By Godfrey AKON
The 2024 Maltina Teacher of the Year, Esomnofu Chidiebube, has narrated his journey towards becoming a maths teacher and eventual winner of the 2024 Maltina Teacher of the Year competition.
Chidiebube, in an essay about his struggle through school, said mathematics was his greatest enemy, stressing that he struggled to put an end to maths phobia.
While stating that the Maltina Teacher Of The Year Award has given him the strength and motivation to continue this fight against the fear of mathematics, he said sometime in his life, his dream of becoming a medical doctor was crushed by mathematics.
“After suffering at its hands, I made a promise to myself: I would exact my revenge. I chose a new path, one that would empower me to conquer the very thing that once defeated me.
“I canceled my dream of medicine and pursued a degree in mathematics education, not just to understand math but to master the art of teaching it,” he said.
According to him, during his undergraduate years, he taught at a primary school, earning just N4,000 naira in 2010, but after one month, his passion for teaching became evident and his salary was increased to N5,000.
He added that for him, teaching was never about the money but a mission to fight back against the fear and confusion that math instilled in so many.
He said “I worked part-time at numerous lesson centers, teaching physics, further math, and math. I refused to let anyone suffer the way I did. My method was simple: teach math with passion, always relating it to real life. Even in my dreams, I would solve math problems.
“In 2013, during my teaching practice at Royal Saints International School in Awka, I doubled down on my mission. I made sure my students understood math was not to be feared, but to be mastered.
“After that, I was invited by a dear friend, Anayo Ezedigwe, to teach at Cordi Stars International School, and later at City International School in Fegge, continuing my quest to defeat math phobia.”
But Chidiebube had a turning point in his career in 2018, when he joined British Spring College as a maths and further maths teacher as he began to integrate technology into teaching.
According to him, he resigned from British Spring College, leaving behind a salary of N84,000 in 2020, and took a job at a village school, Community Secondary School Igbariam, earning just N45,000.
“I spent N38,000 on transportation alone, but I didn’t care. I was happier than ever, transforming students who once feared math into students who loved it.
“With the help of others who believed in my mission, we provided nearly every student with free math and English textbooks. I produced over 5,000 copies of WAEC past questions in math on DVDs, costing me over a million naira, and distributed them for free to more than 3,000 students in Anambra State. This wasn’t about money; it was about ending math phobia.
“As my reach grew, I created social media platforms to spread my message, amassing over a million followers across Facebook, YouTube, and other platforms. Millions of students worldwide watch my math videos every month.
“I have received countless calls from parents whose children’s lives were changed through my videos. The awards began to pour in—over 10 awards, including the Maltina Teacher of the Year State Champion for Anambra and recognition from the I AM NIGERIA INITIATIVE alongside greats like Obi Cubana,” he said.
He said at Igbariam, the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Kate Omenugha, selected him to participate in Anambra Teaching on Air, an assignment he often used his own salary to cover transportation and accommodation to ensure he could teach those classes.
“I will forever be grateful to Mr. Patrick Okeke, the coordinator, and the Honorable Commissioner, who even sent me money from her personal account to support my efforts.
“Despite the recognition, there were low moments. In 2020, I applied for the Maltina Teacher of the Year Award, made it to the top 10 finalists, but fell short of the top three. I was heartbroken and told myself I would never apply again. But I remembered why I started: it was never about winning—it was about helping students win, about ending math phobia. So I kept going.
“In 2021, uLesson Education reached out to me, offering a life-changing opportunity that brought me to Abuja. There, I honed my digital teaching skills, gaining invaluable experience. When my contract ended, I prayed for a place where students needed me the most, and God answered, leading me to Crown Grace School in Mararaba, Nasarawa State.
“In 2024, at the last minute, my mentor TeacherRose Nkem Obi urged me to apply again for the Maltina Teacher Of The Year Award. I did, and this time, God crowned my efforts. I was among the top finalists. Funny enough, my School’s name is Crown Grace Schools. The name gave me the Crown,” he said.
He dedicated the award to students afraid of mathematics and encouraged them not to give up the fight, stating that if he can overcome it they too can.
