged Second Position(first runner-up) and Kasim Muktar (15)  emerged Third Position (second runner-up) while prizes were awarded to the winners.

Also, at  the end of the competition, respective prizes were handed to the winners, Both First positions received the grand prize of N5000 each, both first runners-up received their cash prizes of N3000 each; and both second runners-up received their cash prizes of N2000 each. In addition, all six winners received prizes including t-shirts crested ‘Iyamoye Spelling Bee’ and ‘VOH’ in front as well as the respective positions behind were given to all six winners along with five customised notebooks; an oxford pocket sized dictionary (for Senior category) and Brighter Grammar textbooks (for junior category). Three Hundred customised notebooks and 16 shirts were equally distributed to everyone in attendance at the grand finale.

 The Convener of the competition, Onyewuchi Emmanuel said he aimed at introducing students to a  list of over 200 words as contained in the manual issued to them; encourage students across all schools in Iyamoye to take their spellings seriously and improve their vocabulary and bring students from different schools and educational backgrounds to engage in healthy competition for attractive prizes on a level playground.

Emmanuel said the competition held in four phases; registration, the first screening, the second screening, and the grand finale.

He explained that  registration for the event began on the 17th of June 2019 as  members of the planning committee visited all Nine Secondary schools in Iyamoye and dropped thirty forms in each schools, adding up to Two hundred and seventy (270) forms in total.

Emmanuel said the response from the students was encouraging as they showed their enthusiasm and interest in the competition stressing that within a space of a week and three days,  about two hundred students had registered across all nine schools.

“The first screening- This phase held on the 27th of June 2019 at the UBE II School where about 200 students who had registered for the competition gathered and were screened to pick out the best students. Our intention was to pick 20 best spellers in the senior category and twenty best spellers in the junior category, however due to the several ties; we ended up having twenty-six spellers in the senior category and thirty-eight spellers in the junior category. This called for a second screening”.

“The  second screening was held- on the 29th of June 2019 at the same UBE II School,  twenty finalists were picked from each category to head to the finals.

The grand finale was originally scheduled to hold on the 4th of July 2019, but was later postponed moved to the 6th of July 2019 due to the clash with the Junior School Certificate Exams (JSCE). The Grand finale was attended by all twenty finalists in the senior category and thirty-nine finalists in the junior category (excluding one finalist who was disqualified for coming extremely late to the event, after the junior category had already been tested and slashed down to twelve)”.

 Emmanuel noted that with the response from this first edition, he’s certain that there is light in fact all through the rest of the tunnel for these lives that he has impacted.

“We’ve stirred up a new interest in the lives of these young ones and we’re certain it’s in the right direction! We are positive that a second attempt would be nothing short of a bigger success. From reliable statistics, 90% of students in Iyamoye are waiting for a second edition of this competition, the other 10% just can’t wait”.

Reacting, the Obaro of Iyamoye- the traditional ruler of Iyamoye community and Mr. Sule Tijani Sunday, the Principal Adekunle Ideal College said the competition is a commendable initiative stressing that it’s the best and most transparent academic competition ever organised in Iyamoye.

  According Mr. Oke Boluwatife, “the Spelling bee competition has successfully exposed students to not just a whole new world of words, but also to healthy sportsmanship and competition’’.

 Mr. Kolawole Ariyo, the Verger, Anglican Church of the Pentecost, Iyamoye said ‘’ It  is such a competition that every single student should be encouraged by both their parents and schools to participate in’’.