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Governor Alex Otti of Abia State is expected to be the chairman at the 2026 Fafunwa Educational Foundation (FEF) conference. The 24th annual FEF Lecture/Symposium will take place at Muson Centre, Onikan, Lagos on Wednesday, September 23, 2026.
In a statement, the Executive Secretary of the Foundation, Mr. Muyiwa Obiyomi, stated that the theme of the 2026 symposium is, “What Does the Research Say?: Mother Tongue Instruction and the Future of Early Education in Nigeria”.
Obiyomi described this year’s conference as a special one. “FEF is grateful that Dr. Alex Otti, the Executive Governor of Abia State, agreed to be our chairman this year,” he said. He added: “Dr. Otti is widely admired in this country today. His presence honours the legacy of the late Professor Aliu Babatunde Fafunwa.”
He revealed that the annual FEF conference convenes scholars, educationists, policymakers, linguists, political and cultural leaders, professional associations, non-governmental organisations and the public.
The conference was conceived more than 20 years ago by the late Prof. Fafunwa. 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 life-long advocate of mother tongue education.
Fafunwa’s daughter, Prof. Sheri Fafunwa Ndibe, also expressed her appreciation for Governor Otti’s participation. She lauded the governor for accepting the Foundation’s invitation to be chairman, adding, “Governor Otti is a visionary leader in many respects, including in the educational sector,” she noted.
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Obiyomi disclosed that Mr. Jamiu Tolani Alli-Balogun, the Commissioner for Primary and Secondary Education in Lagos State, would be the guest of honour at the conference. He 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 at the University of Ibadan. Prof. Angelina Kioko, a Kenyan scholar, is 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 the use of mother tongue education in Nigeria. The discussants include such language experts as Prof. Adeyinka of the University of Ibadan, Dr. Ebele Okafor, from the University of Lagos, and Dr. Hamisu Aliyu, who teaches at Federal College of Education, Abeokuta.
The 2026 FEF programme will feature post-doctoral awards to several recent graduates drawn from a cross section of Nigerian universities.
Otti will also launch an illustrated biography of the late Professor Fafunwa. The book, which is designed for young readers, is authored by Prof. Okey Ndibe. “My late father-in-law lived an extraordinary life,” Ndibe explained. “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 policy makers. 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.”
Ndibe expressed his excitement that Governor Otti would formally unveil the book.
“Each year, scholars, policy makers and stakeholders look forward to the FEF conference because of the high intellectual quality,” said Obiyomi.
