By Olaniyi Ajibola
The declaration of emergency in education sector of Ogun State by Governor Dapo Abiodun upon assumption of office in 2019 immediately became a topic of discussion around the state, considering what the previous administrations had claimed to have achieved in the sector, especially the immediate past administration, however, critical stakeholders in the sector have objectively described the condition of schools in Ogun State as pathetic and comprehensively terrible as at 2019.
With his pedigree as a son of teachers, Governor Dapo Abiodun possesses the satisfactory knowledge of standard and functional education system, the one with futuristic potency of yielding academic excellence and not the caricature arrangement that merely meant for political expediency, hence, the necessity for declaration of emergency in the sector.
The Governor, working strategically with a leading academic and erudite scholar, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu, the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, came up with a sound agenda as compass for intervention, embedded in six pillars and encompassing far-reaching reforms covering curriculum development, school management, technology and innovation, infrastructure, funding, and students’ and teachers’ welfare.
Addressing swiftly the shortfall in human resources in the sector, Governor Abiodun initiated ‘Ogun Teach’ where thousands of teachers were recruited first as temporary staff and later permanently engaged based on performance, thereby strengthening the quality of education in all schools across the state.
This robust education reforms under the administration of Prince Dapo Abiodun also focuses on digitising, restructuring and improving the quality of it’s over 2000 public schools in the 20 local governments of Ogun State, with key initiatives consisting of OgunLEARN, AI-powered platform for digital learning, the Ogun State Education Revitalisation Agenda (Oxera) , and the introduction of mandatory reading to instill reading culture in students and ultimately boost literacy.
In the words of Malcom-X, the late black American social crusader and great thinker, ” Education is the passport to the future because the future belongs to those who prepare for it today”. It is this consciousness, coupled with his background that informed the reforms Governor Abiodun embarked upon in Ogun education sector, the initiative that has started yielding positive results of monumental dimension.
One of those positive results of revolution Governor Dapo Abiodun initiated in the education sector of Ogun State is Mr. Solanke Francis Taiwo, a primary school teacher at Ansa-Ur-Deen Main School 1, KemtaLawa, Abeokuta, who emerged as the Overall Best Primary School Teacher in Nigeria for 2025/2026 academic session.
The teacher was recently rewarded by Governor Dapo Abiodun in his office at Oke-mosan Abeokuta, where a 2-bedroom bungalow was offered him at any location of his choice around the state under the State Housing Scheme, as well as presentation of keys for a brand-new car donated by the Federal Government, which came after he had earlier received a cash award of ₦50 million from the Federal Government at the National Teachers’ Summit in Abuja in recognition of his outstanding performance and dedication to education.
Governor Abiodun made the presentation in the presence of the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Abayomi Arigbagbu, and the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mrs. Oloko, as he reiterated his administration’s commitment to continuous training and retraining of teachers through workshops, seminars, digitisation initiatives, and AI-powered teaching platforms.
In his brief remarks, Prof. Arigbagbu described the feat as a confirmation of the governor’s sustained investment in education and the impact of ongoing reforms in the sector.
“When you do things consistently and efficiently, you will definitely 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.
“This administration has done so much across all the pillars. The declaration of emergency in the education sector led to far-reaching reforms covering curriculum development, school management, technology and innovation, infrastructure, funding, and students’ and teachers’ welfare,” he said.
According to the commissioner, the consistent national recognition of Ogun teachers and students is evidence that the reforms are yielding tangible results.
“It shows that when we say someone has emerged as the best teacher, it is not by chance or manipulation. It confirms that the entire education sector has been revitalised.
“We will continue on this path until the end of this administration. Ogun State is number one in education, and we cannot afford to go backwards,” he said.
Highlighting the state’s performance in external competitions, Prof. Arigbagbu recalled Ogun’s dominance in the JETS competitions, where students from the state won 18 out of 24 available awards in one year, with a single student clinching nine of those awards, attributing the success to sustained attention to the sector over the past six years.
On the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sub-sector, he revealed that five states have indicated interest in understudying Ogun’s model, particularly in TVET and the digitisation of education.
He added that the Federal Government and the National Board for Technical Education have commended the state’s achievements.
Meanwhile, Mr. Solanke, in his remarks expressed gratitude to the governor for creating a conducive environment for teachers and learners, noting that the state’s heavy investment and reforms in education are clearly paying off.
“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 across the state.
“I promise to continue giving my best to make Ogun State proud and to collaborate with fellow educators to sustain the standard of excellence for which the state is known,” he said.
He, therefore , encouraged fellow teachers to remain committed to changing narratives, rewriting the stories of their learners, and bringing out the best in every child entrusted to their care.
To this end, as we congratulate Mr. Solanke on this historical and enviable feat, we must sincerely appreciate the visionary leadership of Governor Dapo Abiodun and his team, for deliberately and intentionally changing the story of Ogun education sector.
Ajibola is a Senior Special Assistant to Governor Dapo Abiodun on Strategic Communications
