Abanika Taiye has emerged winner of the 2021 Maltina Teacher of the Year Award organised by Nigeria Breweries through its flagship malt brand Maltina.
Abanika Taiye, a basic technology teacher with James Hope Royal College, Agbor, Delta State received a total cash prize of 6.5 million Naira (₦1,500,000 immediately and ₦1,000,000 every year for the next five years) from the Nigerian Breweries/Felix Ohiwerei Trust Fund.
He will also be part of an all-expense paid capacity development training abroad, while a fully-equipped computer laboratory or six-classroom block worth ₦20,000,000 will be built in his school.
The winners were announced on October 15, 2020 at the grand finale of the 2021 Maltina Teacher of the year award ceremony event at Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Taiye became the second teacher from Delta State to win the award after Mr. Felix Ariguzo, a teacher at Master Care International School, Asaba, won the 2017 edition.
Also, Isaac Pev of Government Day Secondary School in Taraba State, emerged as the first runner-up, winning ₦1,500,000, while Margeret Ofordum of Government Science and Technical College, Abuja, was the second runner-up with a prize of ₦1,250,000.
Also, teachers from 30 other schools who emerged as state champions were awarded ₦500,000 each.
In his welcome address, the Managing Director of Nigerian Breweries PLC, Hans Essaadi, said:
“We are here to recognise and reward some amazing men and women who remind us through their daily work that no society can exist without the sweat of the teacher. As individuals, a great part of what we are today and what we have achieved in life can be traced back to the education that we received from our teachers.”
Speaking at the event, the Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, who represented the Vice President of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, hailed the commitment of teachers towards impacting students despite the COVID-19 pandemic, urging them to continue their inspirational work.
