Oluwagbemisoke Alaka, A 16-year-old final-year student of African Grammar School, Ita Iyalode, Abeokuta, on Thursday acted as the One-Day Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology in Ogun State.

Alaka, who resumed duty at about 9:45 am at the Ministry within the Governor’s Office, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, was received by Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu, the substantive Commissioner, and other top officials of the ministry.

She earned the opportunity after emerging as the overall winner in an essay competition organised by the Adebiyi Habib Foundation for selected secondary schools in the state.

Before vacating his seat for the teenager, Arigbabu stated that the initiative was aimed at promoting and rewarding hard work and excellence among learners in Ogun State.

The Commissioner said, “Alaka has done so well for herself and the state, and we are proud of her achievements. We hope other learners will find this occasion motivating enough to pursue excellence in their studies.”

Amid applause, Alaka took over the Commissioner’s seat, signed some documents, and was later conducted around various departments of the ministry.

Speaking during the event, she urged the government to prioritise investment in ICT infrastructure across public schools.

She outlined that with national examinations such as the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board and even some components of the West African Examinations Council now shifting to computer-based testing, students in Ogun State must be adequately prepared for the digital transition.

Alaka expressed concern that only a limited number of public schools currently have access to functional CBT centres, calling for deliberate policy action to address the gap.

The One-Day Commissioner also pleaded to the government to prioritise teachers’ welfare, stressing that no education system can grow beyond the quality and motivation of its teachers.

She applauded the state government for reforms recorded in the education sector in the last six years, particularly in infrastructure, but urged further improvements to enhance learning outcomes.

Alaka described the opportunity to serve as a life-changing experience, saying it would motivate her to continue working hard and inspire other students across the state to strive for academic excellence.

The founder of the Adebiyi Habib Foundation, Habib Adebiyi, said Alaka emerged as the winner among over 300 participating students.

Adebiyi dislosed that the foundation adopted the idea of appointing a One-Day Commissioner to build students’ leadership capacity and prepare them for future roles.

He said, “Our effort is to create an enabling environment for students to thrive in line with Goal 4 of the SDGs. In the last three years, no fewer than 50,000 students have benefited directly or indirectly from our programmes. We hope this initiative provides a template for students to excel in leadership and prioritise excellence.

However, Mr Abdulazeez Abdulrahmon, the overall winner of the 20th edition of the Spelling Bee Competition, had in October 2024 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 the Lagos House, Marina.

During the visit, Sanwo-Olu congratulated the student for his outstanding performance, stating that the Spelling Bee Competition continues to build confidence and enhance vocabulary development among participants.

At another reception at the Exco Chamber, Lagos House, Ikeja, the Deputy Governor, Obafemi Hamzat, who received Abdulrahmon on behalf of the governor, urged the young leaders to emulate past winners who have excelled in various fields.

He described both the current One-Day Governor and past winners as shining examples of Lagos State’s commitment to nurturing future leaders, urging them to stay committed to positive change and remain proud ambassadors of the state.