1 PROLOGUE

Now that the WASSCE result was released, Bayo had emerged with flying colors; with the best result so far among his cohorts. Of course fair distinction in Eight Science subjects and a Credit in Geography suffice to make one the best Graduating Student, the idol of admiration of the common man and also, the favorite child of an African Parent.

"What a Joyous June! "He exclaimed to himself as he took his morning shower. Mondays were always most boring day of his weeks but that very Monday felt so different. He could recall how the proprietor of Rehoboth Comprehensive Model Academy warned them against obtaining less than 7 Credits in the WASSCE examination and how all his classmates, especially Bella vowed to fly in rainbow colors. As he took his shower, he could be heard miming DJ AB's popular hit, "Soyayya," and changing the tune to best fit his mood. His joy and enthusiasm had direct link with his father's promise to sponsor his education abroad.

"My son, you shall Study Engineering at the Imperial College of Engineering, India! " his father exclaimed as he held a glance of the details of the result from Bayo's Mobile phone.

After he dressed up, he boarded a cab to school as it was the custom in Rehoboth Comprehensive that all SS3 Students must show up in the school by 10 am on the very day any external examination result was released. About a month earlier, the JAMB's UTME result was released and everyone was in school except Shehu. Bella obtained the highest points; 296 out of 400. Chinedu who was the star in the Arts class obtained 281 and Bayo obtained 280. Bella was highly praised by the school authority and out of happiness, the proprietor made a cheque of N 20, 000 in her favor. It was later confirmed that Sheshu, who virtually refused to show up on that day obtained 77. But he denied it, saying he obtained 177; even though Chinedu secretly obtained Shehu's UTME registration number and had checked the details of his result.

Everyone gathered and this time around, even Shehu was present. The combined students of the SS3 class, 46 in number sat on the chairs in the School's central hall while the principal stood smartly behind the podium.

"A very Good morning to you all..." the principal started in his usual manner.

As he was addressing the students, the school typist was already using each of the students' registration details to browse their result so that the school authority may post them on the notice board.

"... As you all know, we always have two graduating students. The person with the most exceptional performance in the UTME and the person wit the best grades in the WASSCE. We are yet to have a case where a single student combine both requirements and emerged the only best graduating student we doubt this year's case too...." Undoubtedly, the last part of the principal's statement gave controversial Bella a heartache.

She was already seeing herself as the best and only graduating student of the 2018 session. She strongly believed in her result. The principal concluded his speech with some words as thus: "what you sow is surely what you reap... It is too late to pray or read, the results had been released and most of you may have checked it privately on your cellphones...."

The principal then left to the school's ICT center where the typist was busy with the results printing. That gave the students a bigger room to reflect and discuss.

Joy, who was nicknamed "The Bee" stood up as soon as the principal exit the hall and started to jump from one row to the other, asking everyone about their result.

John, the rather introvert was seen occupying the last chair in the hall, ignoring all present and thinking out of his real world. Godwin and Maryam, the lovebirds sat together on the last two chairs by the left row of the hall. Not bothered about the main reason why they awaited in the hall, the two lovers were hugging and kissing passionately. The 'Talkative' Fareeda, or whom the class rather nicknamed "Talker" was seen in the midst of about nine persons, talking to them tirelessly and giving the perfect demonstration to all she said, using her hands. Fareeda, the girl that would hear about a happening and while narrating the hearsay to others, would describe it even better than the way it really happened. A normal listener would think she was live when it happened.

Victor sat aback, admiring almighty Bella. He was dumb and dull even in the arts class. His position ranged from 20th - 24th when the total number of the arts students was just 25. Right from SS1, Victor found his heart so attached to Bella, the girl who no boy dared approach in the entire school. She was so beautiful and charming. A black beauty with a set of white teeth, enclosed by a pair of pink lips. Her face look so innocent that no judge may judge against her favor. Her dimples were so identical and cute. With a long black hair and eye lashes, even her foe may give her a level of compliment.

About 20 minutes later, the principal emerged with a compendium of the results. As it was the practice, the best 10 were called out in order of performance and the last Five too. But few minutes before then, Bella found a writeup on a piece of paper that she judged by the handwriting that it must have been written by Victor. " Dear Pretty Bella..." She read to herself. "... have been waiting for a perfect moment to say to you how much I Love..." The paper dropped off her hand in fright. she hated what she read.

By the expression on her face, Victor who was clearly mentioned in the last Five knew he was in a big trouble; bigger than the Five Fails and Four Passes he obtained in the WASSCE. Now that Bella found herself with the third best result in the class as opposed her thought of being the first, tears rolled down her cheeks, she was beautiful even as she cried. Two tragedy: "Victor wrote to her; the result against her." She thought.

Bayo was congratulated by the entire assembly of students and the staff. He was given a medium to deliver a short speech to motivate the students..

" I regard it as a great privilege and a signal honor to address this great assembly of the prestigious Rehoboth Comprehensive...

...to my classmates who might be feeling a sense of failure due to low performance in the just released WASSCE result, never panic. We all have different success story to narrate in the not distant future... a philosopher and physicist Albert Einstein said 'Everyone's a genius but, if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, then it will live the whole of its life thinking that it is stupid...' Don't judge your tomorrow by what we have seen today. You're success maybe is largely divorced from the outcome of the WASSCE...

To the most junior students, ...The journey of a thousand miles begin with just a step so, never feel left behind...."

When Bayo concluded his speech, the entire assembly clapped with admiration and enthusiasm. Only Bella was so indifferent. She knew not the reason but she disliked Bayo passionately.

It was time for the semi final photograp and all the staff and the final year students stood in a photograpic order, with Bayo by the right hand side of the principal and Bella, by the left hand side. After the photograph, the students dispersed to different locations; some sought shelter under the orange trees while others returned to the hall.

The SS3 classroom was empty and dusty. Not minding the dust, Bayo entered and sat on one of the desks, placing his feet on the bench. He felt a strange nerve in his system regarding the performance of some of his classmates in the just released O' Level examination. He sat quietly and began to recollect the major stories that occured since the start of their Senior Secondary School, about 3 years ago.