DIPLOMAN TIMES

Abia Governor Alex Otti participated in the Fafunwa Educational Foundation's annual lecture and post-doctoral awards in Lagos, using the occasion to reflect on Professor Aliu Babatunde Fafunwa's educational legacy and the continuing debate over mother-tongue instruction in early education.

Governor Alex Otti of Abia State attended the 24th Annual Lecture and Symposium of the Fafunwa Educational Foundation and the 19th Annual Post-Doctoral Awards in Education at the AGIP Recital Hall of the MUSON Centre in Lagos on September 23, 2026. The event brought together scholars, academics, educationists and other participants to honour the legacy of Professor Aliu Babatunde Fafunwa and discuss issues connected to education, scholarship and the development of ideas.

Otti used his address to reflect on Fafunwa's contribution to education and described the late professor as a thinker, pathfinder and advocate of the transformative power of education. He commended the Fafunwa Educational Foundation, members of Fafunwa's family, protégés and students for maintaining what he described as the professor's ideals of integrity, curiosity, generosity and service. The remarks framed the annual gathering as both a commemoration and an opportunity to revisit educational ideas.

A central subject of the event was the relevance of using mother tongues as the primary language of instruction in early education. Otti said the discussion was important and referred to experiences from countries including South Korea, India and China as part of the wider intellectual exchange. The source presents the subject as an area for continued examination and possible future policy consideration rather than announcing a new Abia State policy arising directly from the event.

The governor also congratulated recipients of the post-doctoral awards in education and acknowledged Professor Okey Ndibe's new work, 'Babs Fafunwa: A Mini-Biography for Youngsters'. His participation connected the event's commemoration of Fafunwa with recognition of continuing scholarship and efforts to introduce younger audiences to the educator's life and legacy.

The gathering therefore combined remembrance, academic recognition and discussion of an enduring education-policy question. Otti's remarks did not announce a specific implementation programme from the event, but expressed support for continued intellectual examination of language and early education. The immediate outcome was the continuation of the foundation's annual lecture and awards programme and its broader effort to keep Fafunwa's educational legacy within contemporary public discussion.