A 16-year-old final-year student of African Grammar School, Ita Iyalode, Abeokuta, Oluwagbemisoke Alaka, on Thursday took charge as the One-Day Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology in Ogun State.
Alaka arrived at the Ministry around 9:45 a.m. and was warmly received by the substantive Commissioner, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu, alongside other senior officials. She earned the honour after emerging overall winner of an essay competition organised by the Adebiyi Habib Foundation for selected secondary schools in the state.
Before vacating his seat for the teenager, Prof. Arigbabu said the initiative was designed to encourage hard work and celebrate academic excellence among learners in Ogun State.
“Alaka has done so well for herself and the state, and we are proud of her achievements. We hope other learners will be inspired to pursue excellence in their studies,” he said.
Amid applause, Alaka took over the Commissioner’s seat, signed official documents, and was later taken on a tour of various departments in the ministry.
During the event, she urged the government to increase investment in ICT facilities across public schools. She noted that with major examinations such as JAMB and parts of WAEC now transitioning to computer-based testing, students in Ogun State must be properly equipped for the digital shift.
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Alaka expressed concern that only a few public schools currently have functioning CBT centres and called for deliberate policy measures to bridge the gap.
She also appealed for improved teachers’ welfare, stressing that the quality of an education system depends heavily on the motivation and capacity of its teachers.
Alaka commended the state government for notable improvements in the education sector over the last six years, especially in infrastructure, but encouraged further efforts to boost learning outcomes.
Describing the experience as “life-changing,” she said the opportunity would motivate her to work harder and inspire other students to pursue academic excellence.
Founder of the Adebiyi Habib Foundation, Habib Adebiyi, said Alaka emerged winner from a pool of over 300 participating students. He explained that the One-Day Commissioner initiative is aimed at nurturing leadership skills and preparing young people for future responsibilities.
“In the last three years, no fewer than 50,000 students have benefited directly or indirectly from our programmes. We hope this initiative helps students excel in leadership and champion excellence,” Adebiyi said.
Related Development in Lagos
In October 2024, Abdulazeez Abdulrahmon, the overall winner of the 20th Spelling Bee Competition, served as the One-Day Governor of Lagos State.
Abdulrahmon, a student of Oriwu Senior Model College, Ikorodu, was hosted by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his wife, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, at Lagos House, Marina.
At a reception held at the Exco Chamber, Ikeja, Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat, who represented the governor, congratulated the student and encouraged young leaders to emulate past award recipients who have excelled in various professions.
He described the One-Day Governor initiative and its beneficiaries as strong examples of Lagos State’s commitment to grooming future leaders.
