Priscilla Christopher-Akpanettot
At a time when public discourse in Akwa Ibom, and indeed Nigeria, is increasingly dominated by politics, power struggles and the preparations for another election cycle, the grand finale of the 2026 Hensek/Atlantic FM Spelling Bee Competition has offered a refreshing reminder that the future of society is ultimately built in the classroom.
Held on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, at Flairmore Event Centre, Uyo, the competition brought together school children, teachers, parents, education enthusiasts and management staff of Hensek Integrated Services in an atmosphere that celebrated knowledge, discipline and academic excellence.
Beyond the excitement of correctly spelling difficult words, the event represented an investment in the intellectual capacity of the next generation.
For Atlantic FM, Uyo, a station of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, the competition is a commendable demonstration of Corporate Social Responsibility. It was a deliberate attempt to use the influence and reach of broadcasting to promote literacy, vocabulary development, reading culture and cognitive growth among children. The General Manager of Atlantic FM, Ubong Obot, aptly captured the essence of the initiative when she explained that the competition had "awakened reading consciousness and motivation for learning among our students, even during holidays." That impact is particularly important in an era when children are increasingly distracted by social media, entertainment and other influences that can easily compete with serious academic engagement.
The beauty of the Hensek/Atlantic FM Spelling Bee is also in its deliberate effort to catch children young. The competition caters for five categories—Nursery, Lower Primary, Upper Primary, Junior Secondary and Senior Secondary—thereby creating a progression that allows children to develop confidence and intellectual competitiveness from the cradle. Such an approach deserves commendation because scholarship is not something that should be introduced only when a child reaches the university. The habits of reading, learning, research, discipline and healthy competition are cultivated early, and initiatives such as this can help make academic excellence attractive to children.
That the competition has continued for nine years makes Hensek Integrated Services' contribution particularly worthy of applause. Obot publicly expressed the station's "deep gratitude" to the Managing Director/CEO of Hensek Integrated Services for sponsoring the programme over the past nine years, with scholarships and other prizes provided for outstanding participants.
Hensek has not merely lent its name to the competition; its substantial and sustained financial commitment has helped transform what could have been an ordinary school activity into a platform capable of changing the educational trajectory of young people.
In a society where corporate sponsorship is often concentrated around entertainment, sports and high-profile social events, Hensek's decision to invest heavily in children's intellectual development stands out as a significant departure from the norm.
The significance of that investment became deeply personal at the grand finale when an Uyo indigene, Mr Mathias Etim, broke down in tears of joy after his three children emerged winners in their respective categories and earned scholarships. Dominion Matthias Etim won the Nursery category, Divine Matthias Etim took first place in Lower Primary, while Blessed Matthias Etim emerged first in Junior Secondary.
For their father, the occasion was much more than a competition. It was a moment in which academic diligence translated directly into opportunity and hope. He described the scholarships as a huge blessing to his family and urged parents to encourage their children to participate in educational competitions because excellence, in his words, should be promoted, nurtured and celebrated.
The impressive roll call of winners further demonstrated the depth of young academic talent in the State. In the Nursery category, Dominion Matthias Etim emerged first, followed by Emmanuel Hilary Aidang, Moses Godwin David and Emmanton Ubong Emmanuel.
In Lower Primary, Divine Matthias Etim took first place, with Toroabasi Samuel Etim second, Sufficient Uwem John third and Godwin Aniefiok Bassey fourth.
The Upper Primary category produced Mfoniso Utibe Mfon as winner, followed by Inimfon Godwin Umondak, Abasiubong Ime Moses and Edidiong Isantim Essien.
These children deserve more than applause; they deserve continued encouragement, mentorship and platforms that will make them understand that intellectual ability is as worthy of celebration as athletic or entertainment talent.
The Junior Secondary category was equally competitive, with Blessed Matthias Etim emerging first, Goodness Akpabio Edet second, Metoroabasi Emmanuel Paulinus third and Favour Emmanuel Gabriel fourth. In the Senior Secondary category, Edidiong Dominic Udofia clinched first position, followed by Uduakobong Aniefiok Umo, Unyimeabasi Aniefiok Asha and Saviour Victor Ben. Their accomplishments should remind parents, schools, government and corporate Nigeria that the country is not short of brilliant young minds.
What is often lacking are sustained platforms for discovering, rewarding and nurturing those minds. Competitions such as the Spelling Bee provide exactly such platforms while also teaching children resilience, concentration, preparation and the courage to perform under pressure.
There is, therefore, a broader lesson in what Atlantic FM and Hensek have achieved. The initiative is a sharp deviation from the prevailing culture in which public attention and resources are frequently consumed by politics and political conversations. There is nothing wrong with politics, but a society that spends all its energy debating who will occupy offices while paying little attention to the quality of the children who will inherit those offices risks losing sight of the bigger picture.
By focusing on children and scholarship, Atlantic FM and Hensek have demonstrated that nation-building is not only about roads, buildings, elections or political appointments; it is equally about building minds capable of sustaining development.
Atlantic FM has, through this initiative, demonstrated that the responsibility of a media organisation extends beyond news, entertainment and information dissemination. As a platform with access to a wide audience, the station has chosen to deploy its corporate social responsibility to stimulate intellectual development. Hensek, on its part, has shown what meaningful corporate citizenship can look like when private-sector resources are channelled into education.
Both organisations have therefore proven themselves to be lovers of education, investors in tomorrow and believers in the dream of the Akwa Ibom child. Obot's appeal for support towards the completion of the Mrs Nyakno Uwem Okoko Atlantic Event Centre also underscores the need for sustainable infrastructure that can reduce the cost of hosting programmes of this nature and allow the initiative to grow even further.
The next step should be to ensure that the momentum is sustained and expanded. Organisations, corporate bodies, philanthropists and other public-spirited individuals should not only support Atlantic FM in subsequent editions of the Spelling Bee, but should also find other creative ways to stimulate interest in scholarship among children. From reading competitions and science fairs to mathematics challenges, essay contests, coding programmes and innovation exhibitions, there are countless opportunities to make learning exciting and rewarding.
The lesson from the 2026 Hensek/Atlantic FM Spelling Bee is clear: when society celebrates knowledge, children learn to value knowledge. When excellence is rewarded, children are encouraged to pursue excellence. And when the young are given platforms to shine, the entire society stands a better chance of producing the enlightened, capable and responsible generation that Nigeria desperately needs.
