Academic excellence took centre stage at the grand finale of the third edition of the Crunchies Spelling Bee Competition held at the Leadership Centre, House on the Rock, Aba, as 13-year-old Grace Ogechukwu emerged the overall winner.

Ogechukwu, a Junior Secondary three student of Edubase International Schools, clinched the star prize of N1.8 million after a tense final showdown.

The literacy initiative, themed ‘Dare to spell, dare to win,’ is sponsored by Crunchies Fried Chicken.

This year’s edition disbursed about N6 million in prizes, reinforcing its position as a premier educational platform for secondary school students aged between 13 and 17.

The competition recorded exponential growth in its third edition, pulling in over 190 participating schools across Aba and other parts of Abia State.

Following rigorous preliminary rounds that tested spelling, vocabulary, and pronunciation, the field was narrowed to 16 finalists.

The contest then progressed to eight semi-finalists before culminating in a final four-way contest.

At the event, 16-year-old Fred Princess Michelle of Royal Rock Academy secured the first runner-up position and received a prize of N1 million, while Ogbonna Precious Chidera of Sacred Heart of Jesus Secondary School finished third and went home with N700,000.

NINLAN International Secondary School placed fourth and received N500,000.

In addition, Ikechukwu Christian of St. Patrick’s Model School won the Managing Director’s MVP award of N200,000 for outstanding charisma and performance. Other finalists received consolation prizes of N150,000 each.

Reflecting on her victory after the competition, Ogechukwu attributed her success to months of relentless preparation and described her win as a dream come true.

Speaking on the vision behind the initiative, the Managing Director of Crunchies Fried Chicken, Muka Ohaeji, described literacy as a non-negotiable tool for national growth and development.

Ohaeji said the brand believes every child deserves the opportunity to develop intellectually and discover his or her full potential.

He stated that the competition is part of the company’s commitment to investing in the future of Nigerian children through academic empowerment.

The Head of Sales and Marketing, Vivien Chinazo-Okeomah, added that the competition aims to build a robust reading culture among young people, improve public speaking skills, and instil the critical discipline required for future leadership.

She noted that the platform is designed to reward hard work and encourage students to take academics seriously.

The Abia State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Goodluck Ubochi, represented by the Director of Education Services, Kelechi Ogugbue, commended the organisation for its investment in education, adding that the competition seamlessly complements government efforts to foster healthy academic rivalry and boost students’ confidence across the state.

In his vote of thanks, Regional Manager of Crunchies Fried Chicken Aba, Blessing Nwaeze, appreciated the commitment shown by students, teachers and parents throughout the competition and urged young people to emulate the spirit of discipline and excellence displayed by the contestants.

Education stakeholders present at the event called for greater private sector involvement in educational development, noting that literacy-focused initiatives such as the Crunchies Spelling Bee Competition would play a crucial role in shaping future leaders and strengthening academic culture among Nigerian youths.

Highlights of the event included dance performances, entertainment sessions, presentation of awards and certificates by the Crunchies Group Head of General Services, Mr Chukwudi Achoakawa, as well as group photographs with dignitaries and invited guests. Among those present were officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency led by Agatha Egwu, members of the Nigerian Red Cross Society, education stakeholders and the Crunchies team.

Since its launch in 2025, the Crunchies Spelling Bee Competition has continued to expand rapidly. The initiative has already engaged more than 200 schools, 370 competing students and 150 teachers across previous editions, while attracting over 5,000 attendees and more than 1.7 million digital views across social media platforms and editions.

Following the success of the Aba edition, the organisers recently announced the grand finale of the 4th edition, which will be held in Uyo on June 20, 2026, at the Ibom Leadership and Entrepreneurial Centre (Ibom-LED). 

The organisers said the successive editions reflect the long-term vision of making the competition one of Nigeria’s foremost grassroots literacy and educational development initiatives, aimed at inspiring confident readers, thinkers and future leaders through the power of words.