All signs, including his directives on the ‘no vacancy’ policy for the promotion of eligible teachers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), have suggested that the Minister of the FCT, Barrister Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, has resolved to continue creating scenarios that would make the teachers look like scapegoats. This is the second time within two months that Wike and FCT professors have been the focus of talk in this column. The first was in the July 11, 2026 edition of our newspaper when it published a column, ‘Oga Wike, listen to FCT teachers’.
The prior essay also discussed the harmful effects of strikes on basic education, in addition to the issues of non-payment of teachers’ rightful claims.
The terrible outcomes of the candidates of FCT public schools in the 2026 UTME and WAEC/SSCE are a testament to the consequence of Wike’s underdevelopment of education in FCT.
The piece was inspired by the interruption of promotion exams by the teachers in FCT to protest the no-vacancy policy of Wike. Indeed, this legitimate protest by the teachers was the beginning of a never ending persecution by their employer.
Therefore, the leadership of the FCT Secondary Education Board (SEB) and the FCT Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB) were sacked from office purportedly at the behest of Wike.
The same fate was meted out earlier to the heads of the two FCT agencies (SEB and UBEB) when the then Director of the FCT SEB (Dr Sani Ladan) and the Director of the FCT UBEB were both dismissed from office for being proactive to shut down schools for vacation ahead of schedule. When the news of the abduction of school children in Oyo state was reported, the then FCT Director of Schools (who also got sacked from office) had written to the schools to expedite action and conclude their end of term examinations to prevent cases of kidnapping.
This columnist is not happy with Wike’s unrelenting assault of FCT teachers. But for very trivial reasons. He would stand proudly in solidarity with teachers, anywhere, whenever, in their quest for genuine privileges.
I have been a classroom teacher at several levels (primary, secondary and tertiary) since 1979 and most of my time so far has been spent as a Grade II teacher. I have spent almost two decades of my life at the last two levels.
In 2020, former education minister Malam Adamu Adamu, under the late President Muhammadu Buhari, announced a ground-breaking package of investments for teachers including the extension of the service year for teachers from 35 to 40 years and an increase in the retirement age from 60 to 65 years.
President Buhari on April 8, 2022, assented the Harmonised Retirement Age for Teachers in Nigeria Act 2022. Section 1 of the Act provided that teachers could retire from pensionable service by whichever of the two came first.
This particular offer is indeed the bone of contention on which Minister Wike has for months now denied deep and sound sleep to FCT teachers.
It is also sad that this deserved advantage given to teachers by the Buhari administration has instead attracted for them the jealousy of other classes of civil officials in the country. Worse, Oga Wike, as a minister, would spitefully deny teachers this special offer.
The ‘Hasken Abuja’ may have generally done well in some areas but as for teachers and fundamental education in FCT, the Nigerian populace is unlikely to give him a pass.
For example, in many schools outside the city where classroom blocks had their roofs removed for renovation works, students have been taking lessons under tree shade as the over one year old renovation projects are yet to be completed, leaving the blocks in an open air learning environment.
The Honourable Minister of FCT can do better than this for teachers and basic education. The title ‘Hasken Abuja’ which is a Hausa traditional title granted on the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, by the FCT Council of Traditional Rulers on April 30, 2026, means ‘The Light of Abuja’ in English.
Teachers have the privilege of retiring at 70 years of age, just as some categories of judges and university professors do.
Likewise, certain professions like medical physicians and nurses have distinct compensation structures different from those in the mainstream public sector. But no one hates them like the FCT administration under Wike hates the teachers. The readers should support this writer to remind Wike that he was taught by teachers at all levels of his educational quest even when he was at the Law School.
Last week, the FCT administration approved the posting of education officers who are in the prolonged term of their service (35-40 years) to different schools as classroom teachers.
This posting, which instructors believe is ulterior-motivated, is from a circular by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation on “Guidelines on the Implementation of the New Retirement Age and Length of Service for the Teaching Profession.”
“All successful candidates would be deployed to serve as teachers in Schools or Quality Assurance Officers in the Headquarters, Zonal or State Offices of FEQUAS.” Section II(e) of the paper reads.
It is uncommon and foreign to the established standard in the teaching profession to post directors to schools as classroom teachers to serve under principals who are lower in rank than them, believing the circular meant good. The crime of the teachers? They are beneficiaries of the harmonised retirement age which permits them to continue working longer than other groups of workers.
The likely implication from this development scenario is that this was made so that the teachers would be so angry that would, out of frustration, choose to forego a problematic extension of service and retire only to have peace of mind.
Wike must stop pestering FCT teachers honourably or be told to desist. It is somewhat strange that the Federal Ministry of Education and the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) have both kept silent about the FCT’s fraudulent implementation of the extended service year for teachers, a national policy ratified by an Act of the National Assembly. Where are the human rights lawyers of the country?
This situation forces us to remember the late Gani Fawehinmi. May Allah guide Wike to treat teachers and the teaching profession decently and respectfully. Amin.
*Daily Trust’s columnist, U. Ndagi, writes from Abuja.
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