Eighty-three-year-old Vincent Ntinu shares the story of his 36 years experience as a teacher in this interview with GBENGA ADENIJI
When and where were you born?
I am Vincent Ntinu, a retired teacher, born on January 10, 1930 in Issele-Uku, Delta State.
How did you know your birth date?
My father was a fitter who worked with some of the white men who constructed the Carter Bridge. He used to keep a big diary in which he wrote important dates. So, the day I was born, he wrote it in the diary and sent it to our hometown to be kept. It was later shown to me when I became mature. That was how I knew my date of birth.
Where did you receive your education?
I went to a kindergarten school in Issele-Uku. After I finished, one of my elder brothers convinced my father to allow me go with him to Lagos. It was when I got to Lagos that I struggled to write the common entrance into primary school. There were few schools conducting it and my brother was busy with his job. He went to work early in the morning and had no time. So, I went round myself finding schools conducting entrance examinations into primary school. That was in the 40s. I eventually got a place and registered for Standard Three instead of Standard Two because I had already wasted a year. I was later admitted at Holy Cross Catholic School, Igbosere, Lagos. I was there for five years. When my brother wrote a letter home that he was coming for his leave, my parents asked him to come with me.
I was then awaiting admission into secondary school at St. Gregory’s College, Obalende. There was a teacher who loved me so much in the school. He was the one who advised my brother to leave behind a self-addressed envelope with the school so that they could contact me when the results came out. A week after I got home, a message came that I had been admitted into St. Gregory’s College and St. Gregory’s Teacher Training College, Abeokuta. I was extremely happy because my desire was to return to school even when I was at home visiting my parents with my brother.
Which school did you choose between the two?
I decided to go to St. Gregory’s College, Obalende. When I was returning with my brother, my father gave him £25 to assist him in taking care of my admission. When we got to Lagos, the music changed. I was enrolled at one unapproved college in Marina. It was very funny. I did not know what he used the money for. I was at home for sometime because I did not want to go to the unapproved school. I had to write my father to brief him about the development. He came to Lagos upon receiving the letter and when he saw the situation of things, he took me with him back to Delta State. There was a college being erected in the state by some missionaries at that time. The missionaries named it Pilgrims Baptist Teacher Training College. I did Grade Two there. Upon the conclusion of my education there, I was employed as a probate teacher.
What subjects did you teach there?
I was a combined teacher. I taught all subjects in the school for some time before I was transferred to another school. It was before the transfer that I met my wife. I later went to Lagos and taught at the Muslim Teacher Training College, Surulere. I taught Literature-in -English.
What was your wife doing in the school?
She was a student in the school. I was attracted by her gait. The way she walked impressed me and still impresses me till date. One of my townsmen came from Lagos to look for a wife. As he encouraged me to go to town with him, I saw her with some other girls carrying water pots. They had just gone to the stream to fetch water because there was a scarcity of water in my town then. When I saw her, I jokingly said I would marry her and my friend said the girl called Josephine was his sister. I later learnt she was a student in the school where I was teacher.
What was her reaction when you made your intention known to her?
I did not just tell her immediately. I took my time because I was also not teaching her class. I waited patiently for her until she completed her education before telling her parents. They approved of the relationship and we got married September 30, 1961.
How many children did the union produce?
I have a boy and five girls. The boy is a lawyer based in Canada. The first daughter is an engineer, the third is a businesswoman, the fourth is a businesswoman too, the fifth is a secretary while the last child is a self-employed graduate.
What kind of training did you give them?
Though children do not like tough parents, I ensured that they were brought up in the teachings of God and strict rules. There was no way anyone of them could misbehave because there was punishment for any wrongdoing. When parents allow their children to do as they like, it will be tough to handle them when they become uncontrollable.
How many children did your parents have?
My parents had four boys and six girls. Four of them; two boys and two girls are dead.
How many years did you spend in teaching?
I started professional teaching in January 1, 1954 and retired April 1, 1990. I taught for 36 years.
Can you recall your most memorable day as a teacher?
Yes, it was at the Muslim Teacher Training College. I did my job there without expecting favours from anybody but God. One day, the state government advertised that each school should select two teachers each for training. I did not know that the head of the school took notice of my dedication to duty. He did not hesitate before selecting me as one of the two teachers.
The development made me very happy because it showed that my efforts were noticed by the school authorities.
Were you sending money to your parents when you started work?
The missionaries were paying £1, 10 shillings and the missionaries took one-tenth of it as tithe. I did not have to go to my parents’ house to give them the money. My father came to the school at the end of the month, collected my salary from me and gave me some amount for my upkeep.
Did you complain to your father about how he expected you to survive?
I did not do that even for once. There was no reason for me to do that because he was a responsible father who did everything to make sure I went to school. I would be a bad child to now resist him because of his action.
Did you do same to your children?
I did not do the same to my children because things have changed. Things are no longer the way they were during my time. Children nowadays may even resist.
How do you relax?
I relax by discussing with people especially my friends and family members. That is my own way of relaxing.
Do you have any special meal?
I cannot say I have any special meal. I take any kind of food that is well prepared and which appeals to me at a particular time.
Do you take alcohol?
I used to drink when I was a member of a social club. We used to hold our meeting monthly.
Why did you stop the habit?
There was no particular reason. I used to drink a bottle of alcoholic drink anytime I attended a social event. But I reasoned that a man must have self-control. So, I just took it upon myself to stop drinking and it was not for any particular reason.
How do you feel being 83?
I feel great and happy. I thank God for my life because He is the one that has made me live this long. I will continue to thank Him because most of my colleagues are dead.
You became a teacher by accident. If you had not become one, what would you have loved to be?
Well, some people believe that l would have become a lawyer if teaching had not beckoned on me. People always tell me that I will stand out as a lawyer with the way I express my thoughts coherently and take critical look at things. There was a case one day when I addressed the people at a meeting in a very critical manner. Those in attendance discussed among themselves that I would have made a good lawyer.
Did you encourage your son to read law since you were unable to study it?
Yes, I encouraged him to study law. I actually wanted one of my children to become a lawyer because it is a profession I like so much. He was earlier studying political science before I told him to abandon it and apply for law.
Why didn’t you also influence any of your other children to become a teachers since you were once a teacher too?
I am not happy with the situation of things in Nigeria. There are no jobs for the youth and teachers are not well catered for. That’s why I did not bother to encourage them in that line. I want them to study the courses that will help them to be comfortable.
What is the difference between your time as a teacher and now?
The difference is clear. The profession is no longer attractive because of lack of motivation for teachers. I doubt if today’s youths would be willing to take up teaching as a profession. Some of those who are into it are doing it because they have no better option. Teachers are no longer motivated. During my time, there was regular training, discipline and good remuneration. Both men and women were teachers during my time but now, women are more in the profession.
What is your advice to government, teachers and would be-teachers?
Government should encourage teachers by making life comfortable for them. They should make teaching attractive. It is demoralising when a teacher trains students and lives in penury. The good thing is for such a teacher to reap the fruits of his or her labour while alive because he or she has assisted in moulding lives for the advancement of the society. Youths should also be focused. They should know that prayers are very important in whatever they do.
Are you fulfilled as a teacher?
I am fulfilled even though I am not rich. The fact that I have trained some people to attain their potentials is enough joy for me.
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