#Takeaction

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“…because no matter who you are, where you live or how much money you've got, you should be able to access the world’s knowledge and information just like anyone else…all of us have a responsibility to not only make sure our own children have pathways to success, but that all children do, and a great education is the ticket to a better life like  never before…”

-          Barack Obama

I’m currently a teacher, and there’s this really great secondary school, it has good infrastructure, and all the amenities a school needs. It’s green everywhere with well-kept lawns, its walk ways and drive ways are paved. Inside the classrooms? It’s a sight! Tables and chairs arranged in perfect rows and columns, colorful learning aids for different topics hang on the wall, the blue and white uniform of the students creates a soothing contrast with all the other bright colors. The ambiance in this place is so suited for learning, little wonder the students here are so bright, I mean, who wouldn't be, learning in such an environment?

This school has one of the most updated library and IT center in the region, containing over ten thousand books on almost any topic one can think of, plus access to almost every learning resource online. There’s a state of the art laboratory and a large farm, to support innovation in science and sustainable food production. The teachers at this school are some of the most qualified and together with the students, generous grants from government and individuals, they make magic happen! I wish I taught at this school.

Except for the blue and white uniform that my students share with students from this great school, everything else is in stark contrast. There are no paved walk ways or drive ways. The elephant type grass that grows within the compound is prevented from over taking the buildings by the student’s constant labor, even during periods assigned to classes. The infrastructure is in a worse than sorry state, there are no lockers, not even enough chairs to sit on. The classes are overcrowded with as many as eighty students in one class and not enough qualified teachers. There are no restrooms.

Did I hear someone ask about the science laboratory, library and IT center? Well…the laboratory is simply a space where nothing but the black wall and chalk work, to aid the giving and receiving of lessons, yes, black wall! As for the library the most recent encyclopedia in it was published in 1968, that’s even older than the school! The shelves that hold the books are falling apart and there are no seats! There’s an IT center with laptops using the windows 2000 OS, again there are no seats and the closest the students come to using the IT center is in getting their exam questions typed.

Consequently, my students are not as bright as they can be, I mean, in this kind of environment who would? It is abundantly clear that the government that’s supposed to run the school doesn't care, but that’s talk for another day. If the government doesn't care, must we also not care? Thankfully, the secondary school I attended is more like the first one described, and that quality of education is responsible, a great deal, for how I've turned out so far. I like to think I've turned out okay, and I believe that every Nigerian, irrespective of where they’re born or the family they belong to, things that no one has control over, can turn out great if we all had access to good education. If I had a magic wand that could change the school I teach in to the one I attended with one swish, I would go on swishing for thousands of schools around the country, but I don’t.

However, I can write and I can tell the story of my students on their behalf, but it’s not just their story, it’s the story of many young Nigerians who with potential to do great things, are locked out by the system from ever having an opportunity to break free from their reality of grave poverty, by a denial of good education. If these millions could write for themselves they would, and so I wouldn't just stop at writing, I’ll take action in the little way I can, like I’m inviting you all to do.

Seeing how knowledge from books has changed my life, I have decided to help rebuild the library of the school where I teach, by getting as many books as possible and putting in 5 tables and 50 chairs so that the “library” can actually be a library. People like Ajoke Omoware of the REEL foundation, also doing great things to build young people’s capacity to learn in the Agbado area of Lagos, has joined me by donating 36 books to help rebuild the library. The Zacchaeus Onumba Dibiaezue Memorial Library (ZODML) is also helping me take action by donating 150 books. Let’s start to build the great future that we want for this country through developing these young minds, for our future is now. Reach out to donate a book, a chair or a table. Together let’s #Takeaction!