Master Rima Lawi 11, and Miss Taiwo Omobolanle, 12, both of Junior Secondary School, Pasali, in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have won one million naira as grand prize at the National Children Quiz Competition organised by Queen Irene Onwuka Peace Foundation(QIOP).

The lads jointly clinched the prize after beating 34 other contestants who took part in the grand finale of the competition on Thursday in Abuja.

First and second runners-up, who represented Junior Secondary Peyi and Junior Secondary School Kwali, went home with N500,000 and N300,000 respectively, while others also got consolation prizes.

The students, drawn from 18 schools across FCT participated in the maiden edition of the competition on Mathematics, Spelling Bees, Current Affairs and General Knowledge.

Miss Irene Onwuka, a UN Peace Ambassador and founder of the QIOP Foundation, said the gesture was part of the ‘Peace Education’ and ‘Education for-Every-Child Campaign’ of the organisation.

She explained that the competition was a platform to discover and encourage brilliant students in public schools towards fulfilling their academic pursuit.

“In line with its mandate of advocating one peaceful Nigeria, and of giving hope to every child, especially the less-privelleged, QIOP has decided to hold this quiz competition.

“We have found out, in our course of visiting primary and secondary schools over these years, that students in public schools are very brilliant, but need some level of motivation.

“After series of selection process, we have 18 schools represented here at the grand finale of the quiz competition,” she said.

She explained that the foundation worked with different school authorities to ensure that pupils were made available for competition.

Lawi, one of the grand prize winners expressed her delight saying the kind gesture extended to them by the foundation was a major inspiration they needed.

“I am very happy to make my school and family proud, and I thank Queen Irene for this great opportunity,” she said.

(NAN)