By Lukman OMIKUNLE
Kwara Education Commissioner Dr. Lawal Olohungbebe receives Ar-Raheem School students after African Spelling Bee success in Harare, highlighting rising academic excellence
Kwara Commissioner Lawal Olohungbebe Celebrates African Spelling Bee Champions from Ilorin
The Kwara State Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Lawal Olohungbebe, has received a delegation of outstanding students from Ar-Raheem School, Ilorin, following their remarkable performance at the African Spelling Bee in Harare, Zimbabwe.
The students, who competed against peers from over 30 African countries, were presented to the Commissioner by the school’s management in a moment that underscored the growing academic strength of Kwara State on the continental stage.
Speaking during the reception, Dr. Olohungbebe, who hosted the students alongside the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mrs Rebecca Bake, described their achievement as a reflection of deliberate investment in education and the power of discipline meeting opportunity.
“At Harare, young minds from across Africa gathered—sharp, prepared, and unyielding,” he said. “Their success proves that excellence is rarely accidental; it is carefully engineered.”
The Commissioner noted that the students’ feat transcends medals and applause, describing it as a clear signal of what is possible when educational foundations are strengthened.
“This is more than a victory—it is a declaration. Fix the foundation, and the structure will not beg for strength; it will command it,” he added.
Dr. Olohungbebe also highlighted that the spelling bee success comes shortly after students from Kwara’s public schools returned from Malaysia with medals and trophies from an international debate competition, where they represented Nigeria with distinction.
According to him, the back-to-back achievements demonstrate that excellence is no longer confined to isolated institutions but is emerging across the state’s entire education system.
Reaffirming the vision of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, the Commissioner stressed the administration’s commitment to building a robust ecosystem where both public and private schools are empowered to compete globally, innovate, and lead.
“We are building a system where institutions do more than survive—they compete, they evolve, and they lead,” he said.
He added that the state’s long-term goal is to institutionalise excellence to the point where such achievements become routine rather than exceptional.
“This is how systems mature—deliberately and consistently—until excellence stops being news and becomes the standard,” he stated.
Dr. Olohungbebe congratulated the students on their success and charged them to aim higher as they prepare for their next international outing.
“Congratulations, champions. The world is watching. China awaits you in July 2026—go and raise the flag even higher,” he said.
The visit marks another milestone in Kwara State’s steady rise as a centre of academic excellence, with its students increasingly making their mark on global platforms.
