The day is October 5th, and it is Teacher’s Day in Nigeria, but barely a week ago, the children of Mrs Yusuf Khadijat Bosede were all over Okuhapa village in Obangede community of Okehi Local Government Area, Kogi State, searching for their mother, a primary school teacher.
Unbeknownst to them, their mother had jumped inside the well, the only source of water in the community since their borehole begged the political representatives from the local government for repair.
Days after her whereabout was unknown, residents of the community confirmed that her body was later found and recovered from the well when one of the women in the community went to fetch water and found her remains afloat.
The last her son heard from her was the Friday before she went missing, when she lamented to him that she was tired of life.
She was the benefactor of the family since her husband, Yusuf Ojenya died, our correspondent gathered.
The travails of Primary School teachers and local government workers in Kogi State have now become sounds from broken records, as they are the worst hit since Governor Yahaya Bello assumed office.
While some had been laid off the service, those left to hold the fort in the classrooms do not know the exact percentage of the staggered salary they receive.
“Sometimes it is 20 percent, and it can even increase to 25% in another month. Any month our salary does not come as expected, most of us collect pay-day loan from Access Bank which they will take once it drops. Some teachers’ take home at the end of the month is even N5, 000, ” a teacher at the Teacher’s Day celebration in Lokoja explained.
The deceased left behind, five children; Abu Ize Barikisu, a student at Federal College of Education Zaria, Ibrahim Onuyi Ojenya just graduated from secondary school, Isiyaq Onimisi Ojenya seeking admission l, Maryam Ojenya in SSS 2 and Kuburat Ojenya in SSS1.
Celebrating with the teachers on their day, Governor Yahaya Bello shared on his official page page that great people like the teachers are the “reason why ordinary students like us dared to dream of doing the extraordinary.
“Your Humility, wisdom, dedication, and kindness has always lead us to the right path and inspires us to be better human beings.
“Thank you for being the guiding light and for inspiring us to do well in our studies and in life generally.”
