Three public school pupils in Lagos State have distinguished themselves in the Tola Olukilede Speech Competition, winning scholarship awards and gifts.
They impressed the panel of judges made up of seasoned educationists and experts with their oratory skills at the competition, which featured 300 pupils from 30 schools in the six education districts of the state.
The judges, Pastor E.O Omotayo, Mr Taiwo Orioloye, Pastor Kola Joseph Olorunwa, Mrs Grace Deh and Mr Daniel Ajumobi were entertained by the brilliant dissection of national issues by the pupils.
At the end of the competition, it was Oni Damilare of Ajangbadi Senior High School, Ojo, from Education District who impressed the most and was rewarded with a laptop and a scholarship award of N300, 000, for three years.
Runners up, Adepeju Fatiu Muhamadu of Eko Akete Senior Grammar School (Education District III) and Kalu Daniel of Buriel Avenue Senior School (Education District IV) won laptop and printer. The schools and education districts of the trio were also rewarded with trophies and plaques.
Commenting on the relevance of the speech competition, the initiator and Coordinating Pastor of Heal the World Mission, a non-denominational Christian Charity organisation, Dr Tola Olukilede, said it was aimed at stimulating the intellectual capacity of the pupils.
“The Tola Olukilede Speech Competition/Scholarship Scheme is to develop our young people with the mindset and skills needed for the achievement of their personal vision and leadership skills,” he said.
Olukilede, who attributed the socio-political and economic crises that have bedeviled the nation to bad leadership hoped that the competition would help groom good leaders.
“It is against this background that it has become imperative to raise another generation of future leaders that would go the whole hog to bring changes to all the aspects of national life and to secure a better future for the nation and its citizenry. To get the right people, we need to go to schools where we can sample out intellectuals among the youth through intellectual programmes, harness them and empower them with good education and prepare them for leadership challenges and responsibilities,” he said.
The event, which doubled as a prefects’ summit, afforded the participants the opportunity of learning from professionals from various walks of life, including a representative of Prof Pat Utomi, Mr Essien Ubong; and the Lagos State Education Commissioner, Mrs Olayinka Oladunjoye, who was represented by Mr Babatunde Omibeku, as special guest of honour.
The pupils were trained on how to develop their mindsets as well as the appropriate skills needed to achieve their personal visions and leadership skills, with the hope that it would translate to nation building.
In her speech, the commissioner said the event was a right step in the right direction that would help the young people channel their skills and potentials in the right perspectives.