LOW CUT

CHAPTER FORTY-SIX; WASTED A's

      

  "Ah ahn... Winner Obinna? I heard you are in the art department is that true?"
Mr. Ade asked one morning when he called me into his office in the Junior  Session.
  "Yes sir." I responded curtly bracing myself up for his next statement.
"For what? You are supposed to be in the Science class."
"Oh! No! Not again." I lamented as I rolled my eyes at him.
"What do you mean? What do you want to be in the future?"
"Sir. I want to be a Lawyer."
"Oh.. okay
That is good. Keep it up. I thought it was something else. Hnm... A lawyer is good. Have you discussed it with your parents?"
"Yes sir. Well, my mum and Dad don't mind."
"Okay now." He said as he realized his mistake.
   I don't know why the teachers in Schools have this mentality that the smartest students are meant to be in The Science department, the dumbest  to the Commercial department and the average to the Art department.
   I remember when I was doing my Admission process to the Senior School Session. I took my result to the vice principals office for approval and for the assignment into a department.
The moment she saw my result, she was about to mark Science class when I stopped her from doing so. Her reaction was very obnoxious.
   "Ah.. ahn.. where else do you want to be if not in the Science department?" Mrs. Ibitoroko asked surprisingly.
" No ma. Please mark Art Class. "
" What?? "
" Yes ma. "
" You are not serious. "
" I am serious ma. "
  " Then why do you have A's in your result when you know that you would not use it for something reasonable? "
" Ah.. ahn... Ma. "
" Would you shut your mouth up! "
She marked the Art department for me and threw my result at me. I picked it up feeling good to have been assigned to my desired Department.
   Cynthia was also in the Art department but we didn't sit together this time . We're so far away from each other. I resumed late so my sit was at the back. I was sitting very close to the back door if the class room.
   When we resumed in SSS 1, Our population was so much that there wasn't enough space for us in the Senior School. The most populated department is my department -The Art department. I was told that we are 209 in number.
  Our Principal Mr. Sanni is a very kind man. He said that it wasn't good for all of us in the Art department to be in one class considering our population. He said it would be difficult for us to learn that way. He didn't just complain and comment, He swung into action immediately with the Vice principal Mrs. Bolanle . The were able t secure two empty classes for us in the Primary School session. So, we were divided into two- SSS 1 B1  and SSS 1 B2. The primary School classes weren't as big as the ones in the Senior School but it was manageable and a bit airy because of the trees and the numerous windows.
  I am in SSS 1 B2. The population in my class is now 98. This feels so good.
  We were given Scheme of work in Senior School to study ahead of the class.
  To be honest, I thought things would be far better in the Senior School but it wasn't not all. I thought we would have enough teachers and lectures in the Senior School but I was wrong. We didn't have any of these things. The library that was my only hope was not standard and conducive enough for a student to study and research in.
  We don't have a Literature Teacher and that is one of our important Subjects. Our Government Teacher hardly teaches when he comes to class , all he does is it harass the boys in the classroom by dipping his hand in their pocket and taking money and other valuables from it. He goes by the name Mr. Lekan.
  Mr. Lekan has the tribal marks of a typical Yoruba man. You don't need to ask where he comes from when, once you see the cat whiskers tribal mark on his face, you just automatically know that he is from the Yoruba Kingdom.
   Our CRS(Christian Religion Studies) teacher was also a mess. He had a small voice and doesn't come to class regularly. He goes by the name Mr.Joseph. CRS is also one of our important Subjects as Art Students.
  Our maths teacher Mr. Ola was nothing to write home about. Whenever he comes to the class, those at the front sit run to the back because according to them, when he speaks, it's like a river flows from his mouth. You know what I mean.
    I was still complaining about all these and more until I heard that the science students didn't have a further maths teacher. When I told this time my Dad , he said that was the reason why Chibuzor couldn't study engineering. He didn't have further maths and that was the core subject for his course. From what I heard, Osa Senior School has never really had a further maths teacher. They come and they go. They never stay long enough to meet the next class.
  Now, I'm beginning to miss the Junior School. It's acting good to be here though. I get to meet the last Seniors who are acquaintances again.
   The English teacher is good . She comes to class regularly and also teaches well. She insults a little and beats too but she is still better than the rest.
  It still feels good to walk around in School and in the streets wearing the Senior School uniform. I often see the look on Rebecca's face when she sees me  in the Senior School uniform. When I got to the Senior School, I became lonely again. I was stopped walking home with Rebecca, not because I am in Senior School but because I found a faster way home from school. I stopped walking the long distance to the bus stop hence, walking home with Rebecca stopped.
This affected our friendship a bit but she I didn't mind because unlike me, Rebecca has a lot of friends. So she wouldn't be lonely without me.