By Ighomuaye Lucky. O
President Bola Tinubu has congratulated Adeolu Oluwadamilola Oreofe, a student of St. Lawrence Metropolitan College in Ado Ekiti, for emerging winner of the Junior Category title at the 2026 African Spelling Bee Championship in Harare, Zimbabwe.
Oreofe, 14, outshone competitors from over 20 African countries to win the continental crown, which includes a $5,000 educational scholarship.
Her victory marks a great turnaround after years of near-misses: she 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.
In a statement by Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu eulogized the young champion’s resilience and the role of her support network.
“I am convinced that this feat not only brings honour to Nigeria on the continental stage but also serves as an inspiration to millions of young Nigerians to pursue excellence in academics and personal development”, the president said.
Newstracktoday quoted Daily Sun Newspapers that Tinubu attributed Oreofe’s success to broader national priorities, stating it “reflects the importance of sustained investment in education, literacy and youth development.”
He commended her dedication, as well as the unwavering support of parents, teachers and mentors who contributed to this remarkable success.
“As a government, we will continue to strengthen the education sector by creating opportunities that enable Nigerian youths to compete and excel globally. I wish Miss Oreofe continued success in her future endeavours,” the President maintained.
