Abuja students win NILDS quiz, scholarship

Students of Government Secondary School (GSS) Jikwoyi in Abuja have won the 6th Nigerian Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) quiz competition, with a university scholarship offer.

The quiz, held for secondary schools in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) during the week, was on ‘Legislature and Democracy’.

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GSS Jikwoyi students beat finalists from seven other schools scoring 62 points. The School for the Gifted, Gwagwalada came second with 56 points while Government Day Secondary School, Abaji clinched the third position with 46 points.

The Director-General of NILDS, Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman, who congratulated the winners, offered them scholarships for the first year in any university of their choice.

He said the quiz is a platform to introduce students, who are the leaders of tomorrow, to the fundamentals of legislative processes and procedures for democratic governance.

“The institute believes that initiatives such as this are a key part in engaging young people, encouraging their development and enabling them to engage and be involved in both the political and leadership processes, if not now, later in their lives,” he said.

He noted that through the quiz competition, the institute has significantly promoted awareness, knowledge and understanding of the history, role and function of the Nigerian legislature.

“We have also developed positive and informed attitudes towards democracy and democratic governance,” he added.

He said in the 2021 edition of the competition, 94 schools participated in the zonal stage; eight winners emerged from each of the eight zones of the FCT, and competed in the final stage.

Senate President Ahmad Lawan said the quiz has become an important instrument meant for legislative education among schoolchildren in the FCT.

Lawan, who was represented by Senator Saidu Alkali, urged NILDS to consider expanding the quiz to cover the six geopolitical zones.

“Beyond the quiz competition, however, we must immediately integrate subjects and courses on the legislature at all levels of education in Nigeria,” he stated.

While congratulating the students, he urged them to share the knowledge gained with their schoolmates and peers for the development of the Nigerian legislature.

The Speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila represented by Hon Yemi Adaramodu, said healthy competition of this sort is an important part of the academic and social development of young people.

“Through this competition and others like it, we raise a generation of people able to hold their own and perform gracefully under pressure. Young people also learn to be gracious in victory and honourable in defeat. All these are helpful lessons in the future,” he said.