The International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Kogi State Chapter, organized the PROOF Spelling Bee Competition among six schools on Wednesday as part of activities celebrating the 2026 Children’s Day.
Held in Lokoja, the competition brought together students from participating schools to showcase their spelling, vocabulary, and language skills.
Speaking at the event, Justice Ojoma Haruna said the competition aligned with this year’s Children’s Day theme, “One Child, One Word, One Hope.”
Haruna, represented by Magistrate Dorcas Abraham, emphasized that every child has immense potential and deserves access to quality education.
“Every child carries a future of possibilities, and it is our collective duty to ensure that no child is forgotten, neglected, or denied the right to learn,” she stated.
The judge highlighted that spelling bee competitions significantly contribute to children’s educational development by improving vocabulary, pronunciation, listening skills, confidence in public speaking, and overall mastery of the English language.
Justice Maryanne Otaru, a FIDA member, also underscored the educational value of such competitions, noting that they help students gain a deeper understanding of pronunciation and proper language usage beyond merely learning words.
In her remarks, Mrs. Oluwakemi Omeiza-Usman, Chairperson of FIDA in Kogi, explained that the association chose to celebrate this year’s Children’s Day by emphasizing the importance of words and language.
She added that the competition aimed to promote literacy and encourage language mastery among young learners.
“We organized this competition because we believe that mastery of language is key to unlocking a world of opportunities.
In an era dominated by shorthand and autocorrect, we are bringing back the art of deep reading, focus, and orthographic precision,” she said.
Omeiza-Usman disclosed that the competition was sponsored solely by Prince Olatunji Olusoji, Chairman of the Prince Olatunji Olusoji Foundation (PROOF).
At the end of the keenly contested event, GYB Model Science School emerged as the overall winner among the six participating schools.
The organizers expressed optimism that the competition would continue to inspire academic excellence and promote literacy development among children across the state.
Other participating schools included Majesty International School, Crowther Memorial School, Muslim Community School, Bishop Delisle College, and Eagles Academy.
