Benin City, Nigeria – The Francis and Fidelia Ibhawoh Foundation held its Annual Award Presentation Ceremony on Sunday, July 13, 2025, in Benin City, celebrating academic excellence and youth empowerment. This year’s event saw the presentation of scholarship prizes of ₦100,000.00 each to two exceptional law students: Favour Obaseki, a 300-level student of Law at Ambrose Alli University, and Itohan Osemwegie, a 400-level Law student from the University of Benin. 

The ceremony was attended by members of the Foundation’s Governing Board, distinguished guests from the academic and legal communities, and other dignitaries. In his remarks, Mr. Gerard Ibhawoh, Chair of the Foundation, congratulated the award recipients and urged them to “keep the flag flying,” encouraging them to pursue excellence and integrity in their academic and future professional journeys. 

He also highlighted the significant achievements of the foundation’s collaborative engagement with Community Sport and Development (CSED) Initiative in organizing Netball and Badminton workshops to train teachers and students across various schools in Edo state. 

Mr. Ibhawoh also addressed the reduced number of awardees this year, attributing it to a general decline in the quality of essay submissions and the misuse of artificial intelligence by some applicants. He expressed concern over this growing trend, stating: “While technology is a valuable tool, the overreliance on AI for academic work undermines the spirit of original thinking and poses a significant danger to genuine scholarship.” 

Also speaking at the event, Prof. (Mrs.) Uyilawa Edosomwan, a member of the Foundation’s Governing Board, charged the awardees to see this recognition as a steppingstone to greater accomplishments. “Let this moment be the beginning of even greater milestones in your academic and professional lives,” she said. 

Since its establishment in 2015, the Francis and Fidelia Ibhawoh Foundation has directly supported over 321 students through scholarships and educational grants, providing access to higher education and enabling them to fulfil their academic potential. In addition, the Foundation has empowered 185 individuals through mentorship, vocational training, international exchange programs, and professional development initiatives. 

With a strong commitment to education, youth empowerment, and sustainable development, the Foundation continues to play a transformative role in improving lives and building stronger communities across Nigeria and beyond.

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In a bid to enhance the educational and sporting development of students at Saint Maria Goretti Girls Grammar School (SMGGGS) in Benin City, the Francis and Fidelia Ibhawoh Foundation has secured approval from the Edo State Government, through the Ministry of Education, to construct an outdoor netball court within the school premises.

The approval that was conveyed via an official correspondence from the Edo State Ministry of Education, reflects the government’s recognition of the Ibhawoh Foundation as a reputable and impactful NGO. The Ministry commended the Foundation’s proven commitment to the educational advancement and community empowerment, especially among young people.

Founded by the Catholic Church in 1959, SMGGGS is located in the Upper Sakponba area of Benin City. The school has a rich legacy of academic and sporting excellence, particularly in hockey. This legacy informed the state government’s recent to upgrade the school’s hockey field to an astroturf pitch, which was utilized during the 2021 National Sports Festival hosted in Benin City.

Commenting on the initiative, Mr. Gerard Ibhawoh, Chair of the Francis and Fidelia Ibhawoh Foundation, explained that the decision to build a netball court is driven by the Foundation’s commitment to youth development through sport and community engagement. He noted that this effort will complement the ongoing contributions of the school’s alumni association. In recent years, the SMGGGS Old Girls Association has spearheaded a number of transformative projects, including the establishment of a Cisco Academy and an NCC IT Centre, the donation of 40 sewing machines and vocational equipment, and the refurbishment of a staff residential building.

“Saint Maria Goretti Girls Grammar School holds a special place in our family’s history,” Mr. Ibhawoh stated. “Our mother taught at the school for over two decades, and two of my sisters are proud alumnae. In honour of our mother’s legacy, we are committed to delivering a netball facility of a high standard in a timely and efficient manner.

The choice of building a netball court is deeply personal and symbolic. Netball was a favourite sport of the Foundation’s matriarch, who was one of Nigeria’s earliest netball coaches and led her school’s netball team in Ekpoma as far back as 1968. Netball remains a sport uniquely designed to engage and empower the girl-child, making it an ideal tool for promoting gender equity and holistic development.

Our Foundation envisions this intervention as a catalyst for revitalizing sports engagement in the Upper Sakponba area, a community teeming with energetic and talented youth.”
The Francis and Fidelia Ibhawoh Foundation was established in 2014 in memory of the late Francis Ehidiamen Ibhawoh by his family and close associates. The Foundation honours the enduring legacy of both Francis and Fidelia Ibhawoh—dedicated educators and public servants—by supporting initiatives in education, youth empowerment, and community development.

Since its formal establishment in 2015, the Foundation has made notable contributions in the areas of sports and healthcare, often in partnership with the Community Sport and Educational Development (CSED) Initiative. Its flagship initiative, the annual Francis and Fidelia Ibhawoh Essay Competition for Undergraduates, addresses pressing societal issues and encourages solution-driven thinking among Nigerian youths.

To date, the Foundation has directly impacted over 300 students through scholarships and grants, enabling them to pursue higher education and achieve their academic goals. Additionally, it has supported 182 individuals through mentorship programs, skills training, international exchange programs, and professional development opportunities. Notably, in collaboration with Empowerment Square (Canada), the Foundation awards an annual $1,000 Mentorship Fellowship Grant to support the aspirations of young professionals and students while promoting international collaboration and innovation.

Through its sustained focus on education, empowerment, and sustainable development, the Francis and Fidelia Ibhawoh Foundation continues to leave a meaningful and lasting impact on communities across Nigeria and beyond.

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57 years after their mother was in charge of the netball team of RMC School Uhiele (Ekpoma), the trustees of Francis and Fidelia Ibhawoh Foundation recently organised a two-day basic netball training programme for Physical and Education teachers in Esanland.

The training held on 13 and 14 May 2025 was organised in collaboration with Community Sports and Educational Development (CSED) Initiative at the premises of Ujoelen Grammar School Ekpoma.

The netball training is part of the “Project 2027” sport for change events that hopes to bring netball to the attention of one million Nigerian school children.

Physical and Education teachers from different parts of the five local government areas that make up Esanland attended the event. They were joined by two UNIBEN students who are residents of the IDPs Camp Uhogua. As well as a teacher from Holy Trinity Grammar School, Sabongida Ora (Owan-West local government area). In total, 26 teachers were certified by coaches Edema Fuludu and Edward Fuludu, who are Netball Africa certified coaches. The two trainers made use of the training manual that was developed by Mary Waya (instructor and World Netball Ambassador) in teaching the new coaches the theoretical and practical aspects of the game.

The new coaches were taught the seven positions in netball, the roles that are attached to these seven positions, the restriction of players to certain parts of the netball court and why the netball court is divided into three equal parts. Participants were also drilled on light stretches, warm-ups before starting a game and warm-down at the end of a game. They were further taught how to mark the netball court. More importantly, they were taught the practical aspect of netball, which was displayed in a live game between two sets of coaches.

The safeguarding of students and athletes was an aspect of the training which the new coaches found to be very interesting and interactive. As they were taught that they have a duty of care to ensure that the classroom and the playground should be a safe space that should be devoid of any form of abuse (emotional, physical, sexual, and financial).

At the end of the training, participants were issued with certificates of attendance and provided with netball starter packs. The free netball starter packs consist of two netball rims, two netball balls, a pack of finger-held whistle, and two sets of netball training bibs. The equipment will be used by the teachers to introduce netball to their students in their various schools. As a mark of respect of the nutritional tradition of Esanland, the training organisers ensured that the menu on the last training day was “pounded yam and ogbono soup.” During an interview with our reporter, he President of Francis and Fidelia Ibhawoh Foundation stated that they will explore other possibilities of using sports and education to build the human capacity of the people of Esanland.

Free netball training events have been held in Edo south and central senatorial districts. Edo north is currently the only part of Edo state that is yet to hold a netball training event. It is hoped that prominent daughters, sons and residents of Edo north will collaborate with the Francis and Fidelia Ibhawoh Foundation and CSED Initiative to hold netball training in one of the major towns (Auchi, Afuze, Igarra, or Iyamho). As the game of netball is a useful tool that can be used in empowering the girl-child in Edo state.

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A foundation, Francis and Fidelia Ibhawoh Foundation has unveiled its new name and long as well as announced dates for the commencement of the annual 2025 Essay Competition for undergraduates

Formerly known as Francis Ibhawoh Foundation, the management of the foundation stated during press briefing in Lagos that the name change reflects the shared values and lifelong commitment of Francis and Fidelia Ibhawoh to education, community development, and youth empowerment –  the two individuals the foundation commemorates – adding that the name change does not affect the mission and core values of the foundation

“We are pleased to announce that this name change reflects the shared values and lifelong commitment of Francis and Fidelia Ibhawoh to education, community development, and youth empowerment. While the Foundation’s name has evolved, our mission and core values remain unchanged—we continue to strive for a positive impact in our local communities while empowering young people to find their voices and shape their future.”

Speaking at an event held in Lagos on the 16th of March 2025 to unveil the Foundation’s new logo, the Chairman of the Foundation, Gerard Ibhawoh described the new name as symbolic

“The name change is more than symbolic; as it is a testament to the shared vision, values, and dedication of Francis and Fidelia Ibhawoh, whose lifelong commitment to making a difference in the lives of young people and communities continues to inspire us”.

He also announced that in line with the foundation’s commitment to fostering intellectual discourse and critical thinking, the Francis and Fidelia Ibhawoh Foundation is pleased to announce the call for entries for the 2025 edition of its annual essay competition for undergraduates.

With the theme: “Sports as a Catalyst for Social Change and National Development: In what ways can sports foster social inclusion, peacebuilding, and youth empowerment?” the competition is expected to explore the power of sports to bridge divides, inspire communities, and drive meaningful change.

The entry date for the 2025 Essay Completion started on April 1, 2025 which closing date is May 15, 2025. Winners will be announced on June 02, 2025

The Best six essays will win N100, 000 each which may increase to 8 participants

Interested participants are encouraged to apply via the website www.ibhawohfoundation.com and can contact [email protected] for enquiries

The Francis and Fidelia Ibhawoh Foundation is dedicated to championing education, youth empowerment and community development.

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