Chapter 5: Pressure and Connections

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Four.

My course no easy at all—assignment plenty, wahala full ground.

Every night na new struggle. Sometimes I go dey read till light go off for hostel. NEPA no dey pity student.

One weekend, me and Musa dey hostel dey fight with physical chemistry question.

Textbook scatter everywhere. Musa dey tear paper, me dey press calculator like say I wan break am.

Musa just shout:

'I no fit again! Why this thing hard like this? I don try am, still wrong.'

The frustration for him voice na real one. Even our neighbour knock wall, 'Make una calm down o!'

As I see the hair wey he pull, I pity am, but wetin I go do?

I wan help am, but my own head dey block too. Na so wahala dey start.

University work hard pass secondary, no be small.

You fit think say secondary na stress, but here, wahala dey cook for fire.

'Make we ask person?' I suggest.

My voice low, but e carry hope.

'Ask who?' Musa ask, I stuck.

The question get weight. My mind blank, I dey look ceiling.

Lecturer? ...No get mind.

Last time we ask lecturer, na long story and new assignment join.

Classmate? Musa na top science student for our state.

If Musa no sabi, who go sabi? E make me weak.

As I dey reason, one person come my mind: the Ibadan senior. If na she, all these question na play for her.

I dey miss her style, the way she dey break question, but wahala be say number no dey again.

But I don delete her since.

I just dey regret my sharpness. If I know, I for hold am tight.

If I know say uni wahala go reach like this, I for no rush delete her.

Lesson learnt the hard way. Life no get undo button.

Just then, Musa wey dey lie down jump up.

Like say him see vision, the excitement shine for him face.

'I just remember one person!'

His voice loud, like announcement.

'Who?'

'That senior wey we meet for library—I don add her for WhatsApp, you remember? She dey this course too, she go sabi.'

Musa no waste time, carry phone, send message.

As he dey type, him dey smile like say he win lottery.

One minute later, he drag me go outside.

'Come, she don agree! Make we go find her.'

I no even carry my pen, na so I follow am.