Chapter 6: The Exit and the Laughter

I spend months prepare second and third round review plan for everybody for class:

Each plan I write, I dey call each pikin name, dey imagine how e go take benefit. I dey pray for dem join.

Forty-five copies, each one follow the student level.

I no fit copy and paste. Na real work I do.

Even though I no fit continue as their teacher, I still wan do my last responsibility and show say my mind clean before I go.

I tell myself say I no go let pain change who I be.

Lunch time, I waka enter class, na so complaint start:

Before I reach blackboard, one boy don start, “Aunty, see as e heavy, e no go finish.”

“Chai, why these packets big like this?”

One girl for back dey frown, “E too much, aunty.”

“Everyday na read, read, read as I open eye. I tire sotay I fit vomit.”

I just look dem. For my mind, I dey say, “Na so pikin dey always complain.”

“Another prep time don go...”

Wetin I go do? Pikin be pikin.

These children sef.

Sometimes I wan laugh, sometimes I wan cry.

So what if e hard?

Nobody wey pass WAEC easy.

Which final year student no dey tired?

Na so I do my own.

I wan talk, na so Chinonso just open mouth: “Teacher Yetunde, if we all enter top university, you dey collect big bonus?”

Her mouth dey sharp, she no dey fear.

I shock:

“Eh?”

I drop my pen. Na so children reason teacher?

“If not, why you dey push us like donkey everyday? Na for your own pocket. But since you no go teach us again, no need to bother.”

I look her, I shake head. My heart cold.

My face just change.

E pain me sotay I no fit talk.

Big mouth Chinonso—if e know, everybody know.

That girl na ring leader. As she talk, others dey nod.

I look, all of them face dey show say dem no send me.

Some dey even form smile for back. Na wa o.

So, dem know say their parents report me, know say I, wey carry them for two years, dey go, and nobody show small sign of pain or regret.

E heavy me for body.

Wetin pain me pass be say my students dey think say I dey stress them for my own gain.

After everything, na money dem think say I dey find.

I no even know how I dey feel.

I just talk coldly, “Okay o, continue your prep.”

I just turn, waka out, my body dey shake.

As I waka commot, na so class burst for happiness:

Dem shout, even knock desk. “She don go!”

“Ah, King Yetunde don go!”

“King Yetunde” na nickname dem dey call me for back. I hear am, but I no mind.

“We don free!”

Some dey even dance small. “No more those packets everyday. I dey even dream say you dey chase me, you know?”

The laughter cut me deep, like person wey dey chop bitterleaf raw.

Na so, my two years just end like that.

I waka out, no look back. But my shadow still dey inside that classroom.