Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Monday symbolically transferred leadership of the state for a day to 14-year-old Esther Etiyemonu, winner of the 2025/2026 Lagos State Spelling Bee Competition.
Etiyemonu, an SSS II student of Lagos State Senior Model College, Igbookuta, Imota, in Ikorodu Division, emerged overall winner at the 21st edition of the annual competition, which featured students from public secondary schools across the state.
The symbolic handover ceremony was held at the State House in Marina, where the student was received by the governor and members of her ceremonial cabinet. Dorcas Awoyemi of Ikosi Senior High School served as One-Day Deputy Governor, while Salami Jumain Olaide of Angus Memorial Senior High School, Yaba, took on the role of One-Day Secretary to the State Government. The students attended the event alongside their parents and teachers.
During a brief State Executive Council session she presided over, Etiyemonu described the Spelling Bee as a significant educational initiative introduced by former Lagos First Lady and current First Lady of Nigeria, Oluremi Tinubu. She said the program has consistently promoted academic excellence, confidence, and leadership among public school students.
She also praised the Sanwo-Olu administration for strides recorded in the education sector, citing teacher recruitment, establishment of technical colleges, expansion of digital skills programs, upgrades of tertiary institutions, staff housing projects, and the rehabilitation of secondary school libraries.
The One-Day Governor further pointed to improvements in transportation, including ongoing road reconstruction projects and the Lagos Rail Mass Transit Red and Blue Lines, as well as strengthened security measures across the state.
In his remarks, Sanwo-Olu said Etiyemonu’s achievement highlights the benefits of sustained investment in public education, particularly in model colleges. He noted that improved performance in external examinations such as WASSCE and NECO reflects deliberate efforts to enhance infrastructure, teacher welfare, and the learning environment.
The governor reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to education, promising continued investment in school facilities, healthcare access, road networks connecting schools, modern learning tools, and security around educational institutions. He also assured that the Lagos State Spelling Bee Competition would remain a priority, describing it as a long-standing initiative that continues to inspire academic excellence and leadership among young people in the state.
