CLOSING SPEECH — #BEMOREOYO2026

My dear BEMORE Girls, distinguished guests, sponsors, technical partners, facilitators, members of the BEMORE family, and everyone who contributed to the success of BEMORE Summer Bootcamp 2026,

Today, as we bring #BEMOREOYO2026 to a close, my heart is filled with immense gratitude, pride and joy.

Although I have not been physically present with you throughout the camp because of other demanding engagements, information reaching me confirms that everything went remarkably well. For that, I am deeply grateful.

I am eternally grateful to every single person who played a role in making this edition a success.

From our Chief Matron to the drivers, coordinators, facilitators, instructors, caterers, welfare team, technical crew, administrators and volunteers, everyone understood their assignment. Everyone knew what to do. Everyone played his or her part.

That is what teamwork looks like.

A programme of this magnitude does not succeed because of one person. It succeeds because many people bring their skills, discipline, commitment and goodwill together for one common purpose.

Thank you all for making BEMORE what it is today.

CELEBRATING BEMORE EXCEPTIONALISM

One of the things that continues to excite me about BEMORE is the exceptional talent within our community.

This year, we saw once again that BEMORE is not merely about teaching girls; it is about discovering who they are and giving them the platform to become who they can be.

Take Paradise Nwaozuzu, one of our BEMORE alumnae. Paradise composed and produced a beautiful birthday song for me, and that same song has now become part of the musical score accompanying our daily BEMORE camp activities.

What a beautiful demonstration of talent, initiative and creativity!

Then came Aminat Adegoke, who stepped in to cover the gap in make-up and gele styling. Rather than waiting for someone else to solve the problem, she brought her talent to the table and made herself useful.

These may appear to be simple examples, but they represent something much bigger.

They show that we are on the right part of history.

At BEMORE, we are not just training girls to pass examinations or acquire certificates. We are creating an ecosystem where hidden potentials can be discovered, talents can be nurtured, confidence can be built and young women can find their voices and their place in the world.

That is the BEMORE dream.

And when I see our girls rising to the occasion, creating, innovating, solving problems and supporting one another, I know that the dream is alive and thriving.

FLAG FOOTBALL — FUN, TEAMWORK AND NEW POSSIBILITIES

I must also make special mention of NAFA, which introduced flag football to BEMORE last year.

It has since become one of the activities that our girls look forward to, and from all reports, it remained one of the most exciting activities of this year’s camp.

The girls enjoyed every bit of the experience — the running, the teamwork, the competition, the laughter and the sheer excitement of playing a sport that was new to many of them.

Beyond the fun, flag football teaches important values: teamwork, communication, discipline, strategy, resilience and healthy competition.

This year also marks the second year of the NAFA–BEMORE partnership, and I sincerely hope this relationship is here to stay.

Partnerships like this enrich the BEMORE experience and expose our girls to possibilities beyond the classroom.

Thank you, NAFA, for believing in BEMORE and for continuing to give our girls the opportunity to learn, play, compete and discover themselves in new ways.

TO OUR SPONSORS AND PARTNERS

I must specially appreciate our sponsors and supporters, whose generosity continues to make this programme possible.

Thank you for believing in the BEMORE vision.

Your support goes beyond funding a summer camp. You are investing in the future of girls, families, communities and ultimately our nation.

To our technical partners, thank you for bringing expertise, technology, equipment and knowledge to the programme. Your partnership has helped us maintain the quality and relevance of BEMORE training over the years.

To All Saints’ College, Ibadan, thank you for providing us with such a serene, secure and conducive environment for the BEMORE Summer Bootcamp. The environment matters enormously when young minds are learning, reflecting, creating and building relationships.

We deeply appreciate your hospitality and partnership.

To our facilitators, instructors and resource persons, thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience with our girls.

To the welfare and support teams, thank you for ensuring that the girls were properly cared for.

To the parents and guardians who entrusted their daughters to us, thank you for your confidence in BEMORE.

OUR BEMORE TRADITION — CELEBRATING EXCELLENCE

At BEMORE, excellence and performance matter.

It is our tradition, based on performance, to select a Valedictorian at the end of every BEMORE Summer Bootcamp. This is our way of recognizing and celebrating a girl who has distinguished herself through her performance, commitment and overall participation in the programme.

I am therefore delighted to announce that the 2026 BEMOREOYO Valedictorian is:

OLORUNDARE FISAYO GLORIA — SDG 2

Congratulations, Fisayo!

In recognition of this outstanding achievement, you are entitled to the Founder’s Prize of ₦50,000.00.

This prize is not just a reward; it is also a reminder that hard work, discipline, commitment and excellence are always worth celebrating.

To Fisayo, I say: wear this honour with humility, carry it with pride, and let it inspire you to do even greater things.

And to every BEMORE Girl, remember: the opportunity to be celebrated is open to everyone. Give every assignment your best. Participate fully. Learn. Grow. Excel.

Once again, congratulations, Olorundare Fisayo Gloria!

TO MY BEMORE GIRLS

And now, to my beautiful BEMORE Girls — those here in Ibadan and the thousands of BEMORE Girls spread across Nigeria and around the world:

I am so proud of you.

I hope you leave this programme understanding that you are capable of far more than you may have imagined.

Take everything you have learnt here and use it.

Use your knowledge.

Use your creativity.

Use your technology.

Use your voice.

Use your confidence.

Use your talents to make a difference wherever you find yourself.

Remember that being a BEMORE Girl is not simply about attending a bootcamp. It is a responsibility and a way of life.

You are expected to become women who lift others as they rise; women who solve problems rather than complain about them; women who dare to dream and have the courage to pursue those dreams.

Wherever life takes you, remember where you came from.

Remember the girls who are coming behind you.

And when you succeed, reach back and pull another girl up.

KEEP MAKING GRANDMA PROUD!

My dear girls, I have one simple message for you:

Keep shining.

Keep learning.

Keep creating.

Keep challenging yourselves.

Keep breaking barriers.

Keep making a difference.

And most importantly, keep making Grandma proud!

The world is waiting for what you have to offer.

So, go out there and show the world what a BEMORE Girl can do.

Today, we may be closing the physical camp, but the BEMORE journey does not end here.

The friendships will continue.

The learning will continue.

The innovation will continue.

The sisterhood will continue.

And the impact will continue.

As I always say:

BEMORE TO THE WORLD!

To everyone who made #BEMOREOYO2026 possible, thank you from the bottom of my heart.

May the seeds planted during these two weeks continue to grow into extraordinary achievements.

Keep shining, BEMORE Girls. Keep making Grandma proud.

BEMORE to the world!

See you next year!

With love and gratitude,

Dr. Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu
Founder, BEMORE Empowered Girls Foundation