A 16-year-old pupil of Angus Memorial Senior High School, Jemimah Marcus, who won the Lagos State Spelling Bee competition, will become a one-day governor.

Marcus emerged winner on Tuesday after a fierce battle with other students.

She was presented with a cash sum of N250,000 at the Adeyemi Bero Auditorium, Alausa secretariat, Ikeja, where the grand finale took place.

Ajose Sotin of Topo Senior Grammar School, Badagry, was the first runner-up and got N150,000, while Rhema Edeh of Denton Junior Grammar School, Ebute-Metta, was the second runner-up, with a cash prize of N100,000.

While congratulating the pupils, the state Commissioner for Education, Mrs Folasade Adefisayo, advised them to commit more energy and time to their studies.

She said, “As it is the practice, the one-day governor will be awarded the Lagos State Government’s scholarship to pursue any course of his or her interest in any university in the country. He/she and the ‘cabinet’ will also attend various cultural exchange programmes.”

Adefisayo thanked the New Era Foundation, pioneered by Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for initiating the competition.

The Director-General, Office of Education Quality Assurance, Mrs Abiola Seriki-Ayeni, commended the pupils for their resilience.

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