Meet Nigeria's Best Teacher: The Awesome Bunmi Anani - I've Had Moments When I Almost Gave Up Teaching

News Rendezvous

Siting under the influence of her awe inspiring tutelage just to observe what makes, Oluwabunmi Anani, thick, within the few minutes of her compelling delivery, I literally came to a simple conclusion, Bunmi, as she is fondly called, can teach you anything and you would have no option but to understand.

Her sonorous, but unassuming and imposing voice, makes her delivery captivating, elaborate, crystal, majestic and down to earth as she takes her previleged students on a journey of learning of the subject in question.

Taking the students through the course work, it was clear to any keen observer, that you are under the influence of a real teacher with the power and aura to deconstruct any complex work or subject into a real and applicable knowledge, a quality that has been lacking in teaching in the last decade in most Nigerian schools.

In this excerpt, you will hear about factors that inspired Oluwabunmi into teaching, her low and high moments, her strong opinion on the challenges of the education in the country and what she thinks is the way forward.

Without mincing words, Anani, slammed the country’s Leaders for failure to invest in education, for the poor renumeration of teachers and the counter productive teaching and learning environment in schools in the country but she also pleaded with government and all stakeholders in the education sector to put all hands on deck because so much needed to be done to raise the standards of education in the country.

RENDEZVOUS:

Can you just introduce yourself

OLAWABUNMI ANANI:

Ok, well…am Bunmi Anani, Oluwabunmi Anani, the short form is Bunmi.I am a Nigerian, I wouldn’t like to say “oh, I am from Yoruba,” no, I wouldn’t like to, I am a Wazobia, because right now I think I can claim Adamawa State to be my state.Alright, I did my primary, secondary and university education in Lagos. I completed my primary education at Saint Lawrence’s International School Rumero Command Area, and I proceeded to for my secondary education in Lagos State Federal College, Rumero Ikoro, still in Lagos too.After few years of gathering experiences amidst several attempts trying to secure admission in the tertiary institution to no avail. Surprisingly, I was able to gain an admission into the university of Lagos. 

Where I chose to study English, initially, I applied to study English education at the University of Lagos but because I was told that, I didn’t have CRK as one of the prerequisites to read education, I had to reseat my JAMB examination the following year through much persuasion from my father because at that point, I was already giving up.I had spent five years trying to gain admission into the university, there was always one excuse or the other or one criteria or the other that I always find difficult to understand but thank God in the year 2007, eventually I got the much awaited admission into a prestigious university, I am proud to say University of Lagos, Akoka.I think my hobbies are reading, I enjoy my solitude, listening to music, in order to de-stress after I had a long days work.I love meeting new people and I love reaching out.

RENDEZVOUS:

Ok, obviously your educationaly background was in Lagos, so how did you get to Adamawa state?

OLAWABUNMI ANANI:

I remember when I went to school, it was at the University of Lagos, to find out where was my posting for service and I realized I was posted to Adamawa, at first I thought it was Ado-Ekiti.

I was a bit disappointed actually, I wanted to go to a different place, but definitely not the north.Because at that time in 2011, the issue of insurgency escalating here and there and it was at its peak then, so, I wanted any other place, not the north, Port Harcourt, Calabar, but definitely not my Yoruba area and the north.When I eventually found out that it was Adamawa State, I was not really happy.

But, when I got home that evening, my father returned from work and I broke the news to him, I was thinking that like any other parent, he would insist for a redeployment but my father would not, “my daughter, let us get the map of Nigeria, come on and lets see.”And he pulled one out and he showed me, wow! Adamawa state is close to Cameroun, oh my God, this is interesting, you will go, he said.

And my mother and I were like, what is happening here, you mean my father, with all that you read in the Newspapers, you still want me to go to Adamawa state?Well, I decided to go and I found myself in camp, funny enough, I enjoyed myself, the weather was beautiful, yes, the insurgency was there but the people were not the insurgents.

The people were effable, accommodating, I enjoyed my stay there and I was actively involved in camp activities, I made sure those three weeks in the camp, was memorable. I was aber of the OBS, that is the broadcasting section on camp and everyone on camp expected that I would be posted to work with the media organisations in the state like GOTEL.I was looking forward to a different experience because all my life, I have been a teacher and have been into teaching. 

When I conpleted secondary school while at home, one of our neighbours who was a school proprietor met my Dad and said, why are you allowing this girl to waste away here waiting for admission, please, she is talented, let her come and teach in my school, that was how my formal induction into the world of teaching began.I started with the kindergarten class, from there I was moved to the primary section, worked there for a while, two years or so, the third year, I was still trying to gain admission.So anyway, that was my first foray into the world of teaching, because even at that time, some of the teachers who own schools around Rumero, have been inviting me to come and teach in their schools.So, when I gained admission into the university of Lagos, I was still teaching. So to cut the long story short, I found myself over the years thinking, I would serve in a media organization but I was just waiting, I did not pull any strings, coincidentally, I found myself in a classroom, with a chalk, not in GOTEL.

So, I embraced the challenge and it was quite a challenging experience, because I was in the midst of girls who were in a public school and it was in a public school with few teachers to teach them. In fact, there were only two of us English Teachers, I and the head of department.But I made sure I enjoyed the experience with my girls, I call them my girls because some of them became very close, already in the university. When they see me, the my would call out, ‘aunt Bunmi, you are still here?’I remember vividly, one of my students, at Government Girls Secondary School, a place where I served, telling me that I would do well in a local broadcast station, GOTEL TV, and I replied no, i am going to teach. The student was like but, “no one would know you teaching,” I was like, I may not get the fame one easily gets on TV screen but my direct contact and personal relationship with you is more important.

That was how after my service year, I decided to stay back in Adamawa state, I had no plans to do that, I did not have a reason to do that, I just had this thing, lets just say intuition, that I needed to stay, so I applied to Condordia college for a teaching job among other schools and GOTEL inclusive.

I was in a desperate situation because I had just N200 on me and I was like God, please lead me to a place I would get a job immediately because I don’t have any amount of money for commuting, and I went to concordia college, I got the job and everything is now history.And it has been a huge experience, and challenging too being in class, I would not say it has been a walk in the park, no, there have been challenges, but they all helped me grow stronger, better and a professional teacher because I have registered with the Teacher Registration Council of Nigeria and I have obtained my PGDE.

RENDEZVOUS:

Before we go further, what actually attracted you into the teaching profession?

OLAWABUNMI ANANI:

It is a combination of passion, conviction and a host of influences around me, positive influences and again the desire, deep-seated desire to make a far reaching impact.Now, when it comes to influences, as a child my parents were the first teachers for me. Particularly, my mother was my mathematics teacher, she was committed to my tutulage, eventually, I took over from my mom to in turn tutor my siblings, I also became their teacher and they listened to me. It came first of all naturally to me to teach, then experience.

After school, I was absorbed into the employ of my neighbors, then in the university too, I kept teaching, that was how I was able to augment my pocket money from home.So I think, my attraction to teaching stems from a natural passion to teach, to make a positive impact on people and permit me to mention some very significant people that made a difference in my life on my way to becoming a teacher, Mrs Itiade Ladi, she was my vice principal academy, when I was in Lagos State College, Rumero.She was not an ordinary teacher, she had poise, carriage, she was an epitome of integrity and she was passionate about what she did in and outside the classroom. She inspired me that one can attractive, elegant and classy as a teacher. Another person that easily comes to mind is Prof. Leke Fakoya, at the University of Lagos, he was the one that began to talk to me about the possibility of going into the education line.Then my father, he has been my biggest and strongest supporter. When I decided to take up teaching as a career, he never doubted me, he actually encouraged me and stood strong for me.So, I think, all these things, couple with the fact that a teacher is an influencer, a change agent in the society and I personally love to impact lives, all these combined, pulled me, consciously and unconsciously towards teaching and the teaching profession.

RENDEZVOUS:

When exactly, did you start teaching here?

OLAWABUNMI ANANI:

I graduated from the University in 2011, served in 2012 and I started teaching here in 2013, to be precise, on the 8th of March, 2013.

RENDEZVOUS:

Since you took up teaching as a profession, what would you say were your low and high points?

OLAWABUNMI ANANI:

Wow! My high points, well I know many people would expect to say the 16th of October, 2020, when I was awarded the prize for the Maltina Teacher of the year, that was a high point too but I would rather prefer to call it a defining moment in my career.But when it comes to this profession, my high point was the day I started taking the SS3 students in this school and they all made their English, and they all passed without getting involved in any examination malpractice.I have a standard of zero tolerance for examination malpractice, it does not mean am perfect, no, but I insist that as long as it is possible, we have to transfer the culture of hard work, discipline and integrity to these students.We work so hard so that they can sit for any examination confidently and so that they can be independent learners. So, my high point is always when I see my students graduate with flying colors first in English, then other subjects.

My low points are usually when students look down on us or speak low of us as teachers. Some students look down on their teachers and some parents blatantly talk down to teachers saying if not for the school fees they are paying, we would not have a job or salaries as teachers. Those are usually very depressing comments and some parents do make them. Or when I see some invigilators or external supervisors aiding examination malpractice, that also constitutes one of my low points.Yes, for a very long time, the teaching profession has been derided and ridiculed, and there were times when the treatment of teachers and so many wrong things going around have made me doubt and question my conviction. I have had reasons to question whether, “Am I on the right path? If not for one of my mentors, Jude Adaki, he always tells me, “In every occupation there are hazards, so you have to learn to master it, overcome it and make the best of it.” So that is how I have been able to manage my low points.

RENDEZVOUS:

You just mentioned a very important issue of concern in Nigeria, standard of education. what in your opinion is responsible for the falling standards of education in the country?

OLUWABUNMI ANANI:

That is a very sensitive question, first of all, the most notable factor for the falling standards of education right now is the fact that stakeholders in the education sector have not been working as a team.We have continued to be engaged in a blame game in terms of issues ailing the education sector. Parents, teachers, government, the community, and students, must works towards the same direction.We must develop a feasible strategy and together take responsibility towards making it happen, then we can turn the tide around for good.Secondly, the checkered academic history of most of our children. 

A child will be in lets say, primary three and the parents would be in a hurry to graduate them from school, forgetting that these classes and processes they circumvent always come to take its toll on the performance and ultimate development of the students education.Schools are structured with curriculums that students need to satisfy to progress further, circumventing the process at times make the student, ill-suited, ill-equipped mentally, emotionally and physically for the rigours of the challenges ahead in their academic pursuit.Thirdly, is the perennial issue of educational infrastructure. Thank God for the private sector but not all of them though, because some of them are just taking advantage of the gaps that lie in the education sector to cash from it but some few private schools are actually living up to the standards and are making the difference, however, when we have let’s say, 20% of educationist providing the infrastructure and upholding the standard, then there are still gaping holes to be filled.The button line is that, the infrastructures are not there. Our classrooms, especially in the public schools are in a sorry state.How do you expect a child in such a poor learning condition to pass his or her examination?

We are in a technologically driven learning environment, students cannot perform well when they need technological intelligence and the facilities are not there.

So many students do not know what a computer is apart from what they learn about it on the board, so in the face of a computer based examination or activity, they would perform badly and these are areas that need quick and immediate intervention to break the rapidly falling standards of education.Another factor contributing to the falling standards of our education is that our teachers are not properly motivated and opportunities for training and retraining, have been scarce and not encouraging.Some of the training are not done with the real intentions to improve teachers and teaching capabilities instead they seems to be tailored towards greasing some people’s pockets at the expenses of improving the quality and standard of education.The renumeration of teachers is grossly inadequate for the teacher to take care of his basic personal needs let alone invest in professional advancement.The attention have been over focused on the teacher, what about the curriculum planners?

The policy makers? Do they even get the input of teachers who have direct relationship with the students before designing some of these schemes?But today, more that ever, am proud to say that teachers against all odds, are more academically and intellectually updated and prepared for the job largely through personal efforts. They are out there enrolling to acquire their masters, Phds and even contribute meaningfully to national and international journals and educational endeavors across the world, and all these happen against the background of inadequate and poor motivation.Sometimes I think, there is a conspiracy to destroy and frustrate well meaning educationist. How do I mean, examination malpractice has become the order of the day, parents are involved, students are involved, even the examining bodies who are supposed to at the vanguard of academic integrity are also involved and we are here talking about falling standards of education.It is not the teachers responsibility alone, all hands must be on the deck to fight this monsters. We need to put the right orientation into the minds of our students and untill we get it right in the area of orientation of every stakeholder, including our children, we would be fight a loosing battle, unfortunately,

RENDEZVOUS:

So, that being said, how can we get back to those days when teachers are respected and revered in the society and to the time where examinations are conducted and passed without resort to malpractices?

OLUWABUNMI ANANI:

Thank you sir for this question, there is the urgent need to put infrastructure in place and to set up conducive environment.Yes, am sure some of our parents who lived through these times of the early pre-independence periods, might say that in there time there were no computers and that had to trek for miles before getting to school, but times have change and the children we are giving birth to these days have a different make up.

We have a restless generation, with a very short attention span and when we are teaching these ones, we need to put the necessary infrastructure in place to get their interest sustained in order to get the desired results.

Today’s children might not be able to survive the rigours that the past generation endured, they would need good chairs and tables and these are necessary atmosphere to ensure good learning environment and these are part of today’s culture and basic requirement for instilling a good education value into the child.Because a child who goes to a dilapidated school, with broken chairs and seats, and generally ill-equipped, will from the onset begin to question very early, the importance and relevance of education in the first place.

So, there is a need for condusive educational environment for both the teacher and the student.It is important that an inspiring teaching environment is created for the teacher because if the teacher does not have a good teaching environment, he would find it difficult to have that sense of pride in his profession.Medical doctors easily and proudly too, identify themselves as medical practitioners because of the dignity and prestige attached to their office but that is not true for the teacher.Teachers need the right environment to help them redefine and repackage themselves and carry themselves with pride a change symbols and influencers in the society.

The recent orientation in the society is that of materialism. We have become so materialistic such that we look at the pyramid of renumeration and realise teachers are very close to the lowest earners in the country. So, the society because of teachers low earning, treat teachers as if they are am extension of their domestic workers.

The quality of pay for teachers has a way of affecting the psyche of the teacher and how they treat their jobs and the people around them.We are not saying that teachers should be paid in millions, because there is no amount that one can pay the teacher that adequately makes up for the amount of thankless jobs they do. All we are saying is that, there should be some kind of dignity and respect to what teachers do and it should reflect on their earnings too.If these are looked into, we could sooner be on our way to restoring the dignity and honour of the teacher.

RENDEZVOUS:

The coronavirus Pandemic was a particular challanging experience for all, give us a glimpse of how you and teachers in Nigeria were able to cope and survived the pandemic?

OLUWABUNMI ANANI:

Ah! The COVID-19 period and especially the lockdown period was really challanging and gruelling for teachers. Any teacher that survived the lockdown would survive anything and most of us have come out of it better and stronger.We have learnt to adopt and reinvent ourselves in order to survive the period. Many of us that have been struggling with technology and the social media, had to stooo down to learn in order to become relevant and that has become a habit now because the classrooms were no longer available and we had to explore beyond the confines of our classrooms and most of the teachers would no longer be limited.Most teachers have become technologically aware and attuned to the social media.Teachers, had to go out there looking for alternative source of income and means of survival, but at the end of it, we become better, smarter and innovative.

RENDEZVOUS:

Now, to the awards, how did you get to know about it, how did you feel when you were announced the winner of the Maltina Teacher of the year and how were you received by colleagues, students and family?

OLUWABUNMI ANANI:

I was a member of a teachers groups and it was posted on that platform, so I decided to go for it and the rest they say is history.

The day I was declared winner, I could not believe it. Someone asked whether I was not expecting to win, I said no, but the way the competition was so well organised and how the various stages were professionally handled, no one there could tell you that they did so well and would definitely win.Everyone there was good and the truth is that anyone could have won. So when I was announced as winner, I really felt humbled, that was my number one feeling.When my name was mentioned, then all the floodgates of memories was opened wide.

I began to reminisce on all the struggles I had gone through in the course of my teaching experience and life. I recalled all the squabbles that ensued when after my service year with some members of my family, when I decided to stay back in Adamawa state. Questions like why would you want to stay there? Why would you want to teach? Come back to Lagos, there are better jobs there.My father in particular, was firmly behind me in any decision I take but to my family members who needed explaination, I told them that, this is exactly what I want to do, kindly allow me to.I became emotional, I was overwhelmed, because I could not believe what was happening to me. 

I have been through so much, a lot of sacrifices with my students.We have been through a lot in the course of our teaching experience with my colleagues. At that instance, I remembered that there is favour in every labour and profit in every endeavour and am so grateful to God for making one of my dreams come true.To be truthful, there were moments in my life, I thought of leaving the teaching profession, moments when I felt doubts and questioned whether I was on the right path. I have had to ask myself, are you sure you are in the right path? In moments like that, I would confide in my mentor and sometimes my father. My father would simply say, “Focus and remain steadfast, keep at it and pray.”

My mother would say, “There are always occupational hazards in any profession.So to answer your question, there are times when I feel like quitting but when I get to the classroom, I get refreshed, re-energised and renewed again.So, the reception from my colleagues, my students and school, was warm and they were so happy for me.

My students would send me messages on whatsapp, facebook saying things like, “you deserve it,’ ‘we are so proud of you,’ ‘it is long overdue,’ etc. Coming from my students, it means a lot to me.And with my colleagues, it is a collective victory, it is like am representing all of us and we are worthy of the honour and am glad to be representing a generation of positively-minded teachers committed to making the difference.

RENDEZVOUS:

Now, that you have won, what do you intend to do with your winning?

OLUWABUNMI ANANI:

Before now, I had some education inclined projects I had planned, with the Maltina prize in focus, I would begin to implement them and you will get to know more about it as it unfolds.

RENDEZVOUS:

You are a teacher from the part of the country that is plagues by insurgency and the issue of out of school children, what call would you make to government and other stakeholders in addressing this issue?

OLUWABUNMI ANANI:

For the out of school children the statistics is alarming and if not strategically and timely arrested, we would soon be in a dangerous situation.There is danger looming in the horizon and it is not only a threat to the north but to the whole country. I will challenge the wives of governor’s to take it up as a project, to take the children off the streets and let’s work round the clock and make education available for all.I will call on government, to improve the funding for education, let all stakeholders, in the private and public sector be pulled together towards mitigating this disaster.We were all witnesses to the protest that took place in the country, and the eventual lootings, it was an embarrassment for the giant of Africa.Concrete and practical actions need to be taken to turn all lips service on the issue of out of school children into concrete action that would save the lives of these young ones.It’s high time we put our money where our mouth is.

RENDEZVOUS:

Thanks Miss Bunmi, and it has been a pleasure talking to you.

OLUWABUNMI ANANI:

Thank you sir