Education
Model College Kankon Grabs Governor’s Quiz Contest
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A winner has emerged in the season VIII of the Lagos State Schools Governor’s Quiz competition held at the Adeyemi Bero Auditorium in Alausa, Ikeja.
At the end of the contest, Lagos State Model College, Kankon, emerged the best school in the grand finale, beating Alimosho Senior Grammar School and Jubilee Model Senior Grammar School to the second and third positions respectively.
The Junior Secondary and Primary Schools categories were won by Eko Junior College and Darocha Primary Schools respectively.
Speaking at the occasion, the Governor of Lagos State, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Mr Adesina Odeyemi, stated that the education sector of the state got a total of over N205.8 billion in 2016 and 2017 budget in spite of the stiff competition for resource allocation.
This, he revealed was because of the need assessment, priority and the commitment of the government to the upbringing and wellbeing of the children of Lagos State.
“What the state government has invested in the education sector of the state in the last two years is more than the annual budget of about 23 States of the federation; in fact, it is more than the 2017 budget of some four States put together,” he said.
Mr Ambode explained that the highly competitive quiz competition was designed to develop the mind of the pupils by creating healthy rivalry among school children in public and private primary, junior and senior secondary schools across the state, adding that it has over the years produced many very brilliant students who have secured admissions into various higher institutions.
He noted that “the government was happy with the overt display of knowledge by our amiable children in all facets of life, science & technology, art & craft etc. The improvement recorded in the 2016 WASSCE result and your achievements in many competitions both at home and abroad are encouraging”.
Mr Ambode said that, in order to encourage the students to break new grounds and soar higher, the government unveiled the State Digital Library to underscore her commitment to providing access to education for all and the continued development of the children of Lagos State.
The Governor used the occasion to explain that the government was working round the clock to ensure the release of the abducted students of the Model College, Igbonla.
“We empathise with the students and parents and we will not relent on our efforts until the students come back unhurt to continue their education. We will not allow any group of people to distract us from our goal of educating all Lagos children and equip them for the future,” he said.
He advised the students to devote more time to their academic pursuit to excel and be reliable keepers of tomorrow as the theme of this year’s Children’s Day suggests, urging them to shun all vices such as hooliganism, rape, examination malpractices, and late arrival to school, alcoholism, and drug abuse.
Speaking earlier, the Deputy Governor, Dr Idiat Oluranti Adebule, who was represented by the Director, Co-curricular, Mrs Babs Akinyeye, acknowledged the progress made in the education sector through the quiz competition.
According to her, “the standard of questions that are posted to the pupils/students and the ease with which they answer them is a testimony to the quality of education that we provide in the state”.
Mrs Adebule opined that the brilliance exhibited by the participants from the preliminaries to the final shows that the students have been properly groomed for the competition.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
Over 200 senior students of Cleggs Girls High School, Surulere, Lagos, were on July 23, 2026, engaged in practical knowledge about the risks associated with smoking, vaping, and shisha.
This engagement was made possible through a collaboration between Breathe Life Foundation and Teach Nigeria Fellow.
Participants were students aged 15–19 years. They were also informed about the misconception that shisha is a safer alternative to cigarettes or other substances.
Through an engaging and interactive discussion, students explored the influence of peer pressure and learned practical strategies for making healthier, more informed lifestyle choices.
They also gained a better understanding of common environmental triggers of asthma and other respiratory conditions, including cigarette smoke, generator fumes, bush burning, mosquito coil smoke, candles, charcoal, and firewood.
The session highlighted an important reality: young people may not always recognise how seemingly routine lifestyle choices and environmental exposures can gradually affect their respiratory health, quality of life, and long-term wellbeing.
For Breathe Life Foundation, this reinforces the importance of shifting the conversation from treatment to prevention through awareness and education.
By equipping young people with the knowledge to identify risks and make healthier choices early, the foundation is helping to build a generation that is more conscious of – and better prepared to protect – its respiratory health.
The organisation said it is dedicated to advancing respiratory health, an often-neglected public health priority. Healthy lungs are essential to life, yet respiratory diseases remain among the world’s leading causes of death and disability, even though many are preventable and treatable.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
As part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) schemes, the Obajana Plant of Dangote Cement Plc has distributed some educational materials to some pupils in Kogi State.
The items shared to the beneficiaries included school bags, exercise books, writing materials, water bottles, and other essential learning aids aimed at enhancing the learning experience of the pupils and preparing them for the next academic session.
The General Manager for the Social Performance Department of Dangote Cement at Obajana Plant, Mr Ademola Adeyemi, said the materials were donated days after Dangote Cement distributed similar education materials to pupils in public schools in its catchment communities of Oyo, Iwaa, Obajana and Apata; and commissioned a multi-million-naira hospital in Obajana, which added to the growing list of social investments that includes an earlier hospital project in Iwaa and Oyo Communities.
He noted that, over the years, the company has invested billions of naira in a wide range of social programmes for host communities, including empowerment programmes, road construction, and potable water projects, and it remains resolute in its commitment to sustaining and expanding its interventions.
He noted that the company’s corporate social responsibility programmes are aligned with government development priorities and are implemented through sustained, mutually beneficial partnerships.
“The intervention was informed by findings from a needs assessment conducted by Dangote Cement. During the assessment, it was observed that several pupils attended school without school bags, while others carried their books by hand. It was also discovered that many students lacked essential learning materials such as exercise books, pens, pencils, and other basic learning materials,” the cement firm said.
The Head Teacher of UBE LGEA School, St. Luke Model II, Adankolo, Lokoja Local Government Area, Mr Abubakar Sanni, expressed profound appreciation to the management of Dangote Cement for the gesture.
The Head Teacher expressed gratitude to the Group President of the conglomerate, Aliko Dangote, for extending the company’s educational support programme beyond its host and impacted communities to schools located at the state headquarters.
The beneficiaries, school management, parents, and community stakeholders expressed gratitude to Dangote Cement for the timely intervention and prayed for the continued growth and success of the company in its efforts to improve lives and support sustainable community development.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigeria Prize for Literature has unveiled an 11-title longlist for its 2026 edition, selecting the outstanding poetry collections from a record 223 submissions received for the competition.
This was contained in a press statement signed by General Manager, External Relations & Sustainable Development, Mrs Sophia Horsfall.
The announcement, by the chairman of the Advisory Board for the Prize, Professor Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, marks a significant milestone in this year’s competition and reflects the exceptional quality, creativity and diversity of contemporary poetry.
The longlisted titles, arranged alphabetically, are:
1. Adult Love by Tanure Ojaide
2. Bakandimiya by Saddiq Dzukogi
3. Black Passport by Paul Akpomuje
4. 2000 Blacks by Ajibola Tolase
5. Ceremony for The Nameless by Theresa Lola
6. Corpus: Animistic Verses by Ayo Oyeku
1. Floral’s Love Colony by Tares Oburumu
2. The Origin of Wounds by Malik Gbolahan
3. The Years of Blood by Adebayo Agarau
4. Unbind Me Now by James Ugwu Eze
5. Why Does God Need a Gun by Ogaga Ifowodo
Professor Adimora-Ezeigbo described the announcement as an important stage in the 2026 edition of arguably Africa’s biggest and most prestigious literary Prize.
She noted that the collections demonstrate the remarkable capacity of poetry to illuminate human experience through thoughtful reflection, cultural memory and artistic expression.
The academic added that the works revisit history while interrogating dominant historical narratives and exposing the forces that shape collective identities and social relations.
She stated that despite their varied emphases, the books share a commitment to exploring the endurance of individuals and communities in the face of violence, oppression, and social fragmentation.
Commenting on style and language, she said the books display an impressive diversity of poetic techniques marked by lyrical intensity, symbolic depth, and artistic innovation.
“Many employ densely poetic, allegorical, and elegiac modes that invite multiple layers of interpretation, while others draw extensively on folklore, oral traditions, and contemporary realities to create a compelling fusion of past and present. Their language is generally fluid, evocative, and aesthetically refined, relying on vivid imagery, emotional resonance, and intellectual sophistication to communicate complex ideas. These works demonstrate how poetic language can illuminate social realities, challenge established perspectives, and give voice to both individual and collective experiences.
“The next stage will demand a closer reading of each work, with attention to language, form, originality and lasting literary value,” she stated.
She also commended the judges for their work and reaffirmed the Advisory Board’s commitment to a credible process, literary excellence and the promotion of a strong reading culture.
The announcement of the 11-title longlist formally opens the next phase of the shortlist of three in August and the possible announcement of the winner in October.
The Nigeria Prize for Literature, sponsored by NLNG, carries a cash award of $100,000 for the author of the winning book. In its 22nd year, the prize rotates annually across four genres – prose fiction, poetry, drama and children’s literature – with the 2026 edition devoted to poetry.
