By Emeka Nwokocha
A frontline advocate of adult education and youth empowerment in Nigeria, the Edewor Foundation has achieved a commendable feat towards eradicating adult illiteracy in Nigeria as over 100 nonliterate adults in Delta State received Primary School Leaving Certificate (PSLC) in 2025, after completion of free basic literacy and vocational skills training at the Foundation’s Adult Literacy and Youth Development Centres.
A Coordinator at Edewor Foundation, Mr. Alex Uwajuoma Edewor, while speaking at the foundation’s Annual Adult Quiz Competition, an event that heralded the foundation’s Annual Empowerment and Certificate Awarding Programme for the year 2025, lauded the philanthropic gesture of Professor Rolinson Edewor, founder of Edewor Foundation, outlining the foundation’s incredible impacts over the years towards eradicating adult illiteracy in Nigeria.
Uwajuoma said, “With unwavering commitment to promoting adult literacy in Nigeria, Prof. Rolinson Edewor, through the foundation’s Adult Literacy and Youth Development Programme encourages and offers nonliterate adults an unrestricted opportunity to acquire basic education and vocational skills free of charge.” Uwajuoma emphasized that the foundation’s Adult Literacy aims to complement Nigerian government’s policy to eradicate adult illiteracy through the National Commission for Mass Literacy (NMEC), in line with the goal 4 of the sustainable development goals (SDGs), stressing that Nigeria faces significant adult illiteracy, with recent figures suggesting around 31-38% of adults (tens of millions) are non-literate.
Cross Section of the graduands
Uwajuoma reiterated the foundation’s ongoing effort to establish more Adult Literacy and Youth Development Centres. “Crucial steps are being taken to ensure basic literacy and vocational skills training get to the nooks and crannies of Delta State, as plans are on top gear to establish training Centres in all the 25 local government areas of the state,” he stated.
Mrs. Rita Nwabuokei, the foundation’s Adult Education Supervisor for Sapele local government area, while presenting Primary School Leaving Certificate to over 100 graduands of the foundation’s Adult Literacy and Youth Development Programme, tasked the learners to take their studies serious so they could come out in flying colours at examinations. Nwabuokei poured encomiums on Professor Edewor for sustaining the free reading and writing and computer appreciation skills training for adults.
In the same vein, other coordinators of the programme – Pastor Emmanuel Zituboh, Mr Martins Jetevbu, and apostles Joseph Omofuma, among others thanked God for the success of the term’s academic work, even as they called on individuals and cooperate organisations to replicate the philanthropic gesture of Professor Rolinson Edewor to promote adult literacy in Nigeria, saying, “It’s crucial for career growth, personal development, and societal well-being.”
The 2025 Annual Adult Quiz Competition, titled, “Our parents know it all,” drew participants from the fourteen centres of the Foundation’s Adult Literacy and Youth Development Programme. The competition was won by the participants from Okuodede town, Sapele local government area, followed by the participants from Orhuwhorun, Udu Local Government who clinched second position, while participants from Ijakpa-Elume, Sapele local government area came third.
Distribution of foodstuffs at the event
The oldest adult learners that participated in the Quiz included 72 years old Agnes Ovwie from Jakpa Elume Elume Centre; 78 years old Idu Yellow from Ogirisen Centre; 70 years old Queen Egborode from Ogiedi Centre; 79-year-old Enajero Ovwhigho from Igbeku Centre; 55-year-old Edith Oke from Okpara Inland; 72-year-old Ibiadoyo chirstana from Okwejeba Centre; 67-year-old Agwaritakpor Sunday from Adagbrassa Elume Centre; 73-year-old Ikoyo Queen from Okuovu Centre; 65-year-old Joy Perebo from Orhuwhorun Centre; and 65-year-old Patience Ukperetere from Ughoton Center.
Overwhelmed by joy, the beneficiaries thanked the founder of Edewor Foundation, Professor Rolinson Edewor for commiting to his mission to providing nonliterate adults an opportunity to read and write at no cost and empowering the undeserved in the society with vocational skills to improve their economic and social status. The highpoint of the event was distribution of 50kg bags of rice to the beneficiaries of the foundation’s Adult Literacy and Youth Development Programme across the fourteen training centres.