By CHIEDU UCHE OKOYE

Anambra State is one of the states that make up Nigeria. It is populated by the Igbo people, who practise the Christian religion, African traditional religion, and animism. Alongside some other states in Nigeria, it is a relatively young state having been carved out of the old Anambra state by the former Nigerian head of state,  General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd).

Its slogan, ‘The light of the Nation’ is a fitting epithet for the state that is immensely blessed with abundant material and human resources. Are Anambra citizens living in different   parts of the world not contributing significantly and tremendously to the growth of their host countries? And the state boasts of iconic global figures, who achieved distinction in their respective chosen careers and endeavours.

Think about the late Rt. Hon. Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe, a foremost freedom fighter and nationalist; the late Chinua Achebe, an inimitable raconteur, and novelist of note; the late Father Iwene Tansi, who was canonized for sainthood; Chief Emeka Anyaoku, diplomat par excellence, and a former secretary of the commonwealth; Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, a bluestocking, and a globally recognized literary star; Mary Onyali-Omagbemi, former African sprints queen of the tracks, who dominated the sprint races in Africa in the 1980s and 1990s; the late chief Osita Osadebe, ace musician; P-square, the peerless musical duo, who produce award- winning hip-hop songs; and others. For the reason of space, I will not list all the distinguished Anambra people here.

A state with immense human and material resources ought to be setting the pace in developmental initiatives. Sadly, however, when democracy berthed in Nigeria again in 1999, Anambra’s developmental strides were halted owing to the political treachery and debauchery perpetrated by its political leaders. It became the political turf for selfish political gladiators fighting for the soul and financial purse of the state.

Consequently, developmental projects ongoing in the state were shelved. Pensioners, who were derogatorily called dead woods, were owed their gratuities and pensions. Worse still, education, which is the bedrock of national development, was utterly neglected. Schools in the state were closed as the teachers had embarked on industrial action to press home their demands for the payment of salaries owed them.

It took the coming of Mr. Peter Obi, who became the Anambra State governor via electoral litigation, to revive the comatose and dysfunctional educational system in the state. He revamped and re-positioned the schools in the state with his implementation of pragmatic and well-thought out educational policies. Schools in the state were equipped with laboratory equipment and computers. He boosted the enthusiasm and morale of the teachers by giving them a better welfare package.

So, not surprisingly, Anambra State recorded stellar and impressive performances in such national examinations as NECO and SSCE for some years. And, an indigene of the state, Mrs. Rose Nkem Obi, won the maiden edition of the Nigerian Breweries’ Maltina Teacher of the Year in 2015. The unobtrusive,  brilliant lady, who teaches chemistry at the Federal Girls’ College, Onitsha, attracted building projects to her school by her emergence as the 2015 Maltina Teacher of the Year.

Now, another Anambra-born primary school teacher, Mr. Clement Nwoye Okodo, has brought honour and glory to the state by winning the 2017 Federal Ministry of Education President’s Teachers And School Award for primary school teachers in the Federation. Having emerged as the Anambra State champion, he dusted other state champions contesting for the teaching diadem to clinch the coveted prize.

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A native of Agbaje Abatete in Anambra State, Mr. Clement Okudo teaches primary six pupils at Central school, Abagana, Anambra State. He kick-started his sterling teaching career at Pioneer Primary School, Umungba, Anyamelum  LGA, Anambra State. His teaching career has spanned twenty five years, and it is still continuing.

His former pupils and colleagues spoke glowingly about his effective teaching methodology, mastery of the primary school subjects, punctuality, diligence, meticulousness, and sedulousness. His possession of those attributes worked in his favour and contributed in no small way to his winning the teaching prize.

But, Mr. Clement Okodo was duly and adequately prepared for teaching challenges having attended various schools and garnered relevant educational certificates over the years. A student of Community Secondary School Nru, Nsukka, he sat the WASSCE at St. John Cross Seminary School, Nsukka, in 1983. And he got his Teacher Training Certificate from Teachers’ Training College, Nsukka, in 1987. His insatiable quest and love for education made him enroll for a degree programme in education at Nwafor Orizu College of Education, Nsugbe, Anambra State.

Outside his profession of pedagogy, Mr. Okodo is an excellent and fine sportsman, who trained and groomed school pupils for state and national sporting events and competitions. He is happily married, and has two young kids.

For winning the teaching award, he received a posh car, Nissan Almera, and cash award, too. Instituting teaching competition and prizes for teachers at different educational levels in Nigeria is an elixir that will breathe life into our comatose educational system. The government’s recognition and rewarding of teachers, who toil unnoticed in obscure and rural schools to impart knowledge to pupils and mould their character is a commendable and noble act. It will serve as a spur for teachers teaching at different educational levels in our country.

Teachers deserve a better welfare package and encouragement as they are saddled with the arduous task of raising children who will become our leaders in the future. A knowledgeable and morally-upright leader owes his good attributes and intellectual possessions to his teachers’ mentoring and tutoring.

Again, we are not unaware that qualitative education is the cornerstone of development in any country. Any country desirous of joining the league of developed countries should prioritize solving its educational problems above others. Think about Japan, China, Israel, and America. These countries record giant strides in diverse areas such as economics, health and technology because they have good universities, which are bastions of learning and scientific researches. And, today, they have evolved their technological cultures.

Okoye writes from Awka, Anambra State