rTSF to Honour Scholarship Beneficiaries as 2026 Award Ceremony Holds in Lagos
Foundation Celebrates Academic Excellence, Expands Hope for Indigent Students
The Reverend Tony Akinyemi Scholarship Foundation (rTSF) will hold its 2026 Award Ceremony on Sunday, September 13, 2026, in Lagos, in continuation of its commitment to promoting academic excellence and providing educational opportunities for academically promising but financially disadvantaged students.
The ceremony, scheduled for 10:00 a.m. at The Shepherd’s Flock International Church, Ikeja, Lagos, will bring together scholarship beneficiaries, parents, guardians, church leaders, mentors, donors, volunteers, alumni and other stakeholders to celebrate the achievements of students whose educational journeys have been supported by the Foundation.
The annual event is also expected to provide an opportunity to appreciate individuals and organisations whose generosity has helped sustain the Foundation’s scholarship programme and enabled young Nigerians from less-privileged backgrounds to pursue their educational aspirations.
At the heart of the rTSF story is a simple conviction: financial hardship should not be allowed to extinguish the educational dreams of a brilliant child.
The Foundation was inspired by the life and experience of its namesake, Rev. Tony Akinyemi, Lead Pastor of The Shepherd’s Flock International Church and President of Havilah International Ministries.
The Foundation’s current account states that friends of Rev. Akinyemi, inspired by his personal story and values, initiated the scholarship project in 2010 as a birthday tribute. The initiative subsequently developed into a formal organisation and was chartered in 2011.
What began as a personal gesture of honour has grown into a sustained educational intervention supporting hundreds of Nigerian students.
According to information from the Foundation and reports on its activities, rTSF has supported more than 400 underprivileged students since its inception. Its beneficiaries have included academically promising students from financially disadvantaged families, orphans, children raised by single parents and persons living with disabilities.
The scale of the educational need confronting Nigerian families was particularly evident during the Foundation’s 2025 scholarship cycle, when reports indicated that more than 9,000 applications were received.
In response to the overwhelming demand, rTSF increased its new scholarship awards from its usual quota of 24 to 55 beneficiaries, bringing the number of students then on the programme to 140.
The Foundation’s scholarship is designed to provide more than temporary assistance. Its programme provides tuition support for the normal duration of a beneficiary’s academic programme, while also creating opportunities for mentorship, networking and personal development.
This approach reflects the Foundation’s belief that empowering a young person requires more than paying school fees. Students also need encouragement, guidance, exposure and a support network capable of helping them navigate their academic and professional journeys.
The impact of the programme can be seen in the academic achievements of its beneficiaries.
Several former scholars have gone on to graduate with First-Class Honours and establish careers in fields including engineering, accounting, education, healthcare, human resources, entrepreneurship and other professions.
At its 2024 award ceremony, the Foundation reported receiving 3,867 applications, selecting 28 new beneficiaries and celebrating four engineering graduates who achieved First-Class Honours.
The stories of individual beneficiaries have further demonstrated the transformative effect of the intervention.
Some scholars have testified that the financial support enabled them to concentrate on their studies without the burden of unpaid tuition and other educational expenses. Others received assistance at critical periods when the loss of a parent or worsening family circumstances threatened to bring their education to an abrupt end.
The Foundation has also provided assistance to students living with disabilities. One documented beneficiary, a blind student who lost both parents, received support that enabled him to complete his university education.
For rTSF, such stories demonstrate that the true value of a scholarship is not merely the payment of tuition but the opportunity it creates for a young person to discover, develop and deploy his or her potential.
The philosophy behind the Foundation is closely connected with Rev. Tony Akinyemi’s own journey.
Akinyemi is a pastor, teacher, author, computer engineer and healthy-living advocate whose work has extended across Christian ministry, education, leadership development and health awareness.
He is the Lead Pastor of The Shepherd’s Flock International Church, headquartered in Ikeja, Lagos, and the President of Havilah International Ministries.
The Shepherd’s Flock’s ministry philosophy centres on raising what it describes as “holy, healthy and highly successful” people—believers equipped to live out their Christian faith while making meaningful contributions to society.
His academic background combines technical education with theological training.
Rev. Akinyemi studied Computer Engineering at the University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, before studying Theology at L.I.F.E. Bible College & Theological Seminary in Lagos.
Before devoting himself fully to Christian ministry, he worked in the information and communications technology sector and served as Chief Engineer of Chams Nigeria Limited.
His pastoral journey also predates the establishment of The Shepherd’s Flock International Church.
Published profiles indicate that he spent 11 years pastoring Oregun Foursquare Gospel Church before establishing The Shepherd’s Flock International Church in 2004.
The history of the church goes even further back, with the ministry stating that the name “The Shepherd’s Flock” was given to Akinyemi in 1997 before eventually becoming the identity of the church he founded.
Over the years, his ministry has expanded beyond conventional pastoral responsibilities.
One of his major areas of interest has been healthy living. For nearly two decades, he has used radio, television, seminars, books and other media platforms to promote principles of holistic health and responsible living.
He is associated with the Rapha Healthy Living Institute, through which healthy-living education and the training of Healthy Living Ambassadors are promoted.
His commitment to the subject has also been reflected in additional professional training. He has undertaken studies in holistic nutritional consulting in the United States and has been described as a Board Certified Holistic Health Practitioner.
Akinyemi is also a prolific writer, with more than 20 published books addressing Christian living, holiness, healthy living, personal development and related subjects.
His diverse background in engineering, theology, pastoral ministry, writing and health advocacy has contributed to a philosophy of ministry that emphasises the development of the whole person.
That philosophy is equally evident in the work of the Reverend Tony Akinyemi Scholarship Foundation.
For Akinyemi and the rTSF team, education is not simply about obtaining certificates. It is an instrument for restoring dignity, breaking cycles of poverty, developing human capital and preparing young Nigerians to make meaningful contributions to society.
The Foundation therefore seeks to build a community around its scholars rather than simply provide financial assistance.
Mentorship, networking, personal development and alumni engagement form part of its broader approach, with the expectation that beneficiaries will eventually become contributors to the development of other young people.
The model creates a cycle of empowerment in which a student receives assistance, completes an education, develops a career and ultimately becomes capable of helping another person.
This approach is particularly significant in Nigeria, where the rising cost of education and economic pressures continue to make access to quality education difficult for many families.
The large volume of applications received by rTSF in successive scholarship cycles demonstrates the level of unmet need among Nigerian students and the importance of private and faith-based interventions in complementing broader educational efforts.
The Foundation’s work also represents an expression of Christian social responsibility, demonstrating how the Church and Christian organisations can contribute to solving practical social problems while remaining committed to their spiritual mandates.
The September 13 ceremony will consequently be more than an award presentation.
For beneficiaries, it will be a celebration of perseverance, academic achievement and opportunity.
For parents and guardians, it will represent hope and relief.
For donors, mentors and volunteers, it will be an opportunity to witness the impact of their investment.
And for Rev. Tony Akinyemi, it will represent another chapter in a vision that grew from personal experience and has evolved into a continuing mission of educational empowerment.
As the Foundation prepares to honour another generation of scholarship beneficiaries, its message remains clear: brilliance should not be defeated by poverty.
The story of rTSF is ultimately a story of what can happen when personal experience is transformed into a mission of service.
What began as friends seeking to honour Rev. Tony Akinyemi with a birthday tribute has developed into a scholarship initiative that has supported hundreds of young Nigerians and helped many of them progress towards professional and personal success.
The 2026 Award Ceremony will therefore celebrate not only academic excellence but also the power of generosity, mentorship, faith and education to transform lives.
Event Details
Event: Reverend Tony Akinyemi Scholarship Foundation (rTSF) 2026 Award Ceremony
Date: Sunday, September 13, 2026
Time: 10:00 a.m.
Venue: The Shepherd’s Flock International Church, Ikeja, Lagos
The ceremony is expected to bring together beneficiaries, alumni, parents, supporters, mentors, donors and members of the wider Christian community to celebrate another year of academic excellence and the continuing impact of the Reverend Tony Akinyemi Scholarship Foundation.
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