We all know that one person who just can’t be on time, no matter the situation. It doesn't matter if it’s a lecture, a test, or even something as serious as an exam, they will always find a way to show up late. Over the years, I’ve heard all kinds of excuses, but one particular experience still makes me laugh whenever I think about it.
It happened during one of our exams last semester. At my school, the rule was simple: if you arrived late, even by a minute, you wouldn't be allowed inside the exam hall. This particular exam was scheduled for 9 AM sharp, but students were always advised to be seated by 8:30 AM to avoid any last-minute wahala.
Now, in our class, there was this guy—let’s call him Tunde. If you knew Tunde, you’d know that punctuality was not in his dictionary. He was never, ever on time. It didn’t matter if it was a lecture, a test, or even an important presentation—he would still stroll in like he had all the time in the world. We had all gotten used to it, but for an exam? That was a different matter entirely.
By 8:45 AM, the exam hall was filled with students flipping through their notes, some looking like they were whispering last-minute prayers. The tension in the room was obvious, and no one was in the mood for distractions.
9:00 AM sharp, the invigilator distributed the question papers, and the exam began. No sign of Tunde.
At this point, I wasn’t even surprised. I leaned over to my friend and whispered, "Omo, if Tunde misses this exam, I won’t even feel bad for him." My friend chuckled, shaking his head.
Then, at exactly 9:10 AM, the door creaked open.
And there he was—Tunde, standing at the entrance with a completely straight face, as if he was right on time. The entire hall turned to look at him, and I could feel the collective frustration in the air.
The lecturer, clearly unimpressed, folded his arms and asked, "Tunde, why are you late?"
What happened next will forever remain in my memory.
Tunde cleared his throat and said, "Sir, there was no water in the hostel, so I couldn’t bathe."
I froze.
I turned to my friend, and we exchanged the most disbelief-filled stare. It took everything in me not to burst out laughing.
For a few seconds, the entire hall was silent. Even the lecturers just stood there, probably wondering if they heard correctly. Then, one of the invigilators, clearly trying to hold back laughter, asked, "So, are you saying the rest of your classmates didn’t bathe before coming for the exam?"
That was it. The whole class bursted into laughter. Some people even put their pens down, shaking their heads in disbelief. I had to cover my mouth to stop myself from laughing too loudly, but at that moment, I knew I had just witnessed the most ridiculous excuse in history.
Tunde, realizing he had just embarrassed himself, stood there speechless. No comeback. No defense. Just vibes.
The lecturers, after shaking their heads in disappointment, told him, "No problem. You can write the exam, but we are deducting 25 minutes from your time."
The way Tunde dragged his feet to his seat that day, looking completely defeated, was the funniest part. I swear, if you had seen his face, you’d think someone had just collected his life savings.
After the exam, nobody let him rest. Every time we saw him that day, someone would randomly say, "Hope there was water in your hostel today?" Even weeks later, it became a running joke.
Till today, whenever I think of the most unbelievable excuses for being late, Tunde’s “no water” excuse still wins hands down.