Abia State Governor Alex Otti announced a full university scholarship for 15‑year‑old Esther Christian, captain of the Abia debate team that clinched the 2026 International Schools Debate Championship in Doha, Qatar, and presented cash awards to the team and supporting officials during a ceremony at Umuahia’s Michael Okpara Auditorium.
The scholarship will be funded through the Alex Otti Foundation. In the same event, the governor gave N1 million to each of the five students who represented Abia State and Nigeria at the competition, N1 million to Onyinyechi Okonkwo of Ovom Girls Secondary School for winning a national essay contest, N750,000 to each official who escorted the team, and N1.75 million to Abia Model Basic Junior Secondary School, the institution that produced the champions.
"This is in the DNA of Abia State. We celebrate people. When you do well, we celebrate you," Otti said, underscoring his administration’s pledge to improve education through sustained investment, better infrastructure and wider access to quality schooling.
He also approved the team’s request to return for the 2027 edition of the competition, noting that while progress has been made, further work remains to fully transform the sector.
The Abia State Universal Basic Education Board (ASUBEB) chairperson Mrs Lydia Ezinne Onuoha, who led the delegation to Qatar, highlighted that the team outperformed more than 84 rival schools, securing four trophies and twelve medals after defeating representatives from six countries.
Onuoha explained that the champions earned the Best International School Debate Team, Overall Best Team in the Junior Category, Best Debater and Best Leadership awards, and placed among the top ten speakers overall.
She added that during the five final rounds, participants were given impromptu topics and only fifteen minutes to prepare and deliver their arguments, testing both knowledge and quick thinking.
Elder Oritu Dare, coordinator of the President’s Schools Debate Championship, said the victory opens a pathway for Nigeria to compete in the next tournament slated for Singapore, and praised Otti for his contributions to state infrastructure.
Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education Elder Goodluck Ubochi described the recent achievements as merely the beginning, expressing confidence that continued funding will yield even stronger results.
Similarly, the Abia State Coordinator of the Universal Basic Education Commission, Mrs Unyime Umoette, urged public officials to adopt schools in their communities and support their development, noting that public schools are becoming increasingly functional.
Parents, represented by Mr Akamnonu Christopher, thanked the governor for hosting the students and championing education.
In her closing remarks, Christian thanked Governor Otti and the officials who believed in the team, pledging that they will keep making Abia and Nigeria proud.
The International Schools Debate Championship, part of the global World Schools Debating movement, continues to showcase the talent of Nigerian youths on the world stage.