Kwara Teachers Are Dying in Silence Hunger Has Replaced Hope Under Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq

There is a silent cry echoing across classrooms in Kwara State. It’s the cry of teachers the forgotten heroes who wake up every morning to mold the minds of our children while battling hunger, frustration, and humiliation.

Under Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, the condition of teachers in Kwara State has fallen to one of the worst in Nigeria. The same people who stand in front of classrooms with dignity are now reduced to beggars in their own land. Every day, teachers are forced to choose between feeding their families or paying transport fares to school. Some have collapsed in classrooms from hunger; others have given up and left the profession altogether.

When Leadership Fails the Backbone of Education

The governor often speaks of “free education,” but what is free education without motivated teachers? Free education is meaningless when those who make it possible are suffering in silence. How can a teacher give their best when their stomach is empty? How can they shape young minds when their own lives are filled with tears and unpaid entitlements?

Every state in Nigeria recognizes the importance of teachers by paying the 27.5% Teachers’ Special Allowance (TSA) but not Kwara. The state government has ignored this national policy, leaving its teachers with one of the lowest salaries in the country.

A Level 8 teacher in Kwara earns a mere ₦73,000 per month a figure that cannot buy a bag of rice and feed a family for two weeks. Meanwhile, in states like Imo, Governor Hope Uzodinma recently increased teachers’ salaries to ₦102,000 per month. This is the same Nigeria, yet the difference in treatment is unbelievable.

Promotion and entitlements in Kwara have also been frozen. Many teachers have been on the same level for years without advancement or recognition. Pensioners people who spent 30 to 35 years teaching are left to die waiting for gratuities and benefits that never come.

The Governor’s Silence and Extravagance

While teachers live from hand to mouth, Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq reportedly moves comfortably between New York and Abuja, spending taxpayers’ money on endless trips and luxury. What moral justification does a leader have to live in comfort when the very people building the foundation of the state are dying of hunger?

Leadership is not about appearances abroad or fancy speeches at conferences. Leadership is about compassion about feeling the pain of your people and taking action. Unfortunately, Kwara teachers have seen little compassion, only silence and neglect.

The Heartbreaking Reality in Classrooms

Visit many schools in Kwara today and you will see the pain firsthand. Teachers come to class without breakfast. Some borrow money just to afford transportation. Many have lost their zeal; they teach only because they love their students, not because they are supported.

The classrooms themselves are in poor condition. Chalks and basic materials are often missing. Yet these teachers continue to show up, driven by the hope that someday, someone will hear their cry.

But how long will they keep hoping? How long will they keep teaching on empty stomachs? How long will they endure humiliation in silence?

What Kwara Needs Now

The government must immediately address the suffering of teachers. Paying the 27.5% TSA, promoting deserving teachers, and increasing salaries to match the economic reality of Nigeria are not luxuries they are necessities. Teachers must also receive their long-overdue entitlements and pensions without delay.

The governor should remember that no nation rises above the quality of its teachers. Neglecting teachers is the fastest way to destroy the future of education.

Kwara’s teachers are not asking for too much just fair pay, dignity, and recognition.

A Final Cry for Justice

Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, if you can hear the voice of the people, please listen to the teachers. Stop the endless travels and start visiting classrooms. See how your teachers are suffering. See how hunger has replaced hope.

Kwara teachers deserve better. They deserve to be paid, respected, and appreciated. The state’s future depends on them.