Fides Media Living the Faith
By Gloria Ibesi, Vivian Ononiwu , Marcellinus Uzowanne and Ebube Edoh
An Awka based philanthropic foundation, Oluebube Charity Foundation, has organized a Spelling Bee Competition involving secondary schools across Anambra State, with the grand finale taking place on Saturday, 11 November 2023.
The spelling match, a competition on candidates’ spelling capacities, was a pure scholarly battle among young, intelligent minds, where the students were meant to spell English words, formally given in a dictionary, provided for them by the organizers.
The contest which was the first of its kind, organized by the foundation, hosted at Stanel Dome, Awka, Anambra State, was live-streamed by Fides Media on their Facebook platform, securing close to 2000 views and over 4000 impressions.
A total of 68 contestants were engaged in a fierce academic battle during the Spelling Bee which produced four outstanding brains as winners of the competition. The winner, Master Mark Chijindu, from Evidence Link Academy Secondary School, Nnewi, was honoured with the huge sum of N500, 000, a tablet phone, a schoolbag, an Oxford Dictionary of English and an exercise book. The 1st runner up, Miss Esther Ike, of St Patrick’s International Secondary School, Ichi, took home the sum of N350, 000, a tablet phone, a schoolbag, an Oxford Dictionary of English and an exercise book.
By the same token, Miss Chidiogo Ejike of St Patrick’s College, Awka and Miss Charis Obi of St Mikel’s International School, Nnewi, who tied on third spot, were awarded the sum of N300, 000 to be split between the two, including some other gift items, after a long tie breaker which still ended up in a tie and qualified the two contestants as winners of the 2nd Runner Up position.
Fides learnt that the organizers of the academic contest, Oluebube Charity Foundation is a nonprofit organization based in Awka, Anambra State, established to help the less privileged children and families in society. Its philanthropic services extend to humanitarian, awareness, training and advocacy programmes.
Earlier at the beginning of the event, the director of the Foundation, Mr Gerald Ezeani, expressed gladness for the success of the event despite all challenges. He also appreciated all teachers and students who made it to the occasion.
Mr Ezeani stated that the foundation’s motto was ”An Act of Random kindness”, explaining that the kindness was random, given to anybody who was deserving, undeserving, ready or not ready, noting that it was how charity was.
He said that the charity went to indigent people, as well as intelligent children, as the Foundation believed every child was a winner. He encouraged the participants to believe in themselves, fight hard and contest with winning spirits.
The Foundation also disclosed its next plan of organizing a youth empowerment programme, which, it said, would feature a free skill acquisition exercise to help and encourage the growth youths in society.
