15-Year-Old Pupil Emerges Winner of Africa's Young Orators, Moves on to Speak in UK

Nyankaniya Garleya, a fifteen-year-old pupil of Princess Adeja International College, Gboko, Benue State, has emerged the winner of African Young Orators (AYO), a public speaking competition organised by Peat Philip’s Foundation (PPF).

AYO is the local form of the IPSC which is run annually by the English Speaking Union (ESU), a charity registered in the United Kingdom to promote international understanding through the use of English throughout the world.

AYO is targeted at students between the ages of 15 and 21 years old in Nigeria, and Nyankaniya Garleya, the Taraba State indigene will go to London to represent Nigeria at the world finals of the International Public Speaking Competition (IPSC) in May, this year.

Nyankaniya Garleya said she was excited that she did not let her school and family down. She said "I knew I was going to win because I prepared hard for the competition. I am preparing harder and still going for coaching because I will be representing my country. I need the support and prayers of all. I will do my best to make Nigeria proud."

She urged government to improve education  and create more platforms that will help students showcase their talents to the world.

she said, “education should be made more interesting. We all have talents and abilities, and instead of letting them die, we should show it to the whole world.”