Nostalgic experience of her youthful age as recounted by Chief (Mrs) Adunola Fareo would, without doubt, attract the curiosity and interest of anyone listening to her, especially as she shared with The Point how important and valuable being a virgin was in her younger days, unlike now that it no longer has much value.
The 80-year-old agile woman, who is an indigene of Saki, Oyo State, also lamented the current loss of dignity by women in the society, as spinsters rarely get married anymore as virgins.
The retired education instructor, while sharing her experience in her chosen profession of teaching, revealed to The Point that it was one of the lucrative and respected professions in Nigeria until the recent past.
She added, “Teaching was one of the jobs in this country that you would want your child or children to engage in, because it was the pride of this country. Unlike now, teachers then were well respected by both the society and the government, because they meant a lot to them.”
The vibrant retired teacher also expressed the level of joy that people engaged in the profession also exhibited as they put their all into it.
Fareo added that to be identified as a teacher then was a thing of pride.
“I was always punctual to work and when I was promoted as the head of the school, I gave more attention to punctuality.
I began to come earlier than before,” she said. Hardworking and competent in her hey-day as a teacher, the Saki indigene lamented how corruption had taken over the nation’s education sector.
She said, “Education, during our time, was not like this, it was far better than now. Education was about one’s hard-work. People are Being a virgin was precious than gold in my younger days – Madam Fareo now looking for means to succeed without hard-work.
Nowadays, if you don’t study, you can get your certificate with money, while others studying hard might even be made to fail, if they don’t have the money to pay.
“Everyone was reading for themselves and it was what you wrote that would determine your score in any examination.
But today, we have people who sit and write examinations for others on the basis of payment of some money.”
Fareo added that although education was great then, it was not free as people thought. “Education was not free per se then, but when you were asked to pay N2,000 then as examination fee alone, before you could get it, you would sweat.
Money was not so easy to come by then. But now, you can get N100,000 easily through corruption,” she added. Growing up was not too easy for Fareo, as she went through a lot with her mother to raise fund to pay her way through school.
“You had to cut your coat according to your cloth, and do what your parents could afford then. During our time, there was nothing like cooperatives.
Our parents had to start contributing our tuition fees several months before the payment date,” she said.
She further disclosed that while growing up, single parenthood attracted no value or respect in the society, as parents had to live together to ensure their children succeeded in life, stressing that parents made sacrifices in their marriages for the success and well-being of their children.
She said, “My mother would always tell me that no matter the punishment given, or whatever she went through in her marriage, she would not leave her child re n .
She would suffer because of her children’s future. “I know of several parents, especially mothers, who abandoned their matrimonial homes, leaving their children with their husbands, because they felt they could no longer endure hardship in a man’s house.
Parents who do not care about their children did not pass through the normal marriage process, known as the traditional wedding, which was most important, because that’s where the family background was known, whether there was any problem or illness before both persons could be joined together.”
The octogenarian added, “Parents of today no longer sacrifice for the sake and success of their children.
In our time, you couldn’t leave your matrimonial home and go back to your parent’s house. You won’t be accepted.
The wayward life of our children today is as a result of lack of proper parental care. If their parents were good, they would have brought up their children in the right and proper way.”
Explaining the essence of parental care and advice, Chief Fareo thanked her parents for giving her the proper training.
“The advice given to me by my parents kept me in my husband’s house. Fear was created in our minds that if a guy touches a lady, she would be pregnant.
Seven years after I got married without an issue, my mother-in-law was still nice to me, because she confirmed that her son took my virginity and that was what kept my marriage before I later had a child
So, both parties were scared of the responsibilities,” she told The Point.
Fareo explained that, being a virgin was more valued than gold during her younger days, expressing regret that such a good thing had lost its value and importance, as young ladies of nowadays no longer saw it as something that should be protected.
“Seven years after I got married without an issue, my motherin-law was still nice to me, because she confirmed that her son took my virginity and that was what kept my marriage before I later had a child,” she revealed.
Speaking about the prevalance of indecent dressing habits in the society, Chief Fareo said that the waywardness of youths of today was never allowed in her time, as they were brought up to put on clothes that fully covered their bodies.
She advised the young ones of this age to serve God faithfully rather than engaging in worldly affairs.
