By Peter Omopo
Governor on Monday temporarily handed over the reins of leadership to 14-year-old Miss Esther Etiyemonu, who served as Lagos State’s One-Day Governor after winning the 2025/2026 Spelling Bee Competition for public secondary schools.
Etiyemonu, a Senior Secondary School II student of , emerged overall winner of the 21st edition of the competition. She arrived at the Lagos State Government House accompanied by her two-member student cabinet: One-Day Deputy Governor Miss Dorcas Awoyemi of and One-Day Secretary to the State Government Miss Salami Jumain Olaide of .
In a symbolic gesture aimed at promoting civic engagement among young people, Etiyemonu presided over a brief State Executive Council meeting, offering students first-hand exposure to governance and leadership.
She described the Spelling Bee initiative as a “worthy education legacy” pioneered by former Lagos First Lady and current Nigerian First Lady , noting that the programme continues to foster scholarship and leadership development in public schools.
Reflecting on the state’s education policies, the One-Day Governor commended what she called significant progress under the current administration.
“In education, Governor Sanwo-Olu’s achievements are highly commendable. We have seen improvements in the quality of education through reforms such as recruitment of teachers, establishment of technical colleges, digital skills training, upgrading of tertiary institutions, staff housing development and renovation of public secondary school libraries,” she said.
Etiyemonu also highlighted developments in transportation, referencing the Lagos Rail Mass Transit Red and Blue Lines, as well as ongoing road reconstruction projects along the Gberigbe axis toward Ikorodu. She added that strengthened security measures have enhanced safety across the state.
Responding, Sanwo-Olu said the student’s emergence from a state-owned school underscored the impact of sustained public investment in education.
“You are a testament to the quality of education we are providing in our public schools. You embody excellence and the calibre of students emerging from our public institutions,” the governor said.
He cited improved performances in external examinations such as WASSCE and NECO as evidence that government spending on infrastructure, teacher welfare and upgraded learning environments is yielding results.
Sanwo-Olu reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to continued support for public schools, including improvements in healthcare access, road infrastructure, learning tools and facility maintenance, while assuring that school communities would be protected from disruptions.
Describing the Spelling Bee Competition as a lasting legacy, the governor pledged to sustain the initiative, which transforms academic excellence into civic opportunity for students across Lagos State.
