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They Came Second Twice. Then They Became National Champions: Ondo Students Win University Scholarships in Powerful Lesson on Excellence

By Itoro Uwah | Tuesday, November 10, 2026

Education | Youth Excellence | Leadership | BEFOCUS Perspective

ABUJA, NIGERIA — In a country where conversations about young people often focus on unemployment, insecurity and uncertain opportunities, a group of secondary-school students from Ondo State has demonstrated the remarkable possibilities of preparation, persistence and academic discipline.

Model Secondary School, Akure, has emerged winner of the 11th National Quiz Competition on Legislature and Democracy, organised by the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS).

The competition, held in Abuja on Monday, November 9, brought together six finalist schools representing Nigeria's geopolitical zones.

The Ondo State school finished with 75 points, ahead of five other schools, and received ₦1 million, laptops and school bags. Its two participating students were also awarded scholarships extending to university level.

But the most powerful part of the story may not be the money, the scholarships or the national recognition. It is the journey that preceded the victory.

Two Previous Attempts. Two Second-Place Finishes. One National Victory.

According to the team's leader, Heritage Babayode, the school had participated in the national competition twice before, finishing second on both occasions.

Rather than abandoning their ambition, the students continued preparing.

They attended Saturday study sessions, practised questions and worked under the guidance of their teacher, Simdile Edebo.

On their third appearance in Abuja, the preparation culminated in a first-place finish.

The achievement illustrates a fundamental distinction between temporary disappointment and permanent failure.

A previous result does not necessarily determine what a student, school or institution can accomplish through sustained improvement.

How the Six Finalist Schools Performed

Position	School	Score
1st	Model Secondary School, Akure, Ondo	75
2nd	Annunciation Catholic College, Irrua, Edo	60
3rd	Government Secondary School, Kuwiri, Jos, Plateau	50

The second-place school received ₦500,000, while the third-place school received ₦300,000. Laptops and school bags were also presented to participants.

Other finalists came from Anambra, Jigawa and Gombe states.

From 222 Schools to Six Finalists

According to NILDS Director-General Professor Abubakar Sulaiman, 222 secondary schools participated in the competition nationwide.

Thirty-seven schools advanced to zonal contests, from which six finalists emerged.

The competition was designed to improve students' understanding of the legislature, democratic governance, constitutional responsibilities and civic participation.

Its significance therefore extends beyond academic recognition. It encourages young Nigerians to understand the institutions that influence their collective future.

Why the Teachers Also Deserve Recognition

Behind many successful students are teachers whose contributions rarely receive the same public attention as the final results.

Heritage Babayode acknowledged the dedication of his teacher, Simdile Edebo, who committed additional time to preparing the students.

The story reinforces the importance of mentorship, structured learning and educational environments that encourage students to improve.

Recognition should therefore extend beyond the winning students to the people and institutions that supported their development.

Witty Global Analysis: The Dangerous Culture of Wanting Results Without Preparation

ORIGINAL EDITORIAL ANALYSIS | ITORO UWAH

One of the challenges confronting contemporary youth development is the growing temptation to separate success from the process required to achieve it.

Young people are frequently exposed to images of wealth, recognition and influence without seeing the years of preparation that may precede meaningful achievement.

Social media can amplify this distortion by rewarding visible outcomes while concealing the discipline behind them.

Yet the story of Model Secondary School, Akure, offers a different lesson.

The students did not become national champions merely because they desired victory.

They prepared, returned, improved and competed again.

There is a profound difference between wanting an achievement and developing the capacity required to earn it.

This difference should shape conversations about education, entrepreneurship, leadership and national development.

The BEFOCUS Perspective: From Survival to Significance

BEFOCUS Children and Youth Foundation promotes mindset re-engineering, self-discovery, talent development, moral reorientation and excellence.

Its philosophy challenges young people to move beyond merely surviving circumstances toward developing the capacity to make meaningful contributions.

The Ondo students' achievement demonstrates why talent alone is insufficient.

Talent must be discovered. Knowledge must be acquired. Discipline must be cultivated. Character must be developed.

Without these processes, potential may remain unrealised.

At the same time, society has a responsibility to create educational opportunities that allow children from different backgrounds to develop their abilities.

Excellence should not be treated as the exclusive privilege of students who already enjoy favourable circumstances.

Schools, families, communities and public institutions must work to expand access to mentorship, learning resources and constructive opportunities.

Five Lessons Every Young Nigerian Should Learn

Failure is information, not identity. A disappointing result can reveal what requires improvement.
Preparation creates opportunity. Consistent effort increases the likelihood of meaningful progress.
Mentorship accelerates development. Responsible guidance can help young people recognise and correct weaknesses.
Knowledge strengthens citizenship. Understanding democratic institutions equips young people for informed participation.
Excellence is a process. Sustainable achievement depends on developing competence and character over time.

A Question for Nigerian Parents, Schools and Leaders

What kind of society are we preparing our children to inherit?

One in which young people are encouraged to pursue recognition at any cost?

Or one in which knowledge, discipline, integrity and useful competence are consistently rewarded?

Educational achievement deserves celebration, but celebration alone is insufficient.

Every successful example should encourage wider investment in teaching quality, learning resources, academic competitions and opportunities for children to discover their strengths.

Conclusion: The Future Does Not Reward Wishes Alone

The victory of Model Secondary School, Akure, is more than an educational headline.

It is an example of what can happen when young people receive guidance, remain committed to improvement and continue preparing despite previous disappointments.

For Nigerian students, the lesson is to develop competence rather than depend on shortcuts.

For parents and teachers, it is a reminder that consistent encouragement and mentorship can shape extraordinary outcomes.

For the nation, it is evidence of why investing in human development must remain a priority.

The future obeys today's choices. And the choices we repeat today are quietly building the abilities—or limitations—we will carry into tomorrow.

Your convenience is quietly destroying your future. Excellence begins when you choose development over distraction and preparation over shortcuts.

TONIGHT'S REFLECTION

Are we raising a generation that desires success, or developing a generation that possesses the discipline and competence required to achieve it?

Verified Sources

Editorial transparency: Competition results, prizes, student accounts and participation figures are drawn from the cited reports. The Witty Global Analysis and BEFOCUS Perspective sections represent original editorial interpretation.

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