Education At 70: Independent Newspaper Honours Awo, Zik, Bello With Legacy Awards
By FRED LONGJOHN OBEH
AS part of Nigeria’s 65th Independence anniversary celebrations, Independent Newspapers Limited will on Thursday 9 October 2025, host a landmark event to commemorate 70 years of Free Universal Primary Education (FUPE) — a policy that laid the foundation for modern Nigeria.
The grand ceremony, billed for Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, will feature a public lecture, awards gala, and tributes to Nigeria’s founding fathers. Elder statesman and former Osun State Governor, Chief Bisi Akande, will chair the event, while Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu will serve as Chief Host.
A highlight of the night will be posthumous legacy awards to Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, and Sir Ahmadu Bello, to be presented by President Bola Tinubu, who is the Distinguished Guest of Honour.
The evening will open with a lecture by Prof. Barth Nnaji, world-renowned academic and former Minister of Power, with discussants including media scholar Dr. Danladi Bako and culture advocate Otunba Segun Runsewe, OON. A platinum awards gala will follow, recognising governors, corporate organisations, and individuals who have advanced the vision of free primary education.
Royal fathers expected include the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’adu Abubakar, the Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Ogunwusi, and the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Achebe. Industry leaders, policymakers, and global dignitaries will also grace the event.
Managing Director of Independent Newspapers, Mr. Steve Omanufeme, said the occasion underscores education’s role in Nigeria’s independence struggle:
“Without education, there would have been no self-government. The nationalists, from Awolowo to Azikiwe and Bello, bore the cost of acquiring knowledge that empowered them to fight for freedom. The Free Primary Education scheme of 1955 extended that privilege to millions, shaping Nigeria’s future.”
The event will also reflect on the enduring legacy of FUPE, which set the template for subsequent free education policies across Nigeria, and its continuing relevance in the face of today’s educational challenges.
