Graceland Adultschool

HOW WE ARE RISING ABOVE THE COVID-19 AND OTHER CHALLENGES

INTRODUCTION

When the Abula Addo, Satellite Town, Lagos gas explosion occurred that faithful Sunday of 15th day in March, 2020, we were shock but never believed such terror could befall our dear area suddenly.

The soot and the conflagration were massive. As tears and anguish followed, horror covered every available atmosphere.

Within the next hour, media houses, government official and NGOs besieged the crash site. Evacuation resumed. IT WAS VERY PATHETIC, seeing the body bags of once vibrant students of a prestigious college.

When the censuses of causalities were taken the next day, about 15 people had perished including the 4 students and their Principal.

THE BETHELUHEM GIRLS COLLEGE, LAGOS, became the ill fated school, the epic centre of the disaster. Also, another 200 buildings close to that same vicinity were in ruins.

OUR CONCERN
Never, had any learning institution been hardly hit just like that and our school was not spared too.

Though farther off in Trade fair Complex from the venue, we prayed that our school will be spared yet the impact of the incident same.
Alas we were dead wrong.

Three hours after the inferno, news started filtering in, that our glorious GRACELAND ADULT SCHIOOL/OGANIRU Business School WERE in ruins.

What was left of the amazing edifice that housed our centre was the concrete beams while the others material that held the house including the 12mm glass ecstatic decorations, was by now a heap of broken glasses.

As if that was not enough, the students dreaded to attend to classes because they were visibly chattered. The chairs, tables, air-conditioning systems, lighting and education ambiance, were gone.

That disaster was hectic, even our landlord, Mr Temple, one promising rich man, the night before the crash, he too could hardly breathe because, his hotel (Lake View Hotel)that used to be a bee hive of activities for traders and fun seekers ,was not only in ruins but turned to a ghost town over night.

As sympathizer troop to the once promising hotel, to watch the heap remains of rumbles of Lake View Hotel and our school to console us, I couldn’t believe the ensuing realities. He (landlord) lost about two buildings including a –two storey guest house due the ghastly explosion.

OUR CHALLENGE

As we grasped for any kind of help, the Lagos state government promised intervention, seems like eternity.

The state government struggled too in the heat of the explosion. They managed to compensate about 11 deceased people that the inferno consumed. Up till now, we are waiting for any form of compensation to fix the damage done to our structure and resume work.

Meanwhile, with no academic activities, GRACELAND ADULT SCHOOL/Oganiru Business School which means progress in Igbo language was indeed an irony of it wonderful past.
Everyone that once admired the idea of school in a business setting, tactfully, avoided it. Not even our cherished students.
Consequently, we struggled financially and otherwise, it became very difficult to cope.

OUR RISE

As the co-coordinator of the centre, it was difficult moving forward because we had just relocated to that venue a month before and we were planning big to bring so many ILLITERATE TRADERS who want to give another shut to education, a glorious chance of bringing school to their business step, before the tragedy.

Barely two weeks after these incidents, the federal government declared the COVID-19 LOCKDOWN in late March, 2020, and shut down Lagos. For us, it was double tragedy.

To say that it was a hellish experience was just an understatement. For the next two weeks, I was engulfed in deep meditation. These questions keep reoccurring “what do we do next”.

On my part, with a family of 6 , and no work, no money and not even a time lag of the ease the restrictions at sight. It was indeed horrify.

But Like the brawn stallion in the union bank logo, I decided to walk to the centre every morning, regardless, which is about 3 kms from my house just to look for inspiration.

Once at the school, I will ponder on numerous options while studying the scriptures, all of which centered on “HOW DO WE SURVIVE THE LOCKDOWN AND HOW BEST TO MOVE AHEAD”

Miraculously, ON the third week of the restriction, one of the students wanted me to give him a private lesson which he will pay me N1000 for my enough.

Then, for the next one month, I would teach this student three times a week for 4 hours on each teaching day and receive N1000 as wage.
That partly sum was indeed a game changer. It supplemented a cash gift of N20000 I had received from one acquiesce one week into the lockdown.

FORTUNATELY, when the government, decided to ease the lockdown, we were very glad and thought the students will be urged to return to school after three month forced absence.

Today, we rescheduled our learning from Monday Wednesday, Fridays to Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturdays.

Though, the trader’s BUSINESS OPERATING TIME was too shorten, from 9am -3pm, few Of them who still desired earnestly to continue their ADULT LITERACY PROGRAM, are attended to after following all COVID -19 CONDITIONS SINCE THEY ARE ABOUT FOUR IN NUMBER NOW.

CONCLUSION

HOW DO WE SURVIVE A RISE AGAINST CHALLENGES OF COVIS-19 AND CARE FOR THE LEARNING TRADERS?

Finally, the Abula ADDO Gas Explosions and COVID -19 crises, threw very deadly complex challenge to GRACELAND adult school, but with God’s helping, hopefully we will gradually turn the multifaceted demons into glorious promenade to GREATNESS.

OSCAR ANIH
07030923141.
Satellite Town, ALagos.
[email protected] [email protected]

HOW WE ARE RISING ABOVE THE COVID-19 AND OTHER CHALLENGES

INTRODUCTION

When the Abula Addo, Satellite Town, Lagos gas explosion occurred that faithful Sunday of 15th day in March, 2020, we were shock but never believed such terror could befall our dear area suddenly.

The soot and the conflagration were massive. As tears and anguish followed, horror covered every available atmosphere.

Within the next hour, media houses, government official and NGOs besieged the crash site. Evacuation resumed. IT WAS VERY PATHETIC, seeing the body bags of once vibrant students of a prestigious college.

When the censuses of causalities were taken the next day, about 15 people had perished including the 4 students and their Principal.

THE BETHLEHEM GIRLS COLLEGE, LAGOS, became the ill fated school, the epic centre of the disaster. Also, another 200 buildings close to that same vicinity were in ruins.

OUR CONCERN
Never, had any learning institution been hardly hit just like that and our school was not spared too.

Though farther off in Trade fair Complex from the venue, we prayed that our school will be spared yet the impact of the incident same.
Alas we were dead wrong.

Three hours after the inferno, news started filtering in, that our glorious GRACELAND ADULT SCHOOL/OGANIRU Business School WERE in ruins.

What was left of the amazing edifice that housed our centre was the concrete beams while the others material that held the house including the 12mm glass ecstatic decorations, was by now a heap of broken glasses.

As if that was not enough, the students dreaded to attend to classes because they were visibly chattered. The chairs, tables, air-conditioning systems, lighting and education ambiance, were gone.

That disaster was hectic, even our landlord, Mr Temple, one promising rich man, the night before the crash, he too could hardly breathe because, his hotel (Lake View Hotel)that used to be a bee hive of activities for traders and fun seekers ,was not only in ruins but turned to a ghost town over night.

As sympathizer troop to the once promising hotel, to watch the heap remains of rumbles of Lake View Hotel and our school to console us, I couldn’t believe the ensuing realities. He (landlord) lost about two buildings including a –two storey guest house due the ghastly explosion.

OUR CHALLENGE

As we grasped for any kind of help, the Lagos state government promised intervention, seems like eternity.

The state government struggled too in the heat of the explosion. They managed to compensate about 11 deceased people that the inferno consumed. Up till now, we are waiting for any form of compensation to fix the damage done to our structure and resume work.

Meanwhile, with no academic activities, GRACELAND ADULT SCHOOL/Oganiru Business School which means progress in Igbo language was indeed an irony of it wonderful past.
Everyone that once admired the idea of school in a business setting, tactfully, avoided it. Not even our cherished students.
Consequently, we struggled financially and otherwise, it became very difficult to cope.

OUR RISE

As the co-coordinator of the centre, it was difficult moving forward because we had just relocated to that venue a month before and we were planning big to bring so many ILLITERATE TRADERS who want to give another shut to education, a glorious chance of bringing school to their business step, before the tragedy.

Barely two weeks after these incidents, the federal government declared the COVID-19 LOCK-DOWN in late March, 2020, and shut down Lagos. For us, it was double tragedy.

To say that it was a hellish experience was just an understatement. For the next two weeks, I was engulfed in deep meditation. These questions keep reoccurring “what do we do next”.

On my part, with a family of 6 , and no work, no money and not even a time lag of the ease the restrictions at sight. It was indeed horrify.

But Like the brawn stallion in the union bank logo, I decided to walk to the centre every morning, regardless, which is about 3 kms from my house just to look for inspiration.

Once at the school, I will ponder on numerous options while studying the scriptures, all of which centered on “HOW DO WE SURVIVE THE LOCKDOWN AND HOW BEST TO MOVE AHEAD”

Miraculously, ON the third week of the restriction, one of the students wanted me to give him a private lesson which he will pay me N1000 for my enough.

Then, for the next one month, I would teach this student three times a week for 4 hours on each teaching day and receive N1000 as wage.
That partly sum was indeed a game changer. It supplemented a cash gift of N20000 I had received from one acquiesce one week into the lockdown.

FORTUNATELY, when the government, decided to ease the lockdown, we were very glad and thought the students will be urged to return to school after three month forced absence.

Today, we rescheduled our learning from Monday Wednesday, Fridays to Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturdays.

Though, the trader’s BUSINESS OPERATING TIME was too shorten, from 9am -3pm, few Of them who still desired earnestly to continue their ADULT LITERACY PROGRAM, are attended to after following all COVID -19 CONDITIONS SINCE THEY ARE ABOUT FOUR IN NUMBER NOW.

CONCLUSION

HOW DO WE SURVIVE A RISE AGAINST CHALLENGES OF COVIS-19 AND CARE FOR THE LEARNING TRADERS?

Finally, the Abula ADDO Gas Explosions and COVID -19 crises, threw very deadly complex challenge to ADULT LEARNING FOR TRADERS, but with God’s helping, hopefully we will gradually turn the multifaceted demons into glorious promenade to GREATNESS.

OSCAR ANIH
07030923141.
Satellite Town, Lagos.
[email protected] [email protected]

...we still believe in the POWER OF GOD, Power of creative thinking and Power of Education.....

....think education may be costly.But ignorance could be deadlier...

....WE ARE GROWING MINDS THAT WILL TAKE THE BUSINESS SECTOR OF THE ECONOMY BY STORM.BRING TECHNOLOGY HOME AND ESCHEWING THE DREADED CAPITAL FLIGHT....

.........EDUCATION IS POWERFUL.
IT GIVES FREEDOM.HELPS TO OPEN OUR EYES & MAKES US GROW WELL.THEN YOU CAN UNDERSTAND YOURSELF AND CONTROL YOUR LIFE BETTER......

....On June 13 2012 Pa Amodu GRADUATED from LASU @ age 80. Be courageous and determined to search for knowledge. YOU CAN MAKE IT.NO TIME IS TOO LATE..........

....3 REASONS WHY GRACELAND ADULT SCHOOL IS GOOD .1) we are NEAREST AND LOVE YOU.2) WE UNDERSTAND YOUR PROBLEMS BETTER THAN ANYONE. 3)We HAVE SOLUTIONS FOR THEM ALL . WHY NOT COME AND LET'S HELP U GROW......

I think I will put strong emphasis on education; the ambitious programme at 20:20 in order to make education one of the drivers of our programmes and of transformation of the country, of making real leaders in science innovation and research….’’ UNESCO Director-General, Mrs Irina Bokova