Teacher Victoria's Corner

14/06/2026

I was seriously craving party stew today, so I dressed up and rode my bike to the market.

As I got to a tomato stand, the bright red tomatoes were shining under the sun like they had been imported from another planet. I walked closer, already imagining the delicious pot of stew I was going to make.

Then I asked for the price.

The woman looked at me and said:

"7 tomatoes for ₦1,000."

I thought she was joking.

So I laughed.

She didn't.

I counted them again.

1... 2... 3... 4... 5... 6... 7.

Just 7 tomatoes.

₦1,000.

I stood there for about five minutes thinking about my life.

My heart skipped.

I looked at the tomatoes.

The tomatoes looked back at me.

For a moment, I felt like we were all victims of the same economy.

A man standing nearby leaned over and whispered,

"Brother, if you can afford it, buy quickly before the price changes again."

Another woman heard the price, sighed deeply, and quietly walked away.

That was when I knew it was time to make a new plan.

I turned to the woman and said,

"Madam, abeg give me palm fruit instead."

She nodded like she had heard that sentence a hundred times already today.

As she packed the palm fruit, I took one last look at the tomatoes. They sat there proudly, untouched, like luxury items displayed in a showroom.

At least the palm fruit is still behaving like it knows Nigerians are suffering.

I paid, carried my bag, and headed back to my bike. The pot of stew I had been dreaming about all morning disappeared right there in the market.

What started as a simple trip to buy tomatoes turned into an emotional journey.

At this point, whenever you see a Nigerian, just shake their hand and say:

"Well done."

Because surviving in this country deserves an award.

How much is tomatoes in your area?

14/06/2026

Some Igbo words and translations

14/06/2026

When I was in school, I used to use Dr Agnes Nwa Mma, and honestly, everybody used to compliment my teeth back then. My smile was always getting attention 😁
I used it consistently until I graduated and left school. Then I switched to normal toothpaste like everyone else.
But after a while, I started noticing something… my teeth didn’t feel as bright as before. Some brownish stains even started showing up little by little.
I started trying different toothpaste like my life depended on it 😭 I changed, changed, and changed again… nothing really changed. I was getting frustrated.
In the end, I said “abeg, I’m going back to what I know” and I returned to Dr Agnes Nwa Mma.
And just like that, I noticed those brownish parts gradually started clearing off again. That was when I said, okay… this thing is not ordinary 😭😂
My sister was the one who introduced me to it originally. At first, I didn’t take it too seriously. I just used it casually. But later, I realized I actually loved the result, and I never looked back.
That’s my little oral care story 😄
Have you ever left something, tried “better options,” and still came back to the original because it just works?

13/06/2026

13/06/2026

A mother came to me and complained that her son’s handwriting was very bad. She was worried about it, and after listening to her, I told her I would try and do my best to help the child improve.

That same day, I made sure the boy sat close to me. I paid close attention to him, corrected his grip, guided him slowly, and made him practice step by step. I even let him write on my table so I could properly monitor and correct every letter.

By the end of the lesson, I was sure I had seen a change. His handwriting looked better than before, more controlled and clearer. I was genuinely happy with his progress.

But after that day, there was no feedback from the mother. No follow-up, no word, nothing.

And it made me reflect quietly.

As teachers, we don’t always get feedback for the effort we put into helping children improve. But we still show up, we still try, and we still give our best because every child’s progress matters.

13/06/2026

In my class one afternoon, everything was going smoothly. The children were reading aloud, some were trying their best, and as usual a few were turning it into comedy. I had just finished correcting an exercise when one of the pupils started distracting others again.

I called the child gently, corrected him, and gave a simple punishment to keep him focused. Nothing serious. Just normal classroom discipline.

I did not know that by the next morning, I would be hearing that the parent had arrived at school with full anger, asking why I “embarrassed” their child.

Before I could even explain what happened, I was already hearing words like “my child will not be treated like that” and “who gave you the right.”

For a moment I just stood there thinking, so even correction is now disrespect?

But in all of it, I kept calm because I understand one thing. We all love our children, but sometimes love can make us blind to correction.

Some parents will come to school ready for war because you disciplined their child like you are not also trying to save that child’s future 😭

One minute you are teaching multiplication, next minute you are in a meeting defending why you said “don’t talk in class” like it is a crime.

We all want well behaved children, but discipline is not hatred. Sometimes correction is love in uniform.

Teachers are not enemies of your children. We are just trying to balance home training and classroom reality with chalk and patience.

Anyway, God give all teachers wisdom because some days school feels like a courtroom and we are the ones on trial 😂

13/06/2026

We have been calling this the wrong name

12/06/2026

For weeks now, I've been teaching my pupils how to speak better English and use the right words.

Yesterday, while I was in class, a little girl came running towards me in panic.

"Teacher! Teacher! Somebody is suffocating in the toilet!"

My heart almost skipped a beat.

I stood up immediately and asked, "What did you say?"

She repeated it with full confidence:

"Somebody is suffocating in the toilet!"

That's when it clicked.

She meant defecating.

I tried to hold myself together, but I burst out laughing. The more I thought about it, the funnier it became. Meanwhile, she just stood there looking at me, completely confused, wondering why her teacher had suddenly lost control.

After calming down, I corrected her and explained the difference between the two words before listening to the rest of her report.

Moments like this remind me that teaching is an adventure. Every day comes with a new surprise, a new lesson, and sometimes, a new reason to laugh.

Being a teacher is definitely not for the weak. 😂

What's the funniest thing a child has ever said to you?

09/06/2026

The fastest way to lose an opportunity is when someone starts acting like they own your future.

Imagine being offered a job with a salary of ₦250,000 and accommodation included. Then the person connecting you to the opportunity says they want ₦50,000 from your salary every month for six months as their "percentage."

Helping someone get a job is a favor. Demanding a cut of their salary is a business deal.

There's nothing wrong with charging for a service if both parties agree upfront. The problem starts when access to an opportunity suddenly comes with conditions that feel more like exploitation than assistance.

Your position, connection, or influence should open doors, not become a toll gate.

Sometimes walking away from a bad deal is better than accepting an opportunity that comes with strings attached.

If you were in her shoes, would you accept the offer and pay the ₦50,000, or reject it completely?

09/06/2026

“Fitness journey: under construction”