Connect with us

News

Oborevwori Rewards Delta Student With N20m For Winning World Spelling Bee Championship

Published

on

Delta State governor, Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, has rewarded Master Great Chinedu Okediashi with N20 million for emerging as the winner of the World Spelling Bee Championship in China, describing the feat as a testament to the state’s sustained investment in education.

The governor announced the cash reward on Friday in Asaba while receiving the championship trophy from the student and officials of the Ministry of Secondary Education at Government House.

Oborevwori said the global victory reaffirmed that Delta State’s deliberate investments in education were yielding tangible results, stressing that education remained the greatest legacy parents and governments could bequeath to future generations.

Advertisement

According to him, while material wealth could be lost, education remains a lifelong asset that cannot be taken away.

READ ALSO: 2027: APC Clears Delta Speaker, Disqualifies 36 Aspirants

The governor said, “We don’t play with education in Delta State because it is the greatest legacy anyone can give to a child. Wealth can disappear, but education remains with you throughout your lifetime. That is why we continue to invest heavily in education.”

Advertisement

He noted that Delta had consistently distinguished itself in international academic competitions, recalling that Delta State produced members of the Nigerian team that won the World Schools Debate Championship in Doha, Qatar, last year.

“Victory is not a surprise to us in Delta State. Last year, Nigeria, precisely Delta State, won the World Debate Championship in Doha, and today Master Great Chinedu Okediashi has brought the World Spelling Bee Cup from China to Delta State. It shows that our investment in education is working.

“We are not only building infrastructure in our schools; we are laying a solid educational foundation, and this achievement is one of the results,” he added.

Advertisement

READ ALSO: 2027: Pondi, Otuaro, Other Delta South Stakeholders, Endorse Senator Joel-Onowakpo For Second Term 

The governor commended the student’s parents for nurturing him and expressed disappointment that they were not present at the ceremony, saying they deserved equal recognition for the success recorded by their son.

He also praised Madonna International School for providing quality education and announced that, in addition to the N20 million reward for the student, the state government would extend support to the school.

Advertisement

Earlier, the Commissioner for Secondary Education, Dr. Kingsley Ashibuogwu, described the victory as a historic achievement not only for Delta State but also for Nigeria and the African continent.

He said the triumph marked the return of the prestigious trophy to Africa, noting that the student’s success was the culmination of years of determination and consistent support from the Delta State government.

Ashibuogwu said the governor’s financial and moral support throughout the competition encouraged the team to persevere until they eventually won the global title in China.

Advertisement

READ ALSO: 2027: NDC Grants Waiver To Omo-Agege, Ochei For Delta Central, Delta North

“We are here not only to present the trophy but also to appreciate Your Excellency. Your encouragement, constant follow-up, prayers and financial support played a significant role in this success. Today, the trophy is back in Africa, back in Nigeria, and now proudly in Delta State,” the commissioner said.

He also commended the governor for the massive investments in the education sector, particularly in improving teaching and learning across public schools in the state.

Advertisement

Presenting the trophy to the governor, Master Okediashi thanked him for the support and pledged to continue working hard to bring more honours and international recognition to Delta State and Nigeria.

News

Group Commends COREN For Training Engineers In Engineering Failure, Forensic Investigation In Nigeria

Published

on

Foundation for the Development of Shira Community (FODESCO) in Shira Local Government Area of Bauchi state has commended the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) for conducting a pioneer training on Engineering Failure and Forensic Investigation (EFFI) for 50 licensed engineering practitioners across the country.

Engr. Shehu Wakili, the Chairman of the Foundation made the commendation in an interview with newsmen on Friday.

According to him, the training which was conducted by COREN in collaboration with the Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute (NBRRI) and the Chartered Institute of Forensic and Certified Fraud Investigators of Nigeria (CIFCFIN), was to equip engineers and professionals from academia, industry, and government MDAs with practical skills to investigate infrastructure failures and prevent recurring building collapses.

Advertisement

READ ALSO: ICPC, COREN Working To Curb Quackery In Engineering — Don

He added that the training was also to build a pool of trained specialists who could investigate building collapses and other engineering failures, determine their root causes, and recommend measures to prevent recurrence, saying that the trainees would form part of a register of trained and certified forensic engineering investigators.

He further lauded COREN for the subsequent induction of its member, Engr. Abdullahi Muhammad MNSE, who among the 50 participants, hails from Bauchi state as a Chartered Engineering Forensic and Failure Investigator (CEFFI), certified by CIFCFIN.

Advertisement

“FODESCO is proud of him and wishes him well in all his endeavours”, he prayed.

Wakili, also the Chairman, Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Bauchi state chapter, revealed that the training covered failure analysis, forensic investigation methodologies, risk assessment, and professional reporting.

“This initiative supports broader efforts by COREN and the National Assembly to enforce stricter building codes, identify quackery, and ensure accountability across the construction sector,” he said.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

News

NBS: Lagos, Rivers, Enugu Top List As States Generated N5.15trn In 2025

Published

on

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has disclosed that 36 states and the FCT generated a total of ₦5.15 trillion in 2025, indicating a growth rate of 40.93 percent from ₦3.65 trillion recorded in 2024.

NBS stated on Thursday citing the Nigeria Revenue Service ( NRS) as source of its information that Lagos emerged top on the list of states with the highest revenue generation in the sum of ₦1.77 trillion.

“Followed by Rivers state ₦428.42 billion and Enugu with IGR record of ₦406.77 billion in the period referenced.”

Advertisement

The. Bureau said Yobe, Ebonyi and Sokoto states reported the least revenues with ₦16.01 billion, ₦17.18 billion and ₦20.48 billion, respectively.

READ ALSO: Trump Bans CNN, Others From White House Coverage, Gives Reason

According to NBS, Pay As You Earn (PAYE) was the most tax revenue recorded during the period, valued at ₦2.64 trillion, representing 69.51 percent of the total tax revenue collected, while capital gains tax was the least with ₦12.40 billion while the share of total tax revenue to total IGR was 73.64 percent nationally.

Advertisement

“Other states and their share of IGR are FCT – N356.34 billion, Ogun – N252.36 billion, Delta – N202.49 billion, Edo – N132.21 billion, Oyo – N103.25 billion and Kano – N102.26 billion.

“Ten other states in lowest category of IGR include Yobe – N16.01 billion, Ebonyi – N17.18 billion, Sokoto – N20.48 billion, Taraba – N28.16 billion ; Benue – N29.57 billion, Zamfara – N30.07 billion, Kebbi – N31.23 billion, Nasarawa – N32.57 billion, Adamawa – N33.76 billion andcBorno – N36.36 billion “.

READ ALSO: Nigeria’s Economy Grew By 3.13% In Q1 2025 — NBS

Advertisement

NBS noted that the states generated their most and least revenue from taxes and other government sources. “PAYE was the dominant revenue source nationally, generating N2.64 trillion and accounting for 69.51% of total tax revenue for the year.

“Other sources included direct assessment, road taxes, stamp duties, withholding taxes and capital gains tax, which was the smallest contributor at N12.40 billion,” the Bureau stated.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

News

Judge Orders Trump White House To Restore Access To Banned Media Outlets

Published

on

A US federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to temporarily restore White House access to journalists from CNN, MS NOW and Politico after the three news organisations challenged their exclusion from the presidential complex.

US District Judge Timothy Kelly issued a 14-day temporary restraining order early Thursday, directing the White House to immediately return, reinstate and restore the press credentials of journalists from the three outlets.

The ruling followed a lawsuit filed on Monday by CNN, MS NOW and Politico, which challenged President Donald Trump’s decision to bar their reporters from the White House.

Advertisement

Trump announced the ban on September 18, accusing the outlets of repeatedly publishing what he described as “FAKE NEWS” and negative coverage of his administration.

READ ALSO: US: White House Launches Trump TV After CNN, Others’ Ban Backfires

The three organisations argued that the administration’s action violated their First Amendment rights and deprived their journalists of due process under the Fifth Amendment.

Advertisement

In his ruling, Kelly said the outlets were likely to succeed in showing that their press credentials had been revoked without constitutionally adequate due process.

The judge also rejected the administration’s argument that national security concerns justified the restrictions.

“The record lacks factual support for defendants’ contention that the revocation of plaintiffs’ hard passes will in fact protect national security or that national security will be endangered if the court orders their passes reinstated while this litigation proceeds,” Kelly wrote.

Advertisement

READ ALSO: Trump Bans CNN, Others From White House Coverage, Gives Reason

He also noted that Trump had focused on the outlets’ reporting when announcing the ban rather than national security concerns.

“Certainly, that is not what President Trump said when he announced that he was ‘banning’ plaintiffs from the White House—instead, he focused on the alleged lack of truthfulness and negativity of plaintiffs’ reporting,” the judge wrote.

Advertisement

The administration had argued in court that access to the White House was a privilege rather than a right and that the outlets’ reporting raised concerns about national security and professionalism.

The Justice Department is expected to appeal the ruling.

READ ALSO: Trump Launches Task Force To Tackle Birth Tourism, Revokes Over 600 Visas

Advertisement

Trump had previously said he would probably allow the three organisations back into the White House if a court ruled against his decision.

The dispute began when reporters from CNN, MS NOW and Politico were turned away from the White House after their press credentials were revoked.

The decision also affected the White House television pool. CNN had been scheduled to travel with Trump to New York for the United Nations General Assembly as part of the pool, but its removal led the other participating television networks to suspend the pool in solidarity.

Advertisement

READ ALSO: Trump Confirms Secret Plane Swap Over Possible Iranian Missile Threat

Other media organisations also joined the legal challenge indirectly by filing a friend-of-the-court brief supporting the three outlets.

The case now moves forward with the temporary restraining order in place for 14 days. During that period, the court is expected to consider whether longer-lasting relief should be granted.

Advertisement

The ruling comes as Trump faces a series of high-profile events at the White House, including his scheduled meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The administration and the three news organisations are expected to continue their legal arguments as the court considers the broader dispute over press access and the constitutional rights of journalists covering the president.

(TimeMagazine)

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending