From Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti
As a way to commend the contributions of teachers to the development of education, the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS), Ekiti State chapter, recently celebrated retired members of the union who had served for 35 years or attained the age of 60 years in the state, in commemoration of the 2021 edition of World Teachers’ Day.
This year’s World Teachers’ Day was themed ” Teachers At the Heart of Education Recovery.”
The celebration, which marked the 11th edition, was held in Ado-Ekiti, capital of the state. It drew retirees of the union from across the 16 local government areas of the state, as well as teachers still in service and guests from within and outside the state.
The retirees, numbering 90, were presented with valuable items and cash gifts. The union also presented books and cash gifts to students who participated in the essay competition recently held in the state.
On the motive behind the celebration, Comrade Sola Adigun, the state’s chairman and national secretary-general of ASUSS and also chairman, Trade Union Congress (TUC) in Ekiti State, said: “By the grace of God, when I came on board as the leader of ASUSS in Ekiti, I had a vision and one of the driving forces was that teachers must be celebrated, and how we celebrate ourselves, because I know the importance of being celebrated. Celebrating yourself or celebrating others oftentimes gears one’s motivation, morale.
“So, celebrating our retirees is one of the ways of celebrating teachers. Somebody has spent 35 years or has attained the age of 60 years, using the best part of his or her life serving others by imparting knowledge, and through that many great men and women have been made; such a person will just leave the service unannounced.
“In the military, when a general or an officer is retiring, they do a pullout ceremony for him, but in the teaching profession, there is nothing like that. So, when my leadership came on board, we stated that these teachers that have worked for 35 years or have attained 60 years of age need to be celebrated, and we have given them fantastic gifts.
“This year’s celebration is the 11th edition and we have given various precious gifts to our retirees. It is the economic situation that made the gifts to be what you are seeing.
“The motive is to encourage teachers that are still in service. When they know that they too will be celebrated like this, they want to give their best, they want to improve themselves, they want to end well because a teacher that is dismissed or involved in vices cannot be celebrated by our union. So, they will do everything possible to maintain decorum, integrity and dignity of the profession.
“The retirees, numbering 90, were rewarded. The reward is in two categories, some were rewarded with gift items and others with cash gifts. For those in the cash gifts category, what the money is meant for is to serve as a cushion before they start collecting their pensions so that they will have something to do, maybe a small business or something tangible. But before you are entitled to that, you must key into our welfare programme and you must have subscribed (paying N500) for nothing less than 24 months. But if you are a subscriber for not up to 24 months, you will be entitled to gift items.”
Speaking on the best essayists, who were also rewarded, the chairman said: “The 16 students were the best from the 16 local government areas of the state. We had an essay competition across the state. All schools were represented. We had two representatives from each school and the better of the two was chosen and they came to sit for the final competition. So out of them, we had the best three.”
So, we are celebrating them and as we are celebrating our students, we are encouraging them to do more and we are celebrating ourselves indirectly, because they are out products, they are our hardwork.
“Everybody is looking up to the government, we want to change that mentality; it is not government alone. Most unions look up to the government. This building we are using for today’s celebration is our secretariat, government hasn’t given us a dime. So, we are doing all these to prove a point that if we have the will, we can move mountain. These students are being celebrated as part of our efforts to encourage them to do more. This is what we used to do, the school that produces the best essayist, we usually visit the school and present a gift to the school and we hope to start that again this year.”
In her goodwill message, the state’s Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Hon. Olabimpe Aderiye, said : “I pray for you teachers that you will reap your good works to the development of education. I wish the retirees happy retirement. I say thank you. I say well done.
“Only God can reward teachers. On this earth, you will have your reward and in heaven you will have more. God bless you all.”
Speaking at the ceremony, the state’s Executive Chairman, Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM), Hon. Babatunde Abegunde, said : ” I commend you teachers for your contributions towards the development of education in the state. I congratulate the retirees and I pray by the grace of God you will retire into good health, into prosperity and God will continue to bless you and your families.
“We all know the current government has taken education to another height in the state – by building model schools and more schools still to come, the recruitment of teachers not ordinary teachers and many other things.”
Commenting on the outstanding allowances, the TESCOM chairman said : “Nigeria is in crisis, we don’t need to tell anybody this; we are all experiencing it – security wise, economic wise, finance wise and all aspects. So, by the grace of God when the state’s economy improves all outstanding allowances will be paid.
” Your members are good ambassadors of teachers in Ekiti State. Last year, one of you won the national award as the best teacher in Nigeria and we are looking forward to ASUSS to produce the best teacher in Africa. By the grace of God, efforts are on to make sure ASUSS produces the best teacher in Africa.”
Appreciating the gesture, Comr. Abe Adebayo, who retired as a school principal and one of the founding members of the union, was rewarded with gift items, said : “I am very happy that I served for 33 years and I retired peacefully.
“I am very happy to see the baby that was launched some years back even when the road was rough. Today, it has come to stay.
“In 2005, we formed the ASUSS, few of us then, we struggled to start the union because we felt teachers needed a better union for their welfare.
” I was the foundation vice chairman between 2005-2006 before we handed over to the young, vibrant ones. Then I was a vice principal.”
Another recipient of the gift items, Comr. Olaoye Adeleke, who retired as a school principal, said: ” Today, is one of my happiest days in life. I thank God that I belong to this union. I usually say that if there is no fault in the old order, there will be no new order. I thank God that I belong to the new order that is ASUSS, as far as teaching profession is concerned.
” I thank God for the life of our leader and chairman, Comr. Sola Adigun. Like the comments given generally, he is a man of integrity and he has been able to lead us to the path of freedom, a path that makes us to be able to know that truly we belong to a union that needs to be celebrated. I pray that God will continue to strengthen them and help them to achieve more.
“My commitment to the union and believe in the leadership of ASUSS earned me the gifts.”
The two-day event also featured the cutting of the cake on the first day and gala night on the second day, where personalities who had contributed to the development of education, shown passion for labour and welfare of workers within Ekiti State and outside were honoured with awards.
In all, 60 individuals were awarded, which included 12 non teachers and 48 teachers.
The awardees were: Erelu Bisi Fayemi, wife of Ekiti State Governor, Sen. Biodun Olujimi, Senator represnting Ekiti South Senatorial District, Ekiti State Head of Service (HoS), Mrs Peju Babafemi, National President, Trade Union Congress (TUC) Comr. Quadri Olaleye, National President, ASUSS, Comr. Omaji Oyigocho, Dr Olowoyo Niyi, a senior lecturer, Mr Asubiojo Olaoluwa, a teacher and others.
Expressing her appreciation, Babafemi said: ” I thank the union for the award. I also want to commend you teachers for the good work that you are doing and I want you to know that you don’t have any fear because you have a listening governor, a development agent and for us as the leadership of the civil service – myself, the permanent secretary and the executive secretary, we are all passionate about workers’ welfare because you can not get to the top of the ladder and remove the ladder.
“Be assured that we will do all within our ability to ensure that the needs of workers and teachers are met. Although, we know that it is a very difficult time for leadership all over the world but be that as it may, we are trusting God that things can only get better, it will not get worse.”
Another award recipients, Dr Olowoyo Niyi, who is the pioneer Head of Science Laboratory Technology Dept., Petroleum Training Institute, Effurun, Warri, Delta State, said: “I feel delighted for finding me worthy of the award. Infact, the organizing pattern, skill and approach is perfectly okay. It is quite commendable.
“The award is not unconnected to my pedigree in associating with the society at large. I have a number of people I train at secondary and university levels. I have students’ hostels that are subsidized at reasonable amount. I belong to my community club that believes in giving maximum support for less privileged people.
“The union has acknowledged my contributions to my community and other communities. It has been my hallmark to value the society I belong with integrity and it is my wish to be a life supporter of ASUSS.”
Mr Asubiojo Olaoluwa, who was the national best teacher in 2020, said: “This award gladdens my heart because I wasn’t expecting it. ASUSS is a novel union. It is a union that is taking teachers to the next level and improving the quality of teachers.
” I joined ASUSS right
from 2010 because of their sublime performances. So, now that they are awarding me maybe because of what they see in me, may be my class work, my activities, my interactions with other colleagues and many other things. Though, I may not be able to evaluate myself, it is people that can evaluate me. So, the award really gladdens my heart to do more and I am grateful.”