Teachers are the architects of the future, shaping minds, building confidence, and sometimes, leaving scars that last a lifetime. Their influence can make or break the students who pass through their classrooms, which is why their job is so important.
We spoke to five Nigerians who shared their experiences with the teachers who either changed their lives for the better or left them with wounds they’re still healing from.
“She has inspired me to get a Master’s degree” — Kai*, 25, F
Kai was used to lecturers who taught their material half-heartedly until she attended a class that reignited her passion for language and its social effects.
“The name of the teacher who changed my life is Dr Vivian*, and she was my lecturer in 200 level. At that time, we were doing so many courses at once. I was tired and frustrated, and nothing was making sense to me until her class.
First of all, she was one of the most beautiful women I’d ever seen. Secondly, she was so kind. She spoke like she knew what she was teaching and that she enjoyed it just as much. She taught us about how language evolves as society changes. She talked about feminism and how it has impacted language use.
When she brought up gay people, I was prepared for the worst, but she was so open about it. She talked about how queer relationships have impacted language use and the evolution of language to accommodate queerness. I was in awe. A progressive Nigerian lecturer? I thought I was losing it.
After the class, I followed her to her office and asked to speak with her. She pulled up a seat and asked me to go ahead. I spoke to her about nonbinary people, pronouns and modern language. She listened, asked questions, and helped me interrogate my own theory. She also asked me if I was gay, and I denied it heavily, but she just laughed like she knew but didn’t want to say anything.
She was the reason I got obsessed with language and society, and I dedicated my final year project to her. I’m going to get a master’s in sociolinguistics because I want to make her proud. I want to become a teacher one day because I want a student to feel the same way I felt in Dr Vivian’s class.”
“He told me I was a dunce and I believed him.” — Tola*, 30, M
Tola shares how a primary school teacher whittled at his self-esteem, and how he’s trying to heal that deep wound.
“When I was in primary four, my class got a new teacher. I wasn’t the strongest student in my class academically. It would take me years to discover I am dyslexic, and that was what made school so difficult for me. Anyway, he called on me to read something on the board, and I couldn’t so he dubbed me ‘dunce boy.’ For the rest of the year, he never called me by my name, just ‘dunce boy’. I didn’t tell anyone at home because I felt like I deserved it since my grades didn’t improve, no matter how hard I tried.
It got to a point that everyone in my class also called me ‘dunce boy.’ I tried to shake it off, but it had a big effect on my self-esteem. I thought I would never do well in life since I couldn’t find my way around academics. I became a troublemaker and stayed that way for most of my secondary school experience. It was my older cousin who was talking to me during the long break before senior secondary school that made me realise I was dyslexic.
That day, he told me I was smart and he didn’t understand why I was behaving the way I did. I tried to explain to him that I was a dunce, I was bad at school, and that was why, but he disagreed with me. I tried to read something to him to prove that I wasn’t smart, and the words scrambled while I looked at them. That was when he figured I had a learning disability and told my parents. That literally changed my life. I got tutors and a therapist, which really helped me and my grades improve. School was still difficult, but this time, I had a way to fight back.
I hate that teacher till today because I still catch myself thinking that I’m stuck in primary four being a dunce boy instead of the accomplished web developer that I am today. Learning positive self-talk has been invaluable, but I would have preferred if he never dealt me that blow in the first place.”
“My teacher made me feel like anything was possible.” — Mariam, 28, F
Mariam was inspired to reach for the stars by the physics teacher in her secondary school, even though she was an arts student.
“My secondary school Physics teacher is one of the best people on the planet. I wasn’t even a science student, but it didn’t matter. Regardless of the issue, he was always willing to speak with you and advocate for you if you got in trouble.
Once, he gave a talk at the assembly, encouraging the SS2 and SS3 students to take the SAT exam. I remember him saying that he believed every single one of us was capable of passing with flying colours and getting scholarships. I went to speak with him afterwards and asked him to help me convince my parents to let me write the exam.
He did, and I started studying for my SATs. He let me use his office for hours of studying and practice, and he encouraged the other teachers to oversee my work and make sure I was studying properly. His support was invaluable.
I got a 70% scholarship because of his support, and I was able to go to America for my undergraduate studies. I look back and I’m so grateful to him. His support opened my eyes to the reality that I could accomplish far more than I initially thought.”
“My teacher was a terrible person.” — Tina*, 29, F
*Trigger warning, this response contains mentions of CSA and sexual assault.
Tina was preyed upon by her teacher, whom she thought she could trust, and he damaged her ability to trust or feel safe with people.
“My teacher was an awful man. When I was in primary five, I attended a very small school. This meant that my class only had four students, and we got a lot of attention from our teacher. I saw him as my big uncle, but he exploited that relationship by molesting me for the entire year he spent working at my school.
I felt disgusted after the things he did to me, but even years later, I still feel the adverse effects. Physical touch is difficult for me to enjoy, and I hate kissing. I never fall asleep at sleepovers because I don’t feel safe. When I went to visit my parents for the Christmas holiday two years ago, I ran into him at a neighbourhood store, and this man greeted me as if he hadn’t done anything wrong. I ran out of the store without saying a word to him. I hope only bad things happen to him.”
“My teacher paid my school fees when my father couldn’t afford it.” — Bolu*, 62, M
Bolu was a promising student, but his family couldn’t afford to keep him in school. His teacher made sure that he completed his studies by extending a hand of kindness to him.
“In 1977, my father told me I wasn’t going to go back to the little school in our village. He wanted me to help him on his farm because he couldn’t afford to pay the fees any longer.
When school resumed, my teacher noticed I wasn’t there and came to my house to ask why. When my father explained that he couldn’t afford it, my teacher immediately offered to take on my fees. I remember he said I was a bright student and going to school would improve my chances of doing well in life.
If not for him, I don’t know how my life would have turned out. I passed all my exams with flying colours and went on to complete my ND and HND. I started a business in Ibadan that has taken care of my family.
I kept in touch with him even after I left school, and when he passed away in 2010, I cried bitterly. His kindness set me up for life. He made me see the importance of an education, and I have passed that down to my own children.”
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