" If you're here to attend the sitting of the disciplinary panel on examination malpractice and cultism please come into the conference room now! Make sure you have your student ID card with you as you come. I will not repeat this announcement again". The husky male voice on the public address system was very loud and clear. I can not mistake that voice even in the centre of a busy market square. Prof. Ogunsoye Awolola,the much dreaded Dean of Student Affairs. The tone of his voice sounded exactly the same as it did when I stood in front of his desk a week ago,on my first invite by the panel.
Holding the record of having the most students either suspended or rusticated in his tenure as Dean just two years down the line in a five year term speaks a lot about his style of administration,his record does precede him.
"he doesn't have human sympathy at all,not even for the parents who have spent so much and sacrificed alot for their children to get within the four walls of a university,the previous Dean,Got bless his soul was not like that,not at all. He expels and rusticates students as if its going out of fashion all in the name of ethics,principles and rules. After all rules are made for men and not the other way round-haba!. Dr.(Mrs) Fauziya Galadima,the current university librarian ranting in front of his door,word is her niece got the same invitation like mine and all her efforts and pleas to get her name off the list have not yielded positive result,his mind was made up,she flouted the school rules and must face the music no matter the toes of the high and mighty that he might step on.
In one swift turn,she slammed the door behind her and brushed me aside unfortunately the file she had in her hand slipped out and all the contents flew in different directions. Still battling to cover her head tie and shoulders with the big silky veil in her hand,I quickly bent over to help gather the sheets that came my direction,some few seconds later I was handing them over to her,I couldn't look at her in my bent prostate position but I could hear her breathing heavily " thank you my son,this man is just a sadist walahi" she uttered as she stormed out of the office.
Next!!! His commanding voice echoed from inside his office. I was shaking and my heart was beating faster than it had ever been. Even though the air conditioning system was on but my polo top was half drenched and I could feel the sweat from my laps wriggling their way down my legs in quick succession. I wiped the pool on my forehead and promptly rubbed my soak palms on my denim trousers. I took a very deep breath and exhaled so fast I could feel it as it rebounded off the door in front of me. Raising my hand gently,I adjusted my ID so my face was up front and knocked on the slightly opened door.
" Young man,I don't have all day,come in already. I still have to prepare for the senate meeting in an hours time,none of that is of any concern to you anyway"
I took just two steps in,enough to give me space to close the door behind me- Morning sir....
"well,the morning looks good to me but if you're here for what I think you are then I would not advice you jump in to that conclusion just yet,no harm in been optimistic though. So what's your name? And please step forward,I don't want another shouting contest just like I had with that woman! Break my principles,no way,never!.
Being the first westerner to assume such lofty position in a university predominantly northern,he prides himself wearing the local western fabric "aso-oke" almost on a daily basis and today wasn't an exception. The cap with two wings by the side and a pointed tip been his trade mark look. He kept so much beards on his face,but it didn't do enough to to completely hide the tribal marks which lined his face,from the ears down to the base of his chin. Some say that's why he dresses the way he does because he cant deny his lineage even if he wanted to. Ever since he assumed office two sessions back,students patronage to the office has drastically reduced as a visit there only spelt doom.
My name is Franklin
Franklin who?
Franklin Asogwa I stuttered
And your matric number is....
99/8732BL I cut in
Do you know why you were summoned?
No....erm yes.....sir
" so which is it? Aye or Nay?well let me cut the long story short. You are suspected of being a member of the ungodly association Sailors operating illegally on my campus. Note I said suspected because investigation is ongoing but trust me we will get to the bottom of this and when we do,pray that you are not found wanting else.....hmmm. In the mean time,I will advise you stay back and not rush home just yet because your attention might be needed at any time. Dismissed!!".
As I walked out of his office,I suddenly realised I was so pressed even though I had not eaten nor drank water since yesterday afternoon. I practically ran to the students toilet located by the main entrance gate of Samaru campus. As I fought my way through the zipper to relieve the tension in my bladder my mind flashed back to the first time I used that particular rest room. It was 3 years ago,I was a 16 year old jambite fresh from secondary school and out of the protective and watchful eyes of my parents for the first time in my life. 4 hours on the que and I finally finished my 100L registration as an engineering student. My father accompanied me down to Zaria just to make sure everything went fine.
Even Mohd,my father's driver for as long as I could remember was ecstatic as he saw me approaching the car from his rear end mirror armed with my file,bank tellers and course form.
"Yung engenia" he said sarcastically and that made my father burst into laughter. The look on his face was the same with the one he had the day I got my SSCE result home,the look of a proud father!
'Lets all go for lunch before we head back to Jos,your mother is expecting us back today unfailingly' but not until I take a leak,I over heard some students talking about a student toilet by the gate earlier.
I resumed back fully two weeks later and just like every newcomer I was given tons of advice before leaving home.
' Face your studies,engineering is tough,its not like secondary school o my son" My mum obviously referring to my track record in Hillcrest international Academy my secondary school where I graduated from with 7 A1's and hence my scholarship to A.B.U Zaria.
'And please stay away from bad boys,remember who you are and where you're coming from!'. I can't recount the number of times my mother said that to me.
Been naturally brilliant,I settled in comfortably academically,I didn't have many friends because they were all older than me,none of my friends from Hillcrest was here so it was a bit lonely most times. That turned out to be a blessing as I buried myself reading all the time. Even during the peak of the harmattan season,I will brace myself with just a jacket and go to class to read at night since I was already accustomed to it growing up in Jos.
It wasn't too much of a surprise on resumption of 2nd semester 100L,when results were posted on the faculty notice board. The youngest boy in Electrical engineering had the best GPA of 4.89. I became the toast of every body,even lecturers. My circle of friends increased geometrically,even the pretty ladies wanted my attention,I felt like a king. Unfortunately the fame attracted the negative side too. Attending a birthday party of one of my new friends,a group of male students asked for a private meeting outside. I thought they wanted me to take them private tutorials' like many others' had requested but theirs was a different level all together. They introduced themselves as the 'united sailor brothers ' who look out for each other academically,financially and materially on campus. Not fully understanding their group and motives I promptly declined the offer.
Within the next two weeks,I was confronted more than ten times,they were stalking me and it was getting too scary but I was determined to obey parental instructions not to 'follow bad boys'. The height of the intimidation and harassment was the beating they unleashed on me on my birthday. Yes! My 17th birthday present was the beating of my life,I had 5 stiches and the worst headache for days. I was threatened and harassed and being young and naive I reluctantly agreed so as to free up some space for my dear life. How can fellow students be this daring and heartless I asked my self on my way back to the hostel from the meeting point. They educated me on their various activities both within and outside the campus and I was shocked to realise the span of membership: staff and students! My job was to help out other 'brothers' academically in whatever capacity ranging from doing assignments,sitting for tests and exams too! I wondered how that could ever happen with the strict measures and screening we go through before entering the examination halls. I had to keep studying,even attend classes that had nothing to do engineering just to be able to help answer their questions when called upon.
That extra baggage of lecture hours and workload naturally took its toll on my own performance and it showed in my 200L results. The excitement and rush to go check the notice board for another excellent result wasn't there,I over heard some students whisper that the 100L performance was a fluke,he's not that brilliant after all,I was deeply saddened.
I could not mail my result home as I confidently did in my 100L and when my inquisitive mother asked,I waved it aside sighting lapses on the part of the department to issue us the printed out copies. This isn't me,so now I lie so confidently to my parents,what have I gotten myself into?. I was struggling to survive academically and emotionally and I could not confess for fear of my life. ' if you open your big mouth to the authorities we will kill you,remember we are everywhere,you can't hide forever!' The words of the Capone always playing in my head anytime I tried making up my mind to spill the beans.
I was just a 17 year old boy,living far from home and thrust into the dark end of a corrupt vicious university life cycle all by myself. Most of the 17 year old friends of mine back in my neighbourhood where I grew up were still in secondary school. I used to think I was lucky and fortunate but it seemed a mere fantasy now.
I never attended their meetings neither did I contribute dues nor partake in sharing largess. I was just the brain box for my so called brothers. Invigilators would turn a black eye whenever I needed to exchange exam sheets or even access the hall with another brothers ID to sit for a test or exam,even in,other departments. I became exhausted both physically and mentally and began to disappoint the brothers.
As the 300L exams approached,I decided it was time to call it quits,as expected they threatened to kill me but I was determined more than ever,I was done. I started preparing for my own exams alone and on the day I sat for the first course without doing the usual stunt for the other brother in my class,they attacked me on my way back to the hostel after my night session studies.
I remember trying to dodge the first punch on my face and making a dash for it as fast as I can and as far as my legs could take me,I failed to realise they attack in groups,I would have known their modes of operations if I were attending meetings. I ended up running straight into the waiting arms of the back up group. They gladly pounced on me throwing punches at me from different directions,in the whole drama that was happening I suddenly realised their was a but of confusion. There were other people who had arrived the scene. As they were shouting at each other I stood up and saw plain clothe police officers brandishing their IDs and side weapons ordering everyone to lye down on the floor or else be shot. We were all arrested and taken to the police station that night. Apparently the police got a tip off and trailed them that night,I was released as the initial logical explanation was that I was a victim and not a member.
That window of opportunity allowed me to sit for all my exams while the remaining brothers wallowed in detention. I was always looking at my shoulders everywhere I went for fear of reprisal attacks and barely left my room,but those fears never materialised.
When my father called and asked why I had not arrived Jos a week after the school closed for the semester,I lied again about having a group assignment that needed to be submitted to the department before we would be permitted to go for holidays. "But why won't they allow you enjoy your holidays with your parents? To help them out with some things at home before the school reopens,it's not fair to us parents but what can we do? That's the system in our country today unlike in our days when we had free food and laundry. Good old days my son". I will be back as soon as we done with it Gods willing as I hurriedly hanged up the phone.
The past one week has been hell ever since that first encounter with the Dean,playing the waiting game for the outcome of their investigation. Will I be expelled or suspended and join the long list of students sent away by this trigger happy Dean? What will my explanations be to my beloved parents? All that pride he had about his son becoming an engineer flushed down the drain in just one pronouncement? How cruel can life be,but it wasn't my fault or was it? I tried resisting them,I tried coping with their demands. But eventually all my efforts failed. I failed not just myself but my parents as well.
But doesn't the system take any blame too? The same system that created a conducive environment for groups like 'sailors' to thrive. All the staffs who were in on it,were they not supposed to be the ones to counsel me against such endeavours? So many questions in my head.
I kept pondering on all of these and tears rolled down my eyes,3 years of my life probably wasted for good no I mean for bad. Now the tears flowed freely down my cheeks,and the voice on the public address system alive again.
" I repeat,if you're here to face the panel,please and please come inside the conference room!".
As I entered the conference room,I stood and watched as they sorted tons of paper work,files and letters. Just as I was beginning to feel they had forgotten I was there the Dean spoke out.
"Young man,we meet again. We have concluded our investigations". My heart sank as I prepared for the worst possible outcome -EXPULSION!
"You like so many others,naive,timid and young adults who got here through some act of fate and destiny with so much expectation thrust your shoulders by family and society have fallen victim of vices you could have been able to overcome if you were more matured and the system more sanitized!. Your parents like just like the other thousands who have children in this school entrusted them over to us not just to teach but to mold all of you to become the pillars in which the society tomorrow will rest on. And untill the day we acknowledge that we are not capable then we owe all of you that sense of obligation. We as the school management accept our short coming's in this regard sadly.
And so,unlike me, today I choose to not break my principles but bend it a little! The panel in an unanimous decision have opted to pardon you if you promise to return your grades to what they used to be before you found your new friends. We will monitor your grades personally as a committee and i hope to see you on your convocation ceremony".
I couldn't believe what i was hearing, i just sat there not wanting to accept what my brain was interpreting from my ears. He doesn't look like a comedian so why today of all days he decides to crack an expensive joke concerning issues of life and death i pondered in my mind. It's definitely not funny i said to myself.
" Young man,do you want to stay here long enough for us to change our minds?".
And with that,I jumped out of my seat,I lost count of the number of times I said 'thank you sir's thank you ma's', 'God bless you'.
Even though I felt i didn't deserve the second chance life was giving me but i accept it with open arms. Now i can head to Jos and enjoy the holidays after a really stressful semester!!
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