Before We Became Who We Are, There Were Teachers

By Abashi Rahab Ashezi

There was always that one teacher. The one whose name alone made students sit up. The one who seemed to be watching always, correcting always, insisting that things be done properly.

Among students, such teachers rarely escaped a nickname. Not because they were hated, but because strict teachers have a way of becoming unforgettable.

At the time, their corrections felt like too much. Their rules seemed endless. Their discipline was frustrating, and we often wondered why they could not just let things go. But growing up makes some things clearer. The teacher who was always on our heads was trying to keep us on the right path. The one who refused to overlook certain behaviours was teaching lessons far beyond the classroom. Without us knowing, they were preparing us for a future we could not yet see.

That is one thing about teachers that deserves more appreciation. They meet children at different stages and, for a few important years, become part of who those children are becoming. They teach subjects, yes, but the lessons that stay longest often have nothing to do with what was on the board.

They teach punctuality, responsibility, respect, courage and discipline. Sometimes, they simply teach a child not to give up.

There are teachers who notice when a student is struggling. Who stay behind to explain something one more time. Who encourage students who have begun to doubt themselves. Who see potential where the student sees very little. And their influence is often appreciated much later. At the time, students may complain. They laugh about the strictness, give funny nicknames and wonder why everything must be taken so seriously.

Years later, those same students look back and realise the correction they resisted was necessary. That the discipline they disliked helped them. That the teacher they thought was being “too much” was, in their own way, trying to make them better.

Teachers do not raise children alone. Parents and guardians lay the foundation, and home training remains vital. But once children step into the classroom, teachers become part of that journey too, and that responsibility deserves more than one day of recognition.

Every year, World Teachers’ Day gives us a chance to celebrate them. Social media fills with appreciation messages, photographs and hashtags. For a moment, the world pauses to say, “Thank you, teachers.” Then the day passes. The hashtags disappear. But the work does not. The classroom is still there. The students are still there. The preparation, correction, encouragement and patience continue.

Many teachers will never know the full impact of their work. They may never hear from the student whose life was changed by a simple word of encouragement or a correction that seemed insignificant. But the impact remains.

Long after the classroom is forgotten, the lessons remain. Long after the school uniform is discarded, the discipline remains. Long after we stopped complaining about the teacher who was “too strict,” we begin to understand why they insisted so much. Some of the things we complain about today become the things we appreciate tomorrow.

So today, to the teacher who stayed after school. To the teacher who kept correcting the same mistake. To the teacher who refused to give up on a difficult student. To the teacher who pushed students beyond what they thought they could do. To the teacher who disciplined when necessary and encouraged when needed. To the teacher who may not even realise how much stayed with their students long after graduation — thank you.

The world may celebrate teachers with a hashtag today, but their influence cannot be measured by a single day. Because before many of us knew what we wanted to become, there were teachers helping us become better. Before we understood the value of discipline, there were teachers demanding it. Before we learned to believe in ourselves, there were teachers who believed in us. And before we became who we are today, there were teachers.

Happy World Teachers’ Day!!!

*Abashi Rahab Ashezi is a Strategic Communication student at Yakubu Gowon University. She can be reached via [email protected]*