Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has awarded a scholarship and cash gift to 14-year-old Damilola Adeolu following her gold medal victory at the 2026 Spelling Bee World Cup in Shanghai, China.
Oyebanji said the state government would support Adeolu’s education through secondary school and extend assistance beyond that level, including at the university, to ensure her academic journey is not hindered.
In a video shared on social media on Tuesday, the governor congratulated the young champion on behalf of the Ekiti State Government and its people, describing her feat as a source of pride for the state and Nigeria.
He said Adeolu’s success should be the beginning of greater achievements, stressing that exceptional talents deserve sustained support to realise their full potential.
To that end, Oyebanji directed the Commissioner for Education to put the scholarship package in place and include a welfare component to cater for her well-being throughout her education.
“You have made us extremely proud. The question I keep asking myself is, what next? You should not stop here. You have conquered the world, but you still need to conquer the future ahead of you,” the governor said.
“Beyond this celebration, we need to sit down and find a way to walk this journey with you. From now until you finish secondary school, my government will support you. When you proceed to the university, we will also sit down and find a way around that. We will walk this journey with you,” he added,
Adeolu won the gold medal at the 2026 Spelling Bee World Cup in Shanghai, earning international recognition for herself, Ekiti State and Nigeria.