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From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
The Commonwealth of Nations, led by the Africa Regional Coordinator (Literacy) of the Royal Commonwealth Society and Founder/Creative Director of Sweetest Kiddies Empire, Nikita Nkese, together with her team, yesterday, put smiles on the faces of some students in Abia State.
The occasion was this year’s Commonwealth Day celebration across the globe which is on March 9 every year. Abia State, being a federating unit of Nigeria, and a prominent member of the Commonwealth of nations, was not left in the celebration. Through the programme, over 2,000 students from seven secondary schools in the state received training and learning materials.
The project, which fell under the Commonwealth Week-long outreach programme held to mark Commonwealth Day 2026, was focused on educating students about the history, structure, and core values of the Commonwealth, according to the organisers.
Speaking on the programme’s objective, Nkese said “it also sought to position young Nigerians to take advantage of global educational platforms and to reinforce the message that their voices are relevant within the Commonwealth community.”
Nkese, while noting that many of the students had limited prior knowledge of the Commonwealth before the outreach was held, expressed joy that they now have first hand information about the Commonwealth.
“Through structured presentations and interactive sessions, however, participants gained a clearer understanding of the organisation’s mission, its benefits to member nations, and opportunities available to young people.”
Nkese equally emphasised the importance of early exposure to international institutions, noting that understanding the Commonwealth’s values foster leadership awareness, civic responsibility, and cross-cultural competence among young people.
“The importance of early exposure of students to international institutions cannot be over emphasised. It will make them understand the Commonwealth’s values, foster leadership awareness, civic responsibility, and cross-cultural competence among them.
She encouraged the students to participate in the Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition, an international platform that allows young people to showcase their creativity and intellect through essays, poems, drawings, and scripts while connecting with peers across Commonwealth countries.
As part of a major literacy boost, the organisers distributed 2,100 copies of the Commonwealth publication, “Our Story, Our World – The Story of 56 Countries,” to students.
Each participant received a personal copy to encourage sustained reading, broaden global awareness, and promote continued learning outside the classroom.
The schools that benefited from the initiative include Academic Planet School, Bertram American International School, Godly Seed Academy, Great Emerald Stars Academy, Kingdom Heritage Model School, and Wellspring Preparatory School.
The Proprietress of the Godly Seed Academy, Amaukwu, Mgbaja Ossah, Umuahia, Mrs. Uchechi Okezie, who spoke on behalf of other heads of school, commended the Commonwealth for what she described as a timely and impactful intervention.
“We want to commended the Commonwealth for their timely and impactful intervention which benefitted not only the students but, also, the teachers.
She expressed gratitude for the exposure and opportunities made available to their students.
