Bethesda School for the Blind, Surulere, Lagos, has won the eighth edition of the “You Can Be Their Eyes” Bible Quiz Competition.
The competition was organised by the Bible Society of Nigeria (BSN) for visually impaired students.
Bethesda School for the Blind won the tie-breaker after scoring 75 marks, the same score recorded by Pacelli School for the Blind. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Bethesda emerged winner through the drawing of the sword after the tie.
Federal Government College, Ijanikin, junior category, scored 40 marks, while its senior category scored 20 marks. NAN reports that all the participating schools are located in Lagos. Speaking at the event, Pastor Isaac Adeyemi, Senior Pastor, Embrace Global Church, Ikorodu, urged visually impaired persons to overcome perceived limitations.
Adeyemi, who was Chairman of the occasion, said physical limitations should not prevent people from discovering and developing their God-given abilities. He said the participants had demonstrated that “a person has no limitation except the limitations he or she allows to stand in the way.”
Quoting 1 John 1:1-4, Adeyemi said fellowship with God and other believers was intended to make their joy full. He said the theme, “You Can Be Their Eyes,” meant that everyone could represent Jesus Christ wherever they found themselves.
“What Apostle John is saying here is that, in our own little corner, wherever we are and whatever we are doing, we can represent Jesus Christ,” he said. Adeyemi commended the participants for their performances, particularly the musical presentation, saying they had demonstrated great potential beyond the quiz.
He urged the School of the Blind to discover and develop other talents among the students, stressing their potential to contribute to society. Adeyemi also commended the BSN for sustaining the programme to its eighth edition, describing the initiative as significant. He encouraged the participants to “go and be the eyes of Christ wherever you are.”
Adeyemi said physical blindness was not the only form of blindness, adding that a person without vision could also be considered blind. He cited the biblical account of Bartimaeus, who, when asked what he wanted Jesus to do for him, requested to see.
According to him, Bartimaeus sought more than temporary assistance, asking for a vision that could transform his life. Adeyemi prayed that God would enlarge and establish the good work in the lives of the participants and take them to greater heights.
Earlier, the General Secretary, BSN, Pastor Samuel Sanusi, welcomed participants and guests to the eighth edition. Sanusi was represented at the event by the Assistant General Secretary, BSN, Mrs Yemisi Oluwagbemi.
Sanusi said the Lord had enabled the organisers to sustain the programme for seven years, making the current edition its eighth. He expressed appreciation to God for the safety of guests and participants who attended the event.
He also appreciated the quiz master, chairman of the occasion, team members and other stakeholders for their contributions to the programme. Sanusi encouraged the contestants to see themselves as winners irrespective of their final positions in the competition.
He said although not everyone could emerge first, every participant had achieved something by taking part in the competition. NAN reports that four schools participated in the Bible quiz. They were Federal Government College, Ijanikin, senior category; Federal Government College, Ijanikin, junior category; Pacelli School for the Blind; and Bethesda School for the Blind.
All contestants received school bags and white canes as part of the prizes presented at the event. Students who placed first, second, and third also received plaques and cash prizes. The first-position students received N50,000 each, totalling N100,000, while second-position students received N35,000 each, totalling N70,000.
The third-position students received N25,000 each, totalling N50,000. The organisers said the initiative was aimed at encouraging visually impaired students through Bible study and creating opportunities to demonstrate their abilities.
