The management of Kokodiagbene Model Secondary School in Kokodiagbene Community, Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, has awarded an Icon of Education Award of Honour to Chief Sheriff Mulade, Ph.D, in recognition of his contributions to improving education and for his introduction of the first boarding school in the ancient riverine kingdom.

Others who bagged awards of honour are the Chairman of Kokodiagbene Community, Comrade Ark Selegha, and the President of the Gbaramatu Youth Council (GYC), Comrade Egbejule Arerebo Kingsley, for their contributions to boosting education in the community.

The awards were presented during the 3rd edition of the Kokodiagbene Inter-House Sports competition which held in the school playfield on Thursday, March 12, 2026.

In attendance are the Pere of the kingdom, HRM Oboro Gbaraun II (JP), Aketekpe, Agadagba, represented by Chief (Engr.) George Timiyan JP; Chief Paul Ukuli, Elder Ari S. Ari, Mr. Gabriel Ukuli (Secretary of Kokodiagbene), Engr. Johnson Powede (P.R.O of Kokodiagbene), Comr. Blessing Laide (Youth President), Engr. Ebimobowei Ari, Hon. Mackson Ukuli (Chairman, Education Committee), among other guests.

The programme, hosted by the Principal of the school, Mrs Bridget Adeghoro, and the Vice Principal, Rev. Oreva Idurhe, according to the hosts is a psychomotor level of compulsory education which is aimed at the development of learners through participation in sporting activities that help inculcate in them: team spirit, hard work, respect for rules, fair play among others positive values.

Sporting events at the competition has four houses of Red, Yellow, Blue, and Green, all participating in match past, 100 meters (m), 200m, 400m, 800m senior/junior boys and girls race, relay race, dressing competition, high jump, among others.

Overall winners of the inter-house sports competition in the positions of first, second, third and fourth respectively, are Yellow House, whose patron is Rev. Dr. I.C. Tolar (of blessed memory) represented by Mr. Jude Tolar; Green House, whose patron is Chief Sheriff Mulade, Ph.D; Red House, whose patron is His Royal Majesty, and Blue House, whose patron is Elder Vincent Ukuli (of blessed memory) represented by Chief Paul Ukuli.

The Chairman of the event, Chief Mulade, during his presentation, advised parents and guardians, especially those in coastal communities, to encourage their wards to participate in sporting activities in order to make them become national and international sports men and women that will fly the flag of the country in global sport activities.

Mulade, who decried the infrastructural decay and neglect facing riverine schools, called on government at all levels to prioritize education in riverine communities, just as he commended the efforts of High Chief Government Ekpemupolo alias Tompolo for his support to riverine education, and lauded the Kokodiagbene school's management for putting up the competition.

On the Icon of Education Award presented to Mulade as well as other awards, Rev. Idurhe said, "It's an award of honour in recognition of his massive contributions. He's a pillar of the school, he's the reason why a lot of us are here; he was really helpful to us.

"During his time, he introduced the first boarding school that made us to see a number of children from surrounding communities, and he's an icon of education. It's a privilege to us as a school to even honour him. He has done well, and he's a patron of the Green House that came second in the competition.

"We also give the GYC President, Comrade Egbejule, an Award for his massive recruitment of teachers that has enhanced learning and even increased our standard exams in numbers across Gbaramatu. We also give the Executive Chairman of Kokodiagbene, Mr. Comrade Selegha. He supported us massively in this programme," he added.

On his overall assessment of the competition he noted that the 3rd edition is one of the best as the school has never had such a large turnout of guests in its programme.

"We've never had this kind of support in education since we've been in the kingdom. In fact, the turn-up was very good. We've never had it like this," he confessed.

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