₦airaland Forum

Another one, in my SS1, a friend of mine, tipped me when I had returned to boarding house, that senior students had gone on a rampage, beating up ss1 students. So, to evade these brutalities, we hatched a plan. All of us were were going to be daystudents. That day, I packed my things from the boarding house, back to our house in the village. I presented my case to my parents, but they would not budge. I had to go back to the boarding house. I refused, telling my mother, that I would rather be a daystudent, commute from home, and on her way to work in Uyo, she would drop me off, and when school was over, she would pick me up at the road, and take me home. My mom was not willing to cede to my demands, and I was given my boarding fees. No need to argue, it was mission unaccomplished.

So, when I moved back to the dormitory, I told my friend, that my chances of being a daystudent was not realistic. My parents were opposed to it. My friend calmed my fears. We would rent a room very close to campus (high school), and live off our boarding fees, and pocket money. At that time, leasing a room in the village was about 10 Naira a month, and boarding fees was 110 Naira, so with a little bit of management, we probably could live off on our boarding fees. Another roadblock that we may have faced in keeping our parents in the dark about our new found freedom was simple. When your parents visited on visiting days, (though mine sometimes came randomly), a student would dash to your 'bunk' to alert you, and you would quickly dress up in your school uniform, to give them the impression that you were living in the boarding house. Another student would be at their presence to keep them company(not that it was necessary ) and perhaps invent a story that you were at the stream.

Just at the last minute, with the money in my pocket, I backed out of the deal, went to the bursary department and paid my boarding fees. My friend was quite livid, and mocked me. He had another companion who had gone along with his plans. We were supposed to be four, living in a bunk, and splitting 10 naira, but he ended up with just one companion. Another classmate unwillingly could not join them, because his mother had paid his fees at the bursary.

Not too long, quanta occured. My friend, who had invited me, began to mock me whenever I complained of the brutalities from the senior students or the poor quality of food served us. He would mock me, in a line similar to this, "Da ubiak, mma mbo di ba ke Afaha, afo asin", "Serves you right, I invited you over to bunk with me as a daystudent, but you refused". Then, he started missing classes, for a day, several days, then a week.

Then came the exposure. The third guy was off campus when his mother visited. She waited and waited for him and the junior students had lied to her that he was at the stream and that he would be coming soon. The mother became suspicious that the whole stuff was a sham, but her suspicion was not entirely right, as she confided in me, that she suspected that her son had gone to his father's house, against her advice. She left, disappointed, and the son who had just arrived on campus had just missed running into her. On Monday, the mother paid his son a visit and afterwards gave him some provisions. Right about that time, the Math Teacher, who was also our housemaster, just exposed my classmate in front of his mother. I dont know what exactly transpired, but I think, the Housemaster may have mentioned to the mother that the son probably kept company outside campus. The mother was disappointed in her son, and took back the provisions that he had brought for him. End of case 1.

Case 2. The only companion who had joined my friend/classmate to become a daystudent suffered a public embarrasment. After his parents found out that their son was secretly a daystudent, they went to his bunk, and ordered him to pack his stuff back to the dormitory. It was on a school day when this guy made an appearance with his luggage on his head, straight to the Principal's office. A lot of the students witnessed this shameful incident, and I am pretty sure, that it may have evoked laughter in the classes. The parents repaid the boarding fees and he went on to become a boarder.

Case 3. My classmate's parents also found out about it, because he had ran out of money, including the school fees (remember, it was seperate from boarding fees) that he should have paid, which was a remittance for teachers for their duties on campus. His parents however, allowed him to remain as a daystudent since the session was almost over.

That year, for the first time as a student in that school, the principal announced that our results would be read publicly. Jss1 to Jss3 had theirs read publicly in the chapel, while a date was fixed for our results to be announced publicly. This is high school, and you know, failure is something that some people cant accept it. I just did not know if I had passed or failed, and when I got home for the holidays, I told my parents. On the day that the result was to be announced, my mom dropped me on campus and drove to work. With some of my classmates, we walked with trepidation to the chapel, where our results were read. Thank God, I passed, my friend, Grace, had also passed, and she almost created a scene in the chapel. Unfortunately, one of the guys, the remaining daystudent, could not proceed to the next class.

The following school term, when I paid a friend a visit in his class, he was not around, but this erstwhile friend of mine was around. As soon as he saw me, he was visibly angry with me, and was asking me, "What do you want here" He even ordered me out of his class. Of course, I knew that was jealousy.

Lots of experience while living in the boarding house. In my Jss1, a friend confided in another friend that their classmate's father was a wizard. This friend of mine, leaked the malicious story to another classmate of mine, who then leaked it to the son of the accused. Drama ensued in my Jss1. The guy refused to accept my friend's apology, but rather demanded that those two boys (we were not yet teenagers) should accompany him to his village, and perform a ritual to rid his father of juju. Nna, this was not a joke, but it was a battle of wits, or as my people, the Ibibios call it, "Nyanga Eyen".

See the first guy (who would later on become my best friend in college) quickly disassociated himself from the allegations that he had made about his classmate's father. My 2nd friend, meanwhile was all in tears, and when I tried to comfort him, the boy spotted me, and threatened to 'invite' me along on the trip. So, I supported my friend at a distance.

Arrangements were finalized on this trip. My other friend was denying about it, and I think, a taxi was about to be chartered to squire my friends to this boy's village. Other classmates interceded on my friend's behalf, that "Okon" should forgive and forget, but who sai? Okon was determined to punish my friends. My other friend whose denials were rebuffed by this guy, already had 2 allies, senior students willing to deal with Okon, if he followed up on his threat. Right about that time, a miracle occured.

A classmate of mine, threatened to expose Okon to the Principal, because the VP's wife was pregnant, and prior to this incident, he had gotten into trouble with her, (VP's wife was also a teacher in school), and had threatened to deal with her pregnancy. So, when confronted with this facts, Okon was faced with the choice of either taking my friends to his village to purge his father of witchcraft, and risk being expelled, for his earlier threat against the VP's wife, or he would have to forgive my friends, and all the other matters would be laid to rest. At first, he was adamant, so, this classmate of mine walked to the Principal's office, and was about to report him (I don't know if he was serious with his threat of reporting Okon to the Principal or not), but the guy finally relented, and a deal was struck. He forgave my friends, and his earlier threats against the VP's unborn child was kept between us. The VP's wife had a baby months later. The guy eventually left school, while my other friend (the first guy who had denied ever leaking the story) transferred to a different school. We caught up with each other in college and became best friends, and at times, we would just talk about the incident that had occured a decade earlier.

The other guy was also one of my best friends in high school, and we stay in touch, now and then. So much for memories.

Lutheran High school, Obot Idim.

@cute, accept my sympathy on the loss of your brother. He was so young, at 3 years old? May his soul rest in peace, Amen. I lost a younger brother when he was 24 years old. I miss him very much. When you have a younger sibling, who looks to you as a mentor, and he surely did, it is only God that can sail you through. My brother and I were very close. He was so fond of me, as a baby, that at times, he would lie on my chest and fall asleep.

I am always surprised to read/hear of women preferring the traditional marriage over the Church wedding. Why I am surprised is that our traditional society, would permit the man to take in a new wife, thus creating a polygamous family, WHEREAS, in the Church, after the vow has been made, and the pastor pronounces you and your spouse, husband and wife, that's it. You cant take in a second wife, or if you do, it wont be recognized in the Church. Still, we all have choices. As for me, I would go with the Church wedding.


Some of our traditional rituals, like libation, and paying respects to the dead, sometimes conducted at traditional marriages are stuff that I dont particularly care for.

Dude, research further and you will realize that the American president is not as invincible as you have attempted to portray on this board. There are several incidents that has been presented publicly which has led to the impeachment of a sitting president. Clinton, for once, was impeached, and almost got booted out of the White House because of his extramarital affair with Lewinsky. Who exposed him, other than a subordinate? At first, he did not admit to any wrongdoing, but later on confessed to it.

How about Nixon and the Watergate scandal that led to his downfall as the president? Two reporters from the Washington Post, as well as other numerous investigations, led to his resignation. He met a brickwall, when he attempted to exercise his rights as the President of the USA, and in the long run, he resigned as president of the USA with ignominy. Truth is, no president in the USA is exempted from being exposed for their own shortcomings, either by the media or other avenues. Gerald Ford's loss to Carter was attributed to his pardon of Nixon role in the Watergate scandal. He wasnt invincible, but was whupped in the 1980 presidential campaign by Jimmy Carter.

Reagan? Remember when his wife fell out with one of his cabinet members (or so). His name is Regan, and he went on the offensive, and published a book, exposing the president's wife for seeking the advice of a clairvoyant? He got away scott free. There is no political suicide in exposing the ruler of America. It is only in Africa where such precedents are common.

I am not defending Clinton, but for you to state that exposing the sitting president of the USA is suicidal, when Gore had clearly distanced himself from Clinton on account of the Lewinsky's scandal is contradictory.

If Gore is incorruptible, why did he not resign as VP during Clinton's term as the president? It could have been possible, mind you, afterall, Colin Powell choosed to resign, due to his (I think) differences with Bush.

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,997333,00.html?promoid=googlep

Milo all the way. Bournvita is too grainy.

Different views of Jesus Christ, but the ultimate Truth is that HE is God the Son, who was made manifest in the human flesh, died for our sins on the cross and Physically Resurrected from the dead, three days later, and ascended into Heaven 40 days after resurrection. He will come back again, physically. I don't understand Jehovah's witness (I almost joined them, but thank God for revealing the Truth to me) for their denial of the physical resurrection of Jesus Christ, while claiming that He came back in 1914.

If that is possible, then, how can they explain the 2nd coming of Jesus Christ, as recorded in the Holy Bible, that his appearance would be visible?

Emegwali again? Get your facts straightened out, by exploring other alternative medium for your research. One website that could prove useful to you is wikipedia.

kabiyesi, what did you just write, Clinton sabotaged Al Gore's presidential ambition? Dude, please get your facts right. Gore was partly, the architect of his own failure at the polls (excluding the electoral college which robbed him of his chances of becoming the next president). He was against Clinton's decision to campaign for him because of the latter's association with Monica Lewinsky, whom he thought would be counter productive to his quest to be president, if he alligned with Clinton.

Their relationship deteriorated just at the end of Clinton's presidency. It was his own undoing, and not Clinton.

I would have supported bride price, earlier, but I feel that this practise is not relevant in today's society. Some of our practises need to be questioned, or would you support female circumcision because it part of our culture? How about some of the tribes in Northern Nigeria that lashes at the man with koboko, to test his strength? If he cries, then, that is assumed as a form of weakness, and the ceremony is cancelled. Lets do away with bride price, exchanging of gifts between families is more than enough to seal the bond. Or, what happens when a marriage ends in a divorce down the road, would the bride price be returned to the groom? And if so, how would the factor in the value of the money paid for the bride price, when you factor in INFLATION?

Why marry a divorced man? He still belongs to his 'former' wife till 'death do them part'

Is his novel widely read in Africa? His plot and characterization in that novel was superb. However, I did not particularly care for the subject line of reincarnation and the seagod, as it conflicts with my Christian religion.

Calabar looks like Miami What a comparison. Miami does not have a good reputation in the USA. Soaring unemployment has led to an increase in homelessness in the society.

My2cents, that was a risk you were undertaking, allowing okada to drop you at your vicinity. Never allowed that, rather, would tell them to drop me off at a nearby street or so, and when they are out of sight, would walk back to my intended neighbourhood. It was my own 'ingenuity' of preventing any stranger from getting too close to my comfort zone.

Da, asuk abot usung?@my2cents?

Abadie@toniaslim? Afo aba ke uke?

London is among the world's most famous city and its standing in the 21st century is still unrivalled among other European countries. I flew into London in the 90's enroute to Naija, and to be frank, I wasnt sold on the city. Brown painted houses and their dreary weather are not exactly what would lure me into staying there permanently. And for those who might not know, London drivers drive on the left lane.
P/S: Naija people plenty for London, but their population pales in comparison to those of Indians.

At times, we may face roadblocks in our quest for sucess, thus wearing us out. Stories abound of people who were either frustrated in their quest to study medicine, because they were several points short of attaining the required score. But this case of failure is not only restricted in the field of academics (and I mentioned medicine in particular, because of its endearing popularity and reverence in the world). The employment world is also inundated with tales of workers who were unable to gain the coveted position at work because they had crossed their boss's path. While this may create a sense of failure and frustration in their life, there are some who have choosen to embark on their quest for success in a different route. Even if it means, taking JAMB 3-4 times to study Law, nothing, it appears could derail their quest of becomign a lawyer. The rest, not so endowed with this ambition would reluctantly give up and diverge into another career path. 2 days ago, I was on a Nigerian webpage and read this touching story of a man who scored the highest point in the JAMB exams and got admitted into college back home.  http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/features/education/2007/jan/30/education-30-01-2007-001.htm). A scholarship from Cowbell was another icing on the cake (or should I say, the butter on his bread). Isnt that encouraging?

A different case, replete with failure. A girl, in an attempt to compete in a national pageant, competed 9 times at a state organized pageant, with no sucess at all. Age limit forced her to give up her dream of ever winning the Miss USA pageant. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andria_Mullins)


So, my question is this, would you ever give up your attempt to fulfil your dreams, even if it means competing 9 times all to no avail, or when exactly do you give up on following your dreams?

Not that I am protesting a company's decision to hire only candidates with stellar qualifications (first class, 2nd class upper), your discourse that one should meet the criteria needed by a company may not necessarily be right. In America, there have been stories of companies who would hire white candidates over black applicants, spanish speaking candidates over candidates not fluent in spanish. So, I could be turned down for a job, because my skin is not white or my fluency in spanish is nil. So, you might rephrase your discourse.

I doubt if Obama would clinch the Democratic nomination. Competing with Hilary Clinton whose husband, in the first place is still riding on the crest of popularity, years after leaving office, will be a boost to Hilary. Aside that, her decision to stay with her husband during the Lewinsky's hoopla only endeared her to some of the women folk in the country. Though I wont be voting for her, because of her earlier denials of seeking the presidency, I think Hilary Clinton is poised to receive the nod from the Democratic party. Winning the presidency itself could be challenging. She will be running against Guilani (sp?), who could be capitalizing on his exemplary role in NY during the Sept. 11 crisis. Lest you forget, America, despite its advancement in social culture and influence in the economic world is inhabited by some people whose mindset are still stuck in the past about the role of women in the society.

Grade point average is not always an accurate reflection of one's true knowledge and potentials.

Na wao, strangely, I used to miss Naija for the erratic supply of electricity because it was fun playing under the moon at night with my friends. Not anymore. 100k for diesel? Seriously, how much are you even earning a month to afford such a collosal amount of money for diesel alone? I am not surprised to read that Naija supplies electricity to some African countries. Naija Govt's priorities have always been misplaced, for as long as I can remember.

Lovely memories indeed.

Boarding school was, for the most part, a wonderful experience. I sometimes relieve the experiences.