The Chairperson of Mushin Local Government, Princess Olufunke Aruwe, wife of the Executive Chairman of Mushin LGA, Hon. Olatunbuson Haruka Aruwe, has applauded Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for championing the Ceremonial One-Day Governor initiative, describing it as a laudable platform for discovering young talents, promoting academic excellence and inspiring future leaders.

Princess Aruwe also commended the First Lady of Lagos State, Chief Mrs Claudiana Sanwo-Olu, for sustaining the Lagos State Spelling Bee Competition and ensuring that the educational initiative continues to motivate schoolchildren to pursue academic excellence.

She made the commendation while delivering her welcome address at the 2026 Mushin Local Government Spelling Bee Competition, held on Thursday, October 15, at the council secretariat, with pupils, students, teachers, parents, education stakeholders and government officials in attendance.

The competition brought together pupils from public primary schools and students from secondary schools across Mushin in a keenly contested battle of vocabulary, spelling accuracy, confidence and intellectual ability.

Speaking at the event, Princess Aruwe stressed that the Spelling Bee Competition goes beyond testing students’ ability to spell difficult words, noting that it provides an important opportunity to identify, encourage and nurture young minds who could become future leaders.

“The Spelling Bee Competition is more than a contest; it is a platform for discovering and nurturing young talents, building confidence and encouraging our children to develop a lifelong passion for learning.

“Every child who participates today is a winner because the experience gained will contribute to their academic and personal development,” she said.

The council chairperson congratulated all participants for their courage, preparation and commitment to learning, noting that academic competitions play a vital role in strengthening children's intellectual abilities, self-confidence and communication skills.

She further emphasised the need for parents, teachers and government to work together to create an enabling environment where children can thrive academically and realise their full potential.

The competition featured junior and senior categories, with contestants progressing through several rounds of spelling challenges, ranging from relatively simple words to more difficult vocabulary.

In the junior category, Adesina Adesewa of New City Primary School emerged winner, while Victoria Asuquo of Army Children Primary School secured second position. Abdulgafar Kelani of Itire Road Primary School, Eleja Complex, finished third.

In the senior category, Ogbonaya Izuchukwu of Community Senior Secondary School, Old Work Yard, clinched first position. Adegun Fuad of Ajumoni Senior Secondary School came second, while Adeleke Amirat of Oduduwa Senior Secondary School finished third.

The overall first-place winners will represent Mushin Local Government at the state-level grand finale, where the winner in the senior secondary school category will earn the prestigious distinction of becoming the ceremonial One-Day Governor of Lagos State.

The initiative is designed to celebrate academic achievement and encourage students to embrace excellence, leadership and intellectual development.

Speaking at the event, the Supervisor for Education, Hon. Henry Babatunde Ige, reaffirmed the council's commitment to improving the quality of education and providing a more conducive learning environment for pupils across Mushin.

He disclosed that the council had been assessing infrastructure across its 51 public primary schools as part of efforts to identify areas requiring intervention and advance plans to introduce modern Information and Communication Technology (ICT) facilities into classrooms.

“As we all know, education is the bedrock of any great society. That is why, over the past few months, we have been hard at work, assessing the infrastructure across our 51 public primary schools and pushing forward our plans to bring modern ICT facilities into our classrooms.

“Our goal is simple: to ensure every child in Mushin has the right environment to learn, grow and compete anywhere in the world,” Ige said.

He urged the students who emerged victorious to intensify their preparations and give their best at the state-level competition, stressing the importance of making Mushin proud at the final stage.

Also speaking, the Head of the Education Department highlighted key educational interventions undertaken by the Princess Aruwe-led administration to improve access to learning and support pupils and students across the local government.

According to the department, the council has embarked on the construction and renovation of several primary schools, alongside the distribution of back-to-school materials to pupils across Mushin.

The educational support packages include school bags, socks, exercise books and sandals, while exercise books are also distributed periodically to support pupils' learning activities.

The administration has further provided free General Certificate of Education (GCE) and Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examination forms, alongside free tutorial classes to prepare beneficiaries for their examinations.

These initiatives, the department noted, reflect the council's commitment to reducing the financial burden on parents, improving educational opportunities and helping young people achieve their academic aspirations.

As the successful contestants prepare for the state-level grand finale, the Mushin Spelling Bee Competition has once again underscored the importance of investing in education, recognising young talents and creating opportunities for children to develop the knowledge and confidence needed to excel beyond their immediate environment.