21/02/2026
A Tale of Two Classrooms
Every day, I teach in a luxury school where children learn in air-conditioned classrooms and use iPads. Their environment is structured, safe, and inspiring.
But during my midterm break, I went for a jog in Yelwa Village, Nasarawa State, just a short distance from the wealth and comfort of Abuja.
What I saw changed me.
I stopped running… and started taking photos.
Because the “road” these children walk to school is not a road.
It is a nightmare.
What I Saw on My Jog
🔥 A Dangerous Walk
I saw a little boy in a clean blue uniform standing on a concrete ledge, looking down into a pit of burning trash. Instead of breathing fresh morning air on his way to class, he inhaled thick, toxic smoke.
🛣 The Struggle to Move
The roads are nothing but dirt and deep holes. Children dodge motorcycles (Okada) and trek through heavy dust that stains their uniforms and fills their lungs.
💧 Learning on Empty
Many of them carry their books in plastic bags. They hold small bottles of water like treasure because there are no clean taps. You can see the hunger in their eyes. It is hard to focus on learning when your stomach is growling.
🏚 Broken Schools
I passed buildings with rusted roofs and crumbling walls. No digital boards. No modern tools. Some classrooms barely have solid floors.
Meanwhile, just a few miles away, other children have everything.
My Heartfelt Plea
As the CEO of Emphiglos Initiative for Africa (EIA), I cannot stay silent.
It is not fair that a few miles apart, one group of children thrives in comfort while another risks their health just to learn how to read.
To the Nasarawa State Government and to my fellow Nigerians:
Yelwa is suffering.
These children need:
Safe roads
Clean water
Classrooms that do not collapse
A learning environment that protects their dignity
We cannot allow another generation to grow up in dust and smoke.
Let us give them a real chance.
Let us build African giants—everywhere.
Written by:
Ubong Emmanuel Uta , Joy Nicholas
Directors, Emphiglos Initiative for Africa (EIA)
