Corps Member Regrets Disciplining Adamawa Student Over Language Misunderstanding

A corps member in Adamawa admitted his mistake after punishing a student for saying “Gotel” in response to a math question, later realizing it meant “one” in Fulani and vowing to apologize.

A youth corps member serving in Adamawa has admitted to making a mistake after disciplining a student for repeatedly shouting “Gotel” in response to a simple math question, unaware that the word means “one” in Fulani.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the corps member shared his experience, explaining that he had been posted to Adamawa without knowledge of the Fulani language. While teaching a class where students struggled with English, he asked, “What’s 3 minus 2?” One student responded, “Gotel… Gotel!” Misunderstanding the reply, he punished the student, assuming it was an inappropriate answer.

Later, he learned the true meaning of “Gotel” and expressed regret in an update: “I was told the meaning of ‘Gotel’ a few minutes after I posted this. Tomorrow, I will have to apologize and give him some biscuits.”

The incident sparked reactions online, with many urging the corps member to be more patient and culturally aware. Some shared similar experiences teaching in non-English-speaking communities, while others emphasized the need for educators to use native languages when necessary.

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SOURCES: ALLSCHOOL, GISTREEL