How do I even start to express those feelings that I had in my heart wearing the senior prefect tag/badge, I couldn't really figure if I was happy or otherwise (maybe it was a mixed feeling). A part of my was happy I'd no longer received strokes of cane and deep in me I knew I was only on for a responsibility which I doubt I was ready for.
The previous day was a Monday,we were still singing worship songs when the proprietor Mr. Anthony Dele Dapherede walked in. He took over the session and ended it with a prayers such he concluded by saying "... through Jesus our solicitor we pray" to which we all chorused" Amen".
There was silence everywhere until he broke the silence with his baritone voice saying "Good morning students, today we'd be appointing a new set of prefects in the school as the current SS3 students will be starting their WAEC examination on Monday. So as I call out the names, I'll implore you all to give them a clapping ovation. Tensions rises as he started calling from the punctuality prefect to the labour prefect then other prefects till he got to the assistant senior boy. He cleared his throat as he set to announce the most important post, fear qripprd my mind as he started towards my direction saying "This person I'm about to call had been a good ambassador of the school ever since his arrival, he portrays qualities of a good leader and has good reputations in the school. Permit me to call the senior prefect of this great citadel in person of Amusan Adedayo Josiah.
My heart skipped a beat and swears roll down my face as all eyes were on me and the whole assembly ranting and clapping as I step forward. As soon as I was out, he contacted by saying "Dayo now the senior boy and must be given utmost respect as he stand as a representative from the management and staff of the school" (he turned to the teachers and said) "henceforth,no cane must touch him again, have a nice day"
Those thoughts keep ringing in me and now I have to make him and the entire school proud of me. How do I start? What if they want more than I can actuallydo? Different thoughts runs through my mind. It took me no time to recover from the wonderland and get up to task.
Weeks into our induction, it was an horrible Wednesday afternoon. We all were happy it's 1:50, that's about 10minutes to closing hour when our class teacher Uncle Francis came in. He shouted "SS2 wait after the bell it rung", we left the books we were reading in preparations towards tomorrow's test in shock seeing him hold three supercalifragilisticexpialidocious canes. We were some how confident and somehow scared, we weren't sure what he needed the canes for until we saw him holding our test scripts. This time we realized we've failed his mathematics test, then we started pushing one another on who to go first, everywhere became silent as if an angel passed. He broke the silence by saying "pick up your test scripts and anyone who scores below 35 is dead", my heart beat so fast, although I remembered the proprietor said I shouldn't be flogged bit I also recall Exodus 1 vs 8 where the Bible was talking about a new king that arose over Egypt who knew not Joseph (then I realize I was in it already cause he was a new intake and wasn't there when the proprietor said it.
We picked the scripts to check our score, narrowly I scraped through as I had the highest score (35 exactly, on 40), Caleb was next with (33) so he received 2strokes, Deborah received 4strokes, Damilare 6strokes. other were beaten accordingly. I e that caught my attention was kafi-like dance steps displayed by Oriade as each of 17strocks land in his buttocks, I can't help laughing.
However, we were all surprised seeing Uncle Francis beating so cruel and aggressively. He was so intentional and never gave it a second thought giving Bolaji 28strokes,the cane left scares on him which I doubt and bleaching cream can clear; we all felt sorry for him, even Mr Francis must have regretted his actions.
After he left they were all rubbing their butts due to the impact the cane, he then cane back and asked us to go home , as we set to leave, he to apologised and told us that he only beat us so we can sit tight. But deep within us, we were very angry at him. We left the school quietly and the next morning he called us into the staffroom,ans adviced us. So we let go of the grudges and became his good friends.
Geez the cane must have really hurt. Why do your teacher do that to grown ups like you? 😂