Elijah Charles of the Christ the King College (CKC) of Bo was the proud winner of the star quiz prize of five hundred thousand leones which was held in commemoration of the United Nation’s Development Programme (UNDP) International Day for the Eradication of Poverty under the theme: “People living in poverty as agents of Change”
The commemoration went along with a national Junior Secondary School National Quiz Competition, which ended up with 8 schools represented by 8 pupils and accompanying teachers fighting for supremacy at the Eastern Polytechnic’s Dr. Ahmad Tejan Kabbah Hall on Monday.
The pupils, two from each region had come to the finals of this year’s commemoration from regional competitions which saw the Makeni comprehensive Academy Secondary School and the Sanko Birch Memorial Secondary represented by Jacob and Alimamy Conteh respectively.
Representing the Kenema Islamic Secondary School and the Kenema Government Secondary School were pupils Sulaiman Tanu Bah and Eric Junisa respectively.
Representing the Sierra Leone Grammar School and the St Joseph Secondary School were pupils Issa B Fofanah and Sia Matturi respectively, and representing Christ the King’s College and Queen of the Rosary School were Elijah Charles and Nanah Gibrilla respectively.
The smallest and softly spoken Elijah Charles from Christ the King College Bo, won the quiz prize of five hundred thousand Leones with the dramatic turn around of scores.
Elijah scored 6 6 6 scores in the first three rounds only to get 8 in the last round, stripping the Sierra Leone Grammar School’s Issa Fofanah of a well deserved win after he had been leading with scores 9 9 9 in the first three rounds but nil in the last round.
Jacob Almamy Conteh of the Makeni Comprehensive Seconadary School clinched the second prize of 300,000 Leones, whilst Issah Fofanah took 200,000 leones for clinching the bronze medal.
Greyham Chipande, speaking before the competition told the charming pupils: “Poverty is not acceptable at all.”
He went on to say that it was time all Sierra Leoneans, especially the younger ones stand up to fight poverty, which he however accepted had failed to be conquered for a long time now.
Chipande went on “I say to you, poverty can be eradicated should we all work hard.”
Football matches and march-past were also events during the commemoration.
Speaking to players before the dull game between Bo Rangers and Nupian Stars, which ended with a lone goal win for the Nupian Stars at the Bo Coronation Field, Bo City Mayor Dr. Wusu Sannoh stated that the choosing of sport in the celebration was to show-case the spirit of working together.
He told them that there definitely has to be a winner at the competition’s end but that “every body will be rewarded for what he did.”
He described a poor person to them as someone living below a dollar a day.
Steven Bainos Kargbo, UNDP Program’s Officer explained that Sierra Leone was not the only poor nation on earth but that it was time for us to stand up, join hands to tell the world that “we in sierra Leone are ready to stand up to say ‘we do not need poverty in our nation.’”
He revealed that over 23m people came out last year to kick poverty, and that that was a ground breaking score. .
The Deputy Mayor of Kenema City Council, Magerette Siaka told the combined team of players of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Secondary and Islamic Secondary Schools and, the Kenema Government Secondary and Methodist secondary schools that the eradication of poverty could be achieved only if we all try to give the best of our good selves.
Transparency, end to corruption, accountability she highlighted could help us win the fight.
The thrilling Kenema derby ended with a 3 goal win for the combined schools of Ahmadiyya and Islamic Secondary School.