Source ==>> http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/board/main-square/45293-nigerian-teenager-wins-british-parliamentary-debate.html

Nigerian teenager wins British parliamentary debate
By Funmi Falobi, Reporter, Lagos

Seventeen-year-old Henry Akahara, a student of Government Senior Secondary School, Surulere, Lagos, who won a gold medal in the world class youth debate in the British House of Commons, has been awarded scholarship up to university level anywhere in the world by the Lagos State Government.

Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola (right), being presented with the gold medal of the British House of Commons debate won by Henry Akahara (left), a student of Government Senior Secondary School, Surulere, Lagos , on Monday

Governor Babatunde Fashola announced the gesture on Monday at a special reception where Henry was also given a laptop computer by the government.

Fashola said it is important to celebrate him, considering the honour he has brought to Lagos and the country.

He noted that if Henry had committed crime in the United Kingdom, he would have made headlines, but now that he has done the country proud, he deserves to be applauded.

Fashola beat his chest that Lagos public schools have won diverse awards from far and near, and pledged to use the 2008 budget to provide quality schools in rural areas, and improve the education sector.

“I think we should celebrate Henry extensively. The future of this country and Lagos lies in bringing up an educated workforce. We must invest in more of people like Henry who would take the leadership of this country and the state to greater heights,” he added.

Henry explained that “my experience during the debate has exposed me to danger intrinsic in modern day slavery, and I will use the award to combat the menace.”

Henry, the son of Police Inspector, Christopher Akahara, represented Nigeria through the British Council’s pet project “Dreams and Teams” to participate in the world youth debate, which drew 200 students from 60 countries.