AWAKE

Chapter 18

The well Anticipated cultural day for the session had finally come and everyone couldn't wait to unravel what the day had in store for all of them.
Nina was in the Jss3 class, helping Mrs IJ arrange the costumes for everybody. The class was assigned to the Igbo tribe.
Nina stared outside the window and saw some people arranging canopies and seats outside. She loved the way they arranged outside and it satisfied her in a way, taking her mind away for a while from the stress she had passed.
In the last 2 weeks, she had perfected the dance steps properly. Mrs IJ seemed to like her, so she appointed her as an assistant since the other teachers weren't doing much in helping out. She became so stressed out due to staying extra time with Mrs IJ and the rest involved in major roles like the king and queen.
Michael couldn't stop teasing girls, making them laugh, even Mrs IJ joined in sometimes and Nina would always yell inside her"can we all be serious, I want to go back to the hostel and rest." She couldn't say it out loud, rather she would fake a smile when Mrs IJ looked at her.
"Hey"
Nina turned to see it was Michael calling her.
"Yes," she answered uninterestedly.
"Mrs IJ said I should give you this, you left it with her."
"Oh" it was the pen Nina had given Mrs IJ to mark attendance. Nina took the pen from Michael and put it in her bag and started going.
"No, thank you?" Michael said following Nina, "I think you should be nice to me, I'm your King."
Nina laughed and turned around, "Really?... King-really? You are still the big fool I know" She said keeping her straight face again.
"As long as I'm not the biggest fool you know, I'm okay with the compliment. you should laugh more often you know." Michael said.
Nina turned and walked away quickly, she wasn't ready to hear that similar sentence from someone else.
Michael had tried engaging her to talk to him during rehearsals, but she didn't fall for it.
"See how beautiful the open space is, how I love decorations." Mrs IJ said standing close to Nina, peeking through the window.
"Nina dear"
"Ye... Yes, ma" Nina answered.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes ma" Nina wondered how long she had been absent-minded.
"Okay. Since everyone is here, I'd like you to start rehearsing your parts. Nina, don't forget the way I thought you to prepare the soup."
"Would never ma."
The music from the live band entertained the guest that was seated, and it helped as they waited for other parents and guardians to come. The student ushers did their thing by ushering each person to a seat.
"Senior Michael, your parents are here" a Junior shouted and Michael peeked through the window to see them being ushered to the high table. He smiled but wished his troublesome sister was there too.
It was the first time Nina saw Micheal's parents. His dad was the chairman of the occasion. His mum looked so young and fashionable.
Mrs IJ appointed three guys that weren't doing anything in the group, to take the cooking pieces of equipment and arrange where all contestants would be cooking.
"Good day Mr Chiarman and your dear wife, our amiable principal..."
"Everyone, gather round you can hear the host talk, they've started. I want you all to know we can do this as long as you do what you are told to and enjoy yourself while at it, we will come out tops." Mrs IJ said.
"Fighting" a student shouted with his stretched clenched fist. everyone laughed, it reminded them of Korean movies but they also shouted alongside, "fighting" with their hands demonstrating the sign.
The competition had started. First was the thug of war. Each tribe was paired with another tribe to compete against. At this point, they were to wear anything for it.
The dancers were the only ones that didn't join in the competition. They were asked to stay in their classroom, to practice, but the dancers didn't, rather they cheered from the class as they peeked through the window.
"Hey, what about Michael?"
The girls turned to see it was Daniel and King standing at the door.
"Senior Daniel, he is participating in the thug of war" a Junior girl answered.
"Tell him I said Good luck..." he looked at all of them and locked eyes with Nina who was also Staring at him, "...And good luck to you all." He said.
"Thank you senior"
When he left, Nina exhaled the breath she never knew she was holding.
"Did he just say good luck to us?" one of the girls gossiping asked.
Nina and Daniel hadn't spoken in almost four weeks. The only time she had the opportunity to talk to him was in the abandoned building, which she avoided. She felt bad for what she said to him and it made her feel uncomfortable whenever she saw him.
"We just won" one of the girls shouted.
Nina turned immediately and smiled when she saw their group jumping in excitement. She hoped the event of the day would drown everything going through her mind.
Everyone returned to their respective assigned classes after the thug of war.
Nina and the girls had already changed into their dancing costumes.
The attire was made with an old Ankara wrapper used by the Igbos, called george. It was famously known to have red, black and white stripes. Some of the wrappers also had yellow stripes added.
It was a two-piece, the chest was covered with the gorge wrapper, which was firmly knotted at the back. Then the waist down to half of the thighs was covered with the second piece of the gorge wrapper, which was also knotted at the back of the waist, the hair, waist, neck, wrist and ankles, were adorned with beads that made the appearance more beautiful. Since they were dancers, they had little stones, covered with a light metal attached to their pairs by ropes and they were tied on each ankle of the dancers, so it would make noise when they walked and shook their legs. It was to attract people's attention.
"Woah" Michael gushed at Nina. He was so stunned by her beauty and appearance. He couldn't take his eyes off her, so he decided to compliment her, which he felt would help him.
Nina felt half naked. The upper part barely covered her stomach and the bottom half, barely covered her lap. She wasn't used to it. On the cultural days in her formal school, she had dressed wearing a blouse and tying two wrappers on her waist. In the Igbo culture, there were different attires, ranging from age and class.
"Hey," Micheal said when he got to Nina. He didn't care anymore if she was going to be mean "what's the worst thing that can happen?" He asked himself before going to meet her.
"Hey" she responded and then shook her head wondering why he came over.
"I... I just wanted to say you look beautiful" he said. He waited for a response but there was none, just a worrisome glare from Nina "oops, maybe she didn't like compliments" he said and quickly turned to leave.
"You look a mess..." Michael stopped and smiled.
"... No one wants their king running too late for his event, so hurry and dress up," she said when Micheal turned to face her. She wasn't smiling but she said every word as she meant it.
Michael nodded and left, smiling so hard.
When everyone got outside, Eunice rushed to Nina, "girl- you fine" Eunice said admiring Nina.
"The colours fit so well with your skin tone, see stomach na"
"Gosh! Stop it" Nina exclaimed when Eunice didn't want to stop. " Thanks, I didn't know royalty would fit you like this, see Efik Queen na"
"Thanks, girl," Eunice said.
"Let me get back to my duties" They both hugged each other as Eunice hurried back to her group.
Nina waved at Anny and Destiny who waved at her from their group.
Nina went to their tribes cooking stand and began cooking the meats when they started calling each tribe in.
The junior-Mercy that was assigned to her, assisted her in cooking.
Nina was pleased with how beautiful each culture was represented at their entrance. The cooking stand was a very good viewing place.
Nina turned to see one of their tribe members running towards her, "Nina come, they are about to call us"
"Okay" Nina hurriedly joined them, after giving Mercy some instructions.
When Nina passed Michael, she smiled at him. He looked nice with the beaded crown on his head, and his ishi- Agwu, which was a material with a lion head printed repeatedly. A george wrapper, was tied on his waist and he held a big hand fan which was craftily made by straw strings. Everyone was ready, from the teachers, the king, his queen and servants, the dancers and extras.
"Let us welcome the Igbo tribe." The host said.
"Dancers let's go" Mrs IJ who was the coordinator, said.
"Ada Ada..." The music played as the dancers danced, swaying to its rhythm as practised.
It wasn't long as they started dancing that Nina felt she was caged. The music got into her head and she didn't know when she stopped dancing with the others and started dancing solo.
It wasn't so hard for her to get her steps. She was trained well by her grandma.
Nina danced, letting the music take over her. It felt like she wasn't in control anymore.
Her dance skills attracted lots of parents to join them, even those from other tribes.
"Where did you get this girl from?" Parents asked as they sprayed Nina with money.
Michael, alongside others, was so shocked, but he kept his cool, waving in different directions with his hand fan.
Michael went and handed cola, which is a kola nut in a wooden saucer which is presented by the Igbos at events or when they had visitors; so Michael handed the cola to the proprietor and the Chairman.
Before Michael left, he patted Nina's back with his hand fan, which was done by royalties, when they were impressed.
After the dance, Nina gathered the money she was given and handed it over to Mrs IJ.
"What for?" Mrs IJ asked as Nina squeezed the money into her hands.
"Anything..." She said but coughed, "ma please can I get water I'm thirsty." Nina said.
"Sure" Mrs IJ left.
Nina headed back to the cooking stand and was received with so many praises by the people who were there.
"Senior, I didn't know you could dance," Mercy said.
"And I didn't know you could cook so well," Nina said after tasting the oha which was almost ready.
"Thanks, senior."
"You are welcome, but it needs a little more seasoning, it is not up to the taste..."
"Senior Nina, Mrs IJ said I should give you this water"
"Oh," Nina took the bottle of water from the junior.
The host had called the King and Queens from all the tribes, for them to answer questions which are to test their knowledge of their culture.
After that, the Judges and high guests, moved over to the cooking stand to observe, taste and judge each meal prepared by each tribe which was cooked in native pots and served on native plates.
After everything, the scores were called and the Igbo tribe came out second.