It was yet another moment of celebration for teachers in Ikorodu as they joined their colleagues all over the world to celebrate the 2019 World Teachers’ Day.
The annual celebration, which actually started a week earlier with series of fun-filled activities, climaxed on Saturday, October 5, 2019, which was the day set aside to celebrate teachers world-wide.
World Teachers’ Day commemorates the anniversary of the adoption of the 166 ILO/UNESCO recommendation concerning the status of Teachers. This recommendation sets benchmarks regarding the rights and responsibilities of Teachers and standards for their initial preparation and further education recruitment, employment, and teaching and learning conditions.
Looking radiant in their colourful Ankara outfits specially selected for the event, the Teachers, who are widely regarded as moulder of lives, took time off their classroom duty and turned out enmasse from the five councils in Ikorodu division and converged on the Teachers’ house, located within the premises of the Ayangburen Primary School, Ikorodu, to wine, dine and socialize with one another.
They were joined by eminent dignitaries in and outside Ikorodu led by Oba Kabir Shotobi, Ayangbure of Ikorodu and Oba Semiudeen Kasali, Adeboruwa of Igbogbo, and personalities in the teaching profession. The memorable event, which was organized by the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), Ikorodu Branch, under the leadership of Comrade Oluwafemi Oluwaseun Fakolade, kicked off with an opening prayer and solidary songs by the Teachers.
Comrade Fakolade, in his address, said “WTD is held annually since October 5, 1994. It commensurate the anniversary of the adoption of the 1966 ILO/UNESCO recommendation concerning the status of Teachers. The recommendation sets benchmarks regarding the rights and responsibilities of teachers and standards for their initial preparation for further education, recruitment, empowerment, teaching and learning conditions.”
“We have gone further to improve our leadership with the traditional institutions of Ikorodu Division; the blessings and opinions of our royal fathers is one of our major backing. Also, there’s harmonious relationship that now exist amongst Ikorodu Teachers irrespective of either Primary or Secondary sector. ANCOPS and AOPSHON are now relating positively well, speaking well with one voice. The entire Teachers of Ikorodu are now one big family.” Fakolade added, “The NUT Coop/Aerobic centre is 80% completed. It will house the office of the cooperative body of the union. As part of efforts in making life easier for the Teachers, NUT Ikorodu facilitated easy National Identity Card Registration for them”.
Oba Kabir Shotobi, while speaking briefly at the event, eulogized Comrade Fakolade’s led NUT leadership in Ikorodu for the giant stride recorded by the union and urged them to sustain the tempo. He described Teachers as moulders of lives and recalled the role Teachers played in his life and other’s in their quest to achieve greatness. He prayed that their reward would not only be in heaven but here on earth and urged them to remain focused to their primary duty of building future leaders for the society. On a lighter note, the Monarch urged the female Teachers to wrestle the leadership of NUT in Ikorodu from their male counterpart since they have the highest number of membership.
Also, Honourable S. O. B. Agunbiade, the Majority Leader of the Lagos State House of Assembly, in a short remark, congratulated the Teachers on the occasion of another World Teacher’s Day celebration and charged them to use the occassion to rededicate themselves to the teaching profession. In addition, former Commissioner for Information and the Agba Akin of Ikorodu
Kingdom, Otunba (Comr) Ayodele Elesho, after paying homage to the Royal Heads and other notable dignitaries, said “This gathering offers us the privilege to meet, interact and celebrate with icons in the education sector, to share knowledge, ideas and most importantly, to appreciate and honour our Teachers, who have contributed immensely to the sector.”
“To become successful in life, the role of Teachers cannot be over emphasized. Teachers develop our career and businesses. They help us to become good citizens of our country. Teachers know that students/pupils are the future of any nation; hence, they are the surrogate parents, counsellors and mentors. This buttressed the assertion of MAGGIE GALLAGHER. Today, without mincing words, the NUT branch, under the indefatigable leadership of Comrade Fakolade Oluwafemi Oluwaseun, has placed the branch on the highest golden pedestal.”
“The branch had become an enviable one amongst other branches of the union, not only in Lagos State but the whole federation. The harmonious cooperation amongst Teachers of Ikorodu cannot be over-emphasized. Positively. Teachers’ hopes have been raised while Teachers’ welfare has been taking paramount place in the heart of the present Exco.”
“I hereby submit that you’re not Teachers to the students/pupils; you are their HEROES! Please continue to be resourceful, keep confidential information, improve yourself, be punctual at work, be result oriented, provide a total care that produces a total child, pay attention to your personal hygiene and of course, be a true professional that is always willing to share knowledge with other colleague. Your reward will surely come on this earth and also in heaven,” Elesho said.
The guest Lecturer, Mr. John Abiodun, the Principal of Lagos State Junior Model College, Igbokuta, while delivering his lecture on the theme, “Young Teachers, the Future of the Profession’, said “Teaching itself is a process of imparting knowledge through the citizens from one generation to the other. It is an amalgamation of activities, which eventually focus to achieve a well-planned and well desired goal.”
“Professor Shofunwa, in 1974, defined education as what each generation gives to its younger ones, which make them to develop attitudes, abilities, skills, culture and other behaviours, which are of positive value to the society in which they live. There’s a concern that not enough young people are pursuing education as a profession since they all want to be Engineers, Accountants, Doctors, Nurses, among others, meaning there could be Teachers’ shortage as older Educators retire in the coming decade.”
“Without a new generation of motivated teachers, millions of learners will miss out or continue to miss out in their right to a quality education. With Teachers being disrespected, undervalued and unpaid, attracting and retaining talent is a challenge”, the Principal explained. He concluded the lecture by calling for the recruitment of well trained Teachers with good salaries as a way of regaining lost glory of the teaching profession and making it attractive to the young Teachers, whom he described as future of the profession.
Meritorious awards were given to Oba Kabir Adewale Shotobi, Oba AbdulSemiu Kasali, Otunba Ayodele Elesho and Hon. S.O.B. Agunbiade in recognition for their support to Teachers in Ikorodu division, while medals were also given to winners of the sporting event held in commendation of the World Teachers’ Day celebration.
The event also featured solidarity speeches by Comrade Lateef Odug
fuwa, immediate past Chairman of Ikorodu NUT branch; representatives of Association of Primary School Head- Teachers of Nigeria (AOPSHON) and Association of Nigerian Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS). Ewi presentation by Primary school pupils, special performance by the Kegites, dance section by Teachers from each of the six Councils in Ikorodu division and paying of homage by the Teachers to the Ayangbure and Adeboruwa were part of the side attractions.
Other dignitaries at the event were, Alhaji Olawale Amusa, Proprietor of Homat Group of Schools; Alhaji Monzor Olowosago, Publisher Oriwu Sun; Comrade Kara Adeleke; Comrade Waheed M. E; Comrade Yusuf K. M; Comrade Fashakin; Comrade Abdullateef; traditional Chiefs; Baales and officials of NUT State Exco and Education District II.