Please Forgive Us — Anambra Teachers Apologize to Soludo After Fighting at Conference

By Izunna Okafor, Awka

School teachers in Anambra State, under the umbrella of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), Anambra State branch, have appealed to the State Governor, Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo to lift the ban his government placed on meetings of the Union in the State.

The State’s leadership of the Union made the appeal when they visited the State Commissioner for Education, Prof. Ngozi Chuma-Udeh, at her office in Awka, to tender their unreserved apologies for what their members did that resulted to the ban.

Recall that Governor Soludo, through the Education Commissioner, Prof. Chuma-Udeh, had placed a ban on the meetings of the Union in state, given the misconduct displayed by the members in a viral video of their conference recently held at the Teachers’ House in Awka, the State capital, on Tuesday June 6, 2023. the state. The members of the Union were seen throwing punches at each other in the viral video of the meeting.

However, tendering their apologies on behalf of the Union, the State Secretary General of the Union, Dr. Ike Ene, said the Union had called the various factions to order, while also pledgeing their loyalty to the State.

He pleaded with the State Government to lift the ban placed on their meetings, assuring that future conferences will adhere completely to established rules and regulations governing NUT proceedings.

Responding, the State’s Commissioner for Education, Prof. Chuma-Udeh said it was a rude shock to the entire State at the antics displayed by the teachers in the video, adding that it was somehow for a king to be found eating in the market place.

The Commissioner, who called on the Union to exhibit characters that are in line with the noble teaching profession, said they served as role models to the students, and should therefore portray characters worthy of emulation.

She further said she would convey the Union’s apologies to the Governor, after which she would tell them revert to them on the Governor’s decision and response to their appeal on the lifting of the ban.

apologized to the Anambra State Government for the untoward behavior displayed by members in a viral video of the conference of the Anambra State Wing of the Union.

The apology was tendered by the Union’s Executives in the Office of the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Ngozi Chuma-Udeh at the Jerome Udoji State Secretariate Complex, Awka.

The Executives implore the State Government to lift the ban placed on their meetings.

Addressing the Union Executives, the Commissioner of Education, Prof Ngozi Chuma Udeh said it was a rude shock to the entire State at the antics displayed by the teachers in the video, saying, “a King should not be found eating in the marketplace.”

She called on the Union to exhibit characters that are in line with the noble teaching profession.

She said they served as role models to the students, hence should portray characters worthy of emulation.

Earlier in his speech, the Secretary General of the Union, Dr Ike Ene tendered an unreserved apology on behalf of the Union.

He pledged the Union’s loyalty to the State, adding that the Union has called the various factions to order.

He pleaded with the State Government to lift the ban placed on their meetings, assuring that future conferences will adhere completely to established rules and regulations governing NUT proceedings.

It is pertinent to recall that a video of the Anambra branch of the NUT meeting in which members were seen throwing punches at one another went viral recently, this led to the imposition of the ban by the State Government on further union meetings till they put their house in order..