A 17-year-old boy, Muslim Adewale, who graduated from Birch Freeman Senior High School in Surulere, Lagos, has achieved the best result in the 2024 May/June West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) within the entire Lagos Education District Six and has been awarded a scholarship.
The boy, who also scored 302 out of 400 in the recent Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), which the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) reported many candidates failed, was presented with the award on Monday during this year’s annual merit awards and honors organized by Education District 6, Lagos State, for school administrators, teachers, other school staff, and students in the district, which comprises the Ikeja, Mushin, and Oshodi-Isolo Local Government Areas.
The scholarship prize amounts to half a million naira and was provided by God’s Covenant Church of All Nations, Ikeja, as part of its commitment to support indigent members of the community.
Muslim is a science student who achieved 6 As, including Mathematics, along with 1 B3 and 2 C4 in the school-based examination.
He is currently awaiting admission to the University of Lagos (UNILAG) in Akoka to study Computer Science.
Interestingly, his father, Mr. Rasheed Adewale, is a commercial bus driver, while his mother, Mrs. Rasheedat Adewale, is a petty trader who sells pure water in front of their house.
Muslim expressed his excitement about the prize, telling the Nigerian Tribune in an interview that he was surprised to receive it.
“The organizers only called me on the phone and asked me to dress formally without informing me that I would be receiving an award based on my WASSCE result,” he said.
Muslim stated that the scholarship money comes at a time when he was unsure how his parents would raise his required fees at UNILAG once he is offered admission.
“But with this N500,000, my parents will be greatly relieved,” he noted.
Muslim explained that although both his parents did not go beyond secondary school, they value education and are willing to forgo food and nice clothes to ensure he and his elder sister, who is an undergraduate at Lagos State University (LASU) in Ojo, receive a good education beyond secondary level.
He thanked his parents, the organizers of the award, and the award sponsor, noting that his dream is to become a computer scientist and make a positive impact on the community.
He also expressed a desire for additional support from other organizations, both public and private, including non-governmental organizations and individuals, to ease his educational journey and make it less stressful for his parents.
Earlier, Dr. Shareefah Yusuf, the Tutor-General/Permanent Secretary (TGPS) of Education District 6, congratulated Muslim and other awardees at the event, urging them to maintain their excellent performance and strive to exceed it.
She noted that no fewer than 800 teachers were nominated for various categories of awards from both junior and senior secondary schools within the district, but only 36 qualified.
Other categories included Best Principals and Vice Principals of the Year, Best Heads of Departments of the Year, and two outstanding students in the recently released 2024 WASSCE and Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
According to the Tutor-General, teachers are the architects of future generations, and the annual event is designed to celebrate the many staff and students who have achieved great success in their respective endeavors over the past year.
“We have been doing this for the last 18 years, and the idea is to encourage those who win awards to strive for more, while also motivating non-awardees to cultivate the habit of doing their best in this noble profession, as they too will be honored one day once they earn it,” she added.
In his remarks, Mr. Olusola Ajala, Chairman of Odi-Olowo/Ojuwoye LCDA, who sponsored the Vice Principals’ award category, stated that his support was part of the government’s responsibility to encourage hard work and dedication among teachers and students.
He urged parents and community leaders to contribute to raising children who will be worthy ambassadors for the nation, particularly regarding the responsible use of social media, adding, “Gone are the days of conventional parenting.”
Speaking to the Nigerian Tribune at the event, Mr. Akintoye Hassan, the chairman of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) in Lagos State, praised the organizers for their initiative to reward excellent workers and students.
He described the development as a wake-up call for those who are not sufficiently committed or who neglect their duties.
Hassan urged the award recipients not to rest on their laurels but to strive for further achievements, while encouraging others to take their responsibilities more seriously so they too can be honored in the future.
He concluded by stating that teachers’ rewards are no longer confined to the afterlife but can also be realized on Earth for those who are committed and diligent.
