So, the cat’s been let out of the bag. My old school mates know what I do for a living….i teach, I’m a teacher!

“Hey Teacher Tunde, don’t be in a hurry, spend some more time with the boys”

Wow! In one night my name has evolved from Tundeto the math guy and now… Teacher Tunde. I have been held to the standards of modern day success and have fallen short. I have been held to a measure of what being good at the sciences should fetch and yet, I fail. Hold on, by whose standards have I fallen, classmates, society or family?  

I chose to teach. I choose to teach…. 

I look around and decide to spend more time with “the boys”. Not a bad idea after all.

At the bar, gist flowing with some embellishing no doubts. I’ve managed to be the more silent one. My job offers me nothing close to the adventures I hear about.  Talking about my job is something I naturally love to do; will these high flying guys ever listen to a teacher?

Teacher Tunde (the call jolts me from my wandering thoughts) tell us, how is it teaching?

Hmmn … it’s like re-living our days as children. There’s almost a replicate of how our class was. Different backgrounds, different abilities, different needs, different speeds and levels of learning.. Having to justify the fees parents pay on one hand and prepare the children to be the best social and human capital of our nation, you know preparing them for the future.

I look into their eyes and all I can see is hope, trust and faith. How could anyone trade that for anything in the world… the satisfaction and fulfillment that comes with every goal attained… …

Yeah… Yeah… Yeah… does it pay your bills? How comfortable are you? Because quite frankly, I’d understand if you were a lady …you know what I mean?

My needs are limited. My needs are met.  Let me put it this way..

I work in a sector which receives a fraction of your income every quarter… you don’t pay the school fees with smiles on your face, do you?  Now tell me, how important is the one sector of the economy that gets a portion of your earnings every now and then, HOW IMPORTANT IS THE TEACHER?