It was in my JSS3
Ma, please, I don't want to be the class perfect again. It's affecting my result and performance in class. My mum said I should tell you."
I was standing behind Chigbo when he lodged the complaint to my class teacher. The woman accepted his resignation and I automatically took over.
I wasn't a spirit to know he was lying. How would he lie to me when we the closest pair in Lutheran High School? Often, we dragged academic position in our arm. We were allies.
He had told me about his stance on the class perfect position earlier but his reason wasn't totally right. It only dawned on me later.
On our next mathematics class, I was called out officially as the new class rep. Small shy Samuel. Miniature. You'd easily tell I would be intimidated.
My first assignment wasn't funny. Names of noisemakers. My class teacher had ordered. I was in a class with bullies. Was this what Chigbo feared? These boys will harass me after school. I couldn't do it. In the next class I had to lie to her that I'd forgotten the list at home. She flared for some seconds and then the dust settled. We had our class and that was it. I wasn't going to get away with it forever.
My block was positioned parallel to the old science laboratory, that comprised of the Physics and Chemistry laboratories.
One fateful day, the whole block was so rowdy. Teachers didn't come to class. Noises rented the air. Dirty boys club members jumping from one locker to another. The good students were bookworming. All of a sudden, ambience returned. The balcony was like a cemetery. Everywhere was dead silent. You could hear the faintest muttering from the very last class. It aroused the curiosity in those of us who were inside.
What could be wrong? Only a fearsome teacher could exact this. This time it wasn't the ones we were used to. It was the pot bellied Isangidighe with his short cane. He was this fearsome physics teacher I came to know afterwards, albeit, the way I wouldn't want to remember. Mr Isangidighe was the Head of the Physics lab. Liberal with his views. He'll later tell us how he spends his Sunday mornings - sitting with his bottle of chilled beer under the palm tree infront of his cottage. He doesn't go to church. The noise had traveled as far as disturbing his class with the SS students.
I want the names of those noisemakers on my desk in twenty!"
He said raging when he got to each arm of JSS3.
Jesu! I didn't even notice who they were that made noise. My head was buried in the book on my locker. Samuel, how do you start this one?
There's this set of boys that were known troublemakers in class then. They were bullies. Four in number. I quickly 'lifted' their names onto my plain sheet. I didn't care! Que sera sera! That momentary gut can lead you astray seriously.
All the class captains went in a file to the lab. We waited for him to finish his class. We submitted. After, we were ordered to go and call the offenders which took a lot of guts too but the next line of action surprised me. Those class reps with few names were to be punished alongside the offenders. Ghen! Ghen!! I was one of them. Unfortunately, I wasn't used to floggings. I had school mums from JSS1 to SS2.. That meant no disturbance from senior colleagues and compound work. Hence, my buttocks were still fresh.
The way and manner the man flogged offenders, I've never seen students twist, wriggle and turn like that before.(This will be my first punishment as a student). And it was epic. I was totally disoriented. I had to worry about my own turn and what I'll face when I get back to class.
The first stroke that landed on my buttocks sent shock waves to my feet and cerebrum. Couldn't hold back the mummy! that forced it way through my mouth. I think my soul left my body for a minute. I almost went lame at the fourth stroke. After the whole exercise, I couldn't move - one, for the beating and then to avoid the bad boys.
I stayed there till school was over. I stealthily went back to pick my bag. Lo and behold! there they were, waiting, when I peeped through the door. Good thing was Chigbo was there waiting for me too. Brethren, I engaged a sharp reverse like a Toyota 4WD. Got downstairs. I sent a junior student to go and call Chigbo. That's how I escaped.
Next day landed me in my Class teacher's office. I had rehearsed Chigbo's excuse.
Ma, I came to resign my post. My mum said I should focus on my subjects"
I said with avidity. Even polygraph wouldn't read the lie on my lips.
This woman turned down my request sharply. Oh my!! I immediately felt like replaying the tape of yesterday for her to see. I went down to class half-hearted and disappointed. I hated Chigbo for getting away with it easily.
Any student that wants to beat me should start immediately.
The way the bullies stared at me when I entered the class. In my mind, if you people know how much I hate this position right now.
Wherever that man came from, he gave my buttocks a lasting impression.