Monday, September 24, 2007

VICTIMISATION PART 2- FREEDOM DAY


That day started like any other day. I had prepared for school knowing what the day would be like. I would get to school as usual, see E’s mum as usual, be scolded for nothing as usual, sit through the day wishing that school ended quickly so I could escape the judging and sneering eyes of my teacher. However it wouldn’t be a totally miserable day for me since I would be practicing for the school cultural dance, that would take me away from class for a few hours and it also meant a few hours of freedom from E’s mum. I dreaded her like that!
It was nearing the end of term and as was normal, we usually had a party to celebrate the term’s end. There were lots of activities lined up like cultural dances, drama, welcome song and so on. I was participating in the cultural dance and we usually had a few hours practice in school in preparation for the D-day.

After morning lessons, I and some other classmates of mine who were also participating in the dance had gone for the dance practice. The teachers had a meeting in the headmaster’s office which was on the same floor as mine. (One could see my class from the headmaster’s office). After dance practice, we went back to the class. The teachers were still meeting in the headmaster’s office so my teacher had not returned.

Am sure most of you know who class monitors are. For those who don’t, a class monitor is supposed to control the other pupils and make sure there is order and quiet in the class, sometimes he /she is even given authority to flog other pupils(They had that authority in my class then)).
Now, we didn’t have a class monitor; we had CLASS MONITORS!
The biggest boys in class were the class monitors. I think they were about 4 of them. I wonder why we needed that much monitors anyway but what do you expect when we had a teacher like E’s mum. Those boys were terrors; big bullies who sought every opportunity to flog us. They particularly delighted in taunting me maybe cos they knew the teacher didn’t like me so I couldn’t report them to her.

Anyway, back to my gist. We(my classmates and i) returned to class but we were not allowed in by the class monitors. They told us to stand at the door and started questioning us. Why are you guys returning late? Who even gave you permission to go in the first place?? Why are you talking back at us??? These were some of the questions they threw at us. Finally, after the questioning they decided we needed to be flogged 6 strokes of the cane each on our palms before we would be let into the class. It got to my turn to be flogged and I stretched out my hands wincing even before the cane landed on my palms. I told myself not to cry cos I knew nothing would make them happier than to see the tears running down my face, The bullies!

Six strokes down and glad it was finally over. I made to go into the class but one of the bullies decided I needed one more stroke(they loved picking on me). As he lashed the cane down my back, the pain and anger I felt was intense. I turned at him like a wounded lion and grabbed the cane. I must have made a funny sight, small tiny me against the big bully but I didn’t care. I struggled with him for the cane wanting to give him a taste of his own medicine so he could feel how sweet it was. It turned out to be entertainment time for the rest of the pupils as big bully decided he wanted me to chase him round the class, he would hop on the tables, dodging me as I chased after him crying(yes, the tears had started pouring now). The rest of the pupils had begun chanting: “Money for soup! Money for soup!!” It was a popular chant whenever a girl and a boy had a fight. The song made it seem like they were a couple and the girl was demanding for soup money(feeding money) from the boy. Funny right? The school was razz like dat!

The song further infuriated me and when I couldn’t catch up with the bully. I broke down completely and started crying seriously. The other bullies were hailing their friend and laughing at me. I went and stood outside the class determined to report them to the teacher as soon as she came. I had hoped that If she saw me outside in tears, she would ask what was wrong.

I didn’t have to wait too long. Few minutes later, the teacher’s meeting ended and they all filed out from the headmaster’s office. I told you earlier that the headmaster’s office was just down the corridor on the same floor as my class. I saw my teacher approaching and I cried even harder for her to notice. If she saw me, she pretended not to notice I was standing there and just walked past me into the class. I didn’t know this then but my mum was just coming out of the headmaster’s office and saw what just transpired. She walked up to me and enquired why I was crying and I recounted to her everything that happened. Trust my mum na, she barged into the classroom (E’s mum had already began teaching and was scribbling something on the blackboard). My mum didn’t even talk to her, she turned to face my class mates and her voice boomed:
“WHO ARE THE IDIOTS THAT FLOGGED MY DAUGHTER?”
My classmates happily pointed them out. Mum went to their seats and dragged them up, the cowards were shaking and blabbering: “It wasn’t me ma” but my mum was past listening to reason. She dragged them to the front of the class, took the cane from my teachers desk and proceeded to flog them all the way they had flogged me. All this while, it was as if my teacher was in some sort of shock. However she quickly came out of the shock when my mum started flogging the bullies and grabbed the cane from my mum. She told my mum that she didn’t have the right to walk into her class and flog her pupils without first reporting to her. My mother told her that she didn’t think she was interested in knowing since she had seen me crying outside yet ignored me and walked into the class to commence teaching. The quarrel that followed was crazy! My mum’s patience had been tried and she let all loose, telling the teacher her life history,lol! When my teacher saw that she was losing the battle of the words she stormed out of the class and headed for the headmaster’s office to report my mum. Mum dragged me along and we also marched to the headmaster’s office behind E’s mum.

To cut the long story short, mum insisted I wasn’t going back to that class and that she was taking her kids (me & my siblings) out of that school. Nothing the headmaster said could change her mind. Meen! I was delirious with joy! I was finally going to be free from my wicked teacher…I couldn’t believe my luck!
The headmaster was still trying to talk mum out of her decision but I had already run to my class and begun packing my things. I didn’t want to spend another second in that class! Luckily the term was almost at an end so it wasn’t like I would be missing much.

Next term saw my parents enrolling us in a school far better than even the first school we had attended. Things had improved for my dad and mum had resolved that we would get nothing less than the best they could afford. My new school was of a higher standard; it had a big library where I could read all the books I had only dreamt of previously. School couldn’t be sweeter and I looked forward to going every morning.

34 comments:

onydchic said...

Wow. I felt ur exhiliaration in tha post!!! Nothing like the good guy winning in the end!!!

diary of a G said...

what happened to my comments I thot I was first
I see you must have posted this before...no fair o
lol

Thirty + said...

WHY YOU COME POST TWICE NOW?!

EDNUTEY said...

You posted twice...oya delete one

Naapali said...

I am sure u must have felt like a Queen when ur mom rode in to the rescue. No wonder u come across as so balanced, ur parents did their job as parents well it appears.

princesa said...

@onydchic,hmmm...yea!

@DOG, lol! I saw you celebrating on the other post! Sorry my bad, i posted twice. Let me check the time you commented...3.03am. So technically u are second G! better luck next time,lol!

@30+, no vex my dear. Na mistake. Will delete one asap. Replying ur earlier comment...thank God for saving me!

@sparkle, yes ma!

@naapali, yea they did o! Do i come across as being balanced?? That's new. Thanks anyway doc!

Afrobabe said...

Awwww...At least the new school had nothing like "money for soup" hahahahhahahahahaha....still think my ending for the teacher would have been better though..like she limped for a month after that!

Unknown said...

lol@afrobabe


I moved princess and a lot have happened since i moved.....so i have been kinda getting used to this place and everything that comes with it.....


:)
enjoy your week off... I hope you did not find yourself back at work.

Femme said...

i think ur mum did the right thing.
she did the whole patience thing with the other woman when sometimes we really need to go meadival on some arses.
so YAY for ur mum
and lol at u for fighting for soup money.

laspapi said...

Glad your mum stood up for you. That suicide was a Unilag Student? I heard about the incident a few days back, see the kind of pressure some students face. Let's not even talk about the sexual harassment here.

Ejura said...

Eze does go to school, doesn't he?
Aya, going through all that at that age!
Anyway it ended well.
Why did she pick on you so?
I guess I'd just have to read the first part.
I loved my school but I did had my frustrating moments. Somehow my name always made it to the toilet walls:

"Chuks TOTO Ejura"

Which meant I had had sex with Chuks!I would cry so hard, my face would get flooded in my tears. God knows I still hate that word. I have no idea how it even came about.
You take care!

princesa said...

@afrobabe,lol!Limping for a month?! Babes you harsh o!

@pammy,hmmm...seems everyone is moving these days! Hope the new place is cool. Naah!didnt stray to the office, :)

@TLKS, Thanks.

@Yea she did. We talked about this incident last night and had a good laugh too. She has been my hero for a long time!

princesa said...

@laspapi, yes o! He was a Unilag student. Sexual harrassment??? Story for another day!

@Ejura, lol!
"Chuks TOTO Ejura"
Are you sure we didnt go to the same razz school??? They had such things on the toilet walls too. It was mostly:"I love TOTO", lol!!

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

Gen-gen...Mom the superhero to the rescue..!! I bet you just stood behind her gloating and grinning from ear to ear...
Kai..I nearly fall from chair laughing at that "money for soup" thing...your school razz pass my own o...

Er..who is "TOTO"..??

Aijay said...

E's mum aka terrorist must have felt so humiliated. Hehehe.
Lol @ "Money for soup" Thats a first. Ejura's school was even worse. Some of our primary schools are amazing.
I used to be a class monitor in primary school but we were never permitted to flog other kids. Thats totally unacceptable. Never heard of that.
I'm glad ur mum got u out of that school for good. I feel sorry for the other kids who had no option but to go through all that bullying.

PS: I haven't been kidnapped. Just been busy. I'll try to update soon. Have a great weekend. L8r babes!

princesa said...

hh

princesa said...

@obi,yes o! Was i proud??? I sure say my school razz pass ur own if you no no wetin be 'ToTo'.
No be my mouth you go hear am,lol!

@aijay, hmmm... so you were a class monitor. Good gal!
Do quick update o!

36 INCHES OF BROWN LEGS said...

lol @ money for soup!!! odikwa very raz!!!! lol

Eyin'ju Oluwa said...

Victory is always sweet:D

I've found u husband o, how can we reach you?:D

Lmao@money for soup, never heard that one.

Unknown said...

and they lived happily ever after


I love this write up.

Andrew F. Alalade said...

Wow, your Mum is tough oooooh! But where are those bullies now?

cally-waffybabe said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
classybabe said...

Your mom is super cool,some people need to be told sometimes and you finally got to change schools.
Have a nice week ahead

Azuka said...

Kai, those monitors used to be scary. Little kids who suddenly got into power picking on the bigger ones.

We had a scary teacher too, and saying, "I'm writing names of noise makers" shut everyone up instantly. Your mom is, as we'd say, an "Action Woman." :-D

LurLar said...

Na freedom indeed. Am glad ur mom stood up to her.E mama forgot that she might end up in future needing ur help. Some people no get human feelings jare.

Anonymous said...

lol!!that is funny and sad at the same time..why would they give your colleagues the authority to flog you(and we would complain abt police men harrsasing us when some schools were breeding people like that)..i dont even believe in schools flogging there students..it is wrong why would you flog a child who is less than 10 yrd old and isnt even yur child..there are all sort of punishment and flogginig should be left to d parents....princessa pele jare...i went to one summer lesson once and the owner too alwayz made our mates flog us..injustice!!!!

Anonymous said...

money for soup-LOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

cally-waffybabe said...

Please can i borrow your mum for a bit? Men i love your mum.

SOLOMONSYDELLE said...

Boyyy, your momsy does not play....I wonder how those boys felt and hope they learned a good lesson. DO NOT BULLY!

Unknown said...

i feel victimized without your presence....i know you dey enjoy naija day but come back online biko!!

princesa said...

Lol @ everyone!!!
@36inches, o dikwa fery fery razz my dear!

@omosewa, lol! babes you found me a husband?!?! Interesting!!!

@olamild, thanks. Sometimes you confuse me babes, who is they??

@andy, hmmm...the bullies?? I dont know and i dont want to know o!

princesa said...

@cally-waffybabe, Alleluya!!!
CGP has a blog e ya e ya o!
Abeg send me an invite o! princessimma@gmail.com.
Na darling!I no be aje bo and I cant fit borrow you my mama,:)

@classybabe,thanks dear.

@azuka, you had a scary teacher and scary monitors too?!?! How did you survive dude?

@lurlar, abi o!Just imagine if i met her now...wetin go happen!

@pink-satin,runaway blogger!
You don come back???
Thank you o my sister,imagine breeding bullies, shio!

@solomonsydelle, i hope they learnt their lesson too.

@pammy, girl you funny o! Who is victimizing you?? lol! Am back now dearie...ope you had a blast too on Naija day!

bighead said...

First term that came to my mind... poetic justice. I'm not even sure its the right term. But I liked how the story ended. That teacher is persona non grata. Where she and that her son dey now sef?