17-Year-Old Jemimah Marcus "Takes Over" as Nigerian Governor, Takes Important Action
- Ms Jemimah Marcus, a 17-year-old student, "took over" the prestigious seat of the Lagos state governor on Monday, December 20
- The student of Angus Memorial Secondary School in Somolu, Lagos East, earned the position for a day after winning the 2020 edition of the Spelling Bee Competition
- Jemimah presided over the weekly Executive Council meeting of the state’s cabinet and made some key requests as Governor Sanwo-Olu temporarily stepped aside
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Lagos, Nigeria - Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Monday, December 20, yielded the seat of authority for Ms Jemimah Marcus, a 17-year-old, for a brief moment to step in as one-day governor of Lagos state.
A statement by the Lagos state government indicates that Jemimah, a student of Angus Memorial Secondary School in Somolu, Lagos East, won the 2020 edition of the Spelling Bee Competition, thereby earning the rare honour.
Source: Facebook
Legit.ng gathers that Jemimah, an indigene of Edo state, presided over the weekly Executive Council meeting of the state’s cabinet as Governor Sanwo-Olu temporarily stepped aside and observed the proceedings.
Jemimah makes important requests
Presiding over the cabinet meeting, Jemimah commended the Sanwo-Olu administration for initiating “laudable” programmes through its THEMES agenda to turn around governance and service delivery.
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She described Governor Sanwo-Olu as a “transformational leader”, saying the state has recorded giant strides in education, health, housing, infrastructure renewal, transportation, youth and women development in the last two years of the administration.
Her words:
“Mr. Governor, I commend your team for excellent leadership, as well as proactiveness in critical sectors. In education, the State Government has embarked on revamping schools and delivering new ones to improve access. This effort has been complemented with massive innovative programmes, such as EKO EXCEL, Lagos Learns Together, Read Loud, EKO Digital School, and job initiative.
“These laudable programmes have impacted on students, teachers and the out-of-school learners, as the initiatives have improved teaching and learning with excellent outcome. With the deployment of technology, I can say teaching techniques across Lagos schools are no longer what they used to be. The success of these programmes is evident in the performance of students in their academic.”
Further speaking, Jemimah solicited for more funding for her school, and schools where students learn under harsh circumstances.
She also asked the Lagos state governor to support her parents in order to help her realise her future dreams.
The one-day governor harped on the need to commit more investment in digital literacy across public schools in the State, urging Sanwo-Olu to ensure the metropolitan fibre being laid across Lagos drops in public schools as promised.
Governor Sanwo-Olu responds
In a statement posted on his Facebook page, Governor Sanwo-Olu said he accepted the requests made by Jemimah.
He said:
"I accepted the request of our one-day Governor that government should make more investment in education and human capital development.
"As a government we are already doing that and we will continue to do more."
The Spelling Bee competition
Spelling Bee competition, a contest between public schools across Lagos, is one of the legacy programmes in the State’s education sector pioneered in 2001 by the then First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu through her New Era Foundation.
Since 2015, the Lagos state government said it has taken full charge of the programme, collaborating with partners and stakeholders to further help realise its objectives.
Governor Sanwo-Olu said he is delighted that the competition has been achieving its desired vision and objectives.
He told Jemimah:
"The organisers will be following up on your future endeavour to ensure you acquire the right leadership skills and become responsible citizens.
“Your success at the competition is an encouragement for us to do a lot more, especially in education. We will ensure that your teachers are given the right encouragement so that they can continue to impart quality knowledge across our various schools.”
Governor Sanwo-Olu also said the one-day governorship programme was one of the ways employed by the state to raise future leaders.
He noted that the initiative had afforded winners the opportunity not only to improve in their learning, but also expose them rudiments of public administration.
In the company of the Spelling Bee winner is the first and second runners-up, Ajose Sotin, 17, of Topo Senior Grammar School, Badagry, and Edeh Rhema, 19, of Nawair Ud-Deen Senior High School, Oyingbo.
Nigerians react
Folashade Oj said
"Wow, this is so good to hear. A winner emerging from one of the group of schools I graduated from in Somolu. I'm proud to be a product of public secondary school. Thank you sir for the opportunity given to the winner."
Rukymena Okpako said:
"Wow! This will inspire others students to sit up. One day former governor of Lagos state Mr Sawolu pls address her as her excellency before her tenure expire midnight. Thank you sir."
Francis Abuah Nwabueze said:
"Thank you Mr. Governor for for continuing to uphold this enduring legacy of Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu administration. And to Jemima the sky will be the beginning of your exploit. Congratulations."
John Baruwa said:
"Education is the best legacy, the youth have spoken again. No amount spent on education is too much. Free, qualitative and compulsory education should be government priority in our clime."
Li Sa said:
"I participated in this competition, I nearly cried out my eyes when I lost
"Congrats to you Jemima More wins "
Features and photos of new school built by Governor Sanwo-Olu
Meanwhile, Governor Sanwo-Olu on Tuesday, December 14, commissioned a newly built school named Elemoro Community Junior Secondary School in Lagos.
In a statement released via his official Facebook page, the Lagos state governor explained that the move was to ensure pupils from the community no longer have to walk long-distance before they have access to schools.
He noted that his administration conceived and initiated the school project as an intervention to address a shortfall in access to education in the community.
Source: Legit.ng
