The Crown: The Crown and the Robe

By Olusola Sophia - Adebayo Anyanwu

The Crown is a historical fiction written in memory of a students riot that actually took place in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, in 1987. The Crown portrays the story of two major characters, the principal and a teacher, who try to do their assigned roles to the best of their ability, but despite their struggles and successes, they will realize that certain responsibilities such as theirs can be full of trouble and danger.

The Robe is the story of Brian, who from birth had been designated to be a celibate priest. As he matures into manhood, he questions his role, and he realizes that he would want marriage and a family. His individual attempts to step out of priesthood do not seem as simple and straightforward as he had planned.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse UK
• Release date: Oct 23, 2017
• ISBN: 9781546283126

Olusola Sophia - Adebayo Anyanwu

Olusola Sophia Adebayo – Anyanwu is British Nigerian. She did all her schooling at Ibadan and studied Education in English at the University of Ife, Nigeria. She served her National Youth Service in Markurdi and taught English and Literature for 20 years in a Federal school for girls in Port Harcourt. She relocated to the UK in 2003 and continued as an educationist in primary and secondary schools in the UK. She is the author of ‘Stories for Younger Generations and The Confession.

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© 2017 Olusola Sophia - Adebayo Anyanwu. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 11/16/2017

ISBN: 978-1-5462-8313-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5462-8312-6 (e)

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

This is a work of historical fiction. The characters are imaginary. Any resemblance to persons known to the author at the time of writing is accidental or coincidental.

THE CROWN

www.olusolasophiaanyanwu.com

Written in October 1987

IN MEMORY OF 27TH SEPTEMBER 1987

IN HONOUR OF ALMIGHTY GOD IN JESUS CHRIST’S NAME. AMEN.

CONTENTS

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

About the Author

Olusola Sophia Adebayo – Anyanwu is British Nigerian. She did all her schooling at Ibadan and studied Education in English at the University of Ife, Nigeria. She served her National Youth Service in Markurdi and taught English and Literature for 20 years in a Federal school for girls in Port Harcourt. She relocated to the UK in 2003 and continued as an educationist in primary and secondary schools in the UK. She is the author of ‘Stories for Younger Generations and The Confession.

Preface

Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown – Proverb

Little drops of water make the mighty ocean – Proverb

He who stools on the road meets flies on his return – Bantu Proverb

Dedication

Dedicated to:

He who would be a Crown and He who is a Crown.

MY SONS:

FRANCIS, AUGUSTUS AND STEPHEN

Acknowledgement

I thank my daughter, Philomina Titilolaoluwa for her patience and taking time out to read The Crown manuscript. Her advice, suggestions and editing the story, have greatly helped.

I thank AuthorHouse my publishers for a job well done publishing all my manuscripts!

CHAPTER ONE

The Monday Daily Sketch of July 30th, 1982, published out the names of those who successfully passed the Federal Civil Service Commission Interview. Miss S. Ogidan saw her name. She was excited. Thank God! So, God had given her favour enough to secure immediate appointment after her National Youth Service Corps [N.Y.S.C] exercise. And with the Federal Civil Service Commission! Her family members too were very overjoyed. She had just completed the N.Y.S.C. programme, a one year compulsory scheme run by the Federal Government of Nigeria for all graduates on completion of their university education. The scheme ensured that graduates like herself from a particular part of the country served in another part of the country to foster the spirit of ‘One Nigeria’ rather than be intimidated or scared of the unknown in your own country! Salary for each corper, as they were called, irrespective of where they served was N200, excepting those who were doctors and those who served in oil companies like Shell or Mobil. They received double payment.

Working with the Federal Civil Service, as Sunbo learnt, was seen as a great advantage and a privilege than working with the State: salaries were regular; payment was better and higher; graduates were guaranteed a furnished house and other benefits such as housing and car loans. Promotion too was swifter as one rose up the wrung of the career ladder faster than if you worked at the state level. Due to all these benefits, state jobs were seen to be inferior to jobs at the federal level. This is why she and her colleagues were really excited.

By Wednesday, Sunbo was at the Federal Ministry of Education popularly termed ‘The Ministry’. She realised that here was the Head Quarters for the Education Ministry as well as for every officer connected with Education as a career in the country. Indeed she marvelled as it was an extremely large and massive complex comprising two massive units in Lagos. She went to the unit that dealt with staff appointments, promotions, transfers and discipline while the other unit dealt with schools and their administration. Sunbo saw many of her NYSC colleagues and school classmates. The Ministry was packed full of people collecting, filling and submitting forms in connection with their acceptance of appointment.

‘Ah! See Gbemisola!’ shouted Sunbo excitedly.

‘Sunbo! How now? Ay pele. How did you enjoy NYSC at Cross Rivers State?’

‘Trust me now. I enjoyed myself. You should not have changed over to Ogun State.’

‘Eh don’t blame me. Se you know Kunle was there and upon it all, we did not click together at last.’

‘You can’t be serious!’

‘My dear, that is a story for another day. So, how far have you gone with your forms?’

‘I will finish by next Wednesday, hopefully. I wish I had started earlier. Have you got your posting?’

‘Yes.’

‘Where tooo, Gbemi?’ Sunbo asked apprehensively.

‘F.G.G.C, Ikot Ipene.’

‘Yepa!! I am sure you will change it again.’

‘Not this time, Sunbo. I want a change of scene.’

‘That is the spirit o! Nigeria is Nigeria, no matter where.’

‘Okay, we‘ll see later. Se you people are still living at Ekotedo?’

‘Ennn. No transition. We still dey.’

The two friends bade each other farewell and departed. That week and next week were busy days of frustration, excitement and anxiety for many people, like Sunbo and her colleagues. The whole business involved their filling many forms, climbing series of flights of steps to see certain persons who might not be ‘on seat’ and who normally determined the fate of the next action: ‘come back tomorrow; go and refill Form C properly; go to room 221 first; go to floor 10 my stamping ink has run out’ etc. After all this business on the third floor, it was not yet over. You would now have to submit your file. It sounded easy but it was not. This was where you refilled all the information on your forms into a large book on the 9th floor and the lifts did not work. There were many people who had to fill in this book. Your turn could be after two hours if you met with luck or two days or more when otherwise.

Sunbo was posted to Unity Girls’ College, Abomba.

‘Where in Nigeria could Abomba be?’ Sunbo asked Timi, who like herself had been in the Ministry for the same appointment issue.

‘You are asking me. I don’t even know where mine is! Why not ask those officers in that room where we filled stuff in that book.’

‘Okay. Yes. Why didn’t you too ask for yours there?’

‘I am not satisfied with my posting. I want a change but I was told to come back in two weeks’ time.’

‘Where would you want to be posted to?’

‘Bendel State, but I was given a school in Nupe Land.’

Two of them hissed.

Sunbo learnt her school was at Port Harcourt in Rivers State, on Tuesday, August 17th. That same day, she informed her parents.

‘Oh no, not again,’ moaned her father. ‘Why must all your postings take you out of your tribal land? First, the NYSC took you to Cross Rivers. Now it is Rivers.’

‘Baba Sunbo,’ called Sunbo’s mother, ‘can we not do anything about it? What of Mr Laniyan? May be he can help.’

‘Don’t bother, Dad. It is alright with me.’

However, Mr Ogidan, Sunbo’s father assured his wife that he would see what could be done. Meanwhile, Sunbo was asked to go to Port Harcourt to report for her Assumption of Duty till the change was effected. That change never came.

CHAPTER TWO

Sunbo got to the college on August 26th in her father’s car. It was a journey that had taken precisely eight hours, from Ibadan in Oyo State and passing through Bendel State to Onitsha in Anambra State and then to Port Harcourt in Rivers State. She arrived at the school compound by 4pm, having left Ibadan at 8am. The whole compound appeared quiet. She was informed by the gatemen that the college was still on the long vacation. Then she also learnt to her dismay that the Principal, Mrs Atoh, was not resident on the compound. She was however told that the Senior Boarding House Mistress, Mrs Nze, was on the compound. Hardly relieved, the driver drove Sunbo to the Staff Quarters where she fished out Mrs Nze’s house. After a few knocks on Mrs Nze’s door, she herself opened the door.

‘Good evening Madam,’ greeted Sunbo nicely. ‘Please Ma, I am a new teacher all the way from Ibadan, but I was told I would not be able to see the principal till Monday. I don’t know what to do Ma.’

‘Ewo –oo,’ Mrs Nze lamented. She was Ibo, from the Eastern part of Nigeria, and taught maths in the senior classes. Her flat had only two bedrooms but she had five people including herself habiting the flat.

‘Chei, what do we do now?’ She asked more to herself. ‘Okay, you can manage with me until Monday. I only hope my kids will not pester you.’

‘Ah, Madam thanks. You are very kind indeed.’

‘Please call me Adaku. And you are?’

‘I am Sunbo Ogidan.’

‘Good, we are colleagues. I will call you Sunbo. I teach maths. What will you be teaching?’

‘English and Literature.’

‘Okay, let me show you where you can keep your things and sleep. Later, I will tell you about the school.’

‘Thanks Ma. Oh, I mean Adaku.’ As they both made their way from the parlour towards the bedrooms, Sunbo noticed four children in the age range from one to four years old.

‘Hello children. How ‘wa’ you?’ Sunbo greeted the kids who were already peeping at her as she stood by the door way. At last, she got herself settled. The driver it seemed obvious enough was to put up inside the car.

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Sunbo Ogidan was not the only new member of staff as she realised when all the new staff were introduced to the parents and staff during the Parents and Teachers’ Association [PTA] Meeting of the school that took place in the school hall on 5th September. By then, most of the staff and students had returned from their holidays. Sunbo had been given her own flat in the school compound. She lived two flats away from Mrs Nze. After the meeting, there was a school assembly, where again the new staff were introduced to the students. The Principal, Mrs Atoh, announced to the staff that there would be a brief staff meeting immediately after the assembly when the students had been dismissed.

‘Good afternoon everybody.’ The Principal greeted all the staff.

‘Good afternoon Madam.’ The staff all chorused back.

‘I hope you all enjoyed your holidays and are back to serious work. I seize this opportunity once more to welcome the new members of staff. Before the end of the week, those of you having accommodation problems will be housed. I will also advice new staff to meet their Heads of Department to allocate them their classes and time table periods. Dates for various meetings were fixed and then the meeting was over. It was the first meeting of the term though on a Saturday. This was the day students returned. Also, the PTA Meeting was fixed on this day to enable parents returning their daughters to attend the PTA Meeting.

Sunbo’s first real teaching experience as a permanent staff started with Form 3c in the third period and Form 3a in the fourth period. The students were in the age bracket of eleven to fifteen years. Even as the time for the lesson approached, she felt nervous. At last, the lesson came up and she went into Form 3c to take them in the English language. At her entry, all the students stood up quietly.

‘Good day girls,’ she shouted a bit unnecessarily.

‘Good day, Miss…’

‘Okay girls,’ she said as she hurried to the blackboard to write her name. ‘I am Miss Ogidan your new English lesson teacher. I thought you would remember my name. You remember the principal introduced us on Saturday during the assembly. Is that not so?’ She could hear her own heart beats.

‘Yes, it is so,’ said a dozen voices or so.

‘Alright sit down. Starting from this row, please tell me your names one by one. This they did. She introduced the text book which was ‘Students Effective English Book 3’. She chose her subject prefects. Two girls. Asked the girls to tell her what they had learnt in English when they were in Form Two. The students did this. The bell seemed to take a long time to ring. She couldn’t wait for the bell. She packed her books, thanked the girls and left the class.

CHAPTER THREE

That same evening, she went to Rosy’s flat. Rosy lived in between herself and Mrs Nze.