Orphan Victorious at 2019 Lighthouse Spelling Bee Competition
Timilehin Lawal of Tabitha Home, an orphanage, has emerged the winner of the 2019 Lighthouse Spelling Bee Competition which held at the Lead City International School, Jericho, Ibadan.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Quadri Oladoye of Ansar-Ud-Deen High School,Ibadan, came second, while Emmanuel Fayese of Army Barracks Grammar School,Ibadan, emerged in the third position.
Lawal received a laptop and a cash prize of N50, 000 while Oladoye got N25, 000, with Fayese going home with N10, 000.
Other participants received medals and certificates of participation.
Lawal, who spoke to NAN on the sidelines of the event, said he came for the competition unprepared.
He added that he received the invitation at a short notice, expressing surprise he won the competition.
“I didn’t get to know about it on time. I looked for people who had at taken part in previous spelling bees and I got materials they used in preparing to get myself ready.
“I can’t explain how I came first, but it can only be God,’’he said.
The initiator of the competition and Batch B NYSC member, Aisha Hussaini, said that giving back to the community brought about the programme.
Hussaini said that she felt the need to show love and encourage pupils in public schools.
“It occurred to me to do something nice for the community and I felt students in public schools would appreciate the spelling Bee competition more,”he said.
NAN reports that eight schools and one orphanage participated in the competition.
Other schools that participated in the competition included Army Day High School, Nawair-Ud-Deen High School, Anwar-Ul- Islam Grammar School, Community Secondary School, Urbanday Secondary School and Community Grammar School, all in Ibadan.
Tabitha Homes was the only non-educational institution that participated in the spelling Bee competition.
