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African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar has paid tributes to teachers across the country for their role in nation-building, with a challenge to President Bola Tinubu to name any of his teachers or classmates.
Atiku, in a statement by the Director of Strategic Communication, ADC Presidential Campaign Council, Phrank Shaibu, on the occasion of this year’s Teachers’ Day, said it is condemnable that the rising cost of living is making it harder for them to support their families.
Atiku, while thanking teachers across Nigeria for their service, urged the country to match its praise for them with meaningful support. He noted that as an educationist and founder of the American University of Nigeria, he understood the dedication teaching demands.
According to him, “Of course, I appreciate Nigerian teachers. I am a product of their work and the education I received in their classrooms. I still remember the names and faces of my early teachers in Jada, who saw potential in a young orphan when few others did. They taught me arithmetic and grammar, but they also gave me a future.
“When I hear of a teacher forced to walk miles because transport fares consume so much of their salary, or borrowing food on credit to feed their family before going to teach our children, my heart breaks. No nation can rise above the level of its teachers. I will honour them not only with words, but with policies that improve their welfare and make life more affordable.”
The former Vice President added that “it is both revealing and deeply embarrassing that Bola Tinubu cannot name a single teacher who stood before him or a classmate who sat beside him. Teachers are the architects of every nation’s future.
“A leader who cannot remember those who laid the foundation of his own education has shown just how far removed he is from the classroom and from the daily struggles of those who keep it alive. If he cannot honour the people who helped shape him, how can he understand the sacrifices teachers make today? Such a president cannot make life dignified or affordable for teachers – not in the country he leads, nor in the community he calls home.”
Atiku, who described teachers as builders of confidence, knowledge and opportunity, stated that Nigeria could not secure its future while neglecting those who educate its children. According to him, teachers are expected to keep giving, while the cost of food, transport, rent and electricity continues to rise and their incomes struggle to keep pace.
“Government cannot praise teachers on this day and leave them to face hardship for the rest of the year. A commemorative message cannot pay a teacher’s bills. Respect must be reflected in fair conditions, reliable support and policies that make life affordable.
“I apologise to Nigeria’s teachers and to all Nigerians on behalf of a leadership that has failed to make their welfare a priority. Teachers deserve more than praise, and Nigerians deserve a government that puts their lives and livelihoods first.
“My promise is clear: I will work to make life affordable again. Teachers and families should not have to watch their incomes disappear on food, transport, rent and electricity. We will pursue policies that bring down the cost of living, support decent jobs and ensure that hard work can provide a dignified life,” he said.
