An 11-year-old Nigerian girl named Amazing-Grace Salami has made history as the first-ever Spelling Bee in Nigeria (SpIN) National Champion.
Salami, a student of Greenpath Preparatory School, Abuja, triumphed over 63 other finalists from both local and international schools in Nigeria to claim the top prize. The Acting U.S. Consul General, Ms. JoEllen Gorg, announced her victory at the 2025 Grand Finale of the inaugural Spelling Bee in Nigeria.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), SpIN is affiliated with the prestigious Scripps National Spelling Bee, which has been a cornerstone of academic excellence since its establishment in 1925.
The competition, which began in August 2024, initially featured 200 students from 15 schools across Nigeria.
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With her victory, Salami will now represent Nigeria at the 100th edition of the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C., United States.
As part of her prize, Salami will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C., $500 in spending money, an engraved trophy, a gold medal, a one-year Merriam-Webster dictionary subscription worth $10,000, and Indomie products.
“Although this is Nigeria’s first edition, in the United States, we have celebrated 100 years of spelling excellence. It is an honour to welcome Nigeria,” Ms Gorg said.
She emphasized that spelling is a valuable skill for young learners and expressed confidence that the participants would use their knowledge to achieve great things, including pursuing studies in the United States and contributing to Nigeria’s development.
Gorg also noted the significance of Salami’s name, “Amazing-Grace,” saying it symbolizes unity, peace, and prosperity between Nigeria and the United States.
Salami’s mother, Mrs. Kemi Salami, described her daughter as a determined child who worked hard to balance both the competition and her school exams.
In her victory speech, Salami expressed gratitude to the organizers and pledged to represent Nigeria with pride on the global stage.
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