Lineage

Bankole Ajayi Part 5

It was the last period, English class, and they were all tired. Tinuke raised her hand, and Mrs. Coker granted her permission to speak instead she walked up to the front of the class and announced that N2000 was stolen from her school bag. Her mother gave her the money during break time for her to buy a few things from a shop, food items for lunch for her and her younger ones. According to Tinuke, it was in a white envelope and she had placed the envelope in between the pages of her Maths textbook. Class was almost over and there was no way of getting the excited students to calm down. Mrs. Coker asked that the doors be closed and all the students come to her table with all their books and bags. One after the other they moved forward, and Mrs. Coker searched through all their possessions, including uniform pockets. It got to Bankole's turn, and from one of his textbooks a white envelope fell out. It contained N2000. The entire class gave a chorused shout, and some added a chuckle. Mrs. Coker looked at them sternly and turned to Bankole.

"Can you explain yourself, young man?" she asked.

"I didn't steal any money," he cried.

"I don't know how the money got there, but I didn't steal the money," Bankole pleaded, turning to Tinuke and then to the teacher.

"You will remain in detention until your mother comes. I would call her right now," Mrs. Coker told him.

Bankole knew he was in trouble, if there was anything his mother detests the most was stealing. He prayed that his mother would believe him; she has got to believe him, but with his change in character, he could only pray. 

Mama came to the school as quickly as she could. She found it hard to believe what the teacher had told her over the phone—Bankole had stolen some money. Mama did not want to believe it at first, but then she remembered how his behaviour had gradually changed ever since the sickness. She did not take it seriously, for one she had been too busy preparing for an exam, and secondly, she just assumed maybe it is early puberty or something. She did not need this now. Why would he steal? She works hard to give him everything he needs and sometimes a few extras. She thought he understood this. Why this suddenly changes? She was more upset because she had evening classes to prepare for the exams. The exams were going to take place next week, and she needs to study. 

She arrived at the school when most of the school almost all the students had gone home even Tinuke. Mrs. Coker had to let her go because she needed to get food ready for her younger ones. Mama spoke with the teacher, Bankole did not hear what they talked about he was standing outside the staff room. He was so ashamed, not only that all his classmates think he is a thief but all the teachers who knew him as a bright student now think he is a thief. Mama got out of the office, Bankole could not read her face, it was expressionless and all she said was "let's go home". She also got to find out that Bankole had not been doing well in his school work and had not been completing his homework. Mama was furious.

When they got home, Mama beat the living daylight out of him. She was  hardly flogged her son. She had a cane and often brought it out to threaten him. When she did flogged him, she would ask him to stretch out his hands and she should give him about four strokes of the cane on the palm of his hands. It was painful and he would cry, but it was never as vicious as it was today. Today Mama was vexed beyond anything Bankole could imagine. She grabbed him by his uniform and flogged him all over his body—back, buttocks, laps, calves. She held on to him tight and flogged him mercilessly. With every stroke, he screamed.

"Mama, I didn't steal it, Mama, I am sorry! Please, Mama! Mama Please! I did not take the money!" he screamed at the top of his voice.

Mama was deaf to his plea.

"No child of mine will become a thief!"

"You will never steal again!"

"I send you to school to learn how to become a better person and not to learn how to steal!"

With each remark she made came the lashes. After fifteen lashes, she was panting and exhausted. She let him go.

"Mama, I didn't do it," Bankole said, and with that he ran to his room.

His body ached all over, he was furious; he had never felt so angry. At that moment, he hated his mother with a perfect hatred. He did not care if the entire world thought he was a thief, but the fact that his mother did not believe him hurt him. Not only was he humiliated in school, teachers think he is a thief and he got flogged like one. Bankole was so angry, he was panting, and he had resolved that tonight he was going to deal with his mother. She would never, ever try this again.

They went for the meeting that same night, and Bankole's anger did not simmer down. He told them all that had happened after they left him in school and how his mother beat the hell out of him. She did not believe him when he told her he did not steal the money.

"What do you want Bankole, we are here to help each other?" Lydia said with a grin on her face.

Then in an outburst of anger Bankole replied, "I want her to suffer, let her be flogged then she would know how it feels".

He felt rage and hatred rise in him and flow through his being, and it felt good. Her mother appeared before them after they called his mother's name three times. They tied her up. She did not resist; she could not. Each child took turns to flog her, two lashes each on her back, and when it was Bankole's he gave six lashes. Meanwhile, Lydia was having a good laugh as he flogged his mother because of the passion he put into it. When they were done, she clapped three times and Mama disappeared. Bankole felt no guilt or remorse whatsoever.