Nkanu Daniel Victor, a 12-year-old student of Intimacy with Christ International, Nasarawa, has emerged as the champion of the 2023 edition of the MTN mPulse Spelling Bee Competition.
The thrilling finale, held at the MTN Head Office in Ikoyi, Lagos, saw Daniel spelling eight words correctly in a spell-off against 11-year-old Oluwadamilola Adeolu.
The mPulse Spelling Bee Competition, aimed at encouraging academic growth and self-improvement for students aged 9 to 15, began in August 2023 with over 30,000 students participating across the country.
As the winner, Daniel Victor will assume the role of MTN Nigeria’s CEO for a day and become the face of mPulse for the next year.
Obiageli Ugboma, Chief Risk and Compliance Officer, MTN Nigeria, congratulated the finalists and reiterated MTN’s commitment to promoting digital literacy in Nigeria.
Ugboma stated, “The mPulse Spelling Bee Competition is a platform that empowers young Nigerians to become great spellers, public speakers, and attain their full potential. As the next set of frontrunners from this initiative, we are proud of your brilliance and excited about the impact you will have on other young ones.”
Daniel Victor, the spelling bee champion, will receive a N2.5 million scholarship grant, a laptop, smartphone, and an MTN goody bag, in addition to serving as MTN Nigeria’s CEO for a day.
The champion’s school, Intimacy with Christ International, will be equipped with cutting-edge ICT devices, including 10 laptops and 10 Hynet Modems, while Daniel’s Spelling Coach/teacher will receive a cash prize of N500,000.
Expressing his joy, Daniel Victor said, “It feels like a dream to me, I am speechless. It was a tough competition, but I am very happy I came this far and won in the end.”
The first and second runners-up, Oluwadamilola Adeolu and Ajibola Flourish from St Lawrence Metropolitan College, Ado Ekiti, alongside other finalists, received prizes totaling over N10 million and numerous goody bags.
The mPulse Spelling Bee is part of MTN’s initiatives to enable students in primary and secondary schools to excel through healthy competitions, engage with the community, and underscore the company’s commitment to education.
