KB FOUNDATION HONOURS SIX DISTINGUISHED NIGERIANS, EMPOWERS YOUTHS AT THE 2026 LUNCHEON & AWARDS IN OSHOGBO
By Olayiwola Ibrahim // The Kunle Buraimoh – KB Foundation on Saturday, September 12, 2026, held its 2026 Scholarship and Recognition Luncheon and Awards Conferment Ceremony in Osogbo, Osun State, in furtherance of its vision of Giving Back, Building Lives.
The event brought together scholarship beneficiaries, distinguished Nigerians, community leaders, stakeholders and supporters to celebrate academic excellence, exemplary service and youth empowerment.
The Foundation was launched on September 16, 2023, by philanthropist Adekunle Buraimoh, who hails from Alagbaa Compound, Osogbo. Its core mission is Developing the Youths – a commitment to investing in young people as custodians of the future by providing academic support and bridging gaps created by poverty, inadequate educational support and limited access to opportunities.
According to the Founder, education remains the most powerful instrument for breaking the cycle of poverty. Scholarship support, he noted, represents hope, dignity and belief in a better future for indigent students.
The Project Director of the Foundation, Mr. Adekunle Fatai, in his message described education as a fundamental tool for economic development, human capital development, productivity, entrepreneurship and poverty reduction. He stressed that true development requires a culture of giving back and celebrating service, not just success.
Speaking on the spot light and awardees, Prof. Waheed Babatunde Yahya – Icon of Statistical Science, a native of Oga’s Compound, Oke-Baale, Osogbo, Prof. Yahya is a distinguished Professor of Biostatistics and Statistical Genomics at the University of Ilorin with over two decades of academic experience. He has over 150 scholarly publications in Biostatistics, Bayesian Inference, Big Data Analytics and Statistical Genomics.
He is Founder and Director of the Centre for Statistical Genomics and Computational Biology (CSGCB), UNILORIN, and National President of the Professional Statisticians Society of Nigeria (PSSN). He has supervised 19 Ph.D., 75 http://M.Sc. and over 350 http://B.Sc. projects.
Beyond academia, he has facilitated admission of over 200 indigenes of Osogbo and Osun State into UNILORIN and served as a member of the Osun State Education Summit Committee.
Prof. Odunayo Clement Adebooye – Global Scientist and Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Adebooye is the Vice-Chancellor of Osun State University (UNIOSUN) and a distinguished scholar in Plant Physiology and Food Chemistry. He has authored over 130 high-profile research articles with over 1,800 citations.
He served as Nigeria’s Ambassador Scientist for the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (2014-2020) and is President of the African-German Network of Excellence in Science (AGNES) – making history as the first Nigerian appointed to that position in February 2023.
He has won research grants valued at over US$12.5 million, including 9 postdoctoral fellowships, and has facilitated PhD training for 49 scholars across Nigeria, Benin Republic and Canada.
Mrs. Mulikat Adegoke, MNI – Woman of Substance born in March 14, 1952 in Osogbo, Mrs. Adegoke is a retired Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs.
She joined the Nigeria Customs Service in November 1976 and rose to become DCG in charge of Strategic Research and Policy. Her committee’s recommendations formed the modernization blueprint of the Nigeria Customs Service. An alumnus of University of Ife (now OAU), University of Hull, UK, University of Lagos and NIPSS Kuru, she represented Nigeria at World Customs Organization forums and contributed to Nigeria Vision 2020. She is renowned for youth mentorship and community development.
Adeagbo Suraj Ademola – Educationist and Entrepreneur, born in the early 1980s from Adenle Onile-Aran’s Compound, Owo-Ope, Osogbo, Adeagbo is Proprietor of Career Builders College, Osogbo. He holds OND in Accounting from Federal Polytechnic Ede, http://B.Sc in Management and Accounting from OAU, Master’s in Accounting and LL.B (CGPA 4.11, Second Class Upper) from UNIOSUN, and PGDE from NTI Kaduna.
He is National President of the Old Students’ Association of C.A.C. Commercial Grammar School, Gbonmi, Osogbo.
Mrs. Toyin Adeleke – Model of Diligence born in July 12, 1982 in Osogbo, Mrs. Adeleke holds ND and HND in Electrical/Electronics Engineering from Osun State College of Technology, Esa-Oke. A dedicated Traffic Marshal with the Osun State Ministry of Works and Transport, she was honoured for perseverance, courage and professionalism in traffic management and road safety in Osogbo.
Chief Abdulfatai Ajadi Adekilekun Badmus (1941-2024) – Posthumous Award, a native of Ayógun-Ogòdu Compound, Isale-Osun, Osogbo, Chief Badmus was a distinguished educationist and community leader who passed on October 13, 2024 at age 83.
An alumnus of University of Lagos and University of Ibadan, he was renowned for improving secondary education in Osogbo, serving as Principal of Muslim Grammar School, Osogbo and as the first Muslim Principal of historic Osogbo Grammar School.
He served as Special Adviser on Education to the first Governor of Osun State, Alhaji Isiaka Adeleke. In 2022, the Ataoja of Osogbo conferred on him the titles of Asipa and Asiwaju of Osogbo.
In his address, Founder Prof. Kunle Buraimoh said, a meaningful life is not about being rich, being popular, being perfect or at the corridor of power.
Noting that a meaningful life is about being real, being humble, being able to share ourselves and impacting life of others so they can make meaningful contributions to the world we live in.
He added that Leadership is about doing things that will outlive you as a leader.
The event ended with a call for Nigerians in the diaspora to connect their resources to community needs at home.
Follow KB Foundation: @Kunleburaimohfoundation | http://www.kbfoundation.org
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