“You represented Nigeria well” — Gov AbdulRazaq rewards Kwara debaters with N2m each after Malaysia victory

Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, on Monday received and rewarded a team of Kwara schoolchildren who recently won the International Junior Secondary School Debate Championship in Malaysia.

The competition, which was concluded in December 2025, featured participants from 16 countries across Asia, Africa and Europe. Nigeria was represented by pupils from the Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board (KwSUBEB), who qualified after emerging national champions in school debate — a feat the state has maintained for four consecutive years.

Following their success in Malaysia, the Kwara contingent also participated in the Nigerian Presidential School Debate held in Lagos, where they again emerged as champions.

Speaking during a reception held in their honour in Ilorin, Governor AbdulRazaq congratulated the students for making both Kwara State and Nigeria proud on the global stage.

“You represented us well and you are worthy ambassadors of Nigeria and Kwara State. We are truly proud of your achievements,” the Governor said.

“As a government, we will continue to invest heavily in the education sector, including school infrastructure, curricula, and support for the civil servants who are behind the turnaround of our education in the state.”

As part of the recognition for their outstanding performance, the Governor announced a cash reward of N2 million for each of the five students, while their tutors received N500,000 each.

The students are Lawal Maryam Kikeloma, Jatto Rahmatallah Onize, Paul Unity, Fatimah AbdulRahman Thaini, and Priscilla Aremu Temilayo.

The reward comes in addition to the N3 million savings already set aside for each of them by KwSUBEB during their trip to Malaysia last year.

Governor AbdulRazaq also commended the parents and teachers of the students for their dedication and guidance, noting that their efforts contributed significantly to the success recorded by the team.

“We say congratulations to the students and their families. You not only succeeded in representing Nigeria in Malaysia, you also retained the trophy for the Presidential School Debate,” he added.

Chairman of KwSUBEB, Prof. Sheu Raheem Adaramaja, described the achievement as historic, noting that the Kwara pupils were the first African team to win the international debate championship.

He also revealed that the team received an additional recognition as the Best Behaved Team at the competition.

Adaramaja attributed the success to the sustained investment and support of the AbdulRazaq administration in the education sector.

Speaking on behalf of the students, Jatto Rahmatullah Onize thanked the Governor for creating a conducive learning environment that enabled them to excel.

She also expressed appreciation to the SUBEB management, their teachers, and parents for their mentorship and encouragement throughout the competition.

The reception was attended by members of the Kwara State House of Assembly, cabinet members, local government chairmen from Offa, Ilorin South and Ilorin East, SUBEB officials, coaches, and family members of the award-winning students.