Romina Omashor: Giving The Teaching Profession A Human Face

BY BOVET IJEBOR
IN the journey of life, one encounters stress, ups and downs, challenges and difficulties. “But life which is a continuous process, plays out the way you make it. One should live life as one can and make it enjoyable.” These were the expressed opinion of Mrs. Omashor Romina Nkechi.
Family Background
Mrs. Romina Omashor comes from a family of six, and she is the fourth child. She was brought up by her aunty who had no child because she lost her parents at a young age and her aunty treated her like her own child. She was brought up first in Lagos, moved to Warri and finally ended up in Agbor. Her aunty saw her through school, and she was so interested in her being the child of her late sister. She showed her love and her siblings. Her aunty taught her how to sing since she was choir leader and also how to be respectful, obedient to the elderly and to live at peace with all men.
Being a respectful and obedient woman she found it easy to live among people that came across her way and this was how she met her husband, Mr. Felix Omashor from Agbor in Ika South local government. She describes her husband as humble and intelligent and they are blessed with two children, a boy and a girl. Now graduates, the girl a B.Sc Nursing holder and working at one of the hospitals in Warri and the boy is going for his Youth Service, She is grateful to God for fulfilling her dreams in life.
Educational Background
Mrs. Omashor as a young child attended nursery school. According to her, nursery school at that time was not common. She was apportuned to attend nursery school because her father, that is her foster father, was a cook to the Europeans in the 60s. She started her primary school education early at St. Georgie’s Primary School at Ikoyi, Lagos but she came back to Agbor where she entered into Igbaki Grammar School to complete her secondary school education. She proceeded to Martin’s College. Issele-Uku where she got her Grade II certificate. She was a teacher before she went back to the College of Education, Agbor for her NCE and finally, she got a B. Ed at the Delta State University, Abraka.
Working Experience
Mrs. Omashor has worked for 34 years in the teaching profession, “I have taught in many schools and I’m hoping to retire very soon”, she stated. Teaching to her is a very enjoyable job where you interact with children, study them, know their different backgrounds and help them when they are in need. Hear her:, “I have helped many children that are from poor homes. Children come to school without taking breakfast, when they come I make sure I give them food”. She worked as an assistant headmistress for 7 years before she was made the headmistress. She founded Alibioba Primary School, Uromi junction, Agbor and she is hoping to retire from there.
Challenges
Her major challenge is the fact that primary school teachers do not get, promotion as at when due; she has been able to manage her family and career peacefully. She has been able to apportion hours for her job and her domestic work too. But according to her, all this is with the help of God Almighty.
Principles
Her principle is to take life as it is. Though her counterparts have many children, she is happy with her two children and husband and she doesn’t give herself stress or hypertension. Today, she is proud to say she does not have high-blood pressure.
Hobby
Her hobby is attending to church services and also singing in the church choir. She is the CWO choir leader in her parish.
Advice
Mrs. Omashor’s advise is that people should not kill themselves because they want to acquire property. “If you are opportuned to have it, good but if you have not, don’t kill yourself, don’t go the extra mile to commit crime like telling lies, cheating people, stealing or doing other things that are not right. Take life as you see it”, she advised. She advised the young ones that step by step they would be winners and they should have forgiving spirit because when you forgive somebody you will not have the mind to do evil. “Have the fear of God because the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom,” she added.