Teachers from schools across Ikeja converged on Monday not just to mark World Teachers’ Day, but to celebrate the profession that shapes the lives of children.
The hall was already buzzing when Dr. Yeye Folashade Shona Aluko, elegantly dressed in white, arrived as Mother of the Day. Cheers erupted as she entered, and later, the former teacher joined the teachers on the dance floor, reliving the camaraderie of the classroom.
The 2026 celebration, themed “Standing with Teachers: 60 Years of Protecting the Profession, Advancing its Status and Shaping Our Future,” was filled with music and tributes, but also carried a sobering warning.
Chief Dr. Dayo Banjo, Baasegun of Aguda, Lagos, urged parents and teachers to be more vigilant over children and wards, citing disturbing reports of young people allegedly selling their organs for money.
“They should be on the alert and watch their students. They should examine their children because, nowadays, there are reports of young people selling their organs,” Banjo warned.
“What I was saying is that they should watch their children because some youths are now selling their organs for money,” he said, alleging financial pressure as a major driver.
“When your child comes back, examine the child. Make sure you know what is happening to your child. Don’t let your child go and sell something from his or her own body,” he advised, stressing that his warning was not to insult youths but to highlight a reality.
“Very recently, a boy on our street did the same thing. It was about a month ago. So youths are now selling their organs. The latest, we hear, is selling the kidney, selling the liver, selling everything,” Banjo claimed.
He said teachers must not limit their role to the classroom. “Teachers should look after their wards. Even if they have parents, teachers are also their parents in a way.”
Mother of the Day, Shona Aluko, who revealed she was once a teacher, urged teachers not to be discouraged when their labour seems unnoticed.
“My advice to teachers is for them to just continue to work. Continue to work. In fact, people may not see you, but don’t bother. Continue to work. One day, God will single you out,” she said.
“As a teacher, being the second place of learning in a child’s life, the first place for a child to learn is the home, as a parent. A teacher is also a parent. Let’s do all due diligence to make sure that these children are properly guided,” she added.
She also charged teachers to instill culture and respect in pupils amid what she described as growing indiscipline.
“My advice to the teachers is, please, try to teach them culture. A lot of them are misbehaving these days. We see situations where they can even abuse their fathers. Our culture remains our culture. We should not borrow every other culture from outside and bring it here. No matter the condition, teach them how to show respect,” she said.
The event peaked with dancing, cheers and distribution of bags of rice to teachers by Shona Aluko as a gesture of appreciation, as the union marked 60 years of protecting the profession and advancing education in Nigeria.
