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The Adunni Foundation has announced the maiden edition of the Basic Education Torchbearers Awards (BETA), a national initiative to honour pioneers and champions of Nigeria’s basic education sector.
The event, scheduled for Tuesday, October 21, 2025, will hold at the NECA Main Hall, Alausa, Lagos. Keynote speaker will be Prof. Michael Omolewa, former UNESCO Ambassador and Professor of Education, who will address the theme: “Education is True Independence.”
Launched on Nigeria’s 65th Independence Day, the awards aim to highlight the link between national freedom and access to education for every Nigerian child. According to the Foundation’s Founder, Motunrayo Adunni Famuyiwa-Alaka, “While Nigeria won political independence in 1960, true independence will only be secured when every child has access to quality basic education.”
The 2025 programme will feature:
Hope Nigeria Talks, where schoolchildren will share reflections on education and civic values.
BETA Awards Presentation, recognising outstanding educators, institutions, and students.
Unveiling of Edupendent: Education is Independence, a flagship intervention for transformative education.
Award categories include:
BETA Hero (Posthumous) for pioneers of basic education.
Torchbearer Educator of Legacy for retired educators of lasting impact.
Community Champion for Learning for non-educators advancing learning.
BETA Institutional Builder Award for civil society, faith-based, and mission groups.
BETA Alumni Impact Award for student/alumni support initiatives.
BETA Most Brilliant Student Award for top performers in national exams.
The Foundation noted that the awards align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education), while supporting SDGs on poverty reduction, gender equality, reduced inequalities, and strong institutions.
The Adunni Foundation also invited partners and sponsors to support the initiative through contributions and collaborations, offering partnership tiers ranging from platinum to bronze.
Founded by Motunrayo Adunni Famuyiwa-Alaka, the Adunni Foundation is a social impact organisation focused on education, democracy, and human capital development. The Foundation is chaired by Dr. Yele Okeremi, CEO of Precise Financial Systems.
BETA, registered in 2019, was created to recognise individuals, schools, and institutions contributing to basic education while advocating for improvements in the sector.
