Quiz winners get N11m, philanthropist promises school upgrade

• President of KAGOTE, Chief Lesi with winners and other students

A philanthropist and Chief Executive Officer of the Giolee Global Resources Limited, Chief Dumle Maol, has promised to undertake an overhaul and furnishing of a dilapidated primary school in Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State. He made the promise while speaking at the grand finale of the 3rd edition of the Chief Lesi Maol Ogoni Secondary School Science Quiz Competition which he sponsors annually, in Bori, Khana LGA. Maol is also the President of KAGOTE, the apex socio-cultural organisation of the Ogoni People which stands for the four councils that make up Ogoni namely, Khana, Gokana, Tai and Eleme. The Ogoni leader said the annual competition is aimed at improving the standard of education in Ogoniland through consistent investment in young people. He appealed to the Chairman of Khana LGA, Dr Thomas Bari-ere, to identify the most dilapidated school in the area for him to immediately rebuild and furnish to “international standard”. The competition, which brought together over 60 Secondary Schools from the four LGAs saw eight schools in the finals. Speaking at the end of the competition, Maol said, “We gather here to celebrate the day I was born. And today is the grand finale of the Science Quiz Competition for Secondary Schools in Ogoni. Related News Police launch manhunt as gunmen abduct Adelabu’s sister, nephews Africa can raise $469bn without tax hikes – AfDB Tambuwal demands action after fresh Sokoto bandit attacks “About 60 schools participated and now we have the winners. Congratulations to Birabi Memorial Grammar School. This is the third edition to support the growth of Science in Ogoniland to ensure that our younger ones who are the next generation will keep the legacy of Science and compete with their counterparts globally.” Maol noted that he was also celebrating his birthday, adding that the gift he plan to give the community was to rehabilitate the worst primary school in Khana. “Let us identify the school and I will renovate and furnish it to international standards as an example for good governance. “Between now and December, we will inaugurated it by God’s grace. We don’t criticize the government, rather we want to partner the government. In the next one week, show me the worst school in Khana, I will do my own fact check and once I agree with you, we will commence renovation,” he said. The Chairman of Khana LGA, Dr Thomas Bari-ere, described the educational intervention by Chief Maol as a major boost to the development of education in the area. Our correspondent