MAIDENS

MAIDENS 5

Wura was seated with the rest of the class when the arrival of a man caused all of them to stand in silent awe. Teacher Alakola was dressed in a deep blue lace adorned with little shiny objects on every sleeve so that he sparkled as he walked. The attire was characteristic of the western people of the kingdom but somehow it managed not to look like something any normal seamstress hands could put together. He had never looked more handsome and respectable. The students watched their teacher's rhythmic stride, his hands and legs moving in perfect harmony with the melody of the tonic sofa that echoed beautifully from his baritone voice.

Alakola couldn't remember ever feeling happier, and he could barely conceal his delight. As he sang and spoke, his joy was contagious. As if he knew what their reaction would be, he announced immediately, "I have been favoured by the king!" The class shouted together then kept quiet as if to say, "More information!" Wura wondered too because lots of people received favours from the king. Had teacher Alakola been secretly ill and now well? The healing and provision favours were the commonest among the people.

"What is beauty without Aiyélojà Kingdom? No! There is none," Alakola said, his voice brimming with pride. "What a matchless kingdom. Aiyélojà Kingdom is a kingdom like no other. Filled with a glorious three-dimensional culture. Oh, I love her uniqueness, and it gladdens my heart to be part of it. I am happy to be part of this kingdom. I am happy for my kingdom."

One of the students already ran to the class Bata drums to find a worthy accompaniment to the melodic words of their teacher when the horn of a bicycle announcing Teacher Adio's presence was heard in the compound. He strolled in through the door seconds later. As usual, he was smiling. Some students were not quick enough to swallow their groans of frustration at the disturbance but that did not deter Adio.

"Alakola my friend, it seems you and your class' plan for this new year is to keep pulling us to this classroom. Why, even I am tempted to come to sit here as your student so I can be ever near the melodies and dance you know I love so much, eh?"

Their teacher laughed heartily. "It is the will of our king at play here only, not mine."

"Alakola, my friend, what is happening?" Adio asked, a wide smile spreading across his face. "Your spirit is brightened, joy engulfs in you as you sing; talk to me, what is going on?"

Alakola turned to Adio, his eyes beaming with happiness. "My friend, I am just overwhelmed with joy today as you say," he said. "I am grateful to be part of this beautiful kingdom. It's a place like no other, filled with unique and diverse cultures. Aiyélojà Kingdom is our pride, and I am happy to call it my home."

Adio nodded, understanding the depth of Alakola's emotions. "I feel the same way, my friend," he said. "This kingdom is full of life and beauty, and we are lucky to be part of it."

Wura and her classmates who had been left standing, their celebrations cut short remembered then that their teacher had had something to explain to them before the lousy Teacher Adio came in. Perhaps the collective thought had passed through their minds at the same time because as they saw Adio pull their teacher into the pit that was his aimless discussions, they knew their news would be left hanging and surprisingly half of the class shouted at the same time. "Teacher Alakola, what is the news?!"

Teacher Adio's new story about his bicycle's menace was cut short by the student's outburst and he wondered why his good friend trained his students to be this outspoken. He would have queried Alakola's methods if not that his students always led the rest of their peers in every topic from skill, knowledge and understanding. One day, when he had taken down his pride to ask, his friend had told him he would tell him the greatest secret that helped him and had raised his hope before squashing it by simply singing a song. Adua ke o, mena chauda ke o, Adua choko, ka du be bili juja. Even right now the anger of that day swept through his body coupled with these menacing children who were low-key telling him to shut up. I will deal with each of them in this school. His eyes caught at a short lady seated in her forever front seat. And that Wura too is their ringleader. One of these days, I will find the opportunity to...