Chapter 5

The end of the academic session was approaching, I had to abandon writing to focus on revisions in class and at home. Apart from attending classes, I also went to the school library during the lunch period so as to make use of the textbooks as I didn't have mine. I was doing great in all other subjects except for mathematics, I sought help from a friend at home who happened to be very good at the subject. Ahmed lived on the same street with me, but I didn't have all the time in the world to go to him immediately after school because I had to go the shop, I went to him every evening so that he could put me through on some topics that I found difficult.

After extensive reading, the days of the exams finally came. It went on for two weeks , then we were done and waiting for the results before the school finally went on holidays. It was only a week left before the holidays began, all the students were allowed to participate in sports and club activities for the remaining one week. Apart from attending the press club meetings, I also played football. It was indeed a joyful week because I crammed so much fun into that week.

Thursday came, all the students had to check their results from our various class teachers. I checked with my class teacher, only to find out that my records for two subjects were missing. I asked my class teacher why it was so and he told me I was absent for the subjects during the examinations. I argued that I wasn't absent,he got so angry and then he chased me out of his office. I was so sad because I wrote the exams and I participated in all the continuous assessments. I became worried because I didn't know how to tell my guardians at home about it.

While my mind was racing with worry, I saw other students who also had one complain or the other about their records. I moved closer to them, and I was told, they were going to the vice principal to make their grievances known to him and seek solutions. I decided to join them, so we headed for the vice principal's office. When we got there, we were asked to come in, one after the other. I was number five on the list of students waiting, then my turn came. I entered the office and met the vice principal seated in the midst of shelves filled with books and school records. He wore a black rope, he was a clergy. I had met Reverend Jaiye on my first week at school. He approached me to introduce myself and he often came to my class from time to time to voluntarily teach us English language which was not part of his official duties.

I entered the office, crying and I couldn't say anything. The reverend got up from his chair, offered me a seat and asked me to stop cryin.He asked me to tell him what the problem was, that he was willing to help me out. I explained the situation to him, then he asked me if I was sure about my claims and I said yes. He got up from his chair and asked me to wait in his office. He then went to my class teacher to verify what really happened. I was left for about twenty minutes then he came back. He asked me to go home, that by the time I returned to school the next day, he would have made sure that my records were accurate. I felt a little bit relieved because I was confident, he would truly help me get my records intact.I knew him to be a good man, but I was nervous because I wasn't completely sure until I returned to school the next day to find out he had fulfilled his promise. But I was hopeful.

I got home home after a little traffic jam on the road. I changed my school uniform, ate lunch then went to the shop. When I got the shop, I met Aunty Mary who was already furious because I didn't get to the shop on time. I explained to her about the gridlock on my way home, then she asked me about my report card. I told her, I won't be getting my results like every other students until Friday which was the last day of session. She said if I failed ,she would ask my cousin, John to tie me to a working fan at home. I told her there was no way I would have known if I passed or not until Friday when I see the results.

I didn't have the courage to inform my Guadian about what the class teacher did to my records, because they would have thought that I was lying, so I kept it to myself, hoping that by the time I got to school, Reverend Jaiye would have made sure my class teacher did the right thing. But I was really terrified, I couldn't sleep all through the night because of what my Aunty said.

I had not being tied to a fan before, but John had been asked to beat me many times that I had sustained injuries. He had often asked me to remove my clothes while he flogged me with wires and my body would be left with marks and bruises. I lay on the carpet in the living room which was where I usually slept, counting down to morning. Although I fell asleep, but it was anrestless sleep because my mind was focused on the school results. The day finally broke and it was morning. I got up early enough to do everything I needed to do at home as well as taking supplies to customers then left for school.

Immediately I got to school, I went straight to the vice principal's office. He told me to go, attend the assembly that all my missing records had been found, and that I could go to my class teacher to pick up my report card as soon as we were done with the assembly. I was really happy to hear this from him, because I didn't know what would have become of me if the issue had not been rectified. I went to the assembly feeling much better.

The assembly took longer than the usual time. The principal addressed the students,he implored us to continue to be on our best behavior during the holidays. He said it was going to be a long holiday, therefore we should not mingle with bad kids in our neighborhoods. He said we must always have it on the back of our minds that the good apple, if mixed with the bad ones eventually spoil the good ones. In other words, bad company corrupts good ones .He concluded his speech by announcing the resumption date for the next session. After the principal's Speech, we had a prayer session which was led by the vice principal, then we were asked to go to our various classes where our teachers handed us our report cards.

Getting to my class, our class teacher was already waiting. By his attitude, I knew he wasn't happy with the way some of us went directly to the vice principal about our records, but there was nothing he could have done about it. He began to call the classregister and luckily for me, I didn't have to wait for too long to be called to receive my report card.

Even though he frowned at me when I approached his desk I didn't care, I just wanted to see my results and be sure that my grades were good enough to take me to SSS2. I got my report card and everything was perfect. The two subjects that were missing from my records had been inserted and my grades were good. I went back to the Reverend's office to let him know how grateful I was. I prostrated to him with so much happiness and excitement. He said he was happy to have helped me out, that whenever I needed his assistance in the future I could come to him.

I finished the session in good spirits. This time I wasn't the best in class like I was, in my former school but it didn't matter. I got good grades and I was promoted to the next class, that was all that mattered. I felt fulfilled, because when I first got here, I thought it was going to be difficult for me to make it through to the next class, but I did it. I went home with so much excitement, now I was looking forward to the next session when I would be in SSS2.