A masterclass in AI-powered school transformation at NIBF 2025
By Olufemi Timothy Ogunyejo
AT the ongoing 24th Nigerian International Book Fair, a world-class workshop turned the spotlight on Artificial Intelligence (AI), offering schools a roadmap from chaos to clarity, from paperwork to progress. The Balmoral Event Centre at the Sheraton Hotel in Lagos was transformed into a hallowed hall of innovation on Thursday, May 8, 2025, as education heavyweights, school leaders, tech enthusiasts, and policy-makers congregated for what is now heralded as one of the most consequential sessions in the history of the Nigerian International Book Fair (NIBF). Aptly themed ‘Transforming School Management with AI for Educational Excellence’, the high-octane workshop was more than a seminar; it was a symphony of insight, inspiration, and intelligent disruption.
The curtain rose promptly at 2:00pm to the rich cadence of anticipation. The compere, Tosin Akeredolu, commanded the stage with the flair of a seasoned orator, weaving warmth and wisdom into every welcome. From the dignified presence of the Chairman of NIBF, Mr. Dare Oluwatuyi, to the esteemed Mr. Dapo Fisayo and other NIBF Council members, the hall shimmered with Nigeria’s intellectual aristocracy. Yet, the thunderous applause was reserved for the CEO of Accessible Publishers Ltd, Mr. Gbadega Adedapo, whose 29-year odyssey from a lone publication to an educational empire was nothing short of a modern-day publishing parable.
“The best educators of the 21st century are those who work smart, not just hard,” Mr. Adedapo asserted in his welcome address clarion call that reverberated through the room like a war drum of a digital revolution.
Then came the spellbinder. Esther Bamgboje of Best Technologies Ltd took the stage and, with the presence of a poet and the precision of a programmer, unraveled the age-old agony of school management. Her voice was the balm, her slides the blueprint. She didn’t just speak, she sparked. She painted pictures with her words—of endless registers, missed payments, muddled records, and exhausted teachers. But like a midwife of innovation, she delivered the promise of AI as a remedy, a revelation, and a revolution. Her words flowed like rivers of relevance: AI for attendance tracking, AI for automated grading, AI for financial stewardship. She showed how technology could turn red tape into red carpets for productivity.
“In a world where information is wealth, AI is the goldsmith,” she declared, and the audience drank every drop of her wisdom like parched pilgrims at an oasis of knowledge.
With momentum surging, the stage made way for something tangible: the launch of the Accesstudy School Management Platform. Like a digital knight in shining armor, this platform promised to lift the burden off the shoulders of school administrators. The live demo was a marvel. Features rolled out like magic tricks—digital attendance, seamless communication, online assessments, budget tracking, and more. The audience leaned in, captivated by the clean interface and contextual relevance. Heads nodded in reverence. Phones filmed in awe. Accesstudy didn’t just solve problems, it predicted them—and preempted them.
Some participants at the book fair
And just when the session seemed to have reached its crescendo, the Vice President of Counselling Association of Nigeria (CASSON), Dr. Celine Njoku, seized the moment with unexpected flair in when lyrics meets legacy style theme in a spontaneous surge of appreciation, and rendered an original song dedicated to Accessible Publishers Ltd. Her lyrics soared, her melody mingled with applause, and soon the hall was a chorus of celebration—a rare fusion of pedagogy and poetry.
The question-and-answer segment was no less riveting. Attendees raised concerns and curiosity, and each query was met with compelling clarity by the Head of Digital Media at Accessible Publishers Ltd Mr. Dapo Adebayo. His responses were equal parts educative and engaging—proving that knowledge, when expertly wielded, is as sharp as it is soothing.
The Hon. Commissioner for Innovation, Science and Technology of Kogi State, Dr. Helen Adeniyi, stood tall and unequivocal in her goodwill message: “This fifth industrial revolution is a vehicle none can resist. Technology convergence is not just inevitable—it’s irreversible.” Her remarks were a rousing endorsement of digital transformation and a poetic charge to stakeholders: to hop aboard the train of progress or be left on the platform of the past.
As the event approached its twilight, National Sales Manager of Accessible Publishers Ltd Mr. Bilal Agoro, delivered a heartfelt vote of thanks, paying glowing tribute to the dignitaries present—Dr. Dominic Omokaro of President of the Nigerian Library Association, Mrs. Alphaeus Lynda of Nigerian Copyright Commission, Mr. Oyedipe A.A. of Lagos State Library Board and a constellation of other influencers and innovators.
And as flashbulbs flared during the photograph session, what lingered was not just the memory of a successful event—but the imprint of a movement ignited.
The workshop was no ordinary seminar as it provided clarity from classroom chaos to algorithmic order. It was a masterclass in motion, a world-class window into what the future of African education can be when vision meets velocity. The applause that erupted at the close wasn’t just for the speakers or software—it was for possibility itself.
And so, at the 24th Nigerian International Book Fair, a new chapter was written—not in ink, but in innovation. The pen may remain mightier than the sword, but at this workshop, AI was clearly the might behind the pen.
* Ogunyejo is in the ICT, Media and Marketing Committee of NIBF 2025
