Chapter 6: Enter General Femi

Mr. Femi.

Right now, maths teacher for Senior 3, Class 7.

Everybody for staff room sabi him style. Na him dey carry first for result obsession, last for student welfare—he believe for hard, high-pressure teaching.

No matter who you be, he fit use mouth finish your confidence, dey call person mumu for front of whole class.

In his own words—

"You dey SS3 and you dey complain say you tire? If you tire, drop out. Student work na to read book. The rest no matter. You want rest? You want sleep? No wahala, but if you ready to dey bottom for life, go rest, go sleep."

He dey always use cane talk for him hand, like say na symbol of office. His cane dey tap table steady, wahala dey smell for air like hot ogiri. Students dey call am 'General Femi' for back.

"You dey complain say school hard? Wait till you no fit enter university, no get work, dey chop your parents food—then you go know wetin be suffer."

Some teachers dey avoid am for corridor; even principal no dey like cross his path for meeting.

"Top ten for grade? Go see life. Wetin be top ten here? For here, you still be rubbish."

If to say he treat all students the same, maybe our teaching style different, but we fit still relate.

But this man get wahala—he dey bully the weak, dey hail the strong.

If your family just ordinary, he no dey treat you like human—flogging and mental stress na normal. But if your family get money or power, he go treat you like egg.

I hear say last month, pikin wey him papa na chairman PTA, Mr. Femi dey use style dey hail am. But another pikin wey mama na petty trader, na him dey clean board till hand pain am.

Last year, just before exam, more than half of his class, where he be class teacher, no fit write exam because of mental stress, dem say dem go repeat.

Some sef almost jump from school building.

For that kind situation, even security run come hold pikin leg before wahala go happen. Na God save all of us.