•28 years after retirement, old woman says life without exit benefits is harsh

By Monica Iheakam

“Teacher , don’t teach me nonsense.” That was one of the classical songs by the late Afrobeat maestro, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti. But for this former teacher, ‘nonsense’ was never part of what she taught her pupils across many parts of today’s South East between 1973 and 1987. Yet, after more than a decade in active service, this retired teacher in Imo State is sad and livid. Mrs. Mary Ofurum served in various towns and communities in the state teaching and moulding generations of pupils. She left the services of Imo State Primary Education Service without her entitlements. Now, she wants Governor Rochas Okorocha to help pay her entitlements before she passes on.

Now in her early 70s and still grappling with the ailment that cut short her teaching career, Mrs. Ofurum appealed to the authorities in Imo State to release her retirement benefits. Speaking in the Apapa, Lagos residence of her only surviving brother who is currently caring for her, the septuagenarian narrated the story of her teaching career which she said was marred by misfortune.

Her words: “I started teaching in January 1973, before the creation of old Imo State comprising the present day Imo, Abia, and Ebonyi states. I had completed secondary school at Emmanuel College, Owerri, in 1970 after my education and that of my twin sister at Nwafor Orizu Secondary School, Nnewi, Anambra State, was interrupted by the civil war.

“After surviving the 30-month war that left Igboland in ruins, I completed my Grade II Teacher Training programme at St. Joseph Teachers’ Training College, Aba between 1971 and 1972. I had hoped to go on to the university. But if wishes were horses, beggars would ride.”
She recalled that she was first posted to Aba, now in Abia State, where she taught at Ulasi Road Primary School, and later Ndoki Road Primary School. She taught primary four pupils at both schools.

“In 1976 when Imo State was created out of the then East Central State, I was transferred to Owerri. There, I taught at Community Primary School, Aluma-Orii, Urattah. From there, I was transferred to Umuahia, now in Abia State,where I taught for a short while before being redeployed to Mbano, one of the towns in Okigwe zone in Imo State. “The primary school was right inside the Mbano Council secretariat. There, I taught primary four pupils for many years. Thereafter, I was redeployed to Obioma Ngwa, now in Abia State. “The last place I taught was at the Holy Rosary Primary School, Onicha Ezinihite, Mbaise in Imo State, with one Agwaja Ahuogu as headmaster.”

Mrs. Opurum lamented that she left the service with no kobo as gratuity or pension in 1987 because of a debilitating illness that almost killed her. She said she took ill after childbirth through caesarian section and was taken back to her hometown. She never returned to teaching due to complications arising thereafter. The birth was her third. For her family, what was uppermost in their mind then was how to save her life. When her health condition became critical, her brothers and sisters resident in Lagos moved her over to the city.

She recalled that she was on admission at different hospitals in Lagos for several months. Although her health condition eventually improved, she has never been the same again. And for that reason, her family decided that she should remain in Lagos where she was being taken care of by her immediate family members.

Although she’s quite grateful to God for sparing her life, she is in pains at the moment for losing all her personal effects, particularly her documents and certificates, to a fire incident that razed the family home. “Fate, sometimes, isn’t fair, particularly to those whom others look up to, to change the course of life for good,” she muttered in tears. She also informed that her prolonged illness kept her away for too long and prevented her from returning to her job, prompting the Imo State government to retire her 28 years ago. She said all she received after being compulsorily retired was some stipend from the
Federal Government. Imo State only promised to pay when resources were available, she said, regretting, however, that till now, nothing has happened.

“I was told that the state government would pay my gratuity and pension. But since then, I couldn’t go personally to press for my entitlements due to ill health,” she explained. She recalled that some years ago, somebody from the service came searching for her at her hometown while she was in Lagos still struggling with poor health.

“The message got to me but I was helpless. I didn’t even care about anything. I had lost interest in life. It was that bad at that point in time.” At the moment, Opurum’s failing health has not impaired her memory, as recollections of her teaching odyssey flowed freely. She recalled that when she arrived at Holy Rosary Primary School, other teachers were shocked that more teachers were being posted even as there were no classrooms to accommodate them.

“The buildings were collapsing. The roofs were falling off; there were more number of chairs and tables damaged than serviceable. Our pupils spent more time under the
trees than in classrooms. Each time the rains came, there was no hiding place. “It was in that condition that I met the school, and my fellow teachers were shocked to see me adjusting instantly to the condition on ground. I didn’t have to complain about anything. Instead, I quickly invited a carpenter to mend some of the broken chairs and tables.” She said the carpenter repaired over 20 broken chairs and tables on her own bill to the admiration of other teachers.

She also recalled that there was a building that the parish priest of the church just vacated after a new one was completed for him. This old mud house was vacant but
dilapidated. “I engaged some natives to rehabilitate the house for my living quarters. These efforts gave me the nick name ‘Lioness.’

Right now, Opurum is distraught. She does not know where to begin the search for her gratuity and pension. Her greatest concern now is the loss of her credentials to
a midnight inferno that left nothing to recover in her house in the village. Her family had recently erected a new house after the old one was gutted by fire, but her piles of books and documents were neither recovered nor replaced. She dreams of going back home but the thought of how to cope without pension fills her with sadness and sorrow, particularly when there is no one else to help. “I have been away from home for too long. I’m however grateful to my brother. But now I am homesick.

“If only Governor Rochas Okorocha can facilitate payment of my gratuity and pension, life will be more worthwhile if I go home,” she said.


http://sunnewsonline.com/new/septuagenarian-ex-teacher-begs-okorocha-over-unpaid-entitlements/

;p

Seun, Obinoscopy, Lalasticlala, Ishilove, ...kindly move to permanent site to help this great formator regain her due stipends...thanks...

Too bad

Rochas Nairaland vuvuzelas... abeg make una call Oga Showman Rochas to assist this noble Mama to smile again before the bell rings for her...thanks... Cc. beremx, Abagworo, ujoatu, contactmorak, mandax and others...

Most states only pay pension in the pages of newspapers, Okorocha takes his to another level by mounting signboards with inscriptions like " pensioners paid, bla bla Bla"