Governor Alex Otti of Abia State is expected to chair the 2026 Fafunwa Educational Foundation (FEF) conference.
The 24th annual FEF lecture/symposium will be held at Agip Recital Hall, Muson Centre, Onikan, Lagos, on September 23.
The foundation’s Executive Secretary, Muyiwa Obiyomi, disclosed that the theme of the 2026 symposium is ‘What Does the Research Say?: Mother Tongue Instruction and the Future of Early Education in Nigeria’.
The conference, open to scholars and the public, is scheduled to start at 11:00 a.m., but Obiyomi urged participants to be seated by 10:45 a.m.
He described this year’s conference as a special one, saying, “FEF is grateful that Dr Alex Otti agreed to be our esteemed chairman this year. Otti is widely admired in this country today. His presence honours the legacy of the late Professor Aliu Babatunde Fafunwa.”
Obiyomi said Fafunwa conceived the annual FEF conference more than 20 years ago.
“As Nigeria’s first indigenous Professor of Education and longtime researcher, Fafunwa trained several generations of teachers and educationists. As a former minister of education, he shaped Nigeria’s educational policy in positive and enduring ways. As a professor and researcher at the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), he carried out a pioneering study in the use of mother tongue in early education. He became a lifelong advocate of mother tongue education,” Obiyomi said.
Fafunwa’s daughter, Prof Sheri Fafunwa Ndibe, also expressed delight in anticipation of Otti’s participation, and thanked the governor for accepting the foundation’s invitation to be chairman.
“Governor Otti is a visionary leader in many respects, including in the educational sector,” she said.
Jamiu Alli-Balogun, the Commissioner for Primary and Secondary Education in Lagos, would be the guest of honour. Obiyomi described the commissioner as a “capable and committed hand who is spearheading Governor Sanwo-Olu’s agenda for the transformation of primary and secondary education in Lagos State”.
The 2026 Fafunwa Educational Foundation conference will feature a keynote address by Prof Francis Egbokhare of the Linguistics and African Languages Department, University of Ibadan. Prof Angelina Kioko, a Kenyan scholar, will be the guest speaker. Kioko is a linguist and multilingual education expert who teaches at the United States International University-Africa (USIU-Africa) in Nairobi, Kenya.
The FEF programme will also feature a panel discussion on mother tongue education in Nigeria. The discussants include language experts such as Prof Adeyinka of the University of Ibadan, Dr Ebele Okafor of the University of Lagos, and Dr Hamisu Aliyu, who teaches at Federal College of Education, Abeokuta.
The event will also feature the presentation of postdoctoral awards to several recent graduates from a cross-section of Nigerian universities.
“Each year, scholars, policymakers and stakeholders look forward to the FEF conference because of the high intellectual quality. We have never disappointed. I expect this year’s conference to yield both intellectual stimulation and cogent policy pathways,” Obiyomi added.
Otti will also launch an illustrated biography of Fafunwa. The book, which is designed for young readers, is authored by Prof Okey Ndibe.
Ndibe said, “My late father-in-law lived an extraordinary life. He faced numerous challenges as a youngster. Even so, he persevered to triumph over adversity. From humble circumstances, he rose to become one of the world’s most respected scholars, researchers and policymakers. I’ve always been inspired by his story. I wrote a children’s version of his biography, my goal being to inspire youngsters in Nigeria, Africa, and the world.”
He expressed excitement that the Abia governor would formally unveil the book.