The School of the Gifted Gwagwalada, Abuja has emerged winner of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies(NILDS) 2023 National Quiz Competition for North Central Zone.

The quiz which was on the Legislature and Democracy had seven participating schools across the North Central Geo Political Zone.
The schools are Government Science Secondary School Ogaminana of Kogi, School of the Gifted Gwagwalada of Abuja, Government College Keffi, Nasarawa and Ilorin South Secondary School, Adinni, Kwara.

Others are Government Model Secondary School, Shendan of Plateau, Government Secondary School, Gboko of Benue and St. Clement Secondary School, Gbaiko, Minna, Niger.

The School of the Gifted Gwagwalada emerged winners after scoring 25 out of 25 points in the final stage and received a cash prize of N50,000.

Government Model Secondary School, Shendan of Plateau came second after scoring 15 points in the final stage and received a cash price of N30,000 while Government Secondary School, Gboko, Benue came third, scoring five points and received a cash prize of N20,000.

After the first round, Government Science Secondary School Ogaminana of Kogi and Government College Keffi, Nasarawa were eliminated after scoring 15points and 10 points respectively out of a total of 25points.

After the second round, St. Clement Secondary School, Gbaiko, Minna of Niger and Illorin South Secondary School, Adinni, Kwara were eliminated after scoring 10 points each out of a total of 25points.

Master Oluwasheyi Shukunoluwa and Master Olamoyegun Jolaoluwa who represented the School of the Gifted said that they were excited to emerge zonal champions.

Shukunoluwa gave thanks to God for the success and his teachers for putting in time to train and prepare him for the quiz.

“The feeling is that of excitement, I give all glory to God, I want to thank God, my teachers and my parents. I am so super happy to be winner.

“Last edition, Akwa Ibom won at the national level, this year, we want to bring to Abuja,” he said.

Shukunoluwa urged youths in the country to show more interest in politics saying that with the crop of the young emerging politicians, politics would no longer be a dirty game.

He, however, said there is need to invest in education to cause positive change in the sector and in the entire country.

On his part, Jolaoluwa said that the quiz made him to learn new things he did not know hitherto, commending the organisers for the initiative.

Earlier, the Director- General of the institute, Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman said that the quiz was aimed at providing continuous education on the legislature.

He said that it was also aimed at broadening the knowledge of students and youths on the history, practice and procedure of the legislature and encourage deeper understanding of civic and democratic governance.

According to him, the competition will also stimulate the interest of the young students in politics and make them more proactive in matters relating to the legislature and democracy.

He recalled that the first edition was held in 2016 with participating schools drawn strictly from within the Federal Capital Territory Abuja.

“The competition continued to be an annual event in that format until the institute’s Governing Council headed by the President of Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives directed that the competition be expanded to the entire country.

“This was successfully done in the year 2022 in collaboration with all the states of the federation but with only 30 states participating.

“This 8th edition of the competition is therefore the second time the competition is holding at the national level,” he said.

The winners across all six geo political zones in the country will lock horns on Nov. 6 for the grand prize.