The maiden edition of the Bamidele Salam Annual Mathematics and English Competition (BASAME) has produced six outstanding secondary school students, with ₦200,000 awarded as prizes to winners of the academic contest held in Awo, Osun State.
The competition, held on Saturday, September 26, 2026, at the ICT Centre, Awo, brought together 46 students from Al-Fauzaan Islamic Model School and Alawo Grammar School for a keenly contested examination in Mathematics and English Language.
The initiative was organised and sponsored by Hon. Abdulhamiid Adebayo and Hon. Adelabu Abdulwasiu in collaboration with the Federation of Awo Students’ Union (FASU).
The competition was named in honour of Rep. Bamidele Salam, in recognition of his support for community development and academic advancement, as well as his commitment to initiatives aimed at creating opportunities for young people.
At the end of the contest, Mohammad Rahama emerged first in the English Language category, followed by Tunji Latiifar in second position and Alade Fadeelat in third.
In Mathematics, Sanusi Qowiyat emerged the overall winner, while Gboyelade Faridah and Okesola Joshua placed second and third respectively.
The first-place winners in both categories received ₦50,000 each, while the second- and third-place winners received ₦30,000 and ₦20,000 respectively.
The organisers said the prize structure was designed to recognise academic excellence and encourage students to take their studies more seriously.
Al-Fauzaan Islamic Model School recorded a strong showing at the maiden edition, producing five of the six prize winners, while Okesola Joshua, who placed third in Mathematics, was the only prize winner from Alawo Grammar School.
The organisers said BASAME was conceived to promote academic excellence, encourage healthy competition and provide secondary school students with an opportunity to test and demonstrate their abilities in Mathematics and English Language.
They described the maiden edition as the beginning of a broader educational vision aimed at creating more opportunities for young people to develop their academic potential.
According to the organisers, the competition will initially focus on schools within Awo but is expected to expand progressively to other schools across the local government and, eventually, the Constituency.
The maiden edition also highlighted the role of community-driven initiatives in complementing formal education by creating additional platforms for students to develop their skills and compete for recognition.
