By Bose Adelaja
CITIZENS COMPASS –Two siblings, Michael Gift and her older brother, Gilbert, have emerged the winner of an annual Spelling Bee and Mathematics competitions organised by the Oba Adeboruwa Housing Estate (CDA), Igbogbo-Baiyeku Local Council Development Area (LCDA) 
in Ikorodu Division, Lagos State.
The event was held on Saturday, June 1, 2024 within the Estate premises
The siblings, six-year-old Gift, and Gilbert, eight years old, both in Basics Two and Four with Divine Grace and Favour schools won the Lower and Upper primary schools categories defeating other participants at the event.
Similarly, four other students Akintomide Elizabeth, Barokah Badmus, Darasimi Ogunsanya, and Charis Peter also won the Second and Third categories of the Spelling Bee competition.
The Lower Secondary Schools category was won by Obikoya Oluwaferranmi, Huzzain Amina, and Akintomide Ayoola while Kenneth Ijeoma, Peter David, and Bucknor Louisa won the Upper Secondary Schools category.
Among other contestants, Iloabachi Lionel, Bolakale Kausarat, and Munachi Chucks emerged as the winners of the Mathematics competition.
The winners went home with various prizes including cash, courtesy of the Estate.
The Special Guest of Honour and Chairman, of the Community Development Committee (CDC), Pastor Abayomi Adelakun, while admonishing those present, urged them to be more dedicated to their goals noting that there are rewards for this.
“I am amazed at what I witnessed today which means that you are working hard and I want you to keep it up.
“I would like you to support our CDA, like we always preach anywhere we go, that, we are community developers, not community destroyers.
“I want to appreciate the parents present here today for maturely doing this because today’s competition has testified that our investment in these children is yielding.
“May we all eat the fruits of our labour.”
He urged the students to study hard and make their parents proud.
Princess Basirat Banjoko, Councillor, Ward C1, admonished the students to be content and make their parents proud.
Earlier, Alhaji Musa Bolaji Hammed, Chairman, of Oba Adeboruwa Estate, appreciated those who supported the Competition in one way or the saying the Estate would do more to bring mental alertness to the students.
In a chat with Citizens Compass, Mrs Aransiola Mary, the mother of Gift and Gilbert expressed happiness at the performance of her children.
She noted that Gilbert participated in the Spelling Bee Competition last year but did not emerge winner but after much encouragement, he promised to work harder.
“I tried to encourage them while they were preparing for the Competition because. The 2023 edition did not favour Gilbert but I encouraged him that there is always another time and he was determined to put in his best to today’s edition.”
Other parents who attended the Competition expressed delight at it but urged the organisers to improve on it.
Present at the occasion were community leaders, educationists, and residents.
