In commemoration of her recent graduation as a 2025 PhD graduate of Babcock in Economics, Dr. Habib Adetutu has launched Palm Tutors Learning Hub in Awa- Ijube, Ogun State to assist children in underserved communities in having free access to learning opportunities.
Speaking at her graduation ceremony, Dr. Adetutu said the hub would offer a safe and supportive environment where children can study at their own pace, build strong numeracy and literacy skills, and develop godly values.
The hub, a physical space that brings together everything learned from years of trail, passion and purpose, boast of a free community library, a digital learning space with over 400 math video lessons and monthly valued-based talks that help shape the whole child intellectually, emotionally and morally.
“Today’s achievement has been a long time coming, from a scribbled vision on my bed during a summer break in 300 level, to the small steps taken in faith, and eventually the courage to take the vision further,” she said.
Tracing the history of Palm Tutors Learning Hub, Dr. Adetutu said, it was “in 2021, the Holy Spirit ministered to her to start the First-2-Nine Teenagers’ Club in Awa-Ijebu.
The goal, according to her, was to nurture a generation of teenagers who were not only academically sound but also strong in character, and in 2023 after testing the waters, she got about 50 books to share among the members of the club.
“The interest in reading was impressive, but we faced a new challenge as about 3 out of 10 children didn’t return the books, and some returned them in poor condition.
“After realizing that the model wasn’t sustainable, Math R-aid was launched the same year to connect children struggling with math to volunteer tutor and the cost of internet data covered by the Palms Tutors, with the support from an Alfred Pop sponsorship.
“While the idea was noble, we faced major challenges with poor internet connection and unreliable electricity, making it difficult to sustain,” she said.
According to her, through math competitions, school visits, and mentoring sessions, she found that many children had a weak foundation in numeracy, often tied to poor vocabulary development.
“It became clear that simply giving them access to video lessons wasn’t enough. Without efforts to strengthen their literacy skills and nurture the will to learn, the impact would be limited. That realization shaped my thinking and led me to take a more holistic approach to supporting learners,” she said.
A delighted Adetutu recalled that from an idea she penned down to start a tutoring centre that would help children do better in school the vision quickly faded after she spent about four months teaching without pay sometime in June 2008.
“However, the idea resurfaced years later, while teaching Economics 101. About 60% of my undergraduate students struggled with basic math calculations. So, I began creating short math video lessons to help them review foundational concepts. Around the same time, my daughter started Grade One. I noticed that foreign educators created most of the available math videos. I wanted something more relatable, lessons that made math concrete using accents and examples that the average Nigerian child could connect with.
“What began as a simple passion to support my students and engage my daughter, found wide acceptance during the COVID-19 pandemic. That year, I launched the Times Table Mastery Course, which has since helped over 2,000 learners confidently master the multiplication tables. Since then, I’ve created over 400 math video lessons, covering topics across the primary and secondary school syllabus, all designed to make learning math more accessible and relatable for Nigerian students,” she added.
She therefore called on well-meaning Nigerians, corporate organisations and the government to be part of the story by either sponsoring a child’s leaning journey, providing Maths learning kits computers, learning gadgets books, reading resources, solar-powered electricity for consistent study time, staff salaries and other operating cost among others.
“Anyone passionate about education, youth empowerment or community development is free to also mentor student, facilitate a monthly character talk, train students or staff in basic digital skills,” she urged.
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