How Mr Abduljeleel Bello is helping students see mathematics differently
For many students, mathematics is the subject they survive. For Mr Abduljeleel Bello, it’s the subject that explains life. Not because it’s easy, not because everyone loves it, but because mathematics, to him, is more than formulas and calculations. “It’s logic, it’s systematic thinking. There’s math in everything,” he says.
That belief has shaped not only the way he teaches, but the kind of teacher he has become. And if you spend even a few minutes speaking with him, one thing becomes obvious: Mr Abduljeleel Bello does not just teach mathematics. He studies people.
The doctor dream that died in SS1
Like many Nigerian children growing up, Mr Bello originally planned to become a doctor. Then SS1 happened. “I realised Biology was one of my weakest subjects,” he says, laughing.
That forced him into something many people never do early enough: honest self-discovery. Instead of forcing himself into a dream that no longer fit, he paid attention to what came naturally to him: teaching.
“If I couldn’t explain what I learned to someone else, then I didn’t believe I truly understood it.”
That mindset stayed with him. Even while studying Physics at the university, he found himself constantly drawn toward helping others understand difficult concepts. Interestingly, mathematics was not even the first thing he taught. He started with Arabic.
But over time, he noticed a recurring pattern around him: students consistently struggled with mathematics. “I realised there was a real need there,” he says.
The accidental math teacher who changed outcomes
One of the defining moments in his journey happened during NYSC. He had been posted to teach Physics. But due to issues with the school’s mathematics teacher, he suddenly found himself handling mathematics classes instead.
What could have been temporary became transformational.
“The students performed excellently in their external exams,” he recalls. “That was when I thought… okay, I can actually do more with this.”
That experience became proof. Not just that he could teach mathematics, but that he could change the way students experienced it.
“The hardest part of teaching is understanding people”
Ask Mr Abduljeleel Bello about the hardest part of teaching, and he doesn’t mention salaries or stress. He talks about psychology. “The biggest challenge is understanding the psychological state of students,” he says. Some students are distracted by problems at home. Some are dealing with financial pressure. Some are emotionally exhausted before the school day even begins. And yet teachers are often expected to “deliver the curriculum” as though students are machines waiting to receive information.
“You cannot just enter class and start teaching as if everybody is ready to learn,” he explains. “Sometimes you have to adjust.” That flexibility defines his teaching philosophy. To him, teaching is not about completing topics. It’s about reaching people.
“I’m not strict. I prefer self-discipline.”
Most people remember their mathematics teachers as terrifying, and Mr Bello knows this. “I hear it all the time,” he laughs.
But his approach is different. Rather than fear-based teaching, he focuses on engagement and responsibility. “I give room for self-discipline.”
His teaching style changes depending on the students in front of him. In physical classrooms, he turns lessons into challenges and interactive problem-solving sessions. Sometimes he gives students the answer first and asks them to figure out how to arrive there. Online, he incorporates visuals, simulations, and gamified learning tools to make mathematics feel less intimidating.
“To teach math properly, students need to see it,” he says.
And that’s the key: mathematics should feel understandable, not unreachable.
The student nobody believed in
There’s one moment Mr Abduljeleel Bello wishes had been recorded. A student whom many teachers had already written off as “dull” unexpectedly became the best student in class on a particular topic.
“The entire class was shocked,” he remembers. Not in a mocking way. In an amazed way. “Even the other students became excited. For him, that moment captured something important: students are often capable of much more than people assume. They need someone patient enough to bring it out of them.
Why did he join Lumilearn?
Mr Bello already teaches students internationally through online tutoring platforms. But joining Lumilearn was about something different. “I wanted the little I have to benefit Nigerians.”
For him, Lumilearn represented access. A way to reach more students beyond physical classrooms. A way to contribute to improving education at scale. A way to make mathematics easier for students who might otherwise fear it.
And so far, he says the experience has been positive.
“The reward is no longer only in heaven”
There’s an old saying many teachers grew up hearing: the reward of teachers is in heaven. Mr Abduljeleel Bello thinks that mindset is outdated. “That was for the olden days,” he says. “I believe if you have the right targets and the right tools, you can have your reward right here on earth.”
He believes modern education platforms are opening up real opportunities for teachers to earn sustainably, build influence, and expand their impact beyond traditional classrooms. But he’s also realistic. Teaching requires patience. A lot of it.
“You cannot just focus on your lesson plan and ignore the students in front of you,” he says. “Teaching is beyond speaking English and leaving the class.”
The Interview: A Conversation with Mr Abduljeleel Bello
Q: Outside the classroom, who are you?
Mr Bello: I find myself comfortable in any environment. Outside of work and family life, I follow football quite closely; I’m an Arsenal supporter. I also play chess. I’m not a music person, and I don’t do parties. I think that says enough about me.
Q: How would your students describe you?
Mr Bello: I wouldn’t be the best person to answer that; it would be better coming from them directly. But I’d like to think they see me as one of the best. And I’m not strict in the traditional sense. I give room for self-discipline.
Q: If you weren’t teaching, what would you be doing?
Mr Bello: Data analysis. Data science. The logic that makes me good at mathematics is the same logic that draws me to that field. So I don’t think I’d have wandered too far.
Q: Have you ever felt tired of teaching?
Mr Bello: Once, though it wasn’t burnout in the way people usually mean it. I taught a class where nobody was responding. Not because they couldn’t understand, but because they simply weren’t engaged. Nonchalance, pure and simple. I let them see my discouragement. Not as a performance, but honestly, I let them feel the weight of it. It worked. The following term, they came back different. Teachers are human. When the students you care about don’t care about themselves, that affects you.
Q: What’s one thing you wish the general public understood better about teachers?
Mr Bello: That teachers can only do so much. I’d say maybe 60% of what education requires. The rest has to come from parents, from government, from communities. You cannot pay school fees and transfer the entire responsibility of a child’s development to a teacher. Teachers are people. They have their own families, their own challenges.
Q: What would you say to someone who wants to start teaching but feels unsure?
Mr. Bello: If you’re a born teacher, you’ll know it, because you’ll be happy doing it even when it’s hard. The problem is comparison. You look at someone your age doing something else and earning more or moving faster, and you start to question your path. My advice is to focus on the objective and let that focus crowd out the noise. Start small. Start in a classroom before you think about cameras and platforms. Build experience. Listen to people who’ve been doing this longer than you. Learn and relearn constantly.
If his journey were a movie…
Q: What would the title be?
Mr Bello: Math in Everything – from childhood to adulthood. Because that’s genuinely how I see it. Mathematics isn’t just a school subject. It’s logic, it’s systems, it’s the way problems get solved. It’s in everything. And my life, in a way, has been about finding all the places it shows up and helping other people see it too.
Q: What would your students be surprised to find out about you?
Mr Bello: That I’m an Arsenal supporter. (He says this with complete confidence.) And I think, actually, that tells you something about who I am. To support Arsenal the way I do, for as long as I have, through everything, you need steadfastness. You need perseverance. You need hope that this year might finally be the year. Those are not bad qualities for a teacher to have.
Final Note
Mr Abduljeleel Bello’s story isn’t about turning every student into a mathematician. It’s about meeting students where they are, understanding what they’re carrying, and helping them believe that difficult things can be solved.
One equation at a time. One student at a time. With the patience of someone who has supported Arsenal for decades, and still shows up hoping.