Dare Babalola
Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun has presented a brand new car to Solanke Taiwo, a primary school teacher at Ansa-Ur-Deen Main School I, Kemta Lawa, Abeokuta, in recognition of his achievement as Nigeria’s Overall Best Primary School Teacher.
The governor handed over the car keys to Solanke at his Oke-Mosan office in Abeokuta on Friday, with Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology Prof Abayomi Arigbagbu and Permanent Secretary Oloko in attendance, according to a statement.
Commissioner Prof Abayomi Arigbagbu hailed the teacher’s achievement as proof that the state’s investment in education and reforms are paying off.
“When you do things consistently and efficiently, you will continue to record 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 shows that once you put sound policies in place—such as the Ogun State Education Revitalisation Agenda, which is built on six pillars, with the last pillar focusing on students’ and teachers’ welfare—you will see tangible outcomes. This administration has made significant progress across all the pillars,” he said.
He noted that declaring a state of emergency in education led to comprehensive reforms under the Revitalisation Agenda, targeting curriculum development, school management, tech innovation, infrastructure, funding, and welfare for students and teachers.
While acknowledging the success of the reforms, the commissioner noted that the state’s consistent achievements at both state and national levels are proof of meaningful transformation in the sector.
“On each of these pillars, we have delivered effectively. That is why I am not surprised that our teachers and students continue to win awards at various levels,” he added.
He further stated that beyond emerging as the best in the state, Mr Solanke went on to clinch the national title in Abuja, describing it as evidence of genuine progress in the education system.
“It shows that when we say someone has emerged as the best teacher, it is not cosmetic. It confirms that the entire education sector has truly been revitalised. Ogun State remains number one in education, and we cannot afford to go backwards,” he said.
Highlighting the state’s performance in external competitions, Prof Arigbagbu recalled its dominance in the JETS competitions, where students from the state won 18 out of 24 available awards in a particular year, with one student claiming nine of those awards. He attributed the success to sustained attention and investment in the sector over the past six years.
On technical and vocational education, he revealed that five states have indicated interest in understudying Ogun State’s model in Technical and Vocational Education and Training and the digitisation of the education sector. He added that the Federal Government and the National Board for Technical Education have commended the state’s strides.
He maintained that the presentation of a car to the award-winning teacher was aimed at motivating others to continue giving their best, noting that the administration remains committed to recognising and rewarding excellence.
Abiodun also assured that the state would continue to train and retrain teachers through workshops, seminars, digitisation initiatives and AI-powered teaching platforms.
In his remarks, Solanke expressed appreciation to the governor for creating a conducive environment for teaching and learning, stating that the investments and reforms in the sector have yielded visible results at both state and national levels.
“I feel excited and fulfilled. I want to appreciate our education-friendly governor for this great honour—for celebrating excellence, innovation and transformational impact among teachers across the state.
“I promise to continue to give my best to make the state proud and to collaborate with fellow educators to ensure that Ogun State maintains its reputation for educational excellence,” he said.
He also urged fellow teachers to remain committed to excellence by transforming learning outcomes and bringing out the best in every learner entrusted to their care.
