Vengeance Mission

Chapter six (the Senate)

Chapter Six

The Senate

Lanre was booked to face the senate by 12noon on Monday. Before 12noon, he was expected to report at the administration office of the Vice Chancellor where he was expected to be given the academic gown.

As early as 11a.m he presented himself to collect the gown. The administrative officer though aware of the case but did not have the details, asked him why he was involved in such a dirty thing. Lanre told him he did not know anything about the allegations.

Anyway, you will have to defend your case beyond any reasonable doubt to prove your innocence. He gave him the gown and Lanre left his office as he headed towards the senate building premises.

The door was not yet opened because it was not yet 12noon, so he hung around because he must not be late for a minute.

The composition of the panel was the vice Chancellor, the heads of departments, the chief security officer and the students’ affairs officer.

Professor Gbade was automatically a member because he was a head of department of the school of medicine.

As Lanre waited, he saw the members coming into the vice chancellor office one after the other. Each of them went into the administrative officer to collect their academic gown also.

The students union president, though not a member told me he would see what he could do to allow him to witness the sitting as an observer. He went to the vice chancellor office after sometime he came out and went to collect a gown also. Which means he was permitted to be at the sitting. According to him, his presence would ensure fairness to Lanre in this case.

Lanre watched the panel members going out of the vice chancellor office and one of the lecturers beckon to him and he stood to his feet and went to meet him.

The panel would move in possession into the senate building to be followed by the students’ union president and the accused person and the chief security officer of the university coming in last.

Immediately everyone got seated, Lanre was invited to the accused person corner. The secretary of the panel was asked to read out the allegations against Lanre. These include the puncture of professor Gbade’s vehicle tyres and recently the kidnap of his first born.

Lanre stood up to defend himself, that he was completely innocent of the charges against him. But that he was only a victim of victimization by professor Gbade.

How do you mean? The vice chancellor asked.

Lanre stated that when he failed professor Gbade’s courses, that he went to his office to find out the reason for his failure. He brought out his phone and played the discussion with professor Gbade who said he would show me the way out of the university, for always being in company of female students.

Professor Gbade, how is that your business?

By the way, you said you failed the two courses Professor Gbade took you.

How do you mean, what were your scores? The vice chancellor asked.

Thirty eight and thirty six respectively sir. Lanre answered.

Professor Gbade is that true?

Yes sir, Professor Gbade answered.

I am interested in this, the vice chancellor said. Can you present to us the answer scripts of this student in the next twenty minutes?

Yes sir, Professor said, from the sound of his voice, he was already jittery.

The students’ union president and the chief security officer please follow him to his office and assist him to find the scripts for the two courses.

Both of them stood up and followed Professor Gbade to his office. It was boldly written all over him, that he was disturbed.

In his office, after fumbling round some packs of marked scripts, he finally brought out the one where Lanre's own was fished out.

Without looking at it the chief security officer, took it from him and the three of them walked back to the senate building.

Did you find it? The vice chancellor asked.

Yes sir, the chief security officer answered. And stepped forward to present it to the vice chancellor.

As the vice chancellor glanced through it, he asked Lanre, what did you score in the two courses?

Lanre said, thirty eight and thirty six respectively sir.

The vice chancellor looked up disappointedly and asked Professor Gbade to explain to everyone how he arrived at those scores and he passed the scripts to him.

Professor Gbade took it from him and realized that he was done for as he started shaking.

Tell us! The vice chancellor shouted at him.

The vice chancellor said, what Professor Gbade did was simple, that he divided each of his score by two to arrive at thirty eight and thirty six respectively instead of seventy six and seventy two respectively.

This is terrible, the vice chancellor remarked.

Professor Gbade, you are a shame to this university.

You are a shame to this noble profession.

You are a shame to fatherhood.

At this point professor Gbade became ashamed of himself and he was asked to proceed on six months suspension without pay.

Most of the lecturers present, congratulated Lanre and every one of them described him as a brilliant, level headed and hardworking student.

Professor Gbade was subjected to public ridicule before the students. He became almost worthless before the students and lecturers alike.

A married man for that matter. I think his wife and family members need to hear the findings of the university on this matter so that they will know how low he has descended among the students. The vice chancellor remarked.

He added that, henceforth, he would not be allowed to take the students any compulsory course again.

And also his marked examination papers will be vetted by the department before final mark is being awarded to students.

After leaving the senate, I resolved not to be too close to any lady on the campus again.

The first lecture I had the following day, I made sure I sat beside boys. Everyone kept on wondering why I did not sit in my traditional seat. Everyone seems to have known where I always sit.

Tola and Seyi came in only to find out that I was seated at the middle of the class room instead of the front seat. It caught them by surprise. The lecture ended, I was not speaking to anyone, but minding my own business.

Tola and Seyi could not hide their feelings and they walked to me to register their protest.

Lanre, what's the matter with you? Tola asked.

How do you mean, because I changed my position?

Yes, Seyi quickly answered.

Nothing, just to forestall further embarrassment.

I will no longer walk with any of you again, no more group discussion again and as a matter of fact, I have resolved to mind my business from now on.

How do you mean?

I have made myself clear enough. The best I can do is having our group academic discussions through Zoom or Google meet.

Everyone in the classroom noticed a change in my behavior, I no longer speak with people in the class again.

I knew people may not find it easy coping with my new way of life.