Edubase Secondary School has emerged champion of the inaugural Lexicon Championship, a spelling competition organised by the Phoenix Impact Network in collaboration with the Scholarship Department of the Abia State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education in Umuahia.
The competition, held at the Conference Hall of the Ministry at the State Secretariat, brought together students from public and private schools, alongside teachers, parents and government officials.
Founder of Phoenix Impact Network, Mr Ifada Bobby Olumense, said the initiative was driven by his commitment to promoting the intellectual development and future prospects of young people.
Olumense, who disclosed that the non-governmental organisation was established in March 2025, said 36 schools were invited to participate, with each school presenting two contestants.
He explained that five schools advanced to the final round, where Edubase Secondary School secured first position with 45 marks, while Dozens Secondary School came second with 40 marks.
Expressing satisfaction with the success of the maiden edition, he commended his team and sponsors for their support but identified funding as a major challenge. He appealed for increased sponsorship to sustain and expand the competition, expressing his ambition to take the initiative to the global stage.
Declaring the competition open, the Head of the Scholarship Department, Mrs Moses Ihuoma, applauded the organisers for providing a platform that encourages academic excellence, confidence, discipline and intellectual development among students.
She noted that the competition extended beyond conventional spelling exercises to incorporate health and medical knowledge, describing such awareness as important to everyday living.
Ihuoma urged the participants to remain focused and confident, emphasising that the knowledge acquired through the exercise was more valuable than winning the competition.
In his vote of thanks, the Vice President of the International Conference for Women in Healthcare, Mr Elinukaro Lucky, appreciated the organisers and the Ministry for their partnership and contributions to the success of the event.
He encouraged the contestants not to be discouraged by their positions, describing their participation as an achievement and urging them to remain determined in pursuing their academic and personal ambitions.
The inaugural Lexicon Championship is expected to provide a platform for nurturing students’ intellectual abilities and promoting healthy academic competition, as the organisers look towards expanding the initiative in subsequent editions.
