A China-based Nigerian schoolteacher and filmmaker, Bello Galadanchi, has explained why he prefers to teach Chinese kids to Nigerian children.
He said this on Twitter while reacting to a critic who had questioned why he chose to teach children in China instead of his own country.
The journalist and PhD holder in Comparative Education who recently gained fame for his comedy contents on social media among Hausa-speaking northern Nigerians said teachers are better paid and more respected in China than in Nigeria.
Galadanchi is currently among the leading Hausa content creators on social media (basically TikTok and Instagram). The US-born Kano indigene is also a filmmaker.
Sharing a photo of a shopping card that he said all the teachers in his school received, Galadanchi added that the salaries and benefits are also motivating.
He said, “I’ve received a lot of criticism for teaching primary school kids in China, instead of Nigeria. Out of the blue, our HR office gave out these cards (the second-biggest retail app in China) to all teachers yesterday just to show appreciation. You can only imagine what our salaries are.
“Please don’t go around Nigeria telling people that “the pay is better’ is not deep. Also, my answer is implied; if you read it well, it means ‘we are well taken care of.’ On the other hand, your comment is shallow.”
He further stated that he is not being exploited by the Chinese government because many teachers in Nigeria are even lucky to receive N30,000 as salary, adding that he had always wanted to be a teacher since childhood.
“Which exploitation do you prefer? Getting 30k a month, if you’re lucky? Or not getting a decent job most of your life while leaders that “exploit” you are looting the wealth that will take care of all your generation? I smell subtle tones of racism and bigotry.
“Since I was a kid, I’ve always wanted to be a teacher. I threw that dream away while growing up, only to find an environment that actually respects the profession and treats us like kings,” he said.
Earlier in May, Galadanchi, while speaking to Daily Trust on how he balanced teaching and social media content creation, said being a journalist for 14 years helped him navigate and manage his time well.
“As a leader here at school and a homeroom teacher for Primary 1 boarding students, having a disciplined, efficient daily routine is imperative to survival.
“On the other hand, content creation takes very little time out of my day, usually 45 minutes at most for a video.
“I think being a journalist and making videos for the past 14 years also helps with the experience. That military mentality ensures that at the end of the day, 1 and 1 are added to provide 2 before bedtime with quality control and within range,” he said.
Daily Trust
