ℝ𝕖𝕤𝕠𝕝𝕦𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟𝕤 ✔︎

3°

Uzo

The school walls never failed to nauseat me. Those rough brown walls that were formerly yellow from the paint color with protruding broken bottles with stubborn tree branches peeping out at the outside world. Noisy bees and Kokobishi ants made home of them like little guards preventing students from climbing the trees and jumping out, oh nature.

WELCOME TO FEDERAL GOVERNMENT COLLEGE.

Papa stopped by the second gate and there the walls which were painted before every term began stood tall with barb wires unlike the former where broken bottles did the job.

I had started my secondary school at a private school but papa withdrew me because of Edozie's wayward behavior... It all started from the school we were attending. Papa didn't want us to start acting like Edozie so he withdrew us.

Adaku didn't leave the same session as I did because she was already in JSS3. He joined me at FGC in her senior school. Papa parked his car behind a red Mercedes Benz and we got down. The first thing that caught my eyes was the ever tall statue that had our school logo boldly carved and our motto: Pro-unitate.

"If you like exhaust your pocket money! You won't see me here till visiting" papa said. We nodded taking our boxes and Ghana-must-go's from the car's boot.

Papa helped us to the gate and hadbus cleared. Adaku spotted her friends Maryrose and Ijeoma under a tree drinking yoghurt. As soon as they sighted her, they ran to hug her screaming.

"Good afternoon sir" they greeted papa after exchanging pleasantries with Adaku in a very unladylike manner.

"How are you?" Papa asked

"We are fine sir" they replied in unison. "So you've started buying yoghurt this early...wasting your money abi" Papa said. They smiled their teeth clenched in shame. Not because of what Papa said but because some junior students were watching the embarrassing scenario.

"I'm going Adaku, Uzo.....take care" he said. We gave him brief hugs and he left. Adaku also left with her friends leaving me to struggle with my box and Ghana-must-go.

I spotted Kamsy coming my way. He had grown taller and more mature . I could almost picture him on Christmas carol night singing ' The first noel' with a sweet sensitive voice now even deepened as he spoke to me.

"Uzo!" He called as he walked towards me exposing his perfect white dentition.

"Hey Kamsy, Have you seen Damola and Agatha?" I asked. "Yes. I saw them not too long ago. They have been waiting for you" he said lifting my Ghana-must-go with so much ease that it made it seem like it was empty.

As we walked towards the female hostel, he greeted friends.

Everyone looked new and fresh. Hairs neatly cut or braided. The notorious ones like Akpele (Johnson Koko) kept crazy hairstyles. I saw Kelechi Ukpadu one of the notorious boys in the college looking so different. He did not resume with a crazy hairstyle this time and rumors were flying about that he was taken for deliverance while some said he had decided to change; a new year resolution.

There were other people like Uzodinma and her minions who were always sewing new uniforms every term and box contents added up to half the school's contraband items being brought in.

Uzodinma had been my friend when I resumed in JSS2. But soon left me when she found out that I wasn't 'dope enough '. She now called herself 'Dinny' a name she forced her friends to call her too.

"I can't walk past here, it would be trespassing" Kamsy said with a grin.
I looked up at his tall and slim frame " It's alright. Thanks a lot Kamsy"
"You're welcome"