Queens’ College saga: Bayo Ogunyemi shares own experience

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I remember how I was suspended in my secondary school and asked to bring my parents. I didn’t know how my father got to know, because I didn’t call him for obvious reasons anyway. I had spent two weeks hiding around the dormitory.
On a Monday morning he showed up with my mother. He sounded so friendly and was speaking in my defence. Actually, it was the way my father sounded when he landed at the school gate that encouraged my friends to fish me out. They were hopeful my father would give the school a fight.

Immediately they fished me out of the carpenter’s shed, where I had turned to my home, I went to my father boiling for a fight. I had my story well crafted with the help of my friends anyway. My father asked me to take him to the VP who dared to suspend me. I was confident he gonna show the woman.

But all along, my mum was sober and sad. She wasn’t showing the same spirit my father was displaying. Who cares? My father is the ‘Lord’.

Alas when we entered the VP’s office, my father locked the door, opened his briefcase, brought out his double-headed koboko and work began. After like 12 lashes, my friends who had gathered by the window of the VP hoping to see how the fight between my father and Mrs Dada, the VP, would go disappeared into thin air. I was screaming like a goat, rolling on the floor begging my mum to stop him.

The VP was scared. I am sure she had never witnessed such bashing of a 14-year-old boy like that. None of the two women could hold my dad.

The VP rushed out, called two male teachers to help. I was rescued. The man opened his briefcase, tucked in his koboko, and left with my mum without saying a word to the VP.

Story ended. Case dismissed.

The VP who was full of pity. The message was clear to the school.

The VP took interest in me, and that was the turning point of my life. I changed my ways, my friends, my attitude.

The VP became my unappointed guardian. My story changed for good.

By Bayo Ogunyemi.

Called from Citizen News NG

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