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The 8th edition of the Nigerian Spelling Bee commenced on Wednesday in Abuja, with the organizers highlighting the competition’s significance in improving children’s spelling skills amid the increasing reliance on digital communication.
During the finals, the National Coordinator of the Nigerian Spelling Bee, Abdulsalam Ibrahim, raised concerns about the rising issue of poor spelling among students due to the prevalent use of shorthand in technology. “Nowadays, we find that many children, influenced by technology, struggle to spell correctly.
They shorten words, which is why we initiated this competition,” he stated. Ibrahim mentioned that the initiative has shown measurable results, with over 20 past winners excelling academically.
“Even in university, they perform well. Most of our scholarship recipients, at least 90 to 95 percent of them, achieve first-class honors,” he noted.
He added that the competition promotes excellence through scholarship awards and also bolsters literacy. “Yes, we provide scholarships; the champion in the senior category receives one million naira; the first runner-up earns N500,000, while the second runner-up gets N300,000. In the junior category, the winner receives N500,000, and both runners-up each receive N300,000,” he confirmed.
Despite the programme's achievements, he pointed out that it has not yet attracted sponsorship, explaining that they currently lack partners, which he regards as a significant challenge.
He elaborated that although they have reached out to various corporate organizations, there has been no feedback.
The national coordinator also mentioned that while the Federal Ministry of Education has endorsed the programme, it has not provided financial backing.
He urged stakeholders, particularly in the private sector, to lend their support to the initiative. “We’re appealing to the public, especially businesses, to help us. Given that the federal government has endorsed the programme, we are hopeful they will take further measures and begin to fund it,” he added.
According News agency the competition, now in its seventh year, continues to open academic avenues for young Nigerians while fostering proficiency in English. It is noteworthy that Nigeria will host the 8th African Spelling Bee (ASB) from April 9 to 13, marking the first time this continental event will occur in a West African country.
Established in 2016, the ASB has been held in South Africa, Kenya, Uganda, and Malawi in the past.
The Nigerian Spelling Bee, operating under the Bee Spelling Competition Initiative, is the Local Organising Committee for this year's event.
The organization conducts spelling contests across all 36 states and represents Nigeria at international competitions, including the ASB.
