Pass on the Baton

By Yemi Adebiyi

Pass on the Baton is about Southwest Academy, a high school community that mirrors the larger society. It is a story of a patriotic repairman, Desmond Odu, who combined hard work, selfless love and devotion to duty in his strides to improve his classroom constituency. How Teacher Desmond and his crew surmounted the obstacles ready to thwart their noble intentions are strands with which this stimulating story is written. The story celebrates good leadership and motivated followers in their transformation strides to a better future.
In this fast-paced, humorous, entertaining and romantic school classic, the author brings to life dream characters - the expectation of a society yearning for direction.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris UK
• Release date: Jan 31, 2012
• ISBN: 9781465306388

Yemi Adebiyi

YEMI ADEBIYI is a biochemist, a journalist and a quality control expert. He attended the prestigious NOTRE Dame Grammar School, Ushi in Ekiti, Nigeria. He had his tertiary education in Nigeria, UK and USA. Yemi is the current Chairman of Association of Nigerian Authors in Lagos. He is the author of the novels: THE BLOOD SAMPLE, ESCAPE FROM THE SOUTH, THE PASTOR’S PROSTITUTE and PASS ON THE BATON. He is still a consultant in thechemical and allied industries in Nigeria. Yemi lives in Ajasa County in Lagos with his family.

Book preview

PASS ON THE BATON

YEMI ADEBIYI

Copyright © 2012 by Yemi Adebiyi.

Library of Congress Control Number:       2012900997

ISBN:         Hardcover                               978-1-4691-5431-2

                   Softcover                                 978-1-4691-5430-5

                   Ebook                                      978-1-4653-0638-8

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

This book was printed in the United States of America.

To order additional copies of this book, contact:

Xlibris Corporation

0-800-644-6988

www.xlibrispublishing.co.uk

[e-mail]

303457

CONTENTS

Acknowledgement

One  Back To School

Two  Mr King Takes Over

Three  Mathematical Goddy

Four  Teacher Desmond Agreed

Five  The Heroic Welcome

Six  Mathematics Eve

Seven  A Race Of Love, A Race Of Live

Eight  The Rescue Mission

Nine  The Principal’s New Posting

Ten  Jemilat’s Secondary Assignment

Eleven  Lunch Time At State House

Twelve  The New Principal

Thirteen  Senior Teacher Desmond

Fourteen  The Berlin Wall

Fifteen  The Freedom Day

Sixteen  Before The Valedictory

Seventeen  The Valedictory Service

Eighteen  Goodbye Kiss

DEDICATION

For making positive impact in Imaging Industry:

   Adebola Adegunwa

   Modupe Awani

   Toyin Daranijo

   Bola Shagaya

   Dare Aturamu

For perfect transfer of governance baton:

   Bola Ahmed Tinubu,

   Babatunde Raji Fashola

For promoting reading and learning culture:

   Oluremi Tinubu

   Rochas Okorocha

   Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu

‘I will give you a new heart and a new mind; I will take away your stubborn heart of stone and give you an obedient heart. I will put my spirit in you.’

(The Book of Ezekiel)

‘And some of the scripts I went through are fantastic.’ Another member of the International Examinations Board added.

‘That’s expected,’ the VP said. ‘The stake is high. The girls are competing for the attention from one man, and the boys are in a game of supremacy.’

‘Why? Are the girls in love?’ The IEB official asked.

‘It is more than love, officer. My young girls set themselves a target. Whoever did best all-round becomes the rightful possessor of their only fantasy. My girls are running a race of love, a race of life and I love it. If fantasy could bring out the best in them to shape their future, I, their custodian mother, I’m the number one fan of their relay race to fantasy.’ She smiled contentedly.

‘What is this fantasy of theirs?’

‘Their epitome of excellent performance, their battery, their driving force, their zip-up apostle, their brother, their dydx, their TD, their maths teacher is their fantasy . . .

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

My encounter with the library and literature in Notre Dame College, Usi Ekiti and Abeokuta Grammar School, triggered my literary interest. I salute these great schools, her generation of students and teachers. To Luke Ogundiran of Notre Dame College, my best classroom teacher ever, I drop my pen to take a bow. To Andrew Bayo Orire, the best student of that generation, I remember with admiration as the story unfolds. To Dr. Sulaiman Adegunwa of Ess-ay Holdings Limited, an extraordinary boardroom teacher I was privileged to encounter, I readjust my tie to express my gratitude for the lifetime experience with this very best.

But it was the work environment interactions as a Maths/Physics teacher at schools in Kano, Ibadan and Lagos that led to the forms and images in this work. Sincerely, my encounter with the trio of Julie Morhirhi, Yetunde Osibodu and Ronke Berber in one of the schools in Lagos contributed in no small measure to the fantasy fraction of this faction. They contributed to my effectiveness as a teacher; loved by students and trusted by parents and fellow teachers.

The story finally crystallized when I had the opportunity to witness the activities at the students’ second home in Mayflower School, Ikenne. To the Morafas and the Bakares of that great school, I am indirectly grateful. I am indebted to Jare Ajayi and Akeem Lasisi, for their useful suggestions.

I remember with fondness the healthy literary rivalry between Albert Adebiyi, Patrick Afowowe and James Afolabi in Notre Dame Grammar School, Usi.

My deepest gratitude to Kunle and Monisade Ajifola, Babatope and Oladipo Akinyele for their unparallel encouragement and support to get this work published.

Kudos to my contacts in Xlibris Publishers: Levi Grimm, Roy Andrews and Manny Chavez for their patience and support.

Books by the author:

Rhapsodies of A Corper (poetry)

The Blood Sample (novel)

The Pastor’s Prostitute (novel)

ONE

BACK TO SCHOOL

THE MID-MORNING SUN, in its eastern expression, shone brightly on the boy’s hostel of Southwest Academy. Situated at the western wing of the school, the hostel consists of three buildings that formed three sides of a square. In the middle of these buildings was the newly erected reception hall, donated by the members of the school’s old students’ association. It had four doors: the main entrance door for visitors and three access doors to the hostel. The set-up was made in such a way that no student could enter or leave the hostel without passing through the reception.

Adequate security was provided using a concrete wall fence as a barrier to curb access into the Students’ Garden of Eden, from the canal behind the hostel. It was through this canal that the cultists from Lagoon University normally came in to recruit the younger minds into cultism, drug and other social vices. Both parents and teachers would be happy over the security measures added.

The returning students were talking excitedly about the hostel reception; the television, the hi-fi stereo set, and the giant coca-cola branded refrigerator in the corner. These additional boarding facilities reassured them that more fun was awaiting them in their second home. The early arrivals were confused over the procedure of checking in. The check-in point of each house at the balcony had been relocated. They could not see the house masters in charge. On a large notice board at the frontage of the reception hall, they were notified that check-in time had been shifted from the usual 10am to 12 noon. It was 11a.m now. More students came and joined the early arrivals. They were equally excited over the new look of their hostel.

‘There was a man who came here and left his footmark on the sand of time.’ Titilayo Salawu, a final year student and head girl, who had followed her kid brother to the boys’ hotel, allowed her thought to burst through her lips.

‘Who was the man?’ Godwin Onuoha, the Sports Prefect, who arrived a few minutes earlier, asked her.

‘Guess.’ Titilayo Salawu smiled as she saw Godwin.

‘Teacher Desmond Odu was the man.’ Many voices, including that of Deji Salawu, in junior secondary two, responded in unison.

‘What do you know about Teacher Desmond?’ Titilayo said in a harsh voice to her brother who was in the junior class, not taught by Mr. Desmond Odu.

‘A lot, my sister, a lot,’ Deji answered.

‘Tell me a little,’ Titilayo said.

Deji quickly moved away from his sister and stayed closer to Godwin for protection. He anticipated a strike from Titilayo. When he felt he had been well-covered, he responded. ‘Initially, I thought Teacher Desmond was your boyfriend. You always talked about him. Teacher Desmond said this, Teacher Desmond didn’t say that. Teacher Desmond liked this, Teacher Desmond dislike that, and so on. Later, I heard your friends, Janet and Ore, spoke about him with the same passion. They were always in the world of Teacher Desmond. And the big boys were always around him. I was there on the day Teacher Desmond dribbled Senior Goddy stylishly like Jay Jay Okocha. It was that day on our soccer pitch I became the teacher’s fan. I remember the day he entered our class as the teacher on duty. The math’s teacher for our class was ill. We were happy and reverted to noise making. When he caught us marketing, we thought he was going to use the cane on us but he took up the chalk and started teaching us some mathematical tricks. By the time he was ready to leave, we were asking for more mathricks.’

‘Give us one of the mathricks you learnt from Mr. Odu,’ Godwin said.

Deji Salawu looked at him and his sister suspiciously. ‘He must have taught you people plenty of tricks too.’

‘Let us have yours and we’ll give ours to you.’ Titilayo said. Her voice had become gentle and friendly.

‘Okay, okay.’ He thought of where to start from, the phi mystery or the eleven magic. He settled for the latter. ‘In two seconds, multiply 72 by 11. One, two.’ He paused for the response. When it did not come, he said, ‘792.’

Godwin was surprised. ‘You didn’t allow us to work it out. Deji.’

‘I said two seconds.’

‘How did you do it?’ Titilayo asked.

‘That’s the mathrick,’ Deji said triumphantly. ‘Just add 7 and 2, and if the sum is not up to 10, insert it between the two digits.

‘I see.’ Godwin said. ‘Wow!’

Deji smiled. ‘What is 63 by 11?’

Godwin answered promptly. ‘693’

‘What of 25 by 11?’

‘275.’

‘And 54 by 11 is what?’

‘594.’ Both Titilayo and Godwin answered together.

‘Good.’ Deji said. ‘You have just scored a hat trick in Mathematics as you normally do in football. Congrats, senior!’

‘Do you want another version of eleven magic?’

‘Let’s have it.’ Godwin was eager to learn.

‘Are you ready?’

‘Yes.’ Godwin and Titilayo answered together.

‘If 11 x 11 is 121, what is 111 x 111?’ Deji actually pronounced it one eleven by one eleven.

After five seconds both could not come with the answer. Deji smiled and helped them out. ‘The answer is 12321.’

‘Are you sure?’ Titilayo was surprised. Godwin quickly did the multiplication and confirmed the answer.

Deji smiled again. ‘If you look closely at the symmetry of the two answers above, you will tell me in two seconds the answer to 1111 x 1111.’

‘That’s 1234321.’ Godwin answered.

‘And 11111 x 11111 is what?’

‘123454321.’ Godwin was faster than Titilayo in giving the answer.

‘That’s enough. I won’t allow you to score another hat trick against my sister.’ He paused as Titilayo looked at him almost disbelieving that he had such knowledge. ‘Two of you can continue the fun and build a lovely mathematical pyramid, the Southwest sports couple pyramid.’

Others who had been listening to them joined in a loud laughter. They were still laughing when Deji slipped away from them and joined his classmates, sauntering at the edge of the new building. Meanwhile he had forgotten to ask for the tricks that Teacher Desmond taught Titilayo and her classmates.

The house-masters to check them in arrived together. They walked by the students and one of them opened the sliding door at the main entrance of the reception. Goddy observed that if Teacher Desmond had been among them, he would have responded to the student’s greetings more affectionately and more cheerfully. Desmond Odu had related with the students more than any other teacher he had encountered in the Academy. Now that he had left the school, Goddy realized how much he had missed the teacher.

Titilayo headed towards the girls’ hostel as Mr. Roja Aduloju called the boys to get ready to be checked into their various houses. The housemasters had already taken their seats and tables at the three exists that led to the hostels.

All the final year day students were to be accommodated in the boarding house because of their final certificate examination. Mr. Roja Aduloju instructed this category of students to wait and take their turn after the returning boarders had been attended to. While Godwin and other final year students affected by Roja’s instruction waited outside, others formed three lines representing the Yellow, the Green and the Blue House. The check on individual basis was thorough, yet very fast. The housemasters knew what to look for and the house prefects assisting them ensured that any student who did not meet all laid-out regulations was not cleared for the boarding house.

Deji Salawu belonged to Yellow House. He removed his second packet of sugar from his school bag and hid it inside his suitcase as he moved nearer the checkpoint. When it was his turn, he started fidgeting with his box.

‘Leave the box if it will not open,’ Mr. Udo Akpan the housemaster told him in a pleasant manner. ‘Let’s see your bags first. The box will open when we get there.’ The housemaster smiled and a few students started to chuckle.

‘Where is your mosquito net?’ Udo asked him.

‘I forgot to buy it. I have the money, Sir.’

‘When you buy it come and collect your beverage.’ Udo took a medium sized tin of bournvita from Deji’s bag.

‘Let me quickly go for it now, Sir.’ Deji offered.

‘Not until we check your box to ensure your boarding house requirements are complete.’ The housemaster responded.

The house captain offered to help him open the box. ‘Come over, Deji, let me open it for you.’

‘Don’t worry, Senior. I can open it. I almost forgot the combination.’

‘Because of the contrabands inside,’ a student said from the queue. Some students laughed and some frowned at the intruder.

When the box was opened, the bed sheets, the pillow cases, the under wears, night dresses and school dresses were scrutinized and the quantities were ascertained. But the house prefect found an excess packet of sugar, a tin of baked beans and some tinned fish wrapped with a pillowcase.

‘There are some contrabands here, Sir,’ the house captain called the attention of Mr. Akpan.

‘Bring them out,’ the housemaster ordered. ‘We have told you students several times not to bring these things to the school.’

‘I’ll send them back home.’ Deji pleaded with the master.

‘These now belong to the school. When any contraband is seized here, it is seized forever. This is our custom post, our Semen border. We can give the second packet of sugar to a needy student. Next time you will neither come with surplus nor bring banned items.’

‘O master!’ Another student lent her voice to plead for Deji.

‘O student!’ Udo responded as he collected the contrabands from the house prefect. ‘These things are now in my custody from where they will enter into my body.’ He smiled as some students suggested fifty per cent seizure.

‘Give us this day, Sir.’ Another student tried again as the housemaster dropped the banned items into the contra box. Students gave the box that name.

‘Master,’ a student from the back of the queue called. ‘Please, temper justice with mercy.’

Udo smiled again, enjoying every moment of the scene as an actor and a spectator. ‘I have listened to all your appeal for Deji. I will grant your request by pairing the cool and lovely Mercy in girl’s hostel with Justice, the Southwest bully, to anchor the resumption night social gathering at seven.’

Everybody laughed at the joke.

‘That’s not tempering justice with mercy since my seized items are still in jail.’ Deji complained bitterly.

‘Release of your seized items has a remote possibility. School rules forbid it.’ Udo’s voice was serious, indicating that