Enitona high school emerges winner of NILDS’ national

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It was joy unlimited on Monday for students and teachers of Enitona High School, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, as they won the 9th edition of the “National Quiz Competition on Legislature and Democracy for Senior Secondary Schools in Nigeria.”

The grand finale of the competition, which was held in Abuja, was organised by the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), a body answerable to the National Assembly.

Schools from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) participated in the competition, with six schools making it to the grand finale to represent the six geopolitical structures of the country.

Vetland Senior Grammar School, Ifako Ijaiye, Lagos State, represented the South-West; Bishop Otubelu Juniorate, Trans-Ekulu, Enugu, represented the South-East; Enitona High School, Port Harcourt, represented the South-South; School for the Gifted, Gwagwalada, Abuja, represented the North-Central; Jigawa Academy for the Gifted, Bamaina, represented the North-West; while Helena Heritage Academy, Jalingo, Taraba State, represented the North-East.

At the end of the competition, students of Enitona High School, who represented the South-South, scored 70 points to emerge the winner.

They were followed in the second position by students of the School for the Gifted, Gwagwalada, who recorded 65 points.

The third position went to the students of Bishop Otubelu Juniorate, Enugu, who scored 55 points.

The aim of the competition, which is keenly contested annually by participants, according to NILDS, is to provide continued education to students on the history of the legislature, its practices, and its relevance to democratic governance in Nigeria.

Speaking at the session, NILDS’ Director-General, Prof. Abubakar Suleiman, said he was particularly elated over this year’s edition because of the competitive spirit of students drawn from public and private schools across the states to the zonal and national segments.

He observed that public schools continued to come in first in major knowledge-based competitions in the country despite the neglect and decay they suffered.

Prof. Sulaiman stated, “We can see that public schools are still not doing badly.

“Our hope relies on the public schools, and we must do everything possible to bring back the lost glory of our public schools.”

He also noted that girls were giving the boys a tough time, as three girls and six boys made it to this year’s grand finale, in addition to the all-girl finalists at the 2023 edition.

“I am impressed. We have 12 students at this finale. Out of the number six are girls. It means that whatever men can do, women can also do it.

“Among the participants, from the North-Central, we had a lady who did very well, and from the South-East, another performed very well.

“That is to say that we should do everything possible to assist our female children,” the DG added.

The participants received various gifts, including laptops, cash, and certificates.

For the winning school, the students will each get a scholarship to cover their university education tuition.

President of the Senate, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, sent goodwill messages to encourage the participants and to commend NILDS for its research efforts.

In his words of encouragement, Abbas said, “You are being prepared for the future to play your role in the political and democratic space.

“We are here to ensure that when your time comes, you are ready to take up the mantle of leadership.”

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