I saw a lot of faces today. Faces that I thought I have not seen in a long time. There were pieces of white chalks all over the class. It was as if someone had bought a whole packet and felt it was best to litter it around the class to prove to our physics teacher that his lessons were no longer worthy to take forty minutes of our time. I am glad that my physics teacher was sick today because I would really hate it if he came to our class only to see it in an unwelcoming state.The school bell rang when it was break-time not recess, because recess is not commonly used in Nigeria just as we call the final year before tertiary institution as the third year of senior secondary school and not the final year of high school as it is said in America and in a lot of parts in Europe.To most of us who gets tired of listening to a man talk about Nigerian politics and its upheaval, break-time to us meant liberation. The short period of time between midday and thirty minutes past

Everywhere was calm. The rain was slowly coming to an end and I felt at peace with myself. It was drizzling slightly as I crossed the busy road with my school bag. It was the second day of the week and the first working day of the week. I placed my hands on my face as I thought of all the work I had to do before the end of today. I had to make sure that all my notes were complete. I had to do my assignments, copy out figures, and draw diagrams for my biology class presentation. Too much work for me!The lady who sold at the largest bookstore close to our school had a sour expression on her face when I arrived."What can I do for you, young man?" She asked."I would like to have some white cardboard paper, a 5B pencil and an eraser," I replied.The lady's child smiled at me as he watched his mother listen to all I had to say before going inside to get what I wanted."This is everything you asked for," the lady said as she dropped the items that I ha

Sundayy is the only day in the whole week since I resumed school that I get to go out and do whatever I wanted, be whatever I wanted and visit whoever I wanted. I looked at the sky strangely today. The horizon was a peak of clear blue and tufts of white hairs that served as clouds. Shinning gloriously was the sun and you wouldn't think the sun will shine like this, in glittering gold dust and in spears of light as it watched me miss church a third time this month.I watched the grasses. Bright in color and lined up in rows of shinning green covers. Seven years ago, Christle and I used to lie in the grasses at school behind a provision shop whenever it was newly cleared and it was midday. It was always like breathing in a perfume made from heaven, all rolled up in a drop of sunlight and in a bed of greens. Christle and i always had splotches of dark green on our uniforms after we were done but it was worth it. Moving our hands in the grasses as we tried to imitate flying angel

"I know you’re afraid, honey," Mum said to Christle some years ago, “but now that you have your WAEC, you can take some university classes in the evening whenever you are ready. It doesn't matter even if you are yet to be admitted. At least, your senior secondary school certificate will be serving a useful purpose."“University classes? Mum, give me a break. You know I can't do that,” Christle snapped.“Christle, don’t talk to your mother like that! She’s just trying to encourage you to become a better person in the society," Uncle Max scolded. He was spending the holidays with us at that time. It was a day before Christmas.Christle sighed. “I know and I am sorry about everything. I just- I just saw my WAEC results yesterday and everyone is forcing me to take responsibilities I don't want to take."“I’m sorry,” Mum said softly. “I just meant, you know, it would help you meet people.&

Soccer match, homemade fried chicken, a bottle of malt and hot apple cider. I was looking forward to this all day with the hope that I would finally get to give my stomach a treat of a lifetime. I just survived one of the most exciting and stressful hours of my life, and was so relieved to know that it was finally over and it would be a long time before I would go through that amount of stress in my life again. Recently, Tuesday has been my favorite day of the week. It meant no homework, no much classwork, less amount of school periods and no Uncle Max around. Ever since Uncle Max started volunteering at a children center with Miss Bisi a week ago, I have been spending more and more time alone in the house. I had the whole house to myself and I was free to do whatever I wanted.Tuesday meant freedom. It meant the whole wide world to me. It meant jumping from a tall mountain only to realize that you didn't jump at all when you thought that you did. Tuesday was awesome. It was