By Aduragbemi Omiyale
A student of Glorious Covenant School, Rivers State, Ikenna Ikechukwu, has won the 2024 edition of the MTN Nigeria mPulse Spelling Bee Competition.
At the grand finale held on Saturday, November 30, 2024, in Lagos, the winner impressed the audience and judges by correctly spelling the winning word, Cornucopia, within six seconds to go home with a N5 million scholarship, a laptop, a smartphone, mPulse goody bag, and a chance to serve as chief executive of the company for a day.
The contest, in its fifth edition, started in September with thousands of participants across Nigeria and 20 top young spellers converging over the weekend to slug it out for the grand prize, which was taken by Ikechukwu, who thanked MTN “for this amazing platform that helps students learn, play, and shine,” noting that “this opportunity has been truly life-changing.”
In addition to the individual prizes, the champion’s school, Glorious Covenant School, was awarded an ICT lab equipped with 10 laptops and MTN 5G routers, while the student’s teacher received N500,000 in cash.
The second and third-place winners, Ayomide Ibigbemi and Munachimso Opara, also received significant prizes, including scholarships, laptops, and smartphones, reinforcing MTN’s focus on rewarding excellence in education.
For the first time, the grand finale was streamed live on the mPulse website mpulse.mtn.ng, myMTN app, and on Event channels 198 and 49 on both DSTV and GOTV, allowing Nigerians nationwide to witness the brilliance of these young spellers.
The livestream attracted thousands of viewers, who cheered and celebrated the contestants from the comfort of their homes.
Speaking at the event, the Chief Risk and Compliance Officer of MTN Nigeria, Obiageli Ugboma, said, “This year, over 40,000 young spellers competed for the chance to stand here today.
“It is inspiring to see the incredible effort these 20 finalists have put in to make it this far. At MTN, we are deeply committed to education and nurturing young talents.
“The mPulse Spelling Bee reflects our belief in empowering the next generation. Today isn’t just about winning; it’s about celebrating effort, resilience, and the role models these students have become for their peers.”
The mPulse Spelling Bee has grown into a hallmark event for Nigerian primary and secondary students, creating a lasting impact on participants and their communities.