IRAWO: My Quest for Freedom 4

My immediate younger sister and I, Tolulope (Tito)

Welcome to my memoirs. 

If you have not read my previous memoirs, 1,2,3, read it here, here and here. Thank you.

I proceed with my thoughts.

Water scarcity at LASMOCOL B, as written on our desks and other furniture,was a common occurrence. 

The water from the well was oily. When we could not get water from the school, we went outside the school gate and into the village to get some. 

Once on a visiting day, I asked my father to check it out when he came to visit me on a I was hoping that petroleum would be discovered in our school and the Lagos government would ask us all to vacate the land because a jackpot had been discovered and I would become a day student so that I could watch television everyday. 

He said that it looked like bad ore. That it was not petrol. Probably, this is how Badore got its name.

I kept a diary from JSS 1 till today. This is why I am able to remember stuff because I read my diary occasionally. I always wrote happenings in my diary. 

Some classmates kept a black book instead; to keep an account of those who wronged them. You would hear stuffs like, “You are now in my black book! I will never talk to you again!” I did not have to do that. I just told an offender to his face that he wronged me and that was it. I was not afraid of anybody.

SS 2 set of 1994; picture with my friends on my 15th birthday.From left and standing: Me (Gboza), Kemi Adebola (Blacky), Bolanle Akinwunmi, Tobi Obaniyi, Dotun Idowu, Jumoke Akindolie. Squatting and from left to right: Margaret Awele Chukwuedo, Kemi Segun, Mosunmola Fajorin

I could give my friends my diary to read once in a while because there was nothing spectacular that happened to me that could be referred to as a secret except of course, the first boy I had a crush on. I never said a word to him and him to me all through our stay in school. It was okay to crush over him in silence.

I was 'tripping' for him because he is brilliant. Intelligent guys, who are also handsome and tall, are a huge turn on for me. I realized later in life that these characteristics cannot be found in one man. It is an herculean task to go on a scouting mission for such a man and those you have eyes for, might not have time for you. So I managed the one I found but.......That gist is saved for later.

When friends asked me who he was, I just smiled it off. Meanwhile, there were guys tripping for me but I did not give them any attention. I was feeling cool with myself.

Valentine’s day was a day everyone, especially the girls, looked forward to Lovers expected to exchange gifts with their partners. Boys that were tripping for some girls would wrap up a gift and cards for the charming girl. Some hated girl would get poop neatly wrapped up, sprayed with perfume and placed in her locker.

I was not expecting any gift from anyone neither did I give any but I would make sure no one played pranks by putting crazy stuff in my locker or around me. In fact, I always locked my locker.

I remember the waltz dance in JSS 2 under the tutelage of our physical education teacher, Mr. Bankole. Every girl was dying for this fair complexioned teacher with a handsome face, except me. I am not attracted to short men. I remember vividly that Adeolu Adeniyi did not want to dance with a girl and he started crying. Every experience is an adventure for me. I danced and enjoyed myself.

Shortly after my last Sunday church service at LSMC Badore. From left to right: Kemi Segun (classmate),Chioma (my school daughter), Tolulope (my blood sister),Bimbo makinwa (classmate), Abiodun (room mate), Me

Shortly after my last church service in school. From left to right, My childhood best friend, Yetunde (I cannot remember her surname;Agunbiade maybe), Me, Julie Omoike, Tope Alder (classmate), Ifeayinwa Obiakpu

 

Yetunde (same as above) and I when I was 3 years old. Yetunde lived in Ebute Meta but came to spend holidays with her aunt and cousins who were my neighbours. On the day this picture was taken, I had run for cover at my neighbours' house, without taking my bath.In those days, I had to be chased around before I had a bath. I ran there with my little green towel. I saw Yetunde all dressed up ready to take a picture and I cried home to tell my grandma that I wanted to take a picture too. Notice that the stocking on my left leg had to be folded in. It did not matter, whether they were different from each other. I just had to take that picture!

In SS1, girls in my class formed a dance group we called Fela Girls. I was the drummer and lead singer. The girls responded to my call. They got to shake their rumps in class to the excitement of the boys who could not get enough. 

Bisola Rufai and Eniola Olorunnimbe were the chief rump shakers. In SS 2, Lekan Akindele became our own Fela. He sang all his songs so well. We usually got into trouble for noisemaking but the excitement we derived from the noise was worth the trouble. I cut grass during classes sometimes, for breaking the rules and regulations. It was one of those things.

I loved to walk by the love triangle trying to create some mischief. The Love triangle was the area lovers in my school usually met. It was always busy on social nights and literary and debating days (Lit) with other schools. 

Though I had curves and long hair, I was more of a tomboy. I thought myself weak if I fell for a boy. I was not as a strong as I thought I was. In fact, I broke my rules and dated a short boy in the last term of SS 3. Can you imagine what love can do?!

I usually went alone on my mischief missions because any friend I asked to accompany me was always scared of getting caught. So, I went alone, threw stones at some of them where they were necking and dodged or knocked on some classroom doors where I knew they would be even with the lights turned out, and then ran away. Some went as far as the school bush! Gosh! Most of them were my seniors.

I remember the day that I annoyed my French teacher in JSS 2. I always scored zero in her class work. Her class was boring because she didn't like translating French into the English language. Some of my classmates thought so too but kept mute.

One day, she came to class and asked us how her class was; she wanted to hear our opinions about her class; did we understand? What was the problem, etc. The class was silent, then murmuring. I was highly frustrated. I could not control myself. 

I suddenly remembered my zeroes and busted out, 

“Excuse me ma, your class is boring.”  

“How is that so?” 

“You do not carry me along, ma. I do not always understand what you are saying.”

“Okay, when coming for afternoon prep, carry along your cutlass. You will cut the grass in my yard.”

“Ahhh!!!  Mo  gbe!”

For a week, I dodged her. One day, she came to uproot me from sit in my class. Chei! I cut grass sotey................

In my ICAN research methodology and communication class, I would later learn the importance of good communication, how to separate emotions from reality and the presentation skills required to pass across a message, however bad, in the most diplomatic manner. 

Now I know that I was too forward and rude. I could have passed across my message in a better way and avoid the punishment. In fact, in such situations, the facial expression and mannerism pass across more message than the actual vocal communication, a case of action speaking louder than words.

Anyway, I made sure that I found a way to avoid sitting for French in my JSS 3 examination. French was compulsory. I dodged it and I still sat for twelve subjects and passed with distinctions except for a ‘C’ in Igbo. 

Luckily, Usifo Ijewere too loathed French just like me (May his soul rest in peace). We both joined forces together and marched to the guidance and counseling officer’s office to lodge our complaints. Instead of sitting for French, we both sat for business studies and home economics (we ought to have picked one of them). 

Usifo’s father was the Parents’ and Teachers’ Association (PTA) chairman. He would later become an ICAN president. Dem nor born dem well. I would have scored an F9 if I had sat for French. Thank God sey pesin wey get leg dey my side. 

My first son does not like French class too and I think back at my experience and smile. I am trying to prevent history from repeating itself. Having a good knowledge of another language besides the English language is very good. It will expand your horizon and put you in more advantageous positions. If you have the opportunity to learn French, German, Chinese, etc, please do. As for me, learning another language is not an activity I look forward too.

Once, I caught this French teacher and the business studies teacher, Mr. Ajayi, hugging passionately in her flat. Her door was ajar. The biology teacher, the shortest teacher at that time, had sent me on an errand to her on one sunny Saturday morning.......and there they were!

They actually dated. I saw them a couple of times holding hands in the school compound. She was the second to the shortest teacher and he was the tallest teacher back then.

I escaped running errands and punishments from seniors because immediately after completing my morning piece of work on weekends, I would move to the classroom block to read and sleep until I had any business again in the hostel. 

I could mend shoes and do other stuff for my classmate or seniors and get an extra plate of rice and meat or fish in return. It had to be rice. I did not deal in eba, lafun, fufu, porridge or beans. Rice was the main deal. It was known as trade by barter and as far as I was concerned, we were doing business. I could exchange my fufu for porridge too. I hated the smell of fufu. Fufu is processed in a better way now. The odour is not as that bad anymore.

There was the dining hall raiding exercise. Sometimes, it was boys versus girls and vice versa. Other times, it was an individual revenge. It was either you packed all the meat or fish or packed the rice, plantain and other carbohydrates as well. Wicked!

To be continued.....