The Airen Amayo Memorial Foundation

Honouring a life of learning, compassion, and service.

Our Mission

The Airen Amayo Memorial Foundation is a private family foundation created to honour the life and legacy of Airen Amayo.

We focus on two core commitments:

  1. Poverty alleviation in developing countries, especially in West Africa.
  2. Preserving Nigerian history, language, and culture, with a special emphasis on colonial and pre-colonial eras and African linguistics.

Through thoughtful grantmaking, we support projects that create dignity, opportunity, and long-term impact in the communities and fields that shaped Airen Amayo’s life.

Poverty Alleviation

Nigerian history, language, and culture

What We Do

We are a grantmaking foundation. Our work currently centers on:

ibadan, nigeria, city, buildings, cityscape, urban, aerial view, ibadan, nigeria, nigeria, nigeria, nigeria, nigeria
africa, nigeria, kid, children, people, village, poverty, man, boy, child, black, street, culture, african, afro, country, nation, sad, skin, mission, nigerian, young, adult, collaboration, flag, nigeria, nigeria, nigeria, nigeria, nigeria, nigerian
Portrait of an African woman in vibrant traditional wear in Ibadan, Nigeria.

Poverty Alleviation Projects

Supporting initiatives that help individuals and communities move from survival to stability – including community development, basic needs, and livelihood projects in developing countries, with a focus on West Africa

African Languages, History & Culture

Funding research, preservation, and dissemination of Nigerian colonial and pre-colonial history, language, and culture, with a special interest in Edo and other Nigerian languages

Signature Programs

1. Annual Edo Linguistics Research Grant

An annual grant to support one Edo linguistics researcher with: - International conference expenses, and/or - Direct research costs. This grant is designed to encourage rigorous scholarship in African languages and to amplify the work of emerging and established researchers in the field.

2. Preserving Foundational Research in African Languages

We support projects that: Collect, edit, and publish the research of pioneering Nigerian scholars in African linguistics. Produce Festschrifts and similar works that bring together key writings and reflections on their contributions. A core priority is preserving and sharing the body of work produced by our father and his peers, ensuring that future generations of scholars can build on their foundations.

3. Legacy Project at the University of Ibadan

We support projects that: Collect, edit, and publish the research of pioneering Nigerian scholars in African linguistics. Produce Festschrifts and similar works that bring together key writings and reflections on their contributions. A core priority is preserving and sharing the body of work produced by our father and his peers, ensuring that future generations of scholars can build on their foundations.
Artistic wooden map of Africa against dark corrugated background.
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Where We Work

  • Primary geographic focus: West Africa, with special attention to Nigeria.
  • Broader scope: Developing countries where poverty alleviation and educational initiatives align with our mission.

Our grantmaking starts with places that were meaningful to our family and gradually expands as our capacity and partnerships grow.

  • Everything we fund and every partnership we enter into is guided by our core values:

    • Integrity – We act with honesty and consistency, even when no one is watching.
    • Accountability – We are answerable to the communities we serve and the legacy we carry.
    • Impact – We aim for work that meaningfully improves lives and advances knowledge.
    • Respect – We honour culture, community, and the dignity of every person.
    • Empathy – We listen deeply and respond with care, not charity alone.

Our Values

Governance & Structure

The Airen Amayo Memorial Foundation is a family-led private foundation.

  • Founder & Chair: Esosa Amayo
  • Secretary: Osamudiame Onwuka

Board membership and structure are reviewed annually to ensure alignment with the Foundation’s goals and commitments. On the passing of the Founder, the next Chair will be appointed in accordance with the Founder’s estate planning documents, with the intention of continuing the mission and wishes for the Foundation.

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How We Give

  • The Foundation is a grantmaking (non-operating) private foundation.
  • Our primary approach is recurring annual grants in our core focus areas.
  • We are currently not accepting unsolicited proposals. Early grants are made by the Board to carefully selected projects and partners that align closely with our mission.

As the Foundation matures, we may introduce more formal application processes for certain programs or scholarship opportunities.

Stay Connected

We are in the early stages of building out our programs and partnerships.

If you are:

  • A researcher in African languages or Nigerian history,
  • A university or institution interested in collaboration, or
  • An organization working in poverty alleviation in West Africa,

You are welcome to reach out for future alignment conversations.

Contact