TEACHERS’ REWARDS ARE IN HEAVEN—OR SO THEY CLAIM. by Sa'adu Abubakar (Gambe)

-
In the current Nigerian "climate," a teacher can no longer afford to wait for a reward in the afterlife. Since death has graciously ignored me for now and failed to give me a lift to that celestial station, I am putting in my claim for my reward right here on Earth. My provisions are exhausted, and I need more than just promises to survive the rest of the journey to the final stop.
By the way, as a teacher, I always made it a point to introduce myself properly—writing my name and a brief biography for every new class—so that I would be remembered by my students long after the lessons ended. In my over four decades of teaching, my journey through the stations of Nigerian education has been vast and deeply fulfilling.
My Journey Through the Stations (1965 – 2006)
1. 1965 - Gombi Primary School - 280 staff/students. Notable: Fatima Balla (Mrs. Fatima wife Prof. Sa'ad Abubakar). 
2. 1968 - GSS Bauchi - Pupil Teacher. Miss Faith Peters (South African), Esai Dangabar
3. 1971–1973 - GSS Yola - 2,480 individuals. Notable: Gov. Jolley Nyame, Gov. Bala Ngilari, Arc. Lawrence Ngbale, Dr. Ibrahim Gurin, Muhammad Ibrahim Atta. 
4. 1973–1974 - GSS Maiduguri - 2,240 individuals. Notable: Fenny J Fwa, Modu Sherrif. 
5. 1974 - GSS Gembu - 1,000 individuals. Notable: Mr. Lamu (Retired Perm Sec), Albert Sa'adu. 
6. 1975 - GSS Ganye - 1,400 individuals. Notable: Dr. Umar Ardo, Engr Martin Babale, the Gangwari Ganye. 
7. 1976–1978 - GSS Mayo Belwa - 180 individuals. Founding Principal of the 72 foundation students. 
8. 1978–1979 - GSS Fufore - 310 individuals. Braved all odds to procure science texts. Produced numerous professors and academics. 
9. 1979 - GSS Wukari & GSS Takum - 1,080 individuals. Remarkable impact, including Federal Judges and Media Broadcasters. 
10. 1984–1988 - FGGC Yola - 1,800 individuals. Notable: Safurat Dungus, Lami Baban Larai. 
11. 1988–1990 - FCAS Suleja - 180 'A' level science students. 
11. 1990–1992 - Federal Suleja Academy - 160 gifted and talented students. A brilliant initiative of Prof. Jibrin Aminu. 
12. 1992–1994 - FGC Wukari - 2,000 individuals. Marked mainly by administrative activity. 
13. 1994 - Lagos State Sec. School - 80 individuals (Inspectors Induction Practical). 
14. 1994–2001 - FIS Jos Office (Plateau) - 1,200 individuals. Federal Inspectorate Service. 
15. 2001–2003 - FIS Jalingo Office (Taraba) - 2,000 individuals. Education Administration. 
16. 2003–2006 - FGC Sokoto - 3,000 individuals. Principal. Retired from service in 2006. 
The Grand Total of a Life in Service
When you add my primary school, secondary school, and university classmates, alongside my colleagues at the Ministry of Education and Federal Inspectorate Services, I have had close or nearly close interactions with approximately 24,395 people over the last 70 years, beginning in 1953 at Jada Junior Primary School.
I am assured that over 20% of them who are alive today recall exactly who Sa'adu Garba, Sa'adu Abubakar, Sa'adu Gambe, Fira Bakka, Jackdaw, or the infamous "Mr. Blinking Punk" is.
Of the quarter of the people I have come across in the past seventy years, about a tenth are alive, and one-tenth of that one-tenth would not forsake me when I find myself in the straits. This was proven true when I required a hip-replacement surgery after a 2018 accident left me with a fractured femur neck bone. I was shown profound love, camaraderie, and sympathy by the alumni members of GMMC Yola.
A 1974 class set, led by Muhammad Ibrahim Attah, launched a fundraising drive for my surgery. This was miraculously overtaken by an accumulated donation of N25 million by my primary, secondary (GMMC), and university (ABU Zaria) schoolmate, His Excellency Atiku Abubakar, the Waziri Adamawa and former Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. As the founding president and life patron of the Tiddo Yo Daddo Alumni Association (TYDAA) of GMMC Yola, he was shocked to see "Gambe, the Jackdaw" on crutches during the Centenary Celebration period (2019–2022). The spirit of our lifelong camaraderie was rekindled, and he upped his donation to include my resettlement. I am ever grateful for this monumental show of love and kindness.
Final Reflection
The poser in part one of this article remains: "Is teaching a worthy Profession?" To conclude, should the teacher wait for his reward in the heavens?
Twenty years after my retirement, I have nothing on my mind except schools, students, and the education system. One interesting thing about my degree of interaction was my style of teaching: I was completely immersed in the art and science of it, to the point that I forgot my own future, promotions, and career progression. When I finally looked up, my mates—and even some of my juniors from ABU Zaria—were directors. Indeed, one of my former students was my director at the Federal Ministry of Education Headquarters while I was Principal of FGC Sokoto.
Yet, my unique style endeared me to almost everyone I had close contact with. It is the height of my career to meet my former students today in various senior positions across Nigeria—in Customs, Immigration, Police, the Navy, the Army, and beyond. At home, I meet former students who are now medical doctors, professors, permanent secretaries, commissioners, and legislators.
I count myself incredibly lucky, as I am never a stranger in any part of the North East Region or, indeed, throughout the country. With goodwill from just a few of the thousands I have taught, I am not a burden to society. The teacher's reward may ultimately be in heaven, but the teacher's legacy pays dividends right here on earth. Death is inevitable, and I will soon follow my mates who have passed on. When, where, and how is known only to the Almighty God. We pray for a painless exit. Amin.
Sa'adu Abubakar (Gambe)
08162135920
Rtd. DDE Federal Ministry of Education
Former Principal FGC Sokoto 
Chairman Gambe Development Association (GDA)

Comments

Post a Comment

Northern Nigeria Perspective is welcoming all comments, observations or views. The use of foul/vulgar language, pornographic materials and such other inappropriate comments are not allowed

Read More Post

Centenary Celebration of General Murtala Muhammad College Yola

-
Image
💯100 YEARS OF GMMC YOLA. By next year, 2020, the school, General Murtala Muhammad College (GMMC) Yola will clock one hundred years of its establishment. The former Middle School Yola has under gone several mutations in nomenclature. Starting as the Middle School, a male boarding senior primary school in 1920 it metamorphosed to a secondary grammar school with a broader curriculum. It was established initially to give western education to the citizen of the province and beyond. The aims and objectives were expanded to provide the man power needs of the colonial administration and that of the soon to be independent Nigeria. The name of the school was changed to Provincial Secondary School (PSS) Yola in the late 1950s when the school was transformed into a full comprehensive secondary grammar school with a richer curriculum which included Woodwork/Technical Drawing, Metalwork, Physics, Chemistry, Maths, Further Maths in the science and technology department. Other departments then ...
Read more

The Inevitable Shifting of the Date for the Centenary Celebration of Gen. Murtala Muhammad College Yola

-
Image
TIDDO YO DADDO NATIONAL ALUMNI ASSOCIATION CENTENARY CELEBRATION OF GMMC YOLA: THE UNFORSEEN HAPPENED. THE DEFERMENT TO March/April, 2022. The attention of the AD-HOC LOC was drawn to serious technical problems which nacessitate the deferment of the December  20th to 22nd, 2021 date fixed by the Congress. This did not come as a surprise as Adhoc LOC found itself face to face with the realities of phase 2 different from phase 1 where endowed alumni members responded beyond expectations to our calls to upgrade the school facilities hitherto in ruins, to give the 100 year old iconic school a facelift in line with its centenary Celebrations.  While we were on phase one, Adhoc LOC was very concious of time and drew attention of our Endowed alumni to collaborate, cooperate, sponsor events, donate funds, and avail their expertise from time to time for the phase two finals, but feeble attention was given to it. Adhoc LOC even suggested membership levies or membership dues to be paid t...
Read more

Phase two of the 100 Years Celebration of General Murtala Muhammad College, Yola.

-
Image
ATTENTION: PHASE TWO OF THE 100 YEARS CELEBRATION. The Phase two of the centenary celebration of the iconic school, (for the benefit of the elder alumni), the former Elementary School,  the Middle School, the Provincial Secondary School, PSS Yola, then the Government Secondary School, GSS Yola and now General Murtala Muhammad College, GMMC Yola, which will be the crowning series of activities to mark the 100 years of the great school, is scheduled to be held in the last week of December, 2021. The Congress fixed the December period by voting during the general meeting held in the college in mid 2021. That decision cancelled AD-HOC suggestions for an earlier date for the celebration. Image 1. Billboard design for TYD @ 💯 INTRODUCTION 1. Adhoc Committee was created on the 16th November, 2019 by the Congress in lieu of the TYD National body that was not traced two months to the Centenary year 2020. Adhoc Committee was mandated amongst other things to prepare for the Centenary Celebra...
Read more

Tiddo Yo Daddo National Alumni Association

-
Image
 ATTENTION NO. 4. All MEMBERS. NATIONAL TIDDO YO DADDO ALUMNI ASSOCIATION OF GENERAL MURTALA MUHAMMAD COLLEGE, GMMC, YOLA. THE FORMER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, MIDDLE SCHOOL, PROVINCIAL SECONDARY SCHOOL AND GOVERNMENT SECONDARY SCHOOL YOLA. NATIONWIDE STATE CONTACT/COORDINATORS. The Adhoc Committee-LOC, in collaboration, cooperation and on behalf of the National Executive Committee, Exco and the Board of Trustees, BoT of the TYD Alumni Association is calling on all affiliate and non affiliate versions of the Old Students Associations of the great school, GMMC Yola, established first as Elementary school, Middle School, Provincial Secondary School and Government Secondary School Yola in 1920 to drop guards and join the National body to celebrate the one hundred years of existence of the great school this Centinary year 2020. In order to identify and synergize with the National Association, various state chapters, Year Sets, dormitory groups or even Decade Sets in the 36 states, the Federal...
Read more

The Repeat of 1966 Drum's of war 🥁⚔️

-
Image
The fears expressed on the probable return to the 1966 scenario of doom and uncertainties hanging in the atmosphere, the absence of trust and confidence in the next person with you or near you if he happened not to be from your region or your tribe or religious persuasion. In 1966 the atmosphere was charged and people were looking over their shoulders in order not to miss any happenings. First, I was in Gambe Village on the 15th of January when the sudden and unexpected news of the killing of the Sardauna Sokoto, the Premier of the Northern Region was announced over the Radio Kaduna. The news came with mixed reactions from the population who were just coming out of the just concluded general elections 1964, in the country. Many people who belong to the ruling NPC of Sardauna/Tafawa Balewa party were aggrieved on the killing of the Premier of the Northern Region and his colleague, the Prime Minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa and military officers of mostly northern extraction while me...
Read more