Teacher Eno (2025)

20/10/2024

Some people are haunted by the lies they told many years ago. The secret hangs on their neck like a big stone, too heavy for them to keep carrying it about.

They want to surrender themselves and tell the truth but they are worried about how the person they lied to will feel. They can't be free until they let it out. What are they going to do?

Are they going to keep wallowing in that guilt or tell the truth and be free? They can't keep the secret any longer, if they do, they will lose what little hold they have on their sanity.

Every time they think about it tears well up inside them, gather in their eyes, and seep steadily down their cheeks.

Their happiness has evaporated like the morning dew under the heat of the sun.

The only solution is for them to tell the truth.

The truth alone sets free.

11/10/2024

Today was amazing!

We celebrated the International Day of Girl Child with our female students.

It was not only a moment of celebration but also of sober reflection.

The students reflected on their current status, their dreams, and the measures they are taking to fulfill them.

We reminded them of the need to:

-Believe In Themselves
-Dream Big
-Work On Achieving Their Dreams.

We let them know that they can thrive beyond their immediate environment if they believe in their abilities and work on them.

We opened their eyes to the potential they have and how their success can upturn society for good.

We introduced them to females who have made an impact on the world and how they too can be like them.

We encouraged them to spread out their wings and fly as high as they wanted and never limit themselves to anybody or anything.

The event ended well and by looking at the students, I knew they had enough motivation to serve them for a lifetime 😆

We are grateful to the leadership of our school for their support, their support means a lot to us.

We also thank the teachers who graced the event and also addressed the students.

Everyone was involved and together the event was successful.

08/10/2024

I am happy to be a teacher.

Being a teacher comes with many responsibilities and one of them is being a leader. I'm entrusted with the responsibility of leading my learners to discover and fulfill their full potential.

In the course of this journey, I have to be strong, focused, and innovative. If uncertainty sets in and I become weak and unenthusiastic and the journey ends, then what becomes of my learners?

Sometimes I feel like I'm a tower on a mountaintop. I can't escape the piercing eyes of my learners. They learn in the classroom and from watching me, too. Also, while striving to be a positive role model to them, I let them know that I'm not perfect.

I delight in the growth of my learners and I am many things to them — an instructor, a confidant, a counselor, a good listener, a loving and empathetic mentor, and many other things they think I am.

This profession has tested my patience, especially as a teacher in a rural school. I didn't know I could be this patient and I'm happy to embody this virtue.

I am human, sometimes my strength can fail me and challenges can choke my passion and make me rethink, but my 'Why' will keep me going.

I am happy that God is at the center of everything I do, and he will give me the strength and the wisdom to keep pushing.

I am a PROUD TEACHER
I am a TORCH BEARER
I Teach
I Lead
I Impact

Happy Teacher's Day to me!

29/09/2024

I am shocked that some parents still give out their female children in marriage in exchange for goods or debt payments.

I came across this documentary on YouTube about the Becheve tribe of Obanliku, Cross River State. The people of this tribe have a cultural practice of money marriage or money wife.

Money-wife or money marriage is a practice where a girl-child is sold out to a man by her parents as a wife in exchange for livestock like goats, farm produce like barns of yams or to pay a debt.

Money marriage culture is a clear case of modern human slavery. This practice is not only barbaric but it strips the girls involved of all human dignity.

Imagine how it feels for you to be forced to marry someone old enough to be your grandpa.
In this practice, a girl is given out for marriage before she is born, and at age 5 or so, she is sent to her husband's house.

I can't even wrap my head around how these things work and what normally goes through their parents' minds when they do this.

These girls are viewed as objects, they are not allowed the right to education and their opinions do not count.

I cried watching this documentary. It reminds me that we still have a lot to do in the area of liberating female children.

27/09/2024

So, I finally arrived at my placement school In Ogun State. The journey to the community was long and tiresome but the joy of meeting my new students kept me energized.

I am happy to have come this far with Teach For Nigeria. Everybody at my placement school welcomed me with a smile on their faces and that alone strengthened me.

Their facial expression when they realized I couldn't speak Yoruba cracked me up. They all told me that I had to learn and that I needed it. I saw reasons with them because some of the students do not totally understand the English Language.

Some of them unconsciously spoke Yoruba to me and then exclaimed—

"Oh! I am not happy that you don't understand Yoruba."

I had already purported in my mind that before I finished my two-year fellowship, I would be blasting in Yoruba. Already I have volunteers who are ready to teach me and I also have Youtube.

Some people were quick to know where I'm from because of the 'Obong' in my name. They told me about the beautiful experiences they had with my people. And they did not fail to talk about our culinary skills. I was just smiling all through.

The school gave me accommodation which I'm most grateful for.

The old fellows in the school welcomed me cheerfully and treated me to a delicious meal of Jollof rice.

My journey to making an impact has just begun and I am very excited. Thank you Teach For Nigeria for this opportunity.

I strongly believe that through our collective effort, every Nigerian child will have the opportunity to attain an excellent education.

My placement school is in a rural community but I don't mind. As long as the people living there are surviving, I, too, will survive.

So you are free to call me a village teacher.

18/09/2024

Dear Teachers,

I hope you are beginning this new academic term with great gusto and you are prioritizing your well-being as well.

As you go into the classroom, I want you to remember that your learners are not robots to be controlled by you. They are not empty vessels to be filled with knowledge. They have a mind of their own and a brain to think, so always ask for their opinions because they matter.

Know that your learners are different so do not compare them. Do not stifle their voices, allow them to express themselves. Assign tasks to your learners, encourage them to work collaboratively, and give them a chance to lead.

Don't ridicule your learners, and don't encourage others to. Believe in their abilities and do not practice favoritism. Make your teaching student-centered, lead your students by example, and inculcate a growth mindset in them.

Above all, take care of yourself and eat healthily because one cannot make an impact on a sick bed.

Happy Resumption!

12/09/2024

Ben couldn't see the board from where he sat in the classroom and nobody knew about it, not even his class teacher.

His classmates taunted him every time for having low grades and called him a dullard.

This went on until the day the school gave the pupils compulsory eye examinations.

The doctor who examined Ben told him that his vision was so bad that he was almost qualified to be labeled handicapped.

His eyes had worsened gradually and he had no idea they were so bad. The doctor gave him glasses to wear and for the first time, he could see the writing on the board.

According to him—

“I wore my new glasses to school the next day and I was amazed. For the first time, I could actually see the writing on the chalkboard from the back of the classroom.”

He also added—

“Immediately after getting my vision corrected, my grades improved — not greatly, but at least I was moving in the right direction.”

I think Ben’s class teacher failed in her responsibility as a teacher. She never had any conversation with Ben to know what his limitations were. She assumed that he was dull and there was nothing she could do about it.

As a teacher, please pay attention to your students, don’t make assumptions or write them off. Always seek to know the root cause of their problems so you can help them.

Ask your learners open-ended questions to encourage them to share their stories. Be genuinely interested in their lives to build trust and foster a sense of belonging and connectedness.

If his class teacher had known about his eye problem, she would have gotten him help before his situation became worse.

29/08/2024

Today, I read Gifted Hands by Ben Carson again after many years. This time, I delved deeper into the book.

One thing I want to talk about is the commitment of Ben and Curtis's mother, Sonya Carson, to giving her children an excellent education despite having a third-grade education herself.

As a black woman living in a white-dominated society, she does not settle for less or allow the system to dictate her life and that of her sons.

She is a single mother who is intentional about the success of her sons. She always points them in the right direction and calls them back when they go off track.

She works two to three jobs to cater to her children. She is a domestic worker who works for wealthy people.

She often comes home to tell her children what wealthy people do, how successful people behave, and how they think in a bid to motivate them.

And then she will add—
“Now you boys can do it too and even better”.

One thing I love about her is that she does not downgrade her sons’ efforts or compare them to other children.

She never asks —
“Why can't you be like those smart boys”

But she will say—
“I've got two smart boys, two mighty smart boys”.

She opens their eyes to possibilities and makes them see themselves from a different perspective.

She molds them into what she wants them to be with her utterances.

I love the way she cultivates a growth mindset in her children and this is what every parent and teacher should do.

When Ben fails to make good grades in school and starts thinking he is dumb, she purges him from such a mindset.

When Ben says he can't do it, she says—

“You can do it, Bennie, you just have to set your mind to concentrating”.

When Ben's grades start improving and he wants to relax, his mother encourages him to do better and not settle for less.

She says—

“All right, Bennie, you've started improving and you are going to keep improving. You can't settle for just barely passing. You are too smart to do that. You can make the top math grade in the class".

She does not just tell them to do better but rather finds a way to show them how.

She makes her children believe in themselves. Evening after evening when she comes back from work, she speaks to them no matter how tired she is.

Ben Carson, in his Junior High School, improves and becomes the best in his class through his mother's help.

His intellectual growth helps to erase the stereotypical idea of blacks being intellectually inferior.

If every parent is like Ben Carson's mother, then teachers would have less work to do in the classroom and if every teacher is like Ben Carson's mother, then children will be eager to go to school.

To every parent and teacher out there, don't give up on your children no matter how terrible you think they are.

Be mindful of your utterances. Use positive words with them often and don't compare them to other children, it hurts their self-esteem.

Don't just tell them to improve, look for ways to help them improve.

We need more people like Ben Carson's mother in our classrooms and homes.

28/08/2024

When I was in primary 3, I became very withdrawn and uninterested in class. Nobody understood the sudden change in my behavior.

I was a lively child and so my new behavior bothered my class teacher and friends. I would sit and stare blankly at my teacher without understanding anything she was teaching.

I built a high fence around me and shut out my friends. They asked what the problem was but I refused to tell them and so they concluded that I was proud.

My class teacher also asked me what the problem was and when I refused to tell her she told me to cheer up if not she was going to punish me since I refused to open up to her.

A lot was going through my mind at that time. My parents had just separated and I missed my mother so much. I woke up every day to the emptiness of a mother figure at home.

I would cry when I saw other children play with their mothers. I became very lonely and it affected my grades in school. I struggled with it for months before I finally embraced the reality.

Many children in the classrooms are going through a lot. They walk around with baggage too heavy for them.

Some of them are abused physically, emotionally, and sexually while others are going through family issues.

Their daily struggle eats deeply into them and they start exhibiting adaptive behavior.

Some of them become disrespectful, manipulative, resistant, unmotivated, attention-seekers, self-destructive, isolated, and so on.

Some of them come to school seeking a haven but rather meet a teacher who judges them harshly and punishes them without asking questions.

As a teacher, you are not just in the classroom to teach but to meet the needs of your learners. You should be able to recognize learners who need help and help them accordingly.

You should show love to your learners, listen to them, create a safe environment, and also build positive and genuine relationships with them.

I will implore you to always remember this quote by American educator, Nicholas Ferron—

“Children who are loved at home, come to school to learn. And students who aren't, come to school to be loved”.

24/08/2024

On Tuesday, 20th August 2024, I was inducted into the Teach For Nigeria Fellowship as a fellow after weeks of transformational training.

My journey into Teach for Nigeria started in February this year when the organization opened applications for leaders who will drive the movement towards educational equity and excellence in Nigeria.

After a rigorous application process, I was selected to attend the Teach For Nigeria Pre-Service Training Institute as a Prospective Fellow.

My determination to join this organization was fuelled by my desire to see children attain an excellent and equitable education.

As a child who grew up in a rural area, I attended a low-income Government Secondary School and lagged in many areas because there were no teachers to teach us certain subjects.

I had to teach myself many things after I graduated. I took online courses and made YouTube my friend to measure up with my peers in the city. I was mocked by people because of my poor knowledge of the English language.

I felt bad but I never thought of giving up even for one day. I was ambitious and wanted to make a difference in my family and community.

Many children in low-income schools are half baked, it's just a few of them that will challenge themselves to become better and stand out in society while the rest will bury their dreams in the innermost part of their hearts and never revisit them.

When I heard about this fellowship, I told myself that this was an opportunity to support children in underserved communities to attain their full potential.

I am a change agent and a teacher leader.
The training I received at the Institute will propel me toward achieving my goal.

My vision aligns with that of Teach For Nigeria and one day through our collective effort, every Nigerian child will have the opportunity to attain an excellent education.

23/02/2024

Hello,

I am still in the business of writing scripts. Please, recommend me to a producer in need of a scriptwriter.

Thank you.

04/01/2024

I will be making more use of my timer this year. I want to be more focused, and productive and also monitor my progress. I started using it late last year and I was surprised at how much I could do at a time. It boosts my concentration and productivity.

I always set my timer for a specific interval to create a sense of urgency and purpose. knowing that I have a limited amount of time to complete a task always helps me stay on track and avoid distractions.

If you want to be more focused as a writer, I want you to start using your timer if you have not been using it. You will be shocked at how productive you will be.

01/01/2024

I woke up to the shout of the happy new year from a church close to my house and then realized that the long-awaited year had finally come. Every new year draws us closer to our graves and before now I used to ask myself why we are here and what is the need to exist when we exist to die.

I have come to realize that life in itself has no purpose and that we need to give meaning to our lives if truly we want to enjoy our stay in the world. To give meaning to our lives, we need to explore the world, learn new things, have a personal relationship with God, and do what interests us.

Life is naturally boring. In this year 2024, strive to live a meaningful life —

Discover your purpose
Always be happy
Focus on the important things
Choose your friends wisely,
Be yourself and not be easily cajoled
Cultivate compassion
Help others
Live in the present moment
Set and smash goals
Simplify your life
Spend more time with your loved ones and friends, etc.

Life is not a competition. Those who see it as one burn out easily. Take life gently, one step at a time. Don’t always expect everything to fall in place for you. If everything happens as you plan and you achieve everything you ever wanted, you will lose the will to live because life will be very boring.

The constant strive to be better is what keeps us going and that is why even the wealthiest men keep engaging in different activities to stay afloat.

As you prepare to achieve your goals this year, make sure you take care of your health. Good health is paramount and without it, you cannot achieve anything. Rest well and eat healthily.

Know yourself, do what works for you, and do not compare yourself with others. Above all, have a personal relationship with God, he will help you sail through life.

Happy New Year!

16/12/2023

Do people do this consciously or unconsciously?

I mean dominating conversation and not allowing the other person to speak.

The last time I checked, a conversation is a talk that involves two or more people exchanging thoughts, feelings, or ideas.

When you start to monopolize a conversation, it is no longer a conversation but a monologue.

A conversation has to do with listening, asking questions, informing, sharing ideas, adding to existing ideas, sharing emotions or feelings, agreeing, disagreeing, learning, etc.

If you often feel you are too intelligent to listen to what the other person has to say or only you have valid points to share, I want to let you know that there is nothing elegant or intelligent about monopolizing a conversation.

Regardless of the person you are having a conversation with, always give them a chance to speak.

Many people miss opportunities because of their inability to restrain themselves from disrupting others during a conversation. They open their mouths too wide and, in the end, cannot pinpoint any meaningful lesson they deducted from the conversation.

You are a conversational narcissist when you always compete to be the highlight of any conversation, want only your voice to ring in people’s ears, and are careless of what the other person has to say.

Some people go on a date and come back without knowing anything about the other person because they were the only ones who talked the whole time.

Someone will come to share their struggles with you, and you will advertently or inadvertently make yourself the center of the conversation and leave the other person hanging.

I know many people do this out of anxiety, and excitement, but when it becomes a frequent occurrence, you need to check yourself.

Don’t say, I am chatty, I cannot change. You can change because it is not a good disposition. You will lose quality conversations and perhaps relationships when you keep doing this.

You can control the urge to interrupt people when having a conversation, just train your mind to listen to people more and speak when it is your turn to speak. You will be shocked at what you will learn by talking less and listening more.

Teacher Eno

20/10/2024

11/10/2024

08/10/2024

29/09/2024

27/09/2024

18/09/2024

12/09/2024

29/08/2024

28/08/2024

24/08/2024

23/02/2024

04/01/2024

01/01/2024

16/12/2023

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