Jane Salihu
The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has received the Key to the City of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, alongside being named the 2026 “Man of the Year” by the African Cultural Festival (ACF).
The honour was announced in a statement issued by the Minister’s Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Ikharo Attah, on September 24, 2026, following the grand finale of the African Cultural Festival in Harrisburg, held under the theme, “The Great Reunion: Culture, Education, and Collaboration.”
Rather than viewing the recognition solely as a personal honour, Alausa used the occasion to call for stronger engagement between Nigeria and its diaspora, particularly in education, research, innovation, technology transfer and human capital development.
He urged Nigerians in the diaspora, including academics, researchers, professionals and institutions, to contribute their expertise and networks to Nigeria’s education transformation without necessarily relocating to the country.
According to him, diaspora professionals can support Nigeria through mentorship, specialised lectures, research collaboration, curriculum development, institutional partnerships and the transfer of emerging technologies and global best practices.
The Minister specifically encouraged participation in the BRIDGE programme — Bridging Research, Innovation, Development and Global Expertise — as a platform for connecting Nigerian institutions and young people with expertise from around the world.
Alausa said such collaboration was central to the “Great Reunion” theme of the festival, which seeks to strengthen connections between Africa and its global community through education, culture, innovation and purposeful partnerships.
He said the Federal Government’s education transformation agenda covers the entire education value chain, from basic and secondary education to technical, vocational and tertiary education.
The Minister highlighted the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, expanded technical and vocational training, curriculum modernisation, medical education, teacher development and investments in laboratories, simulation centres, hostels and other critical infrastructure as part of ongoing efforts to improve access, quality, relevance and employability.
Alausa dedicated the ACF recognition to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, education-sector officials and stakeholders, as well as Nigerian children and young people, whom he described as being at the heart of the reform agenda.
The engagement also featured discussions between the Minister and the DuduPlugs team on opportunities for technology transfer, modern innovation and robotics for Nigerians.
Speaking on the engagement, DuduPlugs CEO, Wole Adeniyi, thanked the Minister for attending the festival, describing the interaction as an opportunity to strengthen cultural diplomacy and educational collaboration between Nigeria and the United States.
Adeniyi said DuduPlugs would build on the engagement by developing a legacy programme focused on technology transfer, innovation and robotics for Nigerians, while working with its collaborators to explore sustainable partnerships in the education sector.
Leila Steinberg, who also spoke during the engagement, expressed appreciation to the Minister for meeting with the team, noting her longstanding work with young people in areas including emotional literacy, creativity, leadership and access to opportunities.
She said DuduPlugs was interested in helping young Africans develop and benefit from their talents, culture, ideas and intellectual property while strengthening connections between Nigerian talent and the global community.
The Minister also acknowledged the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, Speaker Joanna McClinton, the City of Harrisburg, Mayor Wanda Williams, the African Cultural Festival team led by Wole Adeniyi and other individuals and organisations whose support contributed to the success of the event.
The Harrisburg recognition has provided another platform for the Federal Ministry of Education to deepen links with Nigerians and institutions abroad, with the Minister stressing that education development requires contributions from government, educators, industry, communities and the diaspora.
