A 15-year-old student, Haruna Suliat Adeola, has emerged as the One-Day Member of the House of Representatives for Ibarapa Central and Ibarapa North Federal Constituency following a keenly contested intellectual competition aimed at nurturing future leaders within the constituency.
Suliat, a Senior Secondary School 3 student of Okedere High School, Idere, in Ibarapa Central Local Government Area of Oyo State, triumphed in a rigorous academic contest organized by the federal lawmaker representing the constituency, Hon. (Dr.) Anthony Adebayo Adepoju.
The grand finale of the second edition of the initiative was held at the Igboora High School auditorium on Sunday, June 29, 2025, drawing stakeholders from various sectors, including education, politics, and traditional institutions.
In a statement released on Monday, June 30, by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the lawmaker, Hassan Olaoniye, the programme was described as a flagship youth development scheme geared towards inspiring intellectual excellence and preparing a new generation of legislators and leaders from the federal constituency.
According to Olaoniye, the competition is open to over 2,500 SS3 students from both public and private secondary schools across the five principal communities in the constituency—Igboora, Idere, Ayete, Tapa, and Igangan.
PLATFORM TIMES reports that the rigorous selection process began with an Aptitude Test, from which 50 top-performing students (10 per community) emerged. These students then participated in an Essay Writing phase, with one top student selected from each community to qualify for the final round.
At the finale, the five finalists engaged in a multi-stage contest, including a Spelling Bee, Essay Writing, Quiz Competition (covering English Language, Mathematics, and General Knowledge), and Public Speech Making. Suliat stood out by ranking first in all the segments except Public Speech Making, where she came second.
Other finalists included Amoo Ibrahim of Hopecrest College, Igboora (1st runner-up); Olusegun Victor and Kolawole Sofiyat of Angels Height College, Ayete (2nd and 3rd runners-up); and Olagbenro Tosin of Royal Diadem College, Igangan (4th runner-up).
As the winner, Suliat will enjoy a range of exclusive opportunities, including: afully funded return flight with her parents from Lagos to Abuja;two days of accommodation and feeding in the Federal Capital Territory ; a certificate conferring her status as a One-Day Member of the House of Representatives; a symbolic occupation of the representative’s seat for Ibarapa Central/North Federal Constituency with access to the official green pen used in parliamentary decision-making; attendance at a live plenary session of the House of Representatives; a personal audience with the Speaker of the House and other federal legislators; and practical legislative orientation under the guidance of the Senior Legislative Aide (SLA) to Hon. Adepoju.
The statement noted that the maiden edition of the initiative, held in 2024, produced 16-year-old Peace Oluwaseyi Oladosu, also from Idere, as the pioneer One-Day House of Representatives Member. Oladosu was formally recognised during a plenary session by the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abass, PhD—a historic milestone since the inception of Nigeria’s democracy in 1999.
Hon. Adepoju, a firm believer in grassroots empowerment and youth inclusion in governance, said the initiative is not just about academics but about building confidence, civic awareness, and a pathway for teenagers, regardless of their socio-economic background, to aspire for leadership roles.
“This project is designed to raise future legislators and rekindle hope in the minds of young constituents. It is about creating an inclusive platform where brilliance and leadership potential can flourish,” he was quoted as saying.
The initiative continues to gain traction as a model for youth-oriented political engagement, bridging the gap between governance and the classroom while reinforcing the belief that leadership can begin at any age.
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