Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State has rewarded Mr. Solanke Francis Taiwo, a primary school teacher at Ansa-Ur-Deen Main School I, Kemta Lawa, Abeokuta, with a two-bedroom bungalow in recognition of his outstanding achievement of winning the best teacher in Nigeria award.
The governor also presented him with the keys to a brand-new car, donated by the Federal Government of Nigeria, after he emerged as the Overall Best Primary School Teacher in Nigeria for 2025/2026.
Mr. Solanke had earlier received a ₦50 million cash award from the Federal Government at the National Teachers’ Summit in Abuja for his exceptional performance and dedication to education.
Governor Abiodun handed over the car keys at his office in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, in the presence of the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Abayomi Arigbagbu, and the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mr. Oloko. He also announced that the bungalow would be allocated to the teacher at a location of his choice under the State Housing Scheme.
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The governor reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to improving education through continuous training and retraining of teachers, including workshops, seminars, digitisation programmes, and the introduction of AI-powered teaching platforms.
Speaking on the development, Prof. Arigbagbu described the recognition as evidence of the government’s sustained investment in education and the success of ongoing reforms.
“When you do things consistently and efficiently, you will continue to get results. We have been winning the Best Teacher Award back-to-back. This same teacher won in October and has now emerged as the overall best teacher in Nigeria,” he said.
He attributed the achievement to the Ogun State Education Revitalisation Agenda, which focuses on key areas such as curriculum development, school management, infrastructure, funding, technology, and the welfare of teachers and students.
According to him, the repeated national recognition of Ogun teachers and students shows that the state’s reforms are delivering measurable results.
He also highlighted Ogun State’s strong performance in national competitions, including the JETS contest, where students from the state won 18 out of 24 awards in a single year. He added that several states have expressed interest in studying Ogun’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) model, while national education authorities have commended the state’s progress.
Prof. Arigbagbu noted that the car gift was intended to motivate other teachers and reinforce the government’s commitment to rewarding excellence.
In his response, Mr. Solanke expressed appreciation to the governor for supporting teachers and investing in education.
“I feel excited and fulfilled. I appreciate our education-friendly governor for this great honour and for celebrating excellence, innovation, and transformational impact among teachers,” he said.
He pledged to remain dedicated to his profession and encouraged fellow teachers to continue working hard to positively impact their students and uphold Ogun State’s reputation for educational excellence.
