Chapter 4: Reform or Ruin

Three months later, I reach one reform centre for bad children for Ibadan, go apply for teaching work.

The centre dey for bush area, close to old cocoa farm. The gate high, fence tall, razor wire dey top. Old NEPA pole bend for one side, wire dey dangle like snake. The inside compound get football field, but grass no dey grow well. Some boys dey run round, some dey fight for corner, nobody dey smile. Goats dey graze near fence, but the boys dey chase dem away for fun.

Dem dey call am 'reform centre,' but na real training ground for wicked people.

The staff dey whisper when new person enter. Some dey joke, some dey fear. The air thick with secret—na only strong person fit last. The cleaners dey avoid eye contact. Everybody dey watch who go break first.

No be prison, no be psychiatric hospital, but people wey dey here bad pass all.

All the security men be ex-police or old soldiers. Dem dey carry stick, dey shout for corridor. The food smell strong, beans water dey leak from kitchen.

Most of them no get single empathy. Some born wicked, some just love violence, some do evil things, dey hide here so police no go catch them.

I hear gist say one boy stab teacher last year, another one set toilet on fire. The matron dey mark register with iron face.

Of course, Efe Okon dey among them.

His name dey for red ink for board. I see im picture, no smile. The students dey fear am, teachers dey avoid im class. Some boys dey follow am like loyal dogs, dem dey call am 'Chairman.'

The principal face hard, like say e dey hide secret for inside eye. As e dey look my file, e eye me like say e dey fear:

The man be ex-army, his skin dark, scar dey forehead. Im table full of cane, old files, and picture of children wey run commot. Groundnut bottle dey im table, but e never touch am since morning. Im eyes no dey blink, im voice like stone for gutter.

"Your CV dey correct. No be waste to come here?"

He dey measure my mind, as if e dey expect me to run. Some teachers don run before, so im no trust anybody wey say e wan work here.

I adjust my glasses. "Teacher dey like challenge. I wan try wahala pass this one."

I smile, voice soft, but my mind dey set. The principal nod, as if e dey size me for wrestling ring.

He sigh. "You no understand. This place no be normal school. These children no be normal. Especially three months ago, we get one new boy—wicked reach bone. Since e come, e don gather boys, dey plan against teachers, almost make another student kill himself. The last teacher wey get this post run commot. You gats strong."

He tap cane for table, his voice low. Some staff for corridor dey peep, dey watch if I go fear.

"Na Efe Okon, abi?"

I talk low, "E trend for news that time. I hear some things. So why una no just expel am?"

The principal hand freeze for air. E look me well. "You get mind o. Na im parents get big connection for Abuja and Port Harcourt. If we expel am, wahala fit reach ministry. Dem dey pay, dey beg us hold am here. We no fit push am out like that."

Principal shake head. "Im parents get money. Dem dey plan travel out, dey do document. If we release am, wahala go plenty, so dem pay big money to keep am here."

He lock drawer, bring file, show me all the paper wey dem use tie Efe case. I see cheque, I see letter from lawyer. The man just sigh.

I smile. "I understand. I ready for the challenge. But abeg, una get rules for how to teach? My own style dey different small."

I adjust my tie, my eye dey sharp. The man nod, say, "Just make sure say dem no wound you. If you fit teach, teach. If you wan cane, cane. If you wan pray, pray. Just survive."

Principal look me with pity. "The children here no be normal. If you fit just protect yourself, e don do."

He tap my shoulder, as if e dey pray for my soul. One old teacher near door dey shake head, dey mumble, "God help you."

As dem dey hand over, I see the female teacher wey the bad children frustrate until she run.

Her bag big, her steps quick. Her eyes red, her voice low. She dey avoid everybody, dey carry her Bible like weapon.

Her face swell, hair shave, her body be like person wey just come out from wahala, dey shake.

She pass me for corridor, no look my face. Her slippers old, her voice no get power again.

She no even wan talk to me, just wan run far from the place.

I call her softly, but she just wave hand. Her body dey shake. She dey grip her bag like say she dey run from ghost.

I ask, "Those children bad like that?"

She stop, face me. Her eyes empty, voice crack. "If you no fear, you go fear after one week."

She look me. "Dem no be human. Dem be demons. Real monsters."

She whisper, “God cover you,” before she waka fast.

She turn, tears for her face. She whisper, "Pray for yourself. No let anybody deceive you."

As she talk finish, some boys begin shout from back:

Their voice rough, like Lagos bus conductor. I hear slap sound, followed by laughter. The corridor dey echo.

"Teacher, who you dey call monster?"

One boy with red hair dye, another with cutlass mark for cheek. Dem dey beat chest, dey do gra-gra.

She shake, and as I hear the voice, I turn slowly.

My body cold. My hand for pocket, I dey ready. The place quiet, only footsteps loud.

As our eye jam, I just smile.

I let the smile linger, no show any fear. For street, na who first blink dey lose. My back straight, my head high.

Efe Okon freeze, open eye:

Im sandals old, one strap tear, but e no send. His boys stop behind am. Dem dey look me, dey try read my mind. I see old wound for Efe hand. Im face dark, but I no blink.

"You—how you take dey here?"

His voice dey tremble small, but e try form hard man. Im hand dey shake, but e hide am for back.

Im boys gather. "Wetin dey worry you, boss? You sabi this man?"

One boy with tribal mark push Efe small, dey try ginger am. Another one dey spin biro, dey whistle.

"Who you be? We never see you before."

The tallest boy cross arm. Dem dey size me like say dem fit chop me for breakfast.

I smile, gentle. "First time wey we dey meet, make I introduce myself. My name na Mr. Nnamdi, your new teacher. From today, na me go dey in charge of una."

I let my voice carry well, make everybody hear. I stand for middle of corridor, no move.

I waka go meet Efe, stretch hand. But he just dey look me like say he see masquerade. "Wetin you want?"

He shift leg back, his boys dey whisper for ear. I leave my hand out, then withdraw am, dust my sleeve.

I whisper for only am to hear: "Na here your parents hide you, abi?"

My voice sharp, my eye cold. Efe eyes widen small, but e try bone face.

"But from today, welcome to adult game time."

I tap him shoulder, turn face the rest. For my mind, I dey ready. The real story just dey start, and this time, no be only my daughter get wound for body. For this place, na who get strong mind go last. I ready. Make dem try me.