Amazing-Grace Salami, an 11-year-old kid from Abuja’s Greenspill International School, won the Nigerian Spelling Bee (SpIN) competition.
Salami took home the coveted title after defeating 63 other candidates from the United States and several international schools in Nigeria. At the Grand Finale of the first-ever Spelling Bee in Nigeria, held in Ikoyi, Lagos, Acting U.S. Consul General JoEllen Gorg made the announcement.
SpIN is linked to the Scripps National Spelling Bee, a distinguished competition that has been honouring spelling prowess since 1925, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). The 100th anniversary of the National Spelling Bee in the United States was celebrated in August 2024, when the competition began with a pool of 200 pupils from 15 schools across the nation.
Gorg announced at the ceremony that Ifeoluwapo Okuboyejo came in second and Naomi Ociuco came in third. Salami will represent Nigeria in the centenary Scripps National Spelling Bee in the United States, where she will receive a $10,000 Merriam-Webster dictionary subscription for a year, $500 in spending money, an engraved trophy, Indomie merchandise and a gold medal with all expenses covered.
Along with silver and bronze medals, citations for their accomplishments, an invitation to the centenary edition in the United States, and Indomie merchandise, the runners-up will also receive $100 in spending money. They will also get a citation for recognition, a novel valued at ₦20,000, and automatic participation into the next SpIN edition’s semi-finals.
“Even though this is Nigeria’s first edition, we are celebrating 100 years of spelling excellence in the United States,” Gorg said in reference to the event’s significance. It is an honour to invite Nigeria to this momentous occasion.
64 outstanding contestants from Abuja, Lagos, Osun, and Taraba States competed in today’s Grand Finale to become Nigeria’s first SpIN winner. In order to encourage further participation and inspire future generations, three other finalists will also have the opportunity to accompany the winners as members of Nigeria’s official delegation.
Gorg underlined how important spelling is for young people and expressed the hope that all participants will use what they learnt to pursue extraordinary goals, such as studying in the United States and advancing Nigeria. Salami’s name, “Amazing-Grace,” which stands for harmony, peace, and prosperity between Nigeria and the US, served as her inspiration.
The event’s organiser, Eugenia Tachie-Menson, observed that the competitors were not only very good at memorising facts but also understood the basics of the English language. They have utilised linguistic knowledge across a variety of academic subjects, remembered roots and origins, and examined word structures. These abilities will benefit them far beyond the competition, improving their communication, understanding, and critical thinking skills for the rest of their lives,” she said.
Scripps National Spelling Bee Executive Director Corrie Loeffler gave thanks to the organisations, educators, and supporters that believe in the competition’s good influence on young lives as she reflected on its growth and the joy it offers.
The CEO of the American Business Council in Nigeria, Margaret Olele, commended the event for exhibiting commitment and excellence among gifted people and acknowledged the finalists for their outstanding accomplishments. She emphasised the value of making investments in the leaders of tomorrow, who will influence numerous communities and sectors.
The District Governor of the Rotary Club of Victoria Island East, District 9112 Nigeria, Femi Adenekan, reaffirmed Rotary’s dedication to literacy and education, saying that funding educational programs in Nigeria is crucial to creating a society that is more peaceful, knowledgeable, capable, and empowered.
Kemi Salami, the mother of Amazing-Grace Salami, said that her daughter has worked hard despite her impending tests and is a motivated person. Amazing-Grace thanked the organisers for the opportunity in her final remarks and pledged to represent Nigeria proudly at the international competition, working even harder to make the nation proud in the US.
CREDIT: ALLSCHOOL, Allschoolabs
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