Living In The Ghetto - Episode 22

 

It was memorable for Chimaobim the day he was done from the senior secondary school. There was no valedictory service unlike all the big schools outside the ghetto. Chimaobim clinched the best in all the subjects specific to Art discipline and few other general subjects. They all admitted they would miss themselves when they sat in the hall and waited to be addressed by the school principal.

The principal, a lanky man that looked in his early fifty walked in. His oversized trouser matched his almost big suit while he held a cane on his hand and repeatedly adjusted his spectacles that kept drifting down to his nose.

Immediately they saw him, everywhere became calm and they all stood up . "Good morning, Sir," they chorused.

He nodded and gestured for them to seat while he climbed the shabby podium with its slab almost falling off. One has to be careful not to fall off from it. Standing in front of the lectern, his eyes moved all over the hall and he smiled. The pupils were full of happiness. They are finally leaving secondary school. They just completed their senior secondary examinations. 

He positioned himself well and grabbed the microphone from a teacher that stood beside him and sheepishly smiled. "Hello, students

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. I hope you are excited about completing your examinations and finally leaving the four walls of secondary school?"

"Yes, Sir," they chorused.

"Who is not excited about leaving this school?"

For a moment, there was a silence before a girl that sat beside a wall raised her hand. "Yeeee....," They all muttered, staring at themselves and most eyes were on her. Everywhere became noisy. The principal cautioned them immediately.

"Why are you not excited?" he asked, pointing at the girl.

She wriggled her body slowly and finally stood up. "Because I don't want to leave this school. It has thought me a lot," she said, smiling as her face depicted nervousness.

"Yee! Oversabi," they all said in a mocking tone.

"Oya enough. It's okay," he gestured towards the students to caution them. He gulped down saliva before he continued. "I'm so excited about y'all. In some months to come, results will come out and those who are about to take JAMB will write post utme and probably be admitted to the university..." he said.

"...I wish y'all good luck," he said in a conclusion.

He walked out of the hall with the teacher that stood next to him, followed by the other teachers that came around before the students started trooping out slowly. Everyone was murmuring in a low tone.

"Hey, Chimaobim, how are you?" A voice called out.

Chimaobim turned back, it was a boy. He didn't know his name but he was also an S.S3 student. "Hey, what's up?" he replied.

The boy walked close. "I am good," he said. "You are writing jamb next week or you didn't register?" he asked, feeling nervous. His face flashed his heart in his mouth.

"I am writing," Chimaobim replied.

"My venue is Ogun state. Too far. I'll go there on Friday," the boy said. "What about you?"

"A place at Ikeja. The perks of registering early," Chimaobim said.

The boy rolled his eyes. "Perks. What's that?" he thought in his mind. "I am among the few students that don't speak only pidgin in this school and he is still trying to scatter my head with English. People must be right that he is always trying to feel himself," he said and gasped.

His eyebrows furrowed and his face turned wry while he stared at Chimaobim. "Okay," he said.

Chimaobim smiled back. "Prepare well to pass very well," he said.

Chimaobim walked into the class to pick his bag. Other classes were still having class and J.S3 were about to start their junior class examinations. He would be home before his sister. Most of the students outside, were playing and he need to go home to prepare for his JAMB. Walking into the class and picking up his bag, he saw Tobi with his head bent down and his eyes fixed on his book. He raised his head slowly and they waved at each other.

"You are going home?" Tobi asked.

"Yes," he replied.

"Okay."

Tobi packed his books into his bag. He closed its zipper and looked up. "Can we go together?" He asked.

"Okay," Chimaobim gestured.

They tucked their bags to their backs. Walking out, most of the boys were playing football with their school shirts off. Some wore T-shirt while others were shirtless. Some girls sat and gossiped.

Read " She Did It " by the same author ( Obinna Tony )

. They walked down the staircase.

"Hey, Chimaobim," two female classmates greeted.

"Hello," Chimaobim replied. 

He shook hands with them while Tobi waved. They kept discussing while they walked home. They confirmed if they were both going to write JAMB before moving to discussing about their various centres.

"Which course did you choose?" Tobi asked.

"Law," Chimaobim replied.

"Really? Nice. It looks like everybody in Art class wants to study the course."

Chimaobim laughed. "Maybe. What about--"

Tobi interrupted. "But do you like the course?" 

"I do," Chimaobim nodded in an affirmation trying to assimilate where the discussion was moving to.

Silence blew like a fierce wind and they remained silent for a moment. Tobi smiled, "I chose Medicine & Surgery. My parents forced me to, but I like Electrical Engineering," he said.

"Really? Choose your dream."

"I can't. I'll let them down. I'll try my best for them."