Chapter 2: Wensi Anniversary Palava

Wensi School tenth anniversary celebration. As the person wey dey run the school canteen, dem still invite me join body.

Dem send invitation with big bold letters and the school logo. I just dey look am for table, dey wonder if I fit dodge am.

To tell you true, I no too send this kind event.

Omo, if you see how people dey rush upandan for those kind celebration, e fit tire you. Me, I dey shy small for crowd. I go just siddon for corner, dey observe.

Children go dey sing and dance for stage, teachers and parents go just dey clap and smile, you go just sit down dey look for hours.

After one hour, you never chop, na so children go dey dance Shaku Shaku, teachers dey try balance for plastic chair, sweat dey your back. Na real endurance test.

But Principal Tunde no gree leave me. Call and WhatsApp video call tire. I just gree finally.

The man even send me voice note, dey beg like say I be him senior brother. "Oga Auwalu, abeg, no fall my hand. You know say dem dey expect you." My wife join mouth: "Go, e fit help your business!"

I manage endure till students finish performance. I wan sneak commot when Principal Tunde block my road.

As I dey waka go, he just block me. "Mr. Auwalu, abeg, one small thing."

He say one parent representative wan chop for the school canteen, and as contractor, I must dey present.

I just dey wonder, na so? No be just food? Dem dey carry am like minister dey come.

I reason say e no go pass small waka. At most, dem go taste food, smile, commot.

Wensi School na private primary school—na chain sef.

Dem get logo wey big for gate, uniform dey sharp. Plenty rich man pikin dey there. Sometimes, you go see convoy drop children for morning.

Ten years ago, dem build new campus for Palm Grove Estate. After plenty years, the school don grow well, reputation sef dey.

Now, people dey rush come from Surulere, Ikeja, even Lekki. The school dey shine. Dem even use air conditioner for class.

“Dear parents, na here be our Wensi School canteen, one of the top ten model school canteens for this city.”

Principal Tunde dey talk am with pride. Dem paste award for door. You go see framed certificate: "Best Cleanliness 2021."

“To make sure say children dey chop better, clean and safe food, na our school principle be that.”

“From kitchen to table, na so so check we dey do. Me, I dey follow up myself."

“Our hygiene, staff work, and where we dey buy food from—everything get strict rules.”

Sometimes, e go call me for night, ask, "Auwalu, that beef you bring, e get paper?" E no dey play with quality.

Principal Tunde dey show the canteen to the plenty parent representatives.

Dem waka slow, like say dem dey inspect for NAFDAC.

“Mr. Auwalu na the person wey dey run our school canteen. If una get any suggestion or question, abeg ask am directly.”

He just face me, use hand point. I nod, adjust my shirt.

Principal Tunde push the matter come my side.

As he talk finish, everywhere quiet. Na so parents turn face my side.

Everybody just dey look me.

One woman adjust her wig, carry pen ready, like journalist.

“Mr. Auwalu, you sure say una dey follow hygiene standard for this canteen?”

Na one mama with glasses, sharp voice like bell, quick fire question.

One parent no even wait, ask sharp sharp. E no let me talk before, e drop question.

“Of course. We dey follow hygiene standard well. We dey disinfect morning and evening, get staff wey dey handle am. Everywhere dey clean, no dirty, no hidden corner.”

I answer calmly.

I come add, "If you wan see store room, you fit check. Nothing dey hide."

“Mr. Auwalu, all your staff get health certificate?”

Another parent join. Na big man this one. Him English dey roll for mouth, but e get concern.

“All our staff—even the woman wey dey wash plate for back—get certificate. Dem check am last week.”

Parents just dey shoot question upandan. "You dey use vegetable oil or palm oil?" "You dey wash fish well?" Even calories count join. One man with pot belly clear throat, adjust him agbada, then talk: "My pikin dey add weight. How una dey calculate portion?"

“Dear parents, make una see with una eyes. Abeg, enter, look and even taste the food. I believe say you go see answer by yourself.”

I no fit answer all at once, so I invite dem make dem check am.

I come open kitchen door, say, "Make una enter. No fear."

Outside, you go hear danfo horn dey blast, and smell suya smoke from street corner. But inside, the canteen na three-storey building, over six thousand square meters, fit seat four thousand people at once.

Everywhere wide like hotel restaurant. Space dey for children to play for side.

First floor na kitchen, store, and staff dining area. Second and third floor na for students.

Even the windows get net, so fly no fit enter. You go smell fresh soap as you dey waka.

As you enter, everywhere dey shine—even the floor dey reflect.

Na so one mama slip small, e shout, "Ah! This place too clean o!"

All staff wear uniform, mask, and glove—clean and look professional.

Na so so white and blue you go see. Some even tuck shirt inside trouser well. Dem dey smile for parents.

Three serving window dey: one for main food, one for meat, one for vegetable.

Queue dey always straight, each line get supervisor. No chance for wahala.

All students dey chop the same thing: three meat, two vegetable, one soup, one main food. Every plate balanced—no senior pikin, no junior, everybody dey chop like Sunday for village.

Menu dey for wall for first floor, na nutrition institute design am.

Na dietician from LUTH arrange menu. Dem paste am with colour photo.

No repeat dish, but everything get better nutrition and health.

You no go chop the same efo riro twice for one week. Children dey learn new food sef.

The parents waka round canteen first, dem happy with the cleanliness.

Some dey use phone snap. One mama dey send video to WhatsApp group. "See our school canteen o!"

After, with Principal Tunde lead, dem carry tray collect food.

One woman drag her pikin: "You go chop fish today!" Dem dey arrange tray, dey smile.

The jollof rice get that party smoke, the fish pepper enter body, even the ugu soup dey draw well. "The chef sabi cook, this food sweet," na so one papa talk as e dey munch fried fish, im face dey shine.

“Yes now, this fish don soak well, taste dey.”

One woman lick hand, nod head. E be like she never chop this kind fish since last Easter.

“The vegetable fresh well well. If my pikin dey chop this kind food, I no get worry.”

Another mama dey sample ugu. She dey happy, dey talk say, "God go bless your hand, my son. Na this kind cook we dey pray for."