LINA'S DIARY (episode 1) My First Day In School

           

                   LINA'S DIARY

                          episode 1

               My  First Day In School

                      A story writen by

                      Akwuba Ijeoma

                       

              

       
It was a rainy day, yet the cloud was still very bright, as though it was a sunny afternoon, I wondered what could be the cause,  then I realized it was my first day in school, and it was an imagination. Even when every where was covered with thick cloud so  that no one could see,  yet I  was able to see very clearly. 

My mama said " it was the joy of being to a new environment" and my papa said"it was my first day in school"

Could this be the reason? I thought. 

Ever since I finished my secondary school, I've being dreaming of going to a higher lnstitution just to escape home chores and run away from my siblings disturbances . But then it was as if" heaven and earth will roll  away"

     "oh when will November come! "

I sang and gasped as I wandered in my thought. 

   Oh November! The month that traveled with my treasure, 

    The month that holds my joy! 

    Where have you gone to? 

    And when are you coming back? 

   I heard it's on the eleventh month of the twelfth month of this year. 

Is that so.....? 

If your answer Is yes" oh dearest November 

   Please don't forget to come to me with this treasure of mine

   The admission of gold I've being waiting for so long"
That was my poem on admission aspirations 

 Oh diary, forgive me for I had forgotten to introduce myself to you, dearie. 

   I am Lola adebayo, but you can call me Lina, a name from saint Marcellina, it is my babtisma name. 

Lina is the last four latter of marcellina. 

It is my Nick name. 

I am the only Yoruba girl that came all the way from Lagos state to mama schola's shop to pick you out from the  box where you have been pressed by your fellow diaries . And I brought you to this hostel where girls dwell, if you are a guy, diary, of course you would like it coz there are many boobs and asses flooting around this room without shame. 
Oh diary, I am a poet, a novelist and I like singing my songs. 

I hope you don't mind, as I continue writing the stories on my first day in school.
   
As I entered into the school gate walking majestically as though there was no rain falling from the sky,  then I noticed some ladies and gentle guys runing towards a tent called "the Fidelity hot-spot center that is located close to the main gate. 

That is where some Uniben students charge their phones and make a good browsing from the internet.

It was still raining so some people ran to the place for shelter. 

   I was under the rain singing my latest poem

"oh this gold of mine 

This treasure of mine

This silver of mine 

Am sinking in  it. 

This river of mine

 am swimming in it...

  Then my phone rang, it was Kemi  my cousin , she called to know if I had gotten to the school already. And when I said "Yes"  she told me  to enter a bus that is going to ofololo basement.

While she was still on the call,   my phone got drained so I had to enter the Fidelity hot-spot center in other to make an enquiries on where to enter the bus that is going to ofololo basement and also to charge my new Android phone. 

  On getting closer to the place, I noticed a fat young boy  opening and closing his mouth like the Yoruba old men that yawn for dinner. I knew he was saying something but what exactly was he saying that keeps the people laughing and smiling like there's no ressesion in the state,   I wondered as I move closer grunting and sniffing thereby making sure that my luggage gets there  with me. 

"hello everyone" I said making sure that they recognise my new outfit which my granny bought for me for gaining admission into the  university. 

 "I am Lina, I came from Lagos, the city of excellence " Trying to show my ego

    "shoo"

Shouted one of the students

I looked at her and snubbed. Then I continued with what I was saying. 

   "as I was saying,  I came from lag, and I need someone to show me where to take a bus to Ofololo basement. 

Suddenly, all of them burst out laughing as if I had said something funny. Then the fat young boy that was opening and closing his mouth in the name of telling a

funny story looked at them and said with a very bold and coarse voice that sounded like that of a Bush cow...
"any Uniben student that doesn't know how to pronounce hall 4 law basement, is that one a Uniben student? 

No.... They all said in unism. 

I was so shy and confused coz I couldn't understand what they were saying. The slang was so complicative  that I couldn't figure it out  with my little Yoruba sense. 

what could make this niggas laugh at me this way.

I thought as I left them with shame. Thinking my head out as I forgot my smallest luggage.
Then, I listened and I heard some girls still laughing hysterically. The laughter sounded like that of  Aniola,  a Yoruba old lady that would laugh and hang her legs up just to attract a suitor or young men that are passing by. 

Then, a young girl that looks exactly like my age came towards me and said

"hello, I'm Maureen, and here is your box. Am so sorry for those dudes they don't really know how to treat a fresher. 

    "hi I am Lola, but you can call me Lina. Thanks for your kindness, am so gratefull"

"you are welcome Lina. Guess you are looking for the basement bus? 

"yes, the one that is going directly to ofolo,basement.

I said not being sure of where I was going to. 

   "there" She said "that is hall 4 law basement bus. You can sit in the front sit with me.  That's if u don't mind. 

"oky" I said trying to form phonetics. 

 "thanks once more"

Suddenly, the bus  got filled up and a dark old man came into the bus and said "

   "make sure you are with your 20 naira change"

Hmm, I was chocked, coz I was with a one thousand naira note. But thanks to Maureen. She paid for my t. Fair, after a serious embarrassment from the driver,who nearly could had buried me to the ground just because of a twenty naira note that I couldn't afford. He yawned angrily at me

  "why didn't u come with a one million naira note just to route on a journey of twenty naira prize. Look at your eyes like that of an owl. Ole buruku!

I was shocked and I wept within me, he reminded me of my popsy.  He can never say a word without an insult added either at the beginning or at the end of his statement especially when he's upset with mumsy, or when he's hungry for food. That moment when he could finish a bowl of rice without taking water nor whisper a word to anyone around him. Not even words like "do u mind eating with me" it is the Yoruba tradition and I know Ibo's does that too. That moment when you are hungry for food and there's a pot of rice at your front but u couldn't smell nor touch one grain  of it  Hu"

It was so painful that I had to hide my face from the people  in case there's tears that would want to come out to disgrace me in the public.

"it's OK, Lina,  she said with a very sweet voice. Welcome to Uniben. Some said it's unistress. But it's still the choice of many. She taped my back with a derisive smile on her face. 

Then I wondered why she's saying welcome to me by this period ,why would she say welcome when I just finished from a trauma from the driver... And why was her smile so derisive as if there's something wrong in welcoming me to the school environment. These were my thoughts.gosh! I exclaimed 

  Oh diary, my first day in school could  be summed up as an oxymoron: where I was happy for getting into the school, I was also sad coz of the way those dudes laughed at  me and then the angry driver that roared like a mad lion, that old man that gave me the second condition.... Wanting to give me hbp just because of  a twenty naira note but thanks to God for  giving me an angel of love "Maureen"  She made my day. And I'll sing a song of her, my next poem will bear her name thus "angel maureen" the little angel that comes to school"

       Lina looks at her diary and said  "hu.. I guess u are feeling sleepy dear , it is right time I stops writing . This is 12:00am and am feeling sleepy too.  I have to stop here dear. But before I does that,  I'll like to give u a name" kay" he is the guy that listens to every bit of my story in Victoria island  . Oh diary, you are my Kay in school.he likes my stories and I guess u like it too. Thanks for listening 

 Hope to get more gists tomorrow. Gudnit diary and may angels be our keeper. 

She kissed the diary and said "sweet 

dreams.Click here for episode 2