MTN celebrates spelling bee champion with school upgrade

Telecommunications giant, MTN Nigeria, has given a digital upgrade to St Lawrence Metropolitan College, Ado Ekiti, the school of the winner of the 2025 mPulse Spelling Bee Competition, Oreoluwa Alayande.

MTN Sales and Trade Development Manager, Ekiti, Chinyere Ikechi, said that apart from celebrating the 14-year-old winner, the upgrade was a means of investing in the school that nurtured such brilliance.

Alayande, a second-year senior secondary school student, won the 2025 MTN mPulse Spelling Bee Competition after defeating thousands of competitors who participated across the country.

Ikechi spoke at a modest gathering in Ado Ekiti comprising family members, officials of the Ekiti State Government, and staff and students of the school while handing over a N10m intervention project to the school on Saturday.

The items included fully installed 10 new air conditioners for the computer laboratory, a 30kW lithium inverter battery system, 10 brand new laptops, 10 broadband devices, and other educational gift items.

In addition, Oreoluwa was, on the occasion, formally presented with a ₦5m educational grant certificate, which will be managed to fund her secondary and tertiary education.

Ikechi added that Alayande would also be made a one-day MTN Chief Executive Officer, adding, “We look forward to celebrating you again next week as you step into the role of MTN CEO for a Day and continue your journey as the Face of mPulse for the next one year.”

The winner’s coach, Gbenga Julius, was also presented with a ₦500,000 cash prize in recognition of being the silent engine behind her success, highlighting MTN’s commitment to rewarding the educators who mentor Nigeria’s brightest minds.

The MTN manager said, “We are gathered here because St. Lawrence Metropolitan College made history. From this great school emerged the winner of the 2025 MTN mPulse Spelling Bee Competition, a competition that received thousands of entries from brilliant students across the country.

“Oreoluwa Alayande represented not just this school, but the entire Ekiti State with distinction, confidence, and intelligence, values we proudly uphold in MTN.

“Following the outstanding performance of Oreoluwa, we made a commitment — a commitment not just to celebrate the winner, but to invest in the school that nurtured such brilliance,” Ikechi said, adding that the girl’s achievement had brought honour to her, her family and school, and indeed inspired the country.

An elated Oreoluwa Alayande, in her remark, expressed gratitude to MTN “for creating the wonderful platform that helps young students like us to develop our vocabulary, confidence and love of learning.

“I hope that this award inspires many other young students to study harder, aim higher and never be afraid to compete,” she said, appreciating MTN “for the enormous gifts and everyone who supported me in this journey.”

Alayande said, “Winning the MTN mPulse Scholarship is not just a personal achievement, but a proud moment for our entire school,” which she said produced two students in the grand finale.

She hailed the school and her coach for commitment, discipline and their unique way of guiding students, which she said “have not just shaped me but many other students. Your work is seen, deeply appreciated and invaluable to me and many others. It proves that with hard work, discipline and determination we can achieve greatness.

“I am so grateful to my parents for the sacrifices they have made, both known and unknown to me, and I pray the Almighty God blesses them many morefold,” the student said.

The school proprietor, Lawrence Oluwafemi, who appreciated MTN for its commitment to the intellectual development of youngsters and the gesture to the school, assured that the school would continue to maintain quality standards.

Oluwafemi, impressed by the upgrade and recognition that Alayande’s prowess had brought to the school, announced a scholarship of free tuition for her until the completion of her studies in the school.

He said, “We are happy to partner with MTN. It is our good fortune today that MTN has reached us with these goodies and benefits. We want to appreciate this rare opportunity. We have been looking forward to a day like this. We are very happy today that God has crowned our efforts with success.”

The school management said that the new inverter system and ICT tools would revolutionise “how subjects are taught and read, moving beyond textbooks into real-world digital applications.”

The winner’s mother, Mrs Justinah Alayande, hailed MTN for the initiative targeted at shaping the future of the younger generation and contributing to the country’s development.

The joyful mother said, “I want to thank MTN for everything they have done — for the gifts, for the cash, for everything. I want to appreciate them. I thank God for this great opportunity that He has granted to my daughter, to my family, to Ekiti State, and to Nigeria as a whole.”

The winner’s schoolmate, Goodness Ewenike, who participated up to the grand finale of the competition, appreciated MTN for giving them the opportunity to exhibit their talents.

Ewenike said, “This competition is an eye-opener to excellence; it will enable us, emerging bright students, to showcase our God-given talents.”