YOUNG TEACHERS: THE FUTURE OF THE PROFESSION

October 5th is World Teachers Day set aside by the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to celebrate Teachers across the globe. Incidentally, 2019 happens to be my 9th year of teaching. I did some reflections on the WTD, and I thought to share some of them with y’all.

Growing up, teaching was never enviable to me, I don’t even think I did sufficiently appreciate the efforts of my teachers, until I got into their shoes. Only when I became a teacher myself did I really appreciate the native adage that is translated thus: “you never really appreciate the usefulness of a basket until it’s time to dispose trash”. Looking back on my life and how I got here; I am deeply and eternally grateful to every single person (including my mum and late dad) who spent time, no matter how small, to share some form of knowledge with me. I am even more grateful because I know I must have made the process a lot more difficult owing to my ‘block-headedness’ and extreme playfulness at the time. Now I understand!

One other thing that kept resonating on my mind from the WTD is the role of ‘Young Teachers’ in this age of high-speed innovation and change. The days when ‘village headmasters’ or ‘Mr Lecturer’ could do the trick are almost gone. The wisdom and experience of the elders in the profession is priceless, but the truth is that many older teachers are the students in many of today’s classrooms. We can’t over-emphasize the Influence that a young teacher has on students who are in his/her generation; it is profound! This influence doesn’t come without its negative sides too as many students have graduated to sex partners and ‘friends with benefits’ of several young teachers. 

Regardless, young teachers, indeed, are the future of the profession. However, we must keep our head in the game and ensure that every influence we have on our student is a positive one!

From your experience, How did any of your younger teachers stand out (positively or negatively) from their older colleagues? Feel free to share your comments in the section below! 👇🏽

#myrandomweeklythoughts

@dr_mykk

Independence Edition

Honestly guys, I ran out of caption for this write-up. I wouldn’t mind your help in suggesting captions (in the comment section). And I am keeping this one short and straight to the point.

Well, it’s another Independence anniversary week, and I guess we are all expected to be writing or saying ‘Happy Independence Day’ to Nigeria, but the truth is I do not know anymore. We are a long long way from a ‘happy’ independence guys! I have a million and one reasons for this conclusion and I am sure you may have more, but I’ll share one that is still very fresh.

So this past week, I went to undergo an eye examination for my drivers license at one of the state teaching hospitals in Nigeria (name withheld). I do not want to go on about the ‘road’ that led to the eye examination. So I walked into the room after asking close to a dozen people for direction from the gate, and these two women are sitting at the desk with bottles of soft drinks half empty on the tables and their eyes fixed on their phones, and it’s about 10.30am. I walk up to the desk and say ‘good morning ma’ thrice before one of the women looks up at me after almost 30 seconds after the third ‘good morning ma’ and asks me to take a seat after telling her why I was there. For another close to 30 minutes, these two women are still with their eyes on their phones while sipping on their bottles of soft drink intermittently, while myself and six other people in the room remained seated ‘awaiting our verdict’. After about 30 minutes, one of the women looks up and makes eye contact with me (already getting very irritated, although expression-less) and asks me to come, she then opens one of the files on the table and hands me a form, asks me to fill it and go make payment at the cash point. Luckily, I am back with the payment receipt in less than 10 minutes, and I am asked to ‘hold on’. After another 15 minutes of ‘holding on’, the form and receipt are taken from me, stapled and handed back to me to take to the eye clinic.

Eventually, I leave the room after almost an hour from my arrival with the form and receipt in my hand, and am wondering why it took me one hour to fill a form and obtain a receipt, but unfortunately, that’s all I could do ‘WONDER’!

I know I said this will be short and straight to the point, but unfortunately it’s difficult to make ‘short’ talks about Nigeria these days. I’ll be looking forward to your suggested captions in the comment section. Also feel free to share your own similar experiences (if you don’t mind). 

In the meantime, ‘keep your head above the water’ while we continue to seek solution to the terminal illness of our dear country.

#myrandomweeklythoughts

@dr_mykk

IN SEARCH OF PEACE!

Celebrating International Peace Day 2018 with my International Relations Students!

Imagine a world at peace! A world where everyone loved not just their neighbor but the stranger too. Imagine a world where states/nations interacted on the basis of love; no trade wars or military alliances or peacekeeping missions or strict immigration laws or terrorist or all that... a world indeed at peace! Far from reality right? Well, on the contrary, Bible believers will disagree and argue that the hope of the reality of such a world at peace is indeed their motivation for life. 

In the meantime though, away from ‘hope’ and back to reality. Our world is in desperate search for peace. The International Day of Peace (September 21st) is one of such dates set aside to re-emphasizes some of the very key issues that challenge our world. Since the last ‘Day of Peace’ many more thousands have died in ‘peaceful’ protests in Venezuela, HongKong, Egypt, Sudan, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, just to mention a few; brothers have risen up in arms against their fellow African brothers in South Africa, the trade war between China and the United States appears to have lasted 365 whole days (having repel effects on many other individual lives and homes in several other countries and continents). My point? The more in search of Peace we are, the further from us Peace appears. 

While international, regional and national commemorations and reminders are essential, the search for peace MUST begin on the inside, and not externally. Come to think of it, the situations that make peace appear evasive first originate on the inside. Violence and unrest and insecurity and death all originate from the inside; how we choose to act or react are what make or mar peace. So rather than externally, let’s all look inward and see how much of Ambassadors of peace or ‘war’ we are. Also, we must collectively begin to pay a lot more, or at least equal attention to peace as we do to war. How do I mean? Peace Education is an imperative! Defense and Strategic Studies, Art of War, Conflict Studies and Management are all essential, but Peace Studies, Science of Peace and any other related studies on Peace are more essential.

As we look forward to the next International Day of Peace (September 21st 2020) let’s all individually decide to actively reduce the casualties of violence nearest to us. Let’s also take a minute to say a prayer for the families of those we have lost in the last year and ask for courage on behalf of the families of those we are going to loose in the next 365 days, unfortunately.

Back to the perspective of Bible believers, real and lasting peace can only come from outside of this world, and am sorry, with all of these happenings, I agree with them! Until then, as much as possible, as far as it depends on you, live peaceably with EVERYONE!

#myrandomweeklythought

@dr_mykk

Yahoo-Yahoo Mentality

Last week, one of my students asked me; “why have you stopped posting on your blog sir”? For a few seconds, cat caught my tongue, I was lost for words. A number of things crossed my mind in those few seconds; so this student actually does read my blogposts, I really haven’t done any postings in a while... I don’t remember what answer I gave my student, but I’ll attempt some explanations here...

The last three months have been intense on my new job as Dad, and I guess I am enjoying every bit of it so much that I forget my weekly posts. Seriously though, consistency is a virtue I really am working hard at, please keep me in prayers. 

A lot has happened since my last post; RUGA, Fatoyinbo saga, Ministerial nomination and appointment (that one pepper me pass), just to mention a few. But I saw something two days ago, which awakened in my mind a stream of thoughts which I want to share with y’all! 

I have always felt uncomfortable with the internet scam (Yahoo-Yahoo) syndrome, not just because it is dubious and increasingly evil nature, but because of the boldness with which most perpetrators display their irresponsibility; untidy looks, sagging trousers, rough and mostly unruly behavior and very exotic lifestyles (one they couldn’t live in 20 or even 30 years if they earned an honest living). What baffles me, though, is that this ‘Yahoo-Yahoo mentality’ is the in-thing now, gradually society have accepted this ideology as well. Have you taken time to listen to some of the songs most young (and even old) people sing now? Let me just highlight two of them, I don’t know who sang them neither do I know the entire lyrics, but some lines stood out for me: “I wan make the kin money wey go make Dangote say who be this black skin boy...” and “Owo wa ni akpo yin, e je ka ba yin noo” (pardon my Yoruba typos)...

Photo credit: Wavy Naij

Don’t miss my point please, I am not saying it’s a crime to dream big and desire riches, and infact, many Nigerian musicians who do these songs, work soo hard (I hope) to make whatever income they are able to make. My worry though, is the listeners! How many young people these days believe in hard work, how many are concerned about the process that leads to getting wealth? Well, your guess is as good as mine. All the stories we hear of female sanitary pads and underwear's getting missing are more than enough evidence.

If you ask me, I’ll say we are headed towards disaster! I don’t even have a solution to proffer because this ‘Yahoo-Yahoo mentality’ has become a complex cell with even the high and might profiteering from it. Aside stricter rules and management in the music industry, I strongly suggest that everyone must take into their hands inculcating and emphasizing the dignity of hard work in every young person. The truth is, staying on this ‘fast lane’ will only guarantee a next generation of nuisance. People must learn and understand that ill-gotten wealth is like a loan from the bank, you always pay back with interest!

Let me know what you think! Leave a comment below ABEG!

#myrandomweeklythoughts

@dr_mykk

WHEN WOULD WE START TO THANK OUR VETERANS FOR THEIR SERVICE

It’s May 27th and it’s Memorial Day in the US; a holiday to celebrate military veterans who have have served, are serving or have fallen in service. Sure it sounds like any other holiday, but it holds a lot more meaning...

The military in my country; Nigeria, no doubt, serve under very horrible and deprived conditions. These harsh environment and ingratitude from those they serve have made them violent, angry, unfriendly and oppressors of those they are supposed to protect. This is the sad reality! On the other hand, I don’t know so much about the US military, but I have had a few experiences that have been eye opening. I’ll share two experiences quickly...

First, I was onboard a domestic flight in the US and I had a US army officer seated a few rows in from of me. I noticed that more than 90% of the passengers who boarded after me kept saying to the officer, “THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE!” some even went as far as shaking his hand as they said “THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE!”. I have noticed such complements several other times since then, but this one time stood out because it felt like everyone who said “THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE!” was told to do so, but I am certain they weren’t. Second, I walked into a store wearing this US navy t-shirt I bought at a boutique. After picking up the things I wanted and went to pay at the counter, the sales representative asked me “ARE YOU MILITARY?” I said NO. And she went on “I THOUGHT YOU WERE MILITARY CAUSE OF YOUR T-SHIRT, I WAS GOING TO GIVE YOU A DISCOUNT”. Wow! These are very little things right? I bet they are some of the very little secrets that keep the morale of the US military boosted, promotes love for country, encourages effective, efficient and friendly serve to civilians and country. 

What if we did a little more to show our Nigerian military that we appreciate their service? What if every organization (private and public) had some independent plan for honoring the women and men who serve? What if we the citizens did a little more to show that we do appreciate their courage and sacrifice on our behalf? I think we would have a military we can be proud about. 

We ought to celebrate our military everyday, not only on January 15th. To all the officers, rank and file of the Nigerian Military (Army, Navy and Air Force), THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE EVEN IN DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES!

#myrandomweeklythoughts

IG: @dr_mykk

DEAD BEFORE ARRIVAL!

On Wednesday May 15th 2019, Kay Ivey; Governor of the state of Alabama, signed the 

"Human Life Protection Act" into law. Everyone has been talking and even ‘walking’ about/against it, and am sure you may already know the whole gist, but let me fill you in a little more.

So the bill was initiated and supported by mostly conservative lawmakers (Republicans) in the state assembly, and appears the most stern legislation against abortion in the US at the moment. It makes no exemptions for victims of rape or incest and recommends a 10-years jail term for Doctors who ‘attempt’ the procedure, and 99 years for Doctors who perform the procedure. Under this law, abortion is permitted for only three reasons: to avoid serious health risk to the unborn child’s mother; for ectopic pregnancies; and if the unborn child has a lethal anomaly.

Here is what a friend of mine had to say about it. “It is the will of God for every life formed in the womb to live and fulfill destiny. It is also the plan of God for everyone confronted with  issues such as conception (pregnancy) as a result of rape or other life threatening issues to the mother to first seek His wisdom and counsel. Medical opinion, psychologists recommendation is great but not authority. What would God have you do?” While I think this is a very frank and valid position, I am afraid this generation really doesn’t care anymore about what God would have us do, we are rather occupied with fights for our rights, freedom, and equality, among others. Fantastic fights by the way, but unfortunately not so much victory to show for it. Of course we must fight on, but I believe ‘what God would have us do’ is key to more wins. 

Back to the matter. I have been thinking whether to share my thoughts on this issue, but well, here you are! My first worry though is; WHILE THE DOCTOR WHO PERFORMED THE PROCEDURE IS IN JAIL FOR 99 YEARS, WHAT HAPPENS TO THE PERSON ON WHOM THE PROCEDURE WAS DONE? Hmmm!

Anyways, I would try not to argue from a religious point, but rather from ‘reason’. So, two things! 

First of, I think abortion is SELFISH regardless of the cause of the pregnancy. I am not justifying rape or incest or even premarital sex (PMS). But if anyone is unfortunate to conceive by any of these means, it’s not about JUST YOU anymore, there is another life/lives involved. True, a victim of rape/incest/PMS has to deal with the trauma or guilt maybe for the rest of their life (but hopefully not), their life would be altered entirely because of a baby for whom they didn’t plan, and so on. But there’s someone else in the picture, so let’s not be SELFISH!

Secondly, I think the days are gone when rape or incest or even PMS should be used as excuse for abortion. I don’t know so much of how the female body works, but I know that even married people (who are supposed to have sex and make babies) choose which sex (or series of sex) they want to graduate into conception, and for the others they simple use contraceptives (you probably know more about this than me) to prevent conception from even taking place. So, if married people can prevent themselves from conception, why won’t a victim of an unfortunate sexual encounter (even more so) do the same? Someone may say that conception can still happen even after using ‘adequate’ contraceptives. Well, God would not appear in a white gown on your dinner table before you hear Him speak to you, would He? What if that is supposed to be your blessing in disguise? Anyway, even if you are not cut out for all this ‘religious stuff’, by first point above remains; DON’T BE SELFISH!

I am not trivializing the gravity of this issue. Abortion is a real challenge and a very sensitive one at that. That’s more reason why it requires caution and careful thought to make the best/wisest choice among available alternatives. And you better believe it, in very sensitive issues of this kind, the majority is almost always wrong. There is more, but I’ll rest my case.

Please let me know what you think. All of you that used to read and be sending me private messages (you know yourselves), drop your comment below a-beg! 

IG: @dr_mykk

#myrandomweeklythoughts

HOW DO YOU KNOW YOU FOUND THE RIGHT PERSON TO MARRY?

First of all, apologies for not coming through with this last week. I decided to keep a few thoughts to myself, and I guess that’s okay right? Thanks for accepting my apologies!

So a friend asked me last week; “How did you realize you had found the right person to marry?” I know this is almost a cliche question, but trust me it is one of the most important cliche questions there are. I tried to answer her not as a professional (because I am not), but as someone who found MY ‘right person’. Notice I said ‘my right person’ not ‘the right person’. I’ll share some of my answer to her with you...

First, and most importantly (I think), how do you define ‘right person’? ‘Right person’ when it comes to marriage is a relative concept, because my right person may be different from yours. You may say that is obvious; two people can’t possibly marry the same person. I agree! But two people can marry two persons with similar values and principles, which to me is what determines who a person is, and whether they are right or wrong for something/anything. So the first question is; what values do you want in a husband/wife (which of these can you compromise and which of these values are non-negotiable)?

Many people say and believe that “there is someone for everyone”. I agree to the extent that everyone who wants someone eventually finds someone to be with, not that God specially created someone for anyone. Because if that was the case, a woman who lost her ‘someone’ in less than two years of marriage will not find another ‘someone’ to love and marry. Definitely it can’t be the same person as the first marriage, but it is definitely ‘someone’ for them too. 

You know, matters of the heart are complex and spiritual too, and need careful thought and prayer. Unfortunately, society is messed up; many kids are marrying kids, many fools are raising fools and some even prefer to marry their pets (I can’t describe the disgust I felt the day I overheard a group of ladies talking about how they felt making love to their dogs). Hmm! They say we should not judge *lips sealed*

I guess my point is; marriage is blissful if you choose YOUR RIGHT PERSON carefully and prayerfully. Don’t also stay careful and praying and menopause (or it’s male counterpart) catches up with you. Marriage is also a HUGE LEAP OF FAITH! God can help you find the balance!

Please leave your thoughts in the comment section!

#myrandomweeklythoughts

IG: @dr_mykk