A timeless impact: Celebrating the lasting legacy of teachers

History was made yesterday, when veteran journalist and President of the Guild of Public Affairs Analysts of Nigeria (GPAAN), Ayo Baje, met his former student, Lasisi Ayoola Olatokunbo, chairman, Training Committee, ELTAN District IV. The meeting was the first time in 43 years.

Ayo Baje, a respected figure in media and education, exemplifies the idea that a teacher’s rewards extend beyond the abstract, manifesting in tangible ways here on earth. His reunion with Lasisi was a testament to the lasting influence a teacher can have on a student’s life.

The entire hall was overwhelmed with excitement when Baje locked eyes with Lasisi for the first time in over four decades.

Lasisi was a student at Government Secondary School, Agbamu, in Kwara State between 1977 and 1980. Thanks to technology and new media, he was able to reconnect with Baje through their alumni network.

Baje was the Special Guest of Honour at the event, where he was installed as the Patron of the ELTAN EDD1V Chapter, Lagos.

The event took place at the main hall of New Era Senior Girls Secondary School, behind Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos State.

As the programme organised by the English Language Teachers Association of Nigeria (ELTAN), Education District 1V, Lagos, unfolded, a proud Sir Baje watched with admiration as Lasisi delivered the keynote address at a workshop titled “The Titanic Tussle Against BECE, WASSCE, and NECO: A Must-Win for Our Students.” In his usual articulate and insightful manner, Lasisi captivated the audience, expressing his views with clarity and passion.

The gathering drew a crowd of notable attendees, Special Guests of Honour, Yekini A. Jimoh; President, Ministry of Defence Cooperative Society, Nigeria, yomide Adedoyin; Executive Director, Doyin Group of Companies, Thomas Michael Adewole; host and District Coordinator, Swgun Olawale Osinaike, and Chief Host, Olusegun Olawale Osinaike, Tutor General/Permanent Secretary Education District IV.

Adding to the emotional atmosphere, Mr. Lasisi took the opportunity to formally reintroduce his favourite teacher from his days at Government Secondary School, Agbamu. With heartfelt gratitude, he presented Sir Oyoze Baje as “the distinguished scientist, author, and poet who taught me Biology, Physics, and Fine Art at G.S.S. Agbamu.”

Lasisi’s introduction was met with a resounding standing ovation from the appreciative audience, recognising Baje’s dedication and impact.

Seizing the moment, Baje addressed the educators in attendance, emphasizing that “hard work pays.” He shared his philosophy, stating that he always viewed himself as “a parent, not just a teacher working for a paycheck.” He spoke about his deep concern for his students’ futures and his unwavering commitment to teaching, counseling, and praying for every pupil under his care. It was only after years of dedicated service to education that he transitioned into a career in journalism.

This poem was rendered by me to honour the impact of teachers around the world:

Beloved travellers of this road,

If I step upon your path now and then,

or tug at the threads of your patience,

forgive me in advance. I am but a curious creature,

learning how to leap between the ropes of this life.

At times, I may be as a fly,

seeking rest on your nose when you wish for peace,

or like a stray shepherd’s dog,

lost and wandering with only the hunger of survival in its bones.

I am a poet in a land where my soul feels foreign,

where the fields are harsh,

and envy whispers in the ears of muses.

If I tie my soul’s apron to yours, do not worry.

I seek not to steal from your life,

but to offer a gentle scratch where it itches,

to lift the burdens that cling to your back like fleas.

Call me a leech, if you will,

but know that I feed on what you shed,

leaving you lighter, healthier.

Together, let us not shatter what is fragile.

For we are passengers in a vessel of glass,

and all I ask is to be remembered as one who hoped,

stubbornly, that we might share this journey

with open hands and unbroken hearts.

. Halima Abdulazeez is a poet and a writer of the poetry collection “Soul Rants” A Journey from Within. She is the treasurer of PEN International, Nigerian Centre, and resides in Lagos, Nigeria and a Communication officer at Caprecon International Development Foundation.

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