THE internet was agog penul-
timate Thursday with men and
women, young and old, appreciat-
ing and celebrating their present
and former teachers, dead or
alive. The men and women who
groomed, nurtured and positioned
the ladder for others to climb high,
very high presently and years ago.
It is at such times within the year
that teachers are adorned with kind
words, prayers, gifts and freebies.
Teachers are the driving force
behind progress, inspiration, and
shaping of the leaders and innova-
tors of tomorrow. It is pertinent
to note that teachers remain the
arrowhead because of what they
offer to all in life. In addition to
imparting knowledge, the role of
teachers needs to be redefined.
They are coaches, mentors,
parents, and facilitators who can
empower students as they value,
skills, knowledge, and experiences
needed to contribute solutions
to the global challenges facing
humanity, and thrive in our ever-
changing world.
It is therefore understandable
that the tireless efforts and incred-
ible accomplishments of teachers
around the world and their role
in driving human development
were celebrated. People paused to
remember their teachers.
Now, teachers for all we know
inspire, prepare children and
youths to navigate a rapidly evolv- ing world. Their efforts therefore
play a leading role in transform-
ing education for the future. For
these and many more reasons,
the government, stakeholders and
authorities have been called upon
to allow teachers breathe while
performing the civic responsi-
bilities of their noble profession
accordingly. Most times, pres-
sures from parents, often box
teachers into a corner, with all
disciplinary powers stripped off
them, leaving them like a lame
dog,which cannot bark and that
has been the major reason why
indiscipline thrives in the society
today. Teachers of yester-years
did not excel without being in
full control of their environment,
schools and proper discipline for
erring students which stood as
deterrent for others. I watched on
social media in awe Where Mercy
Johnson sarcastically drove in her
intimidating Sports Utility Vehicle
(SUV) with her daughter to her
school to flog a teacher who sent
her daughter, Purity away from
school for non-payment of school
fees. In Johnson’s mind, yes, she might consider that drama as usual, but
the message has registered that a parent
can flog a teacher and the heavens will not
fall. Well, sending a child home for non-
payment of school fees is an old tradition,
as old as school system itself. With such
attitude and training from the home front;
how can a teacher breathe or be respected?
How can he or she exercise his or her
full authority and powers as a practicing
teacher? It quickly reminds me of Mr.
Michael Ekemgbafor of blessed memory
at St. Joseph’s Primary school, Ulakwo,
in Owerri West LGA, Imo state. The fear
of Mr. Ekeh, a Primary 2 teacher, was the
beginning of wisdom for the young pupils,
and if one may ask; what was the secret of
Nnanyi-ukwu Ekeh? Why do children eat
the humble pie and tremble at the mention
of his name or even sighting him? Was it
for just a tiny flat cane he uses on erring
child’s ankle; and scare some away to the
extent Primary 6 pupils who are the most
senior class came to his junior class to
settle issues. Through discipline, he caught
his pupils quite young and early too. His
fame grew and traversed among other
schools in the neighboring communities.
Truth be told, that discipline he dangled
before the children transformed many for
the 35-meritorous years he worked until
he joined the saints. Imagine a generation
of 35-years pointing towards his great-
ness which changed them. So many others
teachers who reigned supreme like him
would also be remembered today and
always.
Now, the first blackmail from the author-
ities was the scrap of Teacher’s training
Colleges (TTC) in the country. Between
changing the names from TTC to National
Teachers Institute, (NTI) something went
amiss, because the era of Teaching Practice
(TP) just like internship for students in the higher institutions before they finally
graduate is gone completely from teacher’s
training. It is during these schemes that
teaching spirit and career is engrained in
would-be-teachers especially to understand
their professional limit and early child
education. Kudos to schools who employ
teachers who obtained the degrees of
National Certificate of Education (NCE).
Not to write off others, but every profes-
sion has its teaching, principles, process
and policies.
Again, to tell that some people in all
honesty appreciate their teachers; I came
across a breath-taking gratefulness by
a few students as they appreciated their
teacher.
“Dear Passengers, this is your Captain
speaking, all listened with rapt attention
especially in an aircraft because one does
not know the reason for the announcement.
“Today is an important day, the pilot has a
message for one special passenger named
Selahattin Onan who is a pilot instructor
and helped many to start their flying career,
but on this day, Onan happens to be a pas-
senger on Turkish Airlines not knowing his
students had set up a long-time surprise for
him.
The pilot continued “For 6 years, I have
been a pilot as part of Turkish Airline Fam-
ily. Much of that is due to the efforts of my
teacher Selahattin Onan, a long serving
teacher who is with us on this plane today.
It is a beautiful thing to be able to call your
teacher someone who is like a father to
you. He was a captain for twenty years,
and for ten years, he was a guide to thou-
sands of pilots raising us like his children.
I speak on behalf of his students right now
in expression of our infinite gratitude and I
am so eternally grateful; I am so glad that
you were my teacher. At this point, Onan
broke down in tears on his seat. Pilot again said “We first met during a flight, I was
asking tons of questions, he then said
to me, ‘Son, if you are this curious,
why don’t you consider being a pilot.
Happy Teacher’s Day Selahattin Onan.
His other students on the flight filed
out from the back with a big beautiful
well-arranged rosy bouquet and planted
kisses on his cheeks in appreciation
while he struggles to wipe his tears of
joy. What a thoughtful set of students! I
am sure he was not the only teacher, but
he stood out among others.
Teachers are fathers and moth-
ers made who step into the roles of
biological parents at their absents.
When students go for competitions, be
it academically or otherwise, they stu-
dents do not go with their parents, but
their teachers. Recall in 2018, six girls
namely Promise Nnalue, Nwabuaku
Ossai, Adaeze Onuigbo, Vivian Okoye,
Jessica Osita and Miracle Igboke from
Regina Pacis Model Secondary school
led by their teacher and mentor Mrs.
Uchenna Onwuamaegbu won the Tech-
novation World Pitch. Their pitch at the
contest was FD- Detector Application,
which they developed to curb fake
drugs as they defeated world powers
like USA, Spain, Turkey, Uzbekistan
and China to win the gold medal at the
contest. The process and winning in this
contest and several other wins were the
hard work of teachers and not parents;
it was not achieved without hard-work
and discipline enforced by the teachers.
As teachers are the most unsung
heroes; kind words have never left
them… Such are “Your sacrifices do
not go unnoticed, you have made me
a positive difference in my life, you
deserve a break, we appreciate you, I
have not forgotten this one thing you
said to me and you are the reason I
accomplished the task. These quotes
can come because teachers are the most
unrewarded heroes that exist.
Interestingly, Prof. Kelsey Harrison is
an eminent Professor of Obstetrics and
Gynaecology, and was also the Vice
Chancellor, University of Port-Harcourt
in the 90’s. According to his students
who are now all over the world; Prof.
Amaka Ocheke, Dept. Of Obs and
Gynae, University of Jos Teaching Hos- pital (UJTH) said “Harrison gave all
his lectures as a sitting Vice Chancellor
and our teacher who never stood us up
for once.
If one should compare what hap-
pened at the Big Brother All Stars
housemate last week where 22-year-old
Ilebaye Odiniya emerged as the winner
with a whooping sum of N120m, an
SUV from Innoson Motors and other
prices for being in a comfortable house,
fed and played games; such are not very
common among teachers but worthy
teachers also receive blessings, quietly
and secretly, from God, especially upon
their own children.
On this note, I congratulate Peace
Sule, an ICT teacher at Akoka Junior
High school in Lagos, and Stephanie
Akinwoya, a physics teacher at Iju
Senior Grammar School in Lagos, who
have been included in the top 50-short-
list for the Varkey Foundation Global
Teacher Prize 2023 organized in col-
laboration with UNESCO and strategic
partnership with Dubai Cares, a UAE-
based global philanthropic organization.
Both were selected from over 7000
nominations and applications from 130
countries around the world.
