Uchechukwu Nnaike
Busayo Adeyemo of Lanre Awolokun High School, Gbagada, Lagos, has emerged as the winner of the 12th Maltina Teacher of the Year Competition.
Adeyemo, who was declared the winner at the competition’s grand finale in Lagos, received a ₦10 million cash prize, a Honda HR-V, an all-expenses-paid overseas capacity development training, and a year’s supply of Maltina. The Nigerian Breweries-Felix Ohiwerei Education Trust Fund will also build a ₦30 million school infrastructure project in her honour.
In addition, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu rewarded her with a 3-bedroom apartment. She also won the Maltina Prize for Best STEM Teacher, worth ₦1.5 million.
The first runner-up, Yusuf Cariyat of Wisdom International School of Excellence (WISE), Sauka, Lugbe, Abuja, received ₦5 million, while the second runner-up, Ephraim Jacob Inyangudo of Comprehensive Secondary School, Ediene Abak LGA, Akwa Ibom State, received ₦3 million.
Also, 17 other teachers who emerged as state champions received ₦1 million each for their outstanding performance and commitment to excellence in teaching.
The host, Sanwo-Olu, commended Nigerian Breweries-Felix Ohiwerei Education Trust Fund (NB-FOETF) for its commitment to honouring teachers by deploying corporate resources to elevate them.
He described the trust fund’s intervention as the best way to deepen partnership between the company and the public sector while also delivering its corporate social responsibilities.
President Bola Tinubu, who was represented by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Bernard Doro, stated that the trust fund, through the competition, not only gave teachers their due recognition, visibility, dignity and reward through its investment in classrooms, libraries and learning facilities but also improved the learning environment.
Tinubu expressed readiness to partner with NB-FOETF for its planned long-term support for out-of-school children, through its new initiative, to commence in 2027. According to him, the initiative will build on the trust fund’s long-standing focus on teachers and learning environments while expanding access for more Nigerian children.
The Chairman, NB-FOETF, and Managing Director, NB Plc, Thibaut Boidin, explained that the competition, since its inception, has celebrated outstanding educators across Nigeria while recognising their contribution to society’s growth.
He said this year’s edition is symbolic, as it coincides with the company’s 80th anniversary, Maltina’s 50th, and the trust fund’s 32 years of investing in education. While commending teachers for their labour and sacrifices for future generations, he noted that teaching should not be seen as a profession, but an act of service to the nation.
“Tonight, we see your commitment, the sacrifices, surprises that may never appear on a report card. We see the extra time you give to a struggling student, the patience, the courage and the optimism required to keep believing in the next generation. We honour you, and we thank you,” Boidin said.
Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, applauded the NB-FOETF for sustaining a platform that honours educators and professional excellence in teaching by investing in the foundation of Nigeria’s future. He said NB-FOETF’s recognition of outstanding teachers and support for school infrastructure clearly demonstrate how corporate investment can meaningfully contribute to the education system.
“I am particularly pleased that the Trust Fund is extending its intervention to address the challenges of out-of-school children, which aligns perfectly with the pressing national priority,” he added.
The Public Relations Officer, NB-FOETF/Corporate Affairs Director, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Uzodinma Odenigbo, disclosed that the competition has so far honoured 305 outstanding teachers, supported schools with educational infrastructure, and delivered 11 school infrastructure projects.
According to him, this year’s edition recorded a 30 per cent increase in entries, with an unprecedented 2,510 entries from all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, of which 2,243 were valid. He thanked the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) for its partnership, which contributed to the strong participation, as well as other educational stakeholders for their support.
The partners, Union Bank Plc and Honda Manufacturing Nigeria Limited, commended the trust fund and other stakeholders for their dedication in making the initiative a success and for recognising the people who shape Nigeria’s future, one learner at a time.
A Slum2School Africa scholar, Mariam Alade, who delivered the keynote, spoke on the need to support and empower teachers, given their role in moulding the lives of children who hold Nigeria’s future.
The winner thanked NB-FOETF, the Lagos State government, and the partners for the reward, which she described as a big motivation to do more.
“It’s a reminder that I have a responsibility not to relent but to keep giving my best, committing myself to teachers’ development in Lagos and Nigeria, keep advancing STEM education in Nigeria, and believing in the Nigerian children that tomorrow shall be great,” she said.
Previous winners of the competition are: Rose Nkemdilim Obi (2015); Imoh Essien (2016); Felix Ariguzo (2017); Olasunkanmi Opeifa (2018); Ezem Collins (2019); Oluwabunmi Anani (2020); Abanika Taiye (2021); Alaku Ayiwulu (2022); Adeola Adefemi (2023); Esomnofu Ifechukwu (2024); and Serah Yusuf (2025).