Al-Amin Shettima Bello
A Borno man who served the government as a teacher for 35 years and retired meritoriously has been spotted hawking along the streets of Maiduguri, the Borno State capital to survive.
Al-Amin Shettima Bello, who spoke with newsmen in good English said he was taught by the British.
He said in his school then, there were only a few blacks who were teachers namely: the late Dr. Shettima Ali Monguno, Shettima Kashim and late Shettima Mustapha Kutai.
Malam Bello, who shared his story with newsmen along the roadside said Professor Bosoms Sheriff of the University of Maiduguri was his school mate.
“Professor Bosoms was ahead of me with one year because he completed his primary education in 1966 while I completed in 1967. He is older than me in class not by age,” Bello said.
Speaking about his education, he said, “I started schooling in Yerwa Central and completed in 1955, from where I proceeded to Trade Business and trained as a carpenter. I worked as a carpenter for several years before my parents decided that I go back to school again. I went to Old Bama Primary School and completed in 1967 from where I proceeded to Borno Teachers College.”
Bello, who always stationed himself around the First Bank ATM centre at the Maiduguri Monday Market said it was strategic to take position where people who come to withdraw can be approached easily in order to market his products.
He explained that hawking ‘mentholated rub’ is the business he has chosen to do, looking at his income and people’s needs, especially during the season.
”Teaching is an exciting job but there is no money in it. It is a sacrifice. Now that I have retired, I can only help myself with the little from this business rather than being a dependant on people,” he said.
Shettima Bello believed that there are many of his classmates who are doing well out there who may not have remembered him or know that he is still existing.
