Who is Mazi Alvan Ikoku? The man behind Nigeria's ₦10 note

• Alvan Azinna Ikoku was a respected Nigerian educationist whose portrait has appeared on the ₦10 note since 1979.

• He founded Aggrey Memorial College in 1932, Nigeria’s first indigenous private secondary school.

• As president of the Nigerian Union of Teachers, he fought for better education policies and the inclusion of indigenous languages.

• Several institutions, including Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education, Owerri, were named in his honour.

Every day, Nigerians handle money. We squeeze notes into wallets, use them for transport fares, add them to market payments, and sometimes complain that they can barely buy anything anymore.

But have you ever stopped to ask: who exactly is the person smiling back at you from that ₦10 note?

That face belongs to Mazi Alvan Azinna Ikoku, one of Nigeria’s most influential educationists. Long before his portrait appeared on the country’s currency, Ikoku had already built a reputation as a teacher, activist, politician, and nationalist who dedicated much of his life to improving education in Nigeria.

Born on August 1, 1900, in Amanagwu, Arochukwu, present-day Abia State, Alvan Ikoku came from a wealthy merchant family. Interestingly, he was born three months after his father died, which inspired his name “Azinna,” meaning “coming after your father.”

Here are 10 interesting facts about the man behind Nigeria’s ₦10 note.

Although Ikoku was originally from Arochukwu in Abia State, his mother was an Efik woman from Calabar, present-day Cross River State.

After his father’s death, his mother’s relatives helped raise him, and he spent much of his childhood and education in Calabar. He attended the Hope Waddell Training Institution, one of the notable schools in the region at the time.

His connection with Calabar would later influence his personal and professional life.

While working as a student-teacher in Itigidi, present-day Cross River State, Alvan Ikoku met Goomsu, an Efik woman from Calabar who was also known for her musical talent as an exceptional organist.

The two later got married and had six children together.

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Family matters and politics can sometimes become complicated, and Alvan Ikoku experienced this firsthand.

His son, Samuel Goomsu Ikoku, later became a political rival. In the Eastern Regional Assembly elections held in March 1957, Samuel defeated his father.

It was a rare moment where father and son found themselves on opposite sides of Nigeria’s political space.

One of Alvan Ikoku’s biggest contributions was the establishment of Aggrey Memorial College in Arochukwu, Abia State, in 1932.

The school was named after Ghanaian teacher and missionary Dr James E.K. Aggrey, who was one of Ikoku’s mentors.

The institution initially started as a teacher training school before becoming a full secondary school in 1935.

Ikoku served as the school’s principal for 39 years and helped shape generations of students.

At Aggrey Memorial College, Ikoku introduced carpentry as a subject, describing it as “the Education of the Hand.”

His idea was that students should not only learn theories but also acquire practical skills.

Students were trained to make items such as desks, chairs, and tables by themselves, an approach that was uncommon in many schools at the time.

In 1955, while serving as the National President of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), Ikoku became a strong voice for teachers’ welfare and educational reforms.

He criticised the education system of the time for neglecting indigenous languages and pushed for an education system that reflected Nigerian culture and realities.

As a member of the Eastern House of Assembly, Ikoku worked on projects that directly affected his people in Arochukwu.

He helped push for the establishment of a hospital and post office in the community. He was also involved in efforts that led to the construction of major roads connecting Arochukwu with Umuahia and Itu, now in Akwa Ibom State.

He also advocated for pipe-borne water for the people of Arochukwu.

In 1962, when the Eastern Nigeria Government created a Committee on Education to review the region’s education system, Alvan Ikoku was appointed chairman.

The committee was tasked with examining how education could better serve the needs of Nigerians.

He was also honoured with the Order of the British Empire (OBE), although some of his contemporaries criticised him for being too friendly towards the British colonial administration.

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Alvan Ikoku died on November 18, 1971, at Aba General Hospital, Aba, Abia State, after a stroke-related illness. He was 71 years old.

Eight years after his death, his portrait appeared on Nigeria’s ₦10 note in 1979, preserving his memory in the hands of millions of Nigerians.

One of the biggest honours given to him is the naming of Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education, Owerri, formerly Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education.

The institution became notable for establishing one of Nigeria’s first full-fledged Igbo Language Departments in 1975.

From classrooms to politics, community development, and even Nigeria’s currency, Alvan Ikoku’s influence remains part of the country’s history.

So, the next time you see a ₦10 note, remember that the face on it belonged to a man who helped shape how generations of Nigerians learned.