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Tag: one-day governor

  • Lagos: One-day Gov, deputy gets N1m, full scholarship each

    Lagos: One-day Gov, deputy gets N1m, full scholarship each

    Winners of the keenly contested Spelling Bee Competition, Miss Zuffon Bukola and Miss Rosemary Ogidan, One-Day Governor, Deputy Gover of Lagos State have awarded a full scholarship as well as N1million each by the State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode.

    Zuffon, a 16 year-old SS 2 student of Awodiora Senior Secondary School, Ajegunle emerged the One-Day Governor of the State after she won a keenly contested Spelling Bee Competition in June 2017, while Ogidan, also an SS 2 student of Methodist Senior High School, Badagry finished as runner up.

    Receiving the winners, Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode on Wednesday expressed optimism that in no distant time, Lagos would produce its first elected female Governor of the State. 

    Governor Ambode, who spoke when he received the One-Day Governor of the State, Miss Zuffon Bukola and members of her cabinet at the Exco Chambers, Lagos House in Ikeja, said that the emergence of Miss Zuffon and the One-Day Deputy Governor, Miss Rosemary Ogidan was a signpost to what the future portends for the State.
      
    According to the Governor, the emergence of two females as One-Day Governor and Deputy Governor of the State clearly indicates that a female can likewise be elected as the Governor of the State.
     
    He said: “This is a significant day for Lagos State and it also signals what the future actually holds for Lagos State in which we have seated here, two female strong members of the new State Executive Council and we have a female Governor and a female Deputy Governor.
     
    “It is also telling us a story about what the future of Lagos is all about that one day we would find seated here, not just a day governor, but for a period or tenure of four years, there would be a female Governor in this State.
     
    “We’ve had female Deputy Governors in this State; it also says something that these younger ones are telling our women in Lagos to rise up and actually take their position.”
     
    Governor Ambode also commended Zuffon and her cabinet members, noting that their feat was an indication that the funds expended by the State Government to improve the educational sector was not in vain, adding that efforts would be intensified to further develop the sector.
     
    “I want to congratulate her and her cabinet members for also showing to us that the future of education in Lagos is strong. We believe that the resources we are spending in the educational sector are not going to be a waste and they have also shown that they are ready to succeed us as long as we encourage them.
     
    “So we’ll do everything just like what we have been doing in the last two years to continue to pay greater attention to education and also make sure that we do so much in youth development to allow them to be mentally capable of succeeding us even as we move away from all the things we have done in the public service,” the Governor said.
     
    He said the State Government was encouraged by the exploits of past One-Day Governors and their cabinet members who are excelling in their various endeavours, just as he commended parents of the students as well as the school management for all the efforts put into bringing out the best in them.
     
    To encourage their efforts, Ambode awarded full scholarship to the One Day Governor, Miss Zuffon and her Deputy, Miss Ogidan while also announcing a cash donation of N1million each to them.
     
    The governor also awarded a cash donation of N500,000 each to members of the One Day Governor’s cabinet consisting of Master Tovishede Ayobami (Secretary to the State Government); Master Philip Daniel (Speaker of the House of Assembly); Master Durojaiye Oluwasegun (Commissioner for Education); Master Atabo Ufedojo (Commissioner for Science and Technology).
     
    Earlier, Miss Zuffon while addressing the governor and members of the State Executive Council commended the Governor for his visionary leadership and numerous achievements especially in the educational sector, saying that despite the economic challenges, teachers’ salaries and entitlements were being paid as at when due.
     
    Zuffon, who is aspiring to become a lawyer, also seized the occasion to request for a School Bus, renovation of the school’s multipurpose hall as well as construction of drainage channels in her school, which Governor Ambode immediately granted. 
  • I‘ll champion girl-child education, says One-Day Governor

    I‘ll champion girl-child education, says One-Day Governor

    Sixteen-year-old, Bukola Zoffun, who emerged One-Day Governor yesterday in Lagos state, has said that her tenure will be use to champion the course for girl child education in the state.

    Miss Zoffun, a senior secondary school pupil of Awodi-Ora Secondary High School Ajegunle, Ajeromi-Ifelodun Local Government Area yesterday won the grand finale of this year’s Spelling Bee competition, organised by the Ministry of Education.

    She told our reporter that the road to the victory was not easy, saying “I have put in my best effort to have been selected at the preliminary level and here I am today a proud winner.”

    The One-Day Governor, who desires to be a lawyer, said the exposure she has gotten from the competition will help realise her dream.

    “I am very happy to be part of this competition, and I can tell you that this has given me great exposure that will help me to achieve my dream of becoming a lawyer.

    “As the winner of the competition, I will have the opportunity to be the One-Day Governor, and I will equally use this platform to promote the need for girl child education, because what I have learnt so far is that every child has a right to education.”

    She praised her teachers for helping to prepare her and other pupils from her school that participated, saying that the participants have gone through vigorous training in the last six months.

    Lagos State Deputy Governor Dr Idiat Adebule said the competition is getting better each year due to the effort of the teachers and the government’s investment in the education.

    Represented by the Chairman, Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Education, Mr Lanre Ogunyemi, Mrs Adebule hailed the courage and boldness exhibited by the participants.

    She said the government will introduce more curriculums to improve their learning standard, adding that government will not relent in its effort to reposition educational standard.

    Tutor General/Permanent Secretary Education District V, Mrs Anike Adekanye, lauded the state government for the initiative which she said has assisted public schools’ pupils.

    She said the teachers and staff of the school work so heard with the pupils, adding that the effort of their hard work has paid off with two of the students from the district wining the first and second positions.

    While the winner of the competition will be crown One-Day Governor as well as a cheque of N250,000, the first and second runners-up – Miss Rosemary Ogidan of Methodist Senior High School, Badagry and Master Philip Daniel of Yewa Senior High school, Agege – got cash prizes of N150,000 and N100,000 respectively.

  • One-day Governor: How father missed son’s meeting with Ambode

    One-day Governor: How father missed son’s meeting with Ambode

    Winner of the 2016 Spelling Bee Competition, Master Olaseinde Olufemi Joshua on Friday narrated how his father, Mr. Olaseinde missed the meeting with Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode and members of the State Executive Council.

    Joshua, a student of Shasha Community Senior High School in Alimosho area of Lagos, who spoke at the Lagos House in Ikeja while being hosted as the 16th One-day Governor of the State, said his father would have loved to be present at the event but was unable to attend due to some health challenges.

    Besides, Joshua described Governor, Ambode as the most labour-friendly Governor in Nigeria. He said despite the dwindling allocation from the Federal Government, Governor Ambode has remained committed to the prompt payment of workers salary.

    He said: “While over 29 states of the federation cannot afford to pay their workers, I really commend the Governor’s hard work and determination to take Lagos State to the highest level.” Joshua added that so far, Governor Ambode had lived up to the true meaning of the acronym of his name which he described as “AMBODE – Ambassadors of Meritorious, Brilliant, Organised and Dedicated Entity.”

    Responding, Governor Ambode ordered that Joshua’s father be treated at the medical facilities of the State Government.

     

    A deeply touched Governor Ambode said: “It is unfortunate that his father could not make it for this very special occasion in the life of his child but will be attended to in the health facilities of the State Government.”

    Besides, Joshua was given a laptop, printer and generating set courtesy of the Governor’s Office while other winners of the competition were given tab each.

  • Boy, 16, emerges one-day governor

    Boy, 16, emerges one-day governor

    A 16-year-old boy, Olufemi Olaseinde, yesterday won this year’s Spelling Bee contest, automatically qualifying to be one-day governor of Lagos State.

    The Senior Secondary One (SS1) Pupil of Shasha Community Senior High School in Alimosho beat Kehinde Komolafe, 18, of Immaculate Heart Senior Secondary School, Kosofe and Rashidat Okinbaloye, 14, of Ilupeju Senior Grammar School to clinch the coveted prize.

    The battle for the trophy dragged on between him and the other pupils until he spelt “ichthyology”, which means a part of zoology that studies fish.

    The 57 contestants that started the competition held at Adeyemi Bero Hall, State Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja, had to spell words, such as, Sisyphean, Colacobiosis, Gegenschein, Kumquat, Naugahyde, Phylloquinone, with German, English, Italian, Greek, Indian and other origins.

    Olaseinde went home with N250,000 cash, a trophy for his school, an Etisalat Cliqlite tablet, five cartons of Indomie noodles and a school bag. He also got a scholarship to study in any university of his choice.

    Besides being decorated as Lagos State Governor for 20 hours, he will represent Lagos State at a Spelling Bee contest in Finland later in the year.

    Komolafe, the first runner-up, went home with N150,000, three cartons of Indomie noodles, an Etisalat Cliqlite tablet, a trophy for his school and a school bag; Okinbaloye got N100, 000, two cartons of Indomie noodles, an Etisalat Cliqlite tablet, a trophy for her school and a school bag.

    Last year’s winner, Idowu Sonoiki, 18, advised Olaseinde not to be distracted with the new found success but use it as a step to aim higher.

    Speaking with The Nation, Olaseinde, who wishes to be an aeronautic engineer, said: “I feel very happy I emerged winner this year because I participated last year but I didn’t win. I am so grateful to God. Hours spent studying have finally paid off.”

    Lagos State Deputy Governor Dr Oluranti Adebule expressed delight in what she called the accuracy displayed by the pupils in spelling the words.

    She said the state would continue to invest in education, adding: “I am very happy that they can spell these ambiguous words. We will continue to pay attention to this sector because with good education, we can get a good working force.”

    The competition, initiated in 2001 by the former first lady of Lagos State, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has produced 16 winners, including Olaseinde. The six education districts in Lagos State participated in the contest.