The Education Commissioner in Anambra State, Ngozi Chuma-Udeh, lashed out at a teacher job seeker who reportedly sought clarification on the state’s recently concluded teacher recruitment exercise.
The teacher was said to have phoned the commissioner to inquire about the drill being held at three centers in the state on Saturday.
But Ms. Chuma-Udeh, an English teacher, yelled at the applicant, accusing her of being undisciplined and disobeying the instructions of the recruitment exercise.
The recorded phone conversation has gone viral on social media.
“Ma’am, you are an idiot. You mean the computers are doing what? I got a report at 12 noon that you guys refused to line up. You refused to be identified and you were harassed.
“You guys were trying to get into the room at the same time, you refused to be disciplined until now, and you have the nerve, you stupid woman, to call me on the phone and talk nonsense?” Ms. Chuma-Udeh was heard yelling at the applicant.
She continued: “Get off my phone you dirty thing. Do you really want to be a teacher? How will you tell your students to conform to instructions, when you can’t get in line and go to the aisle?
“Please, I have no mercy on you and I have nothing to say to you. We have already examined up to 1,400 candidates and…. You are all hooligans.”
The commissioner’s outburst was said to be a reaction to a reported stampede that occurred at the Nnewi Examination Center, one of the centers where the conscription exam was held.
At the center where the applicant reportedly took the exam, the stampede began when some applicants rushed into the room before others.
Soludo reacts
Meanwhile, the state governor, Carlos Soludohas reacted to the controversy.
He said the job-seeking teacher rained down curses and abuse on him and the commissioner after he failed the exam, prompting the commissioner’s response.
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In a statement from his spokesman, Christian Aburime, late Monday, the governor accused the applicant of editing the viral phone conversation out of frustration at blackmailing the commissioner.
Soludo emphasized that his administration was committed to conducting a “continuous, seamless and transparent recruitment exercise” for teachers in the state.
He explained that the commissioner’s comments were due to “foul language” and “other unprintable words thrown at the commissioner” by the petitioner.
“As public officials operating in the public space, the commissioner apologized for her inappropriate choice of words in said voice memo,” Soludo said.
The governor promised not to get distracted from giving qualified teachers the opportunity to serve the state and help shape the future of school-age children.