Teenager from Nigeria Wins Top Honor as Junior African Spelling Bee Champion at Just 14 Years Old

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A 14-year-old Nigerian student, Oluwadamilola Adeolu, has emerged winner of the Junior category at the African Spelling Bee competition held in Harare, Zimbabwe.

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Adeolu, a student of St. Lawrence Metropolitan College, Ado-Ekiti, secured the top position after outperforming contestants from over 30 African countries at the continental contest.

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This was disclosed on the website of the Nigeria Spelling Bee organisers, affiliated with the Federal Ministry of Education.

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“At the end of the competition, Oluwadamilola Adeolu of St. Lawrence Metropolitan College, Ado-Ekiti emerged as the Junior Champion, securing a remarkable victory for Nigeria in the continental contest,” the statement read.

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In the same category, Abdurrahman Yusuf of Ar-Raheem International College, Ilorin, placed third, further boosting Nigeria’s presence on the winners’ podium, while South Africa’s Ashton Singh came second.

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The statement added that Nigeria also emerged as the second-best country overall in the team rankings, highlighting the country’s consistent performance in the competition.

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“Strong Team Performance — Nigeria also secured the title of 2nd Best Country Spelling Bee Team in the overall group rankings, reaffirming the country’s consistency and strength in the African Spelling Bee competition,” it added.

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Other members of Team Nigeria included Oghenetano Idoghor of Mountain Top Schools, Lagos; Chinedu Okediachi of Madonna International Schools, Asaba; and Maryam Yusuf of Ar-Raheem International School, Ilorin.

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The competition featured multiple stages, including a speed round where participants were required to spell 20 words within one minute, alongside single-word elimination rounds.

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Adeolu’s victory adds to her growing list of academic achievements.

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She previously placed second in the 2023 MTN Spelling Bee, second in the 2024 Ekiti State Spelling Bee, fifth in the 2025 African Spelling Bee, and second in the 2025 Nigeria Spelling Bee.

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Her journey to the continental title began with a first-place finish in Ekiti State, followed by a second-place performance at the national finals in Port Harcourt.

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Nigeria’s latest success continues its strong record at the African Spelling Bee, where its representatives have won multiple titles across both junior and senior categories over the years.

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