22/01/2026
The Sowore Foundation marked the 2026 edition of its annual Festival with an expansive celebration of education, culture, sports, and community empowerment, awarding scholarships, cash prizes, and gifts to hundreds of participants across multiple disciplines.
Twenty-one years after the passing of Mr. David Omoremilekun Sowore, the Sowore family, under the aegis of the Sowore Foundation, returned once again to Kiribo on January 1, 2026, to honour his life, values, and enduring impact on education and community development. The festival, now a defining annual tradition, continues to serve as a living tribute to a man whose life was rooted in service, discipline, and learning.
Speaking at the event, Omoyele Sowore described his late father as an extraordinary figure who seamlessly blended fatherhood, teaching, and community organising. He recalled how David Omoremilekun Sowore raised nearly twenty children, transforming his home into a classroom grounded in discipline, curiosity, and academic excellence. A committed Awoist, he held an unshakeable belief in free and compulsory education, a principle he lived by until his death. In honour of this conviction, the Sowore Foundation established a scholarship programme in his memory—an initiative that has since grown beyond Kiribo to reach beneficiaries nationally and internationally, reaffirming the belief that education remains the most powerful tool for social transformation.
Over the years, the Foundation’s mission has remained focused on community empowerment, youth development, sports engagement, cultural preservation, social justice, and educational support. These pillars once again came alive at the 2026 festival, which combined intellectual contests, athletic competitions, cultural displays, and broad-based community support.
This year’s festival recorded a major milestone as participants arrived not only from across Nigeria but also from Ghana and the Republic of Benin for the first time, placing Kiribo—described by Sowore as a “village of big dreams”—firmly on the global map. The atmosphere throughout the community was one of joy and renewal, as residents and visitors shared moments of laughter, celebration, and collective pride.
In tangible terms, the Foundation awarded 250 scholarships to students across diverse fields of study, empowered 21 artisans, supported 24 persons with special needs, and disbursed over ₦20 million in cash prizes. Academic competitions such as debate, quiz, and dictation rewarded top performers with high-value tablets and cash prizes, while dozens of other participants received consolation awards in recognition of their effort and excellence.
The sporting events formed the energetic backbone of the festival. The main road races, open to both male and female athletes, offered prizes ranging from ₦1 million for first place to consolation rewards for top finishers. The 5-kilometre races, swimming competitions, boat rowing, regatta events, and fun runs for juniors and seniors ensured broad participation across age groups and abilities, with winners receiving substantial cash rewards and other competitors also recognised.
Football activities drew large crowds, with cash prizes awarded to winning teams, runners-up, and third-place finishers, alongside football skills challenges that celebrated individual talent. Dance competitions for both male and female performers added a vibrant cultural dimension, rewarding creativity and expression.
By the close of the 2026 Festival, Kiribo had once again stood as a symbol of what community-driven vision, remembrance, and consistency can achieve. Through scholarships, sports, culture, and shared celebration, the Sowore Foundation not only preserved the legacy of David Omoremilekun Sowore but also reaffirmed a future built on education, opportunity, and collective hope.
