Recognition: The fuel that keeps great teachers burning — by Kayode Adewale

When you enter any profession, you are expected to do your job. You show up. You perform your duties. You meet the standards. That is what is required.

But in every profession, there are those who choose not to stop at what is required.

They go further.

They give more than the job description demands. They stay back after hours. They spend their own resources. They think deeply about how to reach the child no one else has reached. They search for better strategies, better tools, and better ways to bring out the best in their students — not because they are compelled to, but because they believe every child carries greatness within them.

That extra effort — that unseen sacrifice — is what people notice. That is when society begins to use words like outstanding, dedicated, born teacher, and nation builder. But those words, as beautiful as they are, are not enough.

Outstanding teachers need encouragement. They need support. They need recognition.

Recognition is not about ego. It is about energy. It is fuel.

When a teacher who goes the extra mile is recognized, something powerful happens. That recognition strengthens their resolve to do more. It reassures them that their sacrifices are not in vain. It silences the quiet voices that sometimes whisper, “Why are you doing too much?” It challenges other teachers to rise beyond the ordinary. It sends a message to young educators that excellence is not ignored. And it teaches students that dedication and service still matter in our society.

Recognition multiplies impact.

In Ogun State, the Gateway State, the people voted in 2019, and by the grace of Almighty God, we were blessed with an education-friendly government Prince Dr. Dapo Abiodun – MFR, CON — a leadership that understands that teachers are nation builders. Since 2020, every 5th of October, World Teachers’ Day has not just been symbolic; it has been transformational.

More than ten houses have been gifted to outstanding teachers. Many teachers have become millionaires simply because they chose to go beyond the ordinary.

I speak not from theory, but from experience.

In 2020, when I was recognized as the Best Senior Secondary School Teacher in Ogun State and rewarded with an amount close to five years of my salary, it did not make me comfortable — it made me committed. It pushed me to stretch further. It inspired me to carry the banner higher.

From that moment, the journey accelerated. I emerged as Ogun State Champion for the Maltina Teacher Of The Year and became a Top 10 finalist in Nigeria. I went on to become the Second Runner-Up Best Teacher in Nigeria in 2023. I was selected for the prestigious Fulbright Teaching Excellence and Achievement Program in the United States alongside 150 teachers from 89 countries. In 2024, I was named among the Top 20 Science Educators in the world and attended the Limitless Global Educators Program in Houston, USA. A program sponsored by IHS Towers

Then, on January 15, 2025, I was announced as a Top 50 Finalist for the Global Teacher Prize organized by Varkey Foundation in collaboration with UNESCO. Six days later, the same education-friendly governor recognized me again — this time with a cash prize worth more than five years of my salary, a two-bedroom bungalow in a location of my choice, and an appointment as Ogun State Education Ambassador.

That is what recognition does. It transforms gratitude into greater service and multiplies responsibility.

What teachers ask for is not too much. When our national football team wins trophies, we celebrate them. We reward them. We honor them publicly. Yet teachers win victories every single day in classrooms — victories that produce doctors, engineers, scientists, innovators, and leaders.

We deeply appreciate the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa, for creating platforms like the recent 2026 National Teachers’ Summit, where outstanding teachers were rewarded with millions of naira for extraordinary service.

We celebrate Mr. Francis Solanke, who emerged as Best Teacher in Nigeria in 2025. He was rewarded with a brand-new car. At the 2026 National Teachers’ Summit, he again emerged as Best Teacher in Nigeria, receiving millions of naira, a house from the education-friendly Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, and another brand-new car. Mr. Solanke, from Ogun State — the Gateway State and education capital of the Federal Republic of Nigeria — has shown that excellence is repeatable.

To every teacher reading this — you may be next.

Recognition does not stop at the state or national level.

On the global stage stands one of the most powerful affirmations of the teaching profession — the Global Teacher Prize, founded by Sunny Varkey. In collaboration with UNESCO, this prestigious initiative celebrates extraordinary teachers from around the world with a grand prize of one million US dollars — over one billion naira in Nigerian currency.

Pause and reflect on that.

One billion naira — awarded not to a footballer, not to an entertainer, not to a corporate executive — but to a classroom teacher.

That is the level of recognition we are talking about.

The Global Teacher Prize was created to elevate the status of teachers globally and to ensure that educators receive the same respect and admiration as professionals in other celebrated fields. It shines a global spotlight on teachers who are transforming lives, advancing innovation, promoting inclusion, and building peace through education.
When Nigerian teachers stand on that stage, they are not standing alone. They carry the dreams of millions of children and the pride of an entire nation.

Nigeria’s journey on the Global Teacher Prize stage has never been a solo performance; it has always been a relay. In 2018, Odeogbola Ay and Itodo Anthony opened the door. In 2019, Soji Megbowon VillageTisa sustained the momentum. In 2020, our mentor, Olasunkanmi Samuel Opeifa, made history as the first Nigerian to reach the Top 10. In 2021, Adeola Adefemi and Prince Olusegun Adeniyi carried the flame forward. In 2023, Dr. Peace Sule and Stephanie Akinwoya reinforced our presence. In 2025, I was privileged to be among the Top 50 finalists.

Today, the baton has moved to Adeola Oduloye Akinsulure and Tijjani Mukaddas, with Adeola making history as the first Nigerian female teacher to reach the Top 10 and the only African in the Top 10 this year — becoming the second Nigerian ever to attain that height.

This is not accidental. It is evidence that Nigerian teachers are among the very best in the world. And Congratulations to Rouble Nagi, winner of this year’s Global Teacher Prize and the $1 million award. A well-deserved recognition of excellence in teaching.

Appreciation to the Varkey Foundation for celebrating educators globally. Nigeria is next—the spotlight could be on you, that outstanding teacher reading this.

And so, this is a call.

To every outstanding teacher reading this: begin to prepare for the next edition. Document your impact. Strengthen your innovation. Expand your reach. Collaborate beyond your classroom. Let your work speak beyond your community. The world is watching. The stage is open. The next million-dollar recognition could carry your name.

To policymakers and stakeholders: continue to celebrate teachers. Reward excellence. Create platforms that amplify impact. What Ogun State has demonstrated can and should be replicated across Nigeria.

To the Federal Government and the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa, we appreciate the renewed efforts to recognize and reward outstanding educators at national platforms. To governors and private organizations honoring teachers across states — thank you for proving that Nigeria values its nation builders.

Because of recognition, something powerful is happening. More young people are beginning to see teaching as a profession of dignity and possibility. Just as they aspire to professions known for reward and respect, they are now seeing that excellence in education can also be celebrated on national and global stages.

Recognition restores honor.
Recognition attracts talent.
Recognition builds nations.

If your work has been recognized, celebrate those who encouraged you. If you are doing extraordinary work quietly, let it be known. Share your story. Someone may be inspired. Someone may support you. Someone may nominate you.

When teachers rise, nations rise.
And Nigeria will rise on the strength of the teachers who go the extra mile — and the leaders who choose to recognize them.

The world cannot move forward without those who teach it how to think.

-Adewale PhD is a Fulbright TEA Fellow) and
Ogun State Education Ambassador, Global Teacher Prize Ambassador