Six Nigerian students have emerged as National Champions in the just concluded Nigeria Spelling Bee Grand Finale for the 2021 Season.

The 3-day event drew the best spellers across Nigeria after they had competed at the State and Regional levels to emerge National Finalists.

Speaking in his opening remark, the principal of the host school (Deeper Life High School Lafia) Mr Banji Akiode welcomed spellers to Nasarawa State the Home of Victory as well as Lafia town.

After multiple exciting rounds of displaying their spelling prowess, Kate E. David of Intimacy With Christ International School Mararaba and Elozino Etuele of Deeper Life High School Delta Campus were declared Champions of the Senior and Junior Category respectively. The Senior championship title comes with a #1,000,000 Scholarship Prize while the Junior title carries a #500,000 Scholarship.

The winning words were “Accelerando” and “Architectural” for the Senior and Junior categories respectively.

Coming in as the 1st Runner-up in the Senior category is Emmanuel O. Ojochenemi of Intimacy With Christ International School Mararaba while the 2nd Runner-up is Opeoluwa Bukola of Deeper Life High School Port Harcourt Campus. In the Junior Category, we have Ikechukwu Mba of Deeper Life High School Aba Campus as the 1st Runner-up and Rebecca Adebayo of Greater Tomorrow International College Ondo as the 2nd Runner-up. These spellers also won various Scholarship amounts as part of their titles.

As a side attraction in the events of the National Finals, spellers wrote essays to further showcase their literary skills. Adeyemo Iseoluwa of DLHS Ilorin emerged as the Senior Essay winner while Emmanuella Emmanuel of DLHS Lafia clinched the Junior essay title.

This season’s National Finals was hosted by Deeper Life High School Lafia Campus, Narawara State. It is noteworthy to state that this is the first time the National Finals was hosted by a secondary school, putting the school at the pinnacle, alongside past hosts such as Nile University Abuja, Landmark University and Ritman University.

Speaking while presenting the Championship trophies and medals, the State Proprietor of the Deeper Life High School Lafia, Pst. Mbursa Bata Zoaka expressed great joy at seeing young students excel in literary skills and also admonished them to do more in other life/leadership skills, integrity, honesty and hard work. Adding that if these spellers continue with this zeal, there is still hope for Nigeria.

Multiple other awards were presented to well-deserving individuals and organizations, including:

  • Educational Award of Excellence to (Dr) W. F. Kumuyi (Founder of Deeper Life High Schools)
  • Nigeria Spelling Bee Man of the Year to Fr. Emmanuel Chibuzor Obimma (Proprietor of Divine Rays British School Obosi)
  • Nigeria Spelling Bee Coach of the Year 2019 to Binta Lawal of Federal Government College Maiduguri
  • Nigeria Spelling Bee National Host to Deeper Life High School Lafia.
  • Best Regional Host 2021 to Divine Rays British School Obosi.
  • Best State Host 2021 to Deeper Life High School Calabar.
  • Best State Host 2020 to Princess Adeja International School Gboko.

Replica trophies were also presented to spellers who represented Nigeria at the 2018 and 2019 seasons in Kenya and Uganda respectively. These included:

  • Abdrahman Sheriff of Kings College Lagos: Joint Junior African Spelling Bee Champion 2018
  • Sulaiman Donuma of Federal Government College Maiduguri: 2nd Runner-up, African Spelling Bee 2019.

The Nigeria Spelling Bee wishes to appreciate our 2021 National Host, Deeper Life High School Lafia Campus Narawara State. We also wish to say a very thank you to all State and Regional Hosts in this season.

Our immerse appreciation also goes to all schools, coaches and students who participated in the 2021 Season, even as the 2022 Season Registration Portal is now open on www.NigeriaSpellingBee.com/register.