Tales of A Single Mum

Episode Eighteen

...I got close to committing murder today. I just didn’t because I remembered my kids would grow up without me and most of all cute women don’t do so well in prison. I dropped of my children at school just like I do every day of the week. Oh I have quit my job as a light bulb marketer, just so you know. And I am finally in the works to get my cake business rolling. I had got my business name registered and have been giving my C.A.C registration document. I have even opened an official bank account for my business, I have also printed complimentary cards and fliers to give out. I’ve also opened a social media business page. So yes I can say I’m quite ready. But anyway I digress. where was I? Oh yeah, how I almost became a convicted felon.

So I took my kids to school as usual and since it wasn’t a work day, I was home in the afternoon to take them their lunch. I got into the school compound and I was greeted by a scene that drove me temporarily insane. My 3yr old daughter Zion, was outside in the school quadrangle kneeling down and crying. At first I thought it was my eyes playing tricks on me but as I moved closer, I realised it was indeed Zion. Besides, she’s the only ‘yellow pawpaw’ child in the school. She saw me and kept kneeling but started crying louder and shouting “mummy, mummy.” I ran to my child and lifted her from the ground. She had bruises on her knees from kneeling on stones. She also had deep red swellings on her arm and shoulder, where she had been flogged. my eyes instantly welled up with tears.

“What happened Zion? Why are you out here?” I asked? She didn’t respond. She just kept crying and pointing at her classroom. I picked up my child and marched to her class. When I got there her teacher was in front of the board reciting some phonics and the children in the class were responding. In a moment of pure rage, I went straight to the lady and grabbed her by the throat. I was so furious that I didn’t realize I was choking her. Until some teachers came in and pulled me away.

“What did this little child do to you?” I screamed over and over again. The teacher who was coughing, spluttering and trying to catch her breath kept shouting “Egbami o’’ in Yoruba.

Aunty Nwando ran into the classroom.

“Mags what happened?” She asked staring at both of us.

“Just look at what this bloody teacher did to Zion Aunty. What could she have done to deserve this?” I screamed at my Aunty. She was taken aback.

“Miss Yemisi? What did she do to get punished in this manner?”’ Aunty Nwando asked turning to face the teacher.

“Ma she is eating her pencil and I ask him to stop but she continue and so I spank him so she say she will report to her mummy. That’s why I send him outside.”

Oh My God!! I thought to myself in shock. Is this my daughter’s teacher? This lady that can’t put together a proper sentence, calling a girl “him”? Of course I had always known that Aunty Nwando did not hire properly trained teachers. This was a village school after all but I was still appalled when faced with the reality that these half-baked, or not baked at all people were teaching. What was extremely worrisome was the reason for the punishment in the first place.

Aunty Nwando looked embarrassed at the entire scene. I was very sure she knew what was going on in my head.

“Miss Yemisi, next time you have a pupil who is doing something wrong and you feel the need to correct him or her so viciously, I sincerely advice you to think twice about it. One more act of sheer wickedness such as this one and you’re out of this school for good”

“Yes Ma” Yemisi replied still cradling her throat and looking at me in horror. I stared back in disgust. It was not my school and so I couldn’t insist that she be fired on the spot. I also know that Aunty Nwando was mindful that I was her niece and as such, if she fired the teacher, it might play out as favouritism. The teachers who had crowded the small classroom began to disperse, murmuring in Yoruba. I reminded myself how much I needed to get out of Itoki for good.

Aunty Nwando picked up Zion and cradled her bribing her with an offer of biscuits which the latter accepted happily.

“ Mags, I must apologise for what happened today, I am truly sorry. However please come to me first next time before you try to murder one of the teachers.” She said trying to sound stern, as she stared at me with a glimmer of laughter in her eyes. I nodded and hugged my aunt smiling.

I took my kids home before the close of school. We all had had enough for one day. My mother heard what had happened and wanted to march off to the school again but I stopped her. Because I find humour in everything, later that night I burst out in fits of laughter when I remembered he screaming Egbami o!

I guess She’ll die another day!

Namaste!