Nigerian-German Entrepreneur Launches Free School Initiative

Georgia Oviesu, an 18-year-old Nigerian-German entrepreneur and recording artist known as “Gia Réi,” unveiled The Bennie Griffins Academy (BGA) in Adiyan, Ogun State, on Thursday. The school aims to provide tuition-free education along with essential needs such as uniforms, meals, socks, and learning materials.

Currently, about 50 children are enrolled as part of an initiative to address the lack of access to quality education for many Nigerian children, particularly those from low-income families. Oviesu established the school after witnessing children selling food on the streets instead of attending school.

She emphasized that the initiative is not merely charity but a means to empower the community and foster future leaders. The school environment encourages children to express their opinions freely.

Oviesu plans to expand the initiative across Nigeria, aspiring to establish similar schools in every state. Students like ten-year-old Qabiya and eleven-year-old Bamise Elion expressed gratitude for the opportunity to receive free education and shared their aspirations of becoming a medical doctor and a surgeon, respectively.