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A Teacher's Reward Was In London - Education - Nairaland

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A Teacher's Reward Was In London by ladykay(f): 6:58pm On Mar 02, 2007
I am a columnist with The Nation newspaper. The name of my column is Edutalk. It is published on Thursdays. My organisation has a website (www.thenationonlineng.com) but the person in charge is too lazy to post education articles online.

In addition to the response I would get from my email and SMS, I would like the contributions of Nairaland users on the column below. It was published on Thursday, March 1st 2007 (yesterday) and I hope to publish a sequel next Thursday. If i get a beauty story from here, I will publish it next week.

I'm looking forward to getting the usual nairaland response.
Enjoy your reading:

A teacher’s reward was in London
Mr Oni teaches at Surulere Senior Secondary School (SSS), in Lagos. We have not met personally but I heard about him from Mrs Olabimpe Carrena, the Principal of his school. I met Mrs Carrena at a programme organised by the British Council last week.

His story makes for an interesting reading and I believe there is a lesson in it for all teachers so that those of them who do their jobs with passion can believe that they do not have to get to heaven to reap their reward. Who knows! It may be waiting for them in Greece.

For those doing other things when something tells them they ought to be in the classroom, I hope this would act as a push for them to follow their calling. (And for those teaching by force, I hope this story would motivate them to find their square root).

Once upon a time, Mr Oni was just an ordinary civil servant facing the challenges that public school teachers face (or once faced). We cannot claim to have forgotten that during the military era landlords and ladies refused renting their houses to people of the chalk profession because their salaries, though meagre, were not paid on time. This had an attendant effect on their ability to pay their children’s school fees and also feed their families.

For over fifteen years, he taught at SSS. But it was just a little over three years ago that Mrs Carrena was transferred to the school as principal. Among the many teachers she had to work with, Mr Oni stood out as one she could depend on. He was always there to discipline or counsel erring pupils and see to the smooth running of the school. He did more than his share of work and did not have that attitude of 30-days-make-a-pay-package that some of his colleagues brought to bear on their responsibilities. Mrs Carrena said she could be rest assured that all was well with the school in her absence as long as Mr Oni was in charge. (Note: Mr Oni was not the Vice Principal).

One day, at last, providence called. It came to pass that the British Council selected Surulere Secondary School, Lagos as one of its centres for its Dreams + Teams project. The project seeks to develop leadership skills in youths through sports and linkages with foreign schools.

When the coordinators sought a teacher for the training, Mrs Carrena did not hesitate in selecting Mr Oni. He became a tutor for the programme and transferred sports and leadership skills to participating pupils.

A transfer exercise by the education ministry would have denied him of the full benefits of the programme but his principal again intervened, begging that he should be left in the school to continue with the Dreams + Teams project.
The time soon came for an exchange visit to a football college in the United Kingdom. So Mr Oni, who had never travelled abroad found himself in London. He had arranged to make good use of his six months visa after the four-day programme and would spend about three extra weeks in a place many consider as closer to heaven than Nigeria.
He was struggling with his luggage on the streets of London while relocating from the venue of the programme to another place of abode when he heard his name called.

The voice was unmistakenly Nigerian and he could not help wondering that someone knew him in that place. It belonged to a young man who when he caught up with him (Mr Oni) prostrated in the Nigerian fashion of paying obeisance to elders.

The older man was confused at the seemingly inappropriate behaviour in a foreign land and sought to know the familiar stranger.

The mystery was soon resolved. The young man was an alumnus of SSS and had benefited from Mr Oni’s tutelage and care. He carried the suitcase on his head (so I was told) and escorted his former teacher to his destination.
He did not stop there. He started making calls to other alumni in London telling them that “Mr Oni is in London!”
From that time, there was no dull moment for Mr Oni in London. His old students visited frequently. Some of them bought him call cards to make phone calls to his family and friends in Nigeria so that he did not have to spend his money once. Others bought gifts for his wife and children. Mr Oni returned to Nigeria a fulfilled man. He is still teaching at SSS.
Anyone who is literate today has gone through teachers and memories of how they treated us (either good or bad) have not left us.

I know of teachers whom their former students remember for bad. I know of teachers who collect money from students to pass them or to allow cheating during examinations. I know of teachers who force their female students to have sex with them before they can pass.

If you, dear reader, have a story to tell that is the opposite of Mr Oni’s experience because such teacher did not behave like Mr Oni but chose to victimise his students, please tell your story in an email and send to me. I hope to publish an interesting story as a sequel to this.
Re: A Teacher's Reward Was In London by Seun(m): 11:21am On Mar 03, 2007
Nairalanders are not used to reading long articles, which is why I'm the first perso to respond.

My best teacher ever was a chemistry teacher who took time to demonstrate experiments to us during free periods. Later, I met him at a University but I didn't get to tell him how much I appreciated his teaching. cry
Re: A Teacher's Reward Was In London by waleleader(m): 1:34pm On Mar 03, 2007
I  had some wonderful teachers in my years in school in Nigeria and some not very nice ones, but i have never had the opportunity to meet them again later in life. I hope i get a chance to say Thank you soon enough.

But i do have a story that may tickle your fancy, this person is not supposed to be a teacher but more of an educational/professional mentor. Hope you like it.

I was just completing my National diploma and like most students decided to take on an internship programme at NNPC Towers Abuja. My Dad had worked at the oil giant's Lagos headquarters for most of his career life so i had no doubts about being accepted. My acceptance letter instructed me to report to one Mrs Irene Kalu-Osagie (name changed) at the Group Personell department. With anxiety flowing in my veins, i sheepishly reported to the Not-so- decorated office to start what i hoped would be a major educational and challenging experience. I was wrong.

My mentor had been away in London for 2 weeks and would not return until another two. I was quickly assigned a seat next to (Yer, You guessed right) the photocopier, and in a few days i was already an experienced photocopy "attache" (corporate slave).

Two weeks later,my mentor arrived after much merriment by the other junior employees. she was the direct opposite of what i had expected; short, proud, rude and a bitter choleric.

For half of that day, she acted like she did not realise that i was an animate object. For most of my time at the Towers, i was degraded to photocopying,doing dishes, buying Moi-Moi and other silly errands. I remember she refers to me by many ludicrous nicknames not even bothering to know the person in me, I was just one of those attaches that they take advantage of as far as she was concerned. i did not learn one thing (except operating photocopiers) through out my time.

i also remember how she would boast about her husband's catered apartment and chauffer driven cars in London, and the food, the weather, the bla bla.

When i told her i was leaving cos i had gotten admission to a British university, she was shocked; twas until then that she bothered to talk to me as an individual and realised that my Dad was a retired colleague.

i saw her on the High road in North London 2 years back and i thot it would be nice if went and accross to pay obeisance. i greeted her warmly and promised to stay in touch, Did not.

It turns out her husband was not that rich after all, he is managing in a council flat in Nortumberland park.
Re: A Teacher's Reward Was In London by joycexz(f): 4:26pm On Mar 03, 2007
This is actually one of the longest post, i have read on nairaland. we all have different lives experiences to share, it might not necessarily be in form of what happened in secondary school but life in general. I have a story to share about what happened when i was supposed to be doing my industrial attachment.

I applied to several companies for my industrial attachment when i was in my fourth year in school and also attended several interviews. I had big hopes in working in a multi national company in nigeria. i actually was called to an interview in one of the breweries in lagos.

When i got in for the interview, i saw two young men sitted across in the conference room, i was asked to sit and what my name was. One of the guys just looked at me and said 'if you were asked to make tea through out your training period, what will you do'? I said " Sir, let me get the job first. I actually thought he was joking.

I was called to resume work the next week and true to his word, i resumed under him and i was not given a place but was asked to make tea for almost three weeks straight without any other job attached. i wasnt learning anything, i was just a 'teagirl'. i realised i had to do something fast if not i will continue to be a tea girl for the next 6 months of my training.

On a fateful monday, i came to work and he said, 'i need a cup of tea' and i said ' sir i am not a tea girl, you have to employone if you need one', he just stared at me, he couldnt believe i actually spoken to him, i guess he admired me for my boldness and asked that i be transfered from him to the department where i was supposed to be and all through the training i did very well. When i was about leaving, my boss was praising me everywhere and telling all those who care to listen that he would want me to work full time when i graduate from school.

That was when he came over and apologised for what he did, he said he thought i was going to get tired one day and never come back and that he under estimated me. well i was just happy that i was able to prove who i am to him after all that happened.
Re: A Teacher's Reward Was In London by ladykay(f): 5:15pm On Mar 03, 2007
whao. So far so good i've gotten interesting replies.
@Joycexz, u made a bold move. I hope many others learn from what your did.
@walelead, ur story is important I know it would come handy.
At least I now know i av to address what some students go through during their internship. I would write on that very soon.
@ Seun, thanks for being the first to respond
I'm still looking forward to more replies.
Re: A Teacher's Reward Was In London by Nobody: 7:37am On Mar 05, 2007
Ummm, Guess i shld add mine, twas this teacher @ my sec school, he was very fond coming around my fathers house,and collecting money on the pretext, well, when i got admissn into FEDPOLYIL, lo and behold, he was a course mate, thank God i kinda forgave him, Small world,?
Re: A Teacher's Reward Was In London by raya2j(f): 5:50pm On Mar 05, 2007
really good story, i am also benefitting from my dads kind gestures towards his students when he was in the civil service. i have met several students of his dat asked me if i were his daughter when they hear my surname and where i come from. see what being kind can do !!! its really good to be good smiley
Re: A Teacher's Reward Was In London by FactorChic(f): 11:56pm On Mar 05, 2007
I had a really great teacher when I was in nigeria too, my math teacher. I was one of the dull students in class when it comes to calculations, especially in mathematics. This man came to my school when I was in SS2, he gave us a class work and I did it well, it was a simple part, even the junior kids will know it

I was the first person to finish the work, it was a lil bit surprising cos I find some works very easy while d smart students find it hard, d really easy works, I cant do it, and I end up solving the hard ones. The teacher was impressed because of the way I did, then he started asking me questions, I found out he was from my state.

Well, I got closer to him, although some students thought I had soem hidden intentions, maybe because he was an opposite sex and he was cutecheesy

He had a different way of explaining stuffs in class which made me interested in mathematics, my grades started coming up and most ppl thought I had something going on with him because they knew the kind of student I was when it comes to mathematics, I knew I had nothing to do with him so I was not really bothered

The semester ended, I was the best student in mathematics in my class, it was a really great thing, I was happy I finally had the interest in maths, it was ruined when he had to leave the school, it didnt take me some fe minutes b4 I lost d interest, I've not see or heard from him since then, I hope I can see him some day and tell him how much he lped me wiht my class then.smiley
Re: A Teacher's Reward Was In London by waleleader(m): 10:49am On Mar 06, 2007
@factorchic, what a nice story. cool
Re: A Teacher's Reward Was In London by ladykay(f): 7:15pm On Mar 06, 2007
nice stories so far. Pls keep responding. Nothing u post would be wasted because any of your experiences could come handy for a journalist. Kudos. wink
Re: A Teacher's Reward Was In London by shakamc(m): 11:24pm On Mar 10, 2007
oh my GOD,i wish i can see some of ma teachers who believed in me and supported me those days.it will be very emotional.i wish ma dream will come true but is funny that ma favorite teacher taught me in primary school.i will start searching for her
Re: A Teacher's Reward Was In London by MsB1(f): 5:15am On Apr 23, 2007
KUDOS TO MR ONI ON THE GOOD SEEDS HE HAD AND CONTINUES TO SOW IN THE LIVES OF STUDENTS. TO ALL SSS STUDENTS OUT THERE GOOD TO KNOW BABA DID NT BREAK YOUR SPIRITS, MS B/GRAD 93
Re: A Teacher's Reward Was In London by Seun(m): 1:07am On May 14, 2007
kiss
Re: A Teacher's Reward Was In London by thesilent1(m): 1:37pm On May 15, 2007
i really like that story!! nice to hear about Mr Oni.

my story is a bit different but leans more towards "be nice to people" as you never know the future!
i went to primary school in Zaria and then my secondary school in benin. while my mum was in secondary school, she was taught by a white teacher called Paul Turton. He taught in places like Barewa College, Bassawa Cllege to name a few. while i was preparing for my waec exams, my mum got him to come and give me some lessons and the guy is a genius! LOL

move forward to now; i manage my own teacher recruitment agency here in the uk and lo and behold who walks into my office to register as a teacher looking for work?!?!?! yep; mr Turton!!!!! LOL

so the guy who taught my mum, helped me with my exams is now working for me!!!!!! 40 yrs teaching and still going strong! plus Mr turton is married to a Naija lady and he speaks hausa as well.

thats my feel-good story for the day


Peace!
Re: A Teacher's Reward Was In London by Teagirl(f): 4:22pm On Dec 16, 2014
joycexz:
This is actually one of the longest post, i have read on nairaland. we all have different lives experiences to share, it might not necessarily be in form of what happened in secondary school but life in general. I have a story to share about what happened when i was supposed to be doing my industrial attachment.

I applied to several companies for my industrial attachment when i was in my fourth year in school and also attended several interviews. I had big hopes in working in a multi national company in nigeria. i actually was called to an interview in one of the breweries in lagos.

When i got in for the interview, i saw two young men sitted across in the conference room, i was asked to sit and what my name was. One of the guys just looked at me and said 'if you were asked to make tea through out your training period, what will you do'? I said " Sir, let me get the job first. I actually thought he was joking.

I was called to resume work the next week and true to his word, i resumed under him and i was not given a place but was asked to make tea for almost three weeks straight without any other job attached. i wasnt learning anything, i was just a 'teagirl'. i realised i had to do something fast if not i will continue to be a tea girl for the next 6 months of my training.

On a fateful monday, i came to work and he said, 'i need a cup of tea' and i said ' sir i am not a tea girl, you have to employone if you need one', he just stared at me, he couldnt believe i actually spoken to him, i guess he admired me for my boldness and asked that i be transfered from him to the department where i was supposed to be and all through the training i did very well. When i was about leaving, my boss was praising me everywhere and telling all those who care to listen that he would want me to work full time when i graduate from school.

That was when he came over and apologised for what he did, he said he thought i was going to get tired one day and never come back and that he under estimated me. well i was just happy that i was able to prove who i am to him after all that happened.



I love ur courage..

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