Must Read: Life

7 years ago

Must Read: Life

]”All stand! Greet” thundered the class captain.
”Good Morning sir, you are welcome to the Arts class sir, God bless you sir,” chorused his class mates.

Ola was sitting in front of the class. His dis advantaged height was the cause but it also benefitted him in more ways than one, though, when it came to the time of cane rainfall, he receives it the worst because the teachers’ energy is always at the fullest bar and starts with him.

He had looked forward to this day when he will start wearing the much coveted trousers which literally mean he was a BIG BOY! Immediately after his junior WAEC, he had known he wanted to be in the Arts because he loved reading and also because he knew he would fail Maths. Hence, the science class is out. Commercial is also out because he cannot face the rigours of financial accounting, calculating the money he won’t see or handle! Tu fia kwa! He thought.

So, here he was in the Arts Class! All through his journey to school from home as the bus snaked its way to school slowly but surely, he had been fantasising about who and what it will take to prosper in the arts. He had toyed with different professions in the arts. He had thought of being a lawyer, an educationist, an actor, a writer, and even a professional debater! If anything like that exists…

He had also looked forward to having what he didnt have in the juniors, a girlfriend. At the thought of this, he had grinned then frowned. He thought of how to approach the girl, the money he would spend, the girl’s response and lots more.

”I am Mr Frimpong, your Literature in English teacher. Many of you would have heard about me from your senior ones. I don’t have room for mediocrity in my class. If you can’t cope, then you can leave. And luckily for you, you can’t pass through the arts without this subject. So you just have to co operate with me. Am I clear?” The teacher said, bringing Ola back to the class from his thoughts.
”Any question before I continue?” Mr Frimpong offered.

Hands shot up. He pointed to a girl seated in the middle rows.
”Your name and question.”
”My name is Adetutu. Sir what is the meaning of Mediocrity?” the girl said before sitting.

Her voice was what captured Ola’s attention and he wondered whether she had been in the school since their J. S. S One days. He thought to himself, ‘this will be my girlfriend.’
]”Who can answer that question among all of
you?” Mr. Frimpong diverted Tutu’s question
to the class floor.

Ola knew the answer because he had been
reading a lot of books and had even started
reading the dictionary! The only thing he
lacks is confidence in a new class. Only a few
of his class mates in J. S. S Three A were in the
arts class with him. Tunde and Biola, his
pestilential bullies and friends were among
the few. Others were faces he had seen only
once or twice.

But something spurred him to raise his hand.

It was the desire to create a first and lasting
impression on the minds of those who are
new to him, the teacher and especially, his
would be girlfriend, Tutu! His hand shot into
the air…

He looked around the class and found that he
was the only one raising his hand. Ol boy, this
people will give me a run for my money o! He
thought.

Then,
”So no other person can answer this
question? Okay, we shall see! Short boy, your
name and answer. Fast!” Mr. Frimpong spat
out.

Ola was jittery, but he opened his mouth and
luckily for him, he found his voice.
”Sir, Mediocrity mean something of low
quality. Or the act of performing poorly. It is
gotten from the word Mediocre.” Ola said
and made to sit when he heard…
”Your name, or are you nameless?” That was
Mr. Frimpong again.

Ola thought he was wrong because the look
on the teacher’s face can cause forced labour
to a nine month pregnant woman!
Hence, he shakily said:
”Sorry sir! My names are Adeona Olaoluwa Ibrahim.”
”Sit down Ola”, Mr. Frimpong eased his
tension, yet his heart was pounding furiously.

Then he heard yet again:
”Clap for him. He got it right. And I hope you
have learnt that. That shows he has been
reading and studying.” Mr. Frimpong praised
him.

The class rang with the clap and Ola could
feel himself in the ninth cloud, he heaved a
sigh of relief. Then he heard, ”Obe Kote! Obe
Kote!!”

There were only a few people who
knew him by that nickname, it’s only people
in J. S. S Three A that called the name. He
looked back to see his bully friends, Tunde
and Biola, grinning from ear to ear like one
who just won a jackpot.

The name came from the butcher’s knife he
had brought to school in his junior days for
grass cutting since his mother couldn’t afford
to buy him a new student type cutlass. The
name had stuck ever since.

Class was over and he had become a star.
Everybody became his friends, especially the
girls. He knew it would happen, they were
around him just for his brain.

He went for break and came back to the class
to find a note waiting for him…