Chinedu Great Okediachi, a student of Madonna International College, Asaba, has been awarded a full scholarship up to university level by the Asagba of Asaba, His Royal Majesty Epiphany Azinge. This life-changing reward comes after Okediachi helped Team Nigeria win gold at the 2026 Spelling Bee World Cup in Shanghai, China.
Scholarship Announcement
The Nigeria Spelling Bee announced the scholarship in a Facebook post on Wednesday, expressing gratitude to the traditional ruler for recognizing Okediachi's achievement. The post read: 'Our sincere gratitude to His Royal Majesty, the Asagba of Asaba, for awarding our Spelling Bee World Cup Gold Award medalist (Chinedu Great Okediachi of Madonna International College Asaba) a full scholarship through to the university level. Your Majesty’s extraordinary generosity and commitment to education will shape a bright future for our champion and inspire our entire community.'
Historic Victory in Shanghai
Okediachi was part of the four-member Team Nigeria that won the Gold Award in the Middle School Group Category during the competition held from July 10 to July 20, 2026, in Shanghai. The team included Oluwadamilola Adeolu of St. Lawrence Metropolitan College, Ado-Ekiti, and Abdurrahman Yusuf and Maryam Yusuf of Ar-Raheem International College, Ilorin. They became the first Nigerians ever to represent the country at the Spelling Bee World Cup.
Journey to the World Cup
The team qualified after impressing at the Nigeria Spelling Bee and later at the African Spelling Bee Championship in Harare, Zimbabwe. At the continental championship, Adeolu emerged champion of the Junior category, beating contestants from more than 30 African countries, while Abdurrahman Yusuf finished third. Nigeria ended the competition as the second-best overall performing nation.
Before the tournament, the Nigeria Spelling Bee described the students as young ambassadors carrying the hopes of both Nigeria and Africa onto the global stage. Ar-Raheem International College also celebrated the achievement, confirming that its students returned home with medals from the world championship.
Impact of the Scholarship
The full scholarship removes one of the biggest financial burdens for many Nigerian families—school fees. For Okediachi, the victory in Shanghai was already historic, but the scholarship has made the celebration even sweeter, securing his education through university. The monarch was praised for investing in education and supporting young talents.
