Mr. S. O. Oladepo has emerged as the Overall Best Teacher in Osun State at the 2026 Teachers’ Appreciation Award organized by the Olaleye Ajanaku Foundation, in collaboration with DDI, a non-governmental organization.
The award ceremony, which brought together education stakeholders, religious leaders, and members of the public, underscored the critical role of teachers as catalysts for personal success and societal development. Keynote speakers at the event described teaching as a noble profession deeply aligned with religious and moral values, stressing the need for deliberate recognition of educators who demonstrate exceptional commitment and stewardship.
The Osun State Commissioner for Education, Mr. Eluwole Adedipo, represented by the Ijesa Zonal Inspector of Education, commended the organizers for what he described as an unprecedented initiative in the state’s education sector. He noted that the award scheme challenges the long-held notion that teachers’ rewards are only reserved for the hereafter, adding that the gesture clearly demonstrates that educators can and should be celebrated in their lifetime.
Speaking at the event, the sponsor and founder of the initiative, Mr. Olaleye Ajanaku, charged the award recipients to redouble their efforts toward improving the quality of education in Osun State. He emphasized that the ultimate objective of the foundation is to promote high-quality education that adequately prepares students for the increasingly competitive job market.
Mr. Ajanaku explained that the awardees emerged through a rigorous and transparent nomination process driven by students and evaluated by independent experts, a method designed to eliminate favoritism and nepotism.
Also speaking, the Chief Executive Officer of DDI, Pastor Segun Oduyebo, disclosed that the Olaleye Ajanaku Foundation, in partnership with DDI, is currently sponsoring the education of 20 secondary school students, including the payment of their WAEC and NECO examination fees.
Pastor Oduyebo further applauded Mr. Ajanaku for his broader humanitarian efforts, noting that the philanthropist has empowered over 50 small-scale business entrepreneurs and supported vulnerable individuals through food distribution initiatives.
At the climax of the ceremony, Mrs. Olubukola emerged as the Third Overall Best Teacher in Osun State, receiving a cash prize of ₦100,000, while Mr. Oyedokun Wakeel Babatunde secured the Second Overall Best Teacher position and was awarded ₦150,000. The top honour went to Mr. S. O. Oladepo, who was named Overall Best Teacher in Osun State and received a cash prize of ₦200,000.
In addition, the best three teachers from each of the six education zones in Osun State were rewarded with ₦50,000 each, in recognition of their outstanding contributions to teaching and learning across the state.
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