Chapter 4: Cold Mornings, Colder Hearts

By seven the next morning, I reach Senior 3, Class 3—the class wey I dey lead—on time.

I fit smell the early morning chalk and dust wey dey hang for the corridor. Most public school students dey go home every day.

Dem don hear wetin their parents talk yesterday night.

Inside the class, where dem suppose dey recite or write vocab for morning self-study, almost everybody just sit down, head bend.

Even the class monitor, Ifeoma, dey avoid my eye. Most no even fit look my face.

Of course, some get mind. As dem see me waka come classroom door, dem begin smile like say dem get sense pass.

Na these same students make their parents hear about the Saturday rest.

As I remember this one, I just stop for the door, no enter as usual.

I look all of them—the students wey I don put my whole mind for, hope say dem go get better future, and before yesterday, I just see as small pikin for school.

Sometimes, I go dey see their future for my mind: some go become lawyer, some engineer, some teacher like me. But see as wahala don bend everything.

Still outside, I knock the door frame.

The sound echo, everybody freeze. "I believe say all of una don hear—your parents want make you change environment."

The ones wey bend head quick look up, fear dey their eye.

Among the bold ones, the ringleader—one boy, Seyi—open mouth shout: "Ah, Teacher Musa, no worry. If you fit try do better for us, we fit still tell our parents make dem no—"

I no even let am finish. I look am well, see as he dey form like say everything dey his control, then I smile small: "I agree."

Seyi mouth open, eyes wide like person wey see LASTMA for road. Just like that, Seyi freeze, his face red like tomato. Almost the whole class face am.

You fit hear rat pee for that class. "Wh—" He no even fit complete the word.

I don understand. Na him run to parents, carry their matter come use threaten me—na him sharp plan be that.

And na his parent talk last night say, "My son get sense well, Unilag or UI sure for am."

As for that "get sense," if no be say since I enter this class, I dey teach each person according to their level—push and encourage dem to practice and cram—forget Unilag or UI, even polytechnic sef go hard am.

I look am straight, talk calmly:

"So I no go come morning self-study today. Make una do as una like."

I see some faces change, some begin shift for seat. I pause, let my words settle for their chest. Silence heavy, only ceiling fan dey chop air.

"And since dem wan change class teacher, to avoid any wahala, I no go teach una maths again. That way, nobody go talk say I dey mislead students."

Na so everywhere quiet, even wall gecko no move.