Adebayo Adenrele
An Ekiti-born spelling prodigy, Oluwadamilola Adeolu, alongside three other Nigerian students, have brought pride to the country after Team Nigeria clinched the Gold Award in the Middle School Group Category at the 2026 Spelling Bee World Cup held in Shanghai, China.
The victory was announced on Sunday by the Nigeria Spelling Bee through its official Facebook page, describing the achievement as a landmark moment for the country’s participation in the global competition.
“Team Nigeria has won the Gold Award in the Middle School Group Category at the Spelling Bee World Cup in Shanghai, China,” the organisation stated.
Oluwadamilola Adeolu, a student of St. Lawrence Metropolitan College, Ado-Ekiti, represented Nigeria alongside Abdurrahman Yusuf and Maryam Yusuf, both of Ar-Raheem International College, Ilorin, as well as Chinedu Okediachi of Madonna International Schools, Asaba.
The quartet delivered an outstanding performance to secure the prestigious gold award, marking a historic achievement for Nigeria on its debut appearance at the international championship.
Also confirming the success, Ar-Raheem International College announced that its students, Maryam Yusuf and Abdurrahman Yusuf, returned home with medals from the competition.
The school wrote on its official Facebook page: “Ar-Raheem International College students Maryam YUSUF and Abdurrahman YUSUF won medals at Spelling Bee World Cup final in Shanghai, China 2026.”
Team Nigeria’s participation at the 2026 Spelling Bee World Cup was its first ever, having qualified through the Nigeria Spelling Bee and the African Spelling Bee Championship.
Oluwadamilola Adeolu entered the competition as the reigning 2026 African Spelling Bee Junior champion, a feat that underscored his credentials ahead of the global event.
