200k – The Shameful Prize For Academic Excellence

Education remains the most powerful tool for personal and national transformation. It is through the cultivation of knowledge, literacy, and skills that societies evolve from dependence to independence, from poverty to prosperity, and from stagnation to innovation. Nations that truly understand this reality invest heavily in their young intellectuals, not only by providing opportunities but also by celebrating and rewarding excellence in ways that inspire others to aim higher.

The Nigerian Constitution itself recognizes this truth. Section 18 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) states unequivocally that “Government shall direct its policy towards ensuring that there are equal and adequate educational opportunities at all levels.” Furthermore, subsection 3 mandates that “Government shall strive to eradicate illiteracy” through free and compulsory education at all tiers. These provisions are not mere suggestions; they are guiding principles for national progress.

Beyond our national laws, Nigeria is signatory to several international treaties and conventions that place education at the heart of human rights. Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights affirms education as a right for all. The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) insists that primary education must be compulsory and free, while higher education must be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit. Similarly, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights calls on governments to promote education as a vehicle for collective dignity and empowerment.

But education in Nigeria is more than just policy and law. It is part of our cultural consciousness. Through songs, elders and teachers reminded us that knowledge is wealth, and learning is the ladder to dignity. Songs like Eko Dara Pupo (“Education is very good”) captured the timeless truth that education liberates a person from ignorance. Another popular tune, Bata Mi A Dun Ko Ko Ka (“My shoes will sound proudly”), symbolizes the celebration of educational achievement and the promise of a bright future. These melodies echo in classrooms and homes, serving as cultural testaments to the high value Nigerians place on knowledge.

Yet, against this backdrop of constitutional guarantees, international obligations, and cultural reverence, one cannot help but question the nation’s priorities when brilliance is rewarded with a token. When 17-year-old Nafisa Abdullahi from Yobe State outshone over 20,000 students across 69 countries to emerge the world’s best in English Language Skills at the TeenEagle Global Finals in London, she did more than win a trophy; she placed Nigeria on the map of intellectual achievement. Her victory was a triumph of diligence, discipline, and the power of Nigerian intellect. But the nation’s response, a ₦200,000 reward, was a glaring contradiction to the weight of her accomplishment.

The ₦200,000 cheque presented to Nafisa Abdullahi was not a reward; it was an insult dressed as recognition. It was not a gesture to inspire a generation; it was a token that diminished the very essence of her victory. In a country where entertainers are showered with millions for fleeting performances, and football teams receive dollar rains for continental triumphs, how can the brightest young mind, who carried Nigeria’s flag to the pinnacle of global intellectual acclaim, be handed the equivalent of a week’s grocery bill in some households?

This disparity speaks to a deeper malaise in our national value system. We clap louder for goals than for genius, we celebrate speed on the pitch more than brilliance in the classroom, and in doing so, we broadcast a dangerous message: that intellect is cheap, and learning is secondary. But a nation that cannot properly reward education is a nation headed for doom.

Consider this: Nafisa hails from Yobe State, a region often in the news not for academic breakthroughs but for the tragic statistics of out-of-school children. UNICEF reports that Nigeria has over 20 million out-of-school children, many of them in the North-East, with Yobe carrying a heavy portion of that burden. Yet, from such a place of adversity, a flower bloomed, and rather than water it, the nation offered her crumbs. If ever there was a story that should have been used to ignite a revolution in education, it is Nafisa’s. Where was the Yobe State government with a grand civic reception to remind its children that brilliance is not only possible but celebrated? Silence and indifference prevailed instead.

This faulty reward system does not only dishonour one girl; it demoralises millions of students who labour in classrooms across Nigeria, dreaming that their diligence might someday earn them recognition. If what they see is that global brilliance earns a paltry ₦200,000, while entertainers and athletes are endlessly celebrated, what then do we expect the next generation to aspire to?

Nigeria must, therefore, rethink its value system. Rewarding intellectual achievement must not be an afterthought—it must be a national priority. A new framework is needed where students who bring glory to Nigeria through knowledge are celebrated with the same pomp and substance as sporting heroes. Scholarships, endowments, mentorship opportunities, and life-changing incentives should be the bare minimum. If we truly believe that education is “the most powerful weapon to change the world,” then we must treat those who wield it as national treasures, not as footnotes in ceremonial handshakes.

Nafisa’s triumph should have been a rallying point to declare to the world that Nigeria will no longer export only oil and athletes, but also intellect, innovation, and ideas. Instead, we reduced her victory to a headline and a token cheque. That is not just a missed opportunity; it is a national disgrace.

Until we build a system that dignifies education, we will continue to reap the fruits of misplaced priorities: corruption, mediocrity, and underdevelopment. The time has come to rewrite the reward system—not for Nafisa alone, but for every Nigerian child whose shoes, one day, should sound proudly, ko ko ka, on the global stage.