This work is purely fictional.
Semblance to anybody, dead or living is purely accidental.
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By Raimi Sina
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Prologue
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"Is everything in place?" my mother asked for the umpteenth time. She was clearly overwhelmed with the thought that she was going to miss me, his only son, going to 'unknown' environment for the first time. I've been with my parent since the day I was born. My name is Akintoye Tunde. I was born into the family of five as the only son with two senior sisters who are already married. My mother told me the story of how she was finding child for almost ten years after she gave birth to two girls.
"I have taken everything mama" I answered with smile. Having written Jamb and Waec in the same year, I got admitted into the university. I was only sixteen years but already going to be an undergraduate.
Everything seems to be alright for me in my studies. I remembered the secondary school days, the day my uniform got stolen because of football, the day I got promoted to SS3, the highest class in the secondary school, the day I tried to woo for the first time...
"Tunde, let us be on our way so that you can get there before it gets dark" I was jotted out of my thought. She is taking me to the garage. She has asked if she could take me to school but I disagree. My Dad has already rented a room in boys quarter for me the last time we went together. He didn't want me to stay in the hostel as he believed they were mostly cultists. I know where to stop and where to take bike to my new room. She followed me when I went for Jamb. She also went with me when I went for my post-utme. She stood at the gate as only Jambites were allowed in. She must not follow me this time around.
"How much is it to garage?" my mother asked the bikeman she stopped.
"one pipty naira" the obviously Hausa man answered. Apart from his intonation, he was dark and skinny, just like the Aboki shoe-maker in front of our house. Every dark and skinny human being seems like an Aboki to me.
"Haba! I'll give you eighty naira" my mother retorted.
"Walahi, I no gree. Eighty naira I too small. Make I fay hundred naira" The Aboki rattled on.
My mother and I climbed the bike and he sped off.

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CHAPTER 1
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My first lecture in Igoba State University was intense and paranoic. There were over one hundred students in my department alone. I had arrived thirty minutes earlier than the lecture time. I sat in the front row, I wanted to get everything the lecturer says.
At exactly 8:00am, the lecture time, the lecturer arrived. He was a short, plump man that could have easily passed for a teenager, but for his mature face. Everywhere was quite. Everybody, I guess, was basking in the euphoria of receiving his or her first lecture in the University.

"Good ante-meridian students, my biological nomenclature is Dr Akin Bawa but my botanical configuration is mr V.C. I suppose every homo-sapiens here knows what V.C means?" He started with a baritonic voice.
"Yeah sir" the class replied in the same tone, mimicking the short lecturer.
I immediately ask the meaning of V.C from the guy beside me. He was about my age. I wouldn't have asked if he was much older or if she was a lady, I am the shy type but I want to know everything.
"Vice Chancellor" the guy said, revealing a set of brown teeth that I wished I had never asked him.
"Welcome to the department of Environmental biology and Fishery" the lecturer continued.
"Who can elucidate the nitty-gritty of our course of study?" He removed his glasses and put it in his side pocket.
"Can anybody answer with immediate alacrity?" he said again, stressing the last word as Al-AC-RITY.
Nobody answered. He removed an handkerchief from his back pocket and wiped the small buds of sweat forming on his forehead.
"It is very perilous, disastrous and hilarious that homo-sapiens from secondary school can not psycho-analyse the course they chose to study" He denounced, maintaining a strong face.
"Anyway, scribble this down and submit in two weeks time" He said as he began to write on the white board. He did not speak grammar this time around.
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Back in my room, I was reminiscing on the day's activities. I felt lonely in my one room apartment as I had no room-mate. It was around 11pm. I should sleep because there would be lecture the following morning but sleep did not come. I stood up to open the door so I could hiss myself before sleeping when suddenly I heard a singing sound.
"Is there any church here" I asked myself silently. It did not seem as the normal song we used to sing in church back home. I made an attempt to look from the window when I heard a gunshot. I was frightened. My heart was beating mercilessly that I feared it will soon jump out of my mouth. I was the only one present in the boys-quarter as the landlord was still finding students to let the other rooms to. I laid silently on the bed shaking with great fear. I was about sleeping when I heard a knock on my door.