ADO EKITI, EKITI STATE – St. Lawrence Metropolitan College, Ado Ekiti, has received a multi-million naira digital overhaul courtesy of telecommunications giant MTN Nigeria.
The intervention follows the stellar performance of 14-year-old Oreoluwa Alayande, a second-year senior secondary student who emerged as the national champion of the 2025 MTN mPulse Spelling Bee Competition.
At a colourful ceremony held on Saturday, March 7, 2026, MTN officials joined Ekiti State government representatives and the school community to unveil a ₦10 million infrastructure project aimed at sustaining the academic excellence that produced the champion.
The intervention was designed to modernise the school’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) capabilities.
MTN Sales and Trade Development Manager for Ekiti, Chinyere Ikechi, noted that the upgrade serves as a long-term investment in the institution that nurtured Alayande’s brilliance. The digital package delivered to the school includes:
- A 30kW lithium inverter battery system to ensure uninterrupted learning.
- 10 newly installed air conditioning units for the computer laboratory.
- 10 brand-new laptops for student use.
- 10 high-speed broadband devices to facilitate research.
- Various supplementary gift items for the student body.
Beyond the institutional upgrade, the 2025 champion was presented with a ₦5 million educational grant. The funds will be managed to cover her remaining secondary school fees and her entire tertiary education.
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In a unique professional incentive, Alayande will also serve as the “MTN CEO for a Day” next week, assuming leadership of the telecom firm’s Nigerian operations for 24 hours.
Recognising that behind every champion is a dedicated mentor, MTN also awarded Alayande’s coach, Gbenga Julius, a cash prize of ₦500,000.
The school proprietor, Lawrence Oluwafemi, expressed profound gratitude for the gesture, noting that the new tools would “revolutionise” how subjects are taught, moving beyond traditional textbooks into real-world digital applications.
In an additional gesture of appreciation, the proprietor announced a full-tuition scholarship for Alayande until she graduated from the college.
Oreoluwa Alayande, described by her peers as a beacon of discipline, expressed hope that her win would inspire other students in Ekiti State to “aim higher and never be afraid to compete.”