Funmi Ogundare
Chrisland High School, Lekki, has emerged as national champion in junior and senior secondary school categories of the 2026 Science Olympiad Nigeria, defeating nine other schools in each category at the national competition held recently at Anchor University, Ayobo, Lagos.
The school got recognition for the feat at the Science Olympiad Nigeria 2026 National Championship honours and awards ceremony, held at its Lekki campus.
The school’s Division B and C teams won top honours after representing Lagos State at the national championship, underscoring the importance of practical science education in developing students’ critical thinking, problem-solving and innovation skills.
Speaking at the ceremony, the National Director of Science Olympiad Nigeria and STEM Ambassador, UK, Adewumi Odunnaike, attributed the achievement to preparation, persistence and a commitment to learning.
“Behind every award is preparation that the audience may never see, a difficult question revisited, an idea tested, a mistake corrected, and the patience to try again,” he said.
He urged students to stay curious, approach scientific challenges with integrity, and apply their knowledge to solve societal problems, including unreliable electricity, poor water quality, waste management, and the safety of everyday technology.
He said the skills acquired through scientific learning would prepare them for future roles as scientists, engineers, innovators and problem-solvers.
The national director commended the school’s management, parents and coaches for their contributions to the students’ preparation and success.
He also called on professional bodies, engineering practitioners, companies, foundations and alumni to partner with Science Olympiad Nigeria to expand opportunities for young people to participate in science and technology programmes.
He noted that “such partnerships could provide learning materials, scientific equipment, laboratory access, practical workshops, coaching, mentorship and financial support for tournament participation”.
He urged prospective partners to work with the programme through clearly defined initiatives that identify beneficiaries, specify required resources and provide mechanisms for tracking progress and the use of support.
In his welcome address, the Principal of Chrisland High School, Lekki, Dr Kolawole Cole Bewaji, described the double championship as a significant milestone for the school and evidence of the value of education that encourages students to apply classroom knowledge to real-life challenges.
He congratulated the students for making their parents, teachers and the wider Chrisland Schools community proud, while appreciating the support of the school’s management, parents, teachers and coaches.
Bewaji said academic excellence should not be measured solely by examination results, noting that competitions such as the Science Olympiad allow students to demonstrate their ability to think critically, solve problems and innovate.
“Grades measure knowledge, but competitions like this reveal how students apply that knowledge, think critically, solve problems and innovate,” he said.
He stressed that science remained central to advancements in medicine, technology, agriculture and national development, adding that schools must prepare young people not only to use future inventions but also to create them.
Speaking on the ceremony’s theme, ‘Innovate Now’, the principal encouraged the students to remain curious, ask questions and develop solutions to everyday problems.
“The future does not belong merely to those who memorise answers, but to those courageous enough to ask questions and develop solutions,” he said.
He urged them to regard the awards as motivation for greater accomplishments rather than the end of their journey.