They all entered Oduduwa hall, all adorned in blue ceremonial gowns, they got their gowns a day before and that in itself was an herculean tasks. The students had to go to their respective faculties to get it. Ese had had to queue, struggle and even fought to get her gown and when she finally succeeded, she got a mismatched gown and cap. She got a navy blue gown and a light blue cap. But luckily for her, when she got to the hostel she saw that Teju got a light blue gown and a navy blue cap so they had swapped.
The hall was already half filled when Ese and Teju entered. There were post stands around the hall indicating seating arrangement. Name of faculties were written on the posts.
"That's Social Sciences Ese" Teju said pointing at one of the posts, then added "but I can't seem to find Administration"
"It's because you were busy looking out for my faculty, that's it over there" Ese joked pointing at the post next to the one Teju had pointed to.
"Don't flatter yourself, I only saw it by chance, and by the way, you saw my faculty before me too" Teju retorted
"Yea, right"
They both walked to the positions assigned to their faculties. The hall was a sea of different shades of blue. Ese had picked the navy blue because Teju did not like the cap. Teju had said it looked like a Fulani shepherd's hat because of its wide top. Ese herself didn't wear the cap, she held it in her hand, she wasn't really the cap wearing kind so she had not mind picking the navy blue gown.
The noise in the hall died down as the Vice Chancellor, alongside the Registrar, the Deans and other senior officials of the university entered the hall dressed in similar looking multicolored ceremonial gowns and sat down on the high table in front of the hall and the program began. A woman whom Ese recognized as her faculty's secretary came to share a pamphlet to them. Ese looked at her copy "MATRICULATION OATH" was written boldly at the top, she quickly read through it, then dialed her mother's number again. She had been trying to reach her since day break but the network seemed to have a mind of its own that morning, and just as her previous attempts a disembodied voice told her that her call could not be connected. She dropped the phone in her bag, disappointed.
They started the program by reciting the national anthem and the school anthem, and the registrar introduced the university officials, then the VC gave a boring speech where he congratulated, advised, warned and threatened the freshmen. The registrar came back to the podium to lead them through the matriculation oath. All the matriculants stood up and read the oath.
"Know that you are bound by the oath, you did not just read the oath for the sake of formality, you will be punished accordingly if you in anyway break the oath. You are expected to fill the spaces on the pamphlet with you, fill in your names, your faculties, append your signatures and write today's date, then your are to submit it in your various faculties.
Lastly the matriculants were asked to stand up by faculties and were introduced to their deans who accepted them into their faculties. The VC and the others filed out as they came.
As Ese stood up to leave, her phone rang, it was her mum
"Mummy you missed it, we are through, we are just leaving the hall, where are you?"
"Will you even allow me talk?"
"I'm sorry mum, it's just that I would have loved you to be around during the matriculation proper"
"Oh! I am, look back at the audience section"
Ese looked back and saw her mum amidst other proud parents, she was waving at her.
"Mummy" she screamed so loud that she scared those around her as she forced her way through the crowd, up the stairs to meet her mum at the back. She hugged her tightly when she got close enough to jump at her.
"Oh mummy, I have missed you so, I was scared you were running late, that you wouldn't make it on time, I even tried calling you several times but I couldn't get through"
"Isabella smiled down at her daughter and said "you know I wouldn't miss it for anything in the world. I tried your number also. The network can be funny at times"
"I spoke to daddy yesterday morning and he told me you had gone to Kano and that he wasn't sure if you'd make it back yesterday, so I thought...."
"Yes, but I made it back yesterday. Actually I was supposed to have come back on Sunday but I met an old friend there, she convinced me to shop with her at the Kano cloth market, and the weather was bad on Monday, so we couldn't fly. She will be here today too"
"Your friend? Is a child of hers matriculating too?
"Yes, my friend and No, no child of hers is matriculating. Her son is in his second year, she planned to visit him this week, and when I told her about the matriculation, she decided to come today in other to celebrate with us too. I am even expecting her call"
Ese looked around for Teju and luckily found her, she waved at her and beckoned on her. "Mummy here is my close friend Teju" Isabella smiled down at Teju and shook her hand "Nice to meet you girl and congratulations...." Her ringing phone interrupted her "excuse me" she said as she picked the call
"I gotta go Ese, my big bro just called to tell me that my parents are already around and are setting up already at the spot"
"Oh! Okay, say me hi to them"
"I will, but you have to come over so that I'll introduce you to them"
"I will"
"Good, see you later" Teju said as she rushed away.
Isabella finished her call and said "that was my friend, the one I told you about, she is just entering the school gate. Where has your friend gone to"
"To meet her parents. Let's go mum, I found a special spot where we can set up, and I want you to meet another friend of mine"
"Okay, you've been here just about a month and you've made a number of friends already, I didn't know you are this gregarious" Isabella said as she followed Ese out of the hall
"It's not that mum, it's just.......... it's just that they are great"
"Okay, I'll accept your words for it"
Their spot was already taken, they had to find another spot and luckily they got a better one but Ese was not pleased, she was pissed. Now it would be hard for Siji to locate them, that is even if he did, they had both picked the lost spot the night before and they had agreed he would meet her there. She would have called to inform him about the change but he had no phone. She really wanted him to meet her mum.
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****************
*********
The hall was already half filled when Ese and Teju entered. There were post stands around the hall indicating seating arrangement. Name of faculties were written on the posts.
"That's Social Sciences Ese" Teju said pointing at one of the posts, then added "but I can't seem to find Administration"
"It's because you were busy looking out for my faculty, that's it over there" Ese joked pointing at the post next to the one Teju had pointed to.
"Don't flatter yourself, I only saw it by chance, and by the way, you saw my faculty before me too" Teju retorted
"Yea, right"
They both walked to the positions assigned to their faculties. The hall was a sea of different shades of blue. Ese had picked the navy blue because Teju did not like the cap. Teju had said it looked like a Fulani shepherd's hat because of its wide top. Ese herself didn't wear the cap, she held it in her hand, she wasn't really the cap wearing kind so she had not mind picking the navy blue gown.
The noise in the hall died down as the Vice Chancellor, alongside the Registrar, the Deans and other senior officials of the university entered the hall dressed in similar looking multicolored ceremonial gowns and sat down on the high table in front of the hall and the program began. A woman whom Ese recognized as her faculty's secretary came to share a pamphlet to them. Ese looked at her copy "MATRICULATION OATH" was written boldly at the top, she quickly read through it, then dialed her mother's number again. She had been trying to reach her since day break but the network seemed to have a mind of its own that morning, and just as her previous attempts a disembodied voice told her that her call could not be connected. She dropped the phone in her bag, disappointed.
They started the program by reciting the national anthem and the school anthem, and the registrar introduced the university officials, then the VC gave a boring speech where he congratulated, advised, warned and threatened the freshmen. The registrar came back to the podium to lead them through the matriculation oath. All the matriculants stood up and read the oath.
"Know that you are bound by the oath, you did not just read the oath for the sake of formality, you will be punished accordingly if you in anyway break the oath. You are expected to fill the spaces on the pamphlet with you, fill in your names, your faculties, append your signatures and write today's date, then your are to submit it in your various faculties.
Lastly the matriculants were asked to stand up by faculties and were introduced to their deans who accepted them into their faculties. The VC and the others filed out as they came.
As Ese stood up to leave, her phone rang, it was her mum
"Mummy you missed it, we are through, we are just leaving the hall, where are you?"
"Will you even allow me talk?"
"I'm sorry mum, it's just that I would have loved you to be around during the matriculation proper"
"Oh! I am, look back at the audience section"
Ese looked back and saw her mum amidst other proud parents, she was waving at her.
"Mummy" she screamed so loud that she scared those around her as she forced her way through the crowd, up the stairs to meet her mum at the back. She hugged her tightly when she got close enough to jump at her.
"Oh mummy, I have missed you so, I was scared you were running late, that you wouldn't make it on time, I even tried calling you several times but I couldn't get through"
"Isabella smiled down at her daughter and said "you know I wouldn't miss it for anything in the world. I tried your number also. The network can be funny at times"
"I spoke to daddy yesterday morning and he told me you had gone to Kano and that he wasn't sure if you'd make it back yesterday, so I thought...."
"Yes, but I made it back yesterday. Actually I was supposed to have come back on Sunday but I met an old friend there, she convinced me to shop with her at the Kano cloth market, and the weather was bad on Monday, so we couldn't fly. She will be here today too"
"Your friend? Is a child of hers matriculating too?
"Yes, my friend and No, no child of hers is matriculating. Her son is in his second year, she planned to visit him this week, and when I told her about the matriculation, she decided to come today in other to celebrate with us too. I am even expecting her call"
Ese looked around for Teju and luckily found her, she waved at her and beckoned on her. "Mummy here is my close friend Teju" Isabella smiled down at Teju and shook her hand "Nice to meet you girl and congratulations...." Her ringing phone interrupted her "excuse me" she said as she picked the call
"I gotta go Ese, my big bro just called to tell me that my parents are already around and are setting up already at the spot"
"Oh! Okay, say me hi to them"
"I will, but you have to come over so that I'll introduce you to them"
"I will"
"Good, see you later" Teju said as she rushed away.
Isabella finished her call and said "that was my friend, the one I told you about, she is just entering the school gate. Where has your friend gone to"
"To meet her parents. Let's go mum, I found a special spot where we can set up, and I want you to meet another friend of mine"
"Okay, you've been here just about a month and you've made a number of friends already, I didn't know you are this gregarious" Isabella said as she followed Ese out of the hall
"It's not that mum, it's just.......... it's just that they are great"
"Okay, I'll accept your words for it"
Their spot was already taken, they had to find another spot and luckily they got a better one but Ese was not pleased, she was pissed. Now it would be hard for Siji to locate them, that is even if he did, they had both picked the lost spot the night before and they had agreed he would meet her there. She would have called to inform him about the change but he had no phone. She really wanted him to meet her mum.
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****************
*********
"When is our next class Siji?" Pago asked as they finished their second class for the day. He didn't bother to copy the timetable anymore. He would ask Siji after every class when and what the next class was, and after the end of everyday he would asked him the time for their first class the next day.
"Actually, we are to have EEE 201 by noon but the lecturer has rescheduled so we are free for the day" as Siji answered he thought of Ese and knew he had no excuse to give her if he didn't attend her matriculation as planned
"Good" Pago said loudly snapping him out of his thoughts "My mum is coming today"
"Really, you never told me"
"It's because she just told me yesterday, I knew she wanted to come but I didn't know it'd be this early. She said it's because her friend's daughter is matriculating today. She called me during the lecture, I guess she is around already, I'll have to call her back to ask where she is.
"Hello mum, where are you?" He asked when she picked the call
"Okay, we will be there shortly" he hung up and turned to Siji "she is here, she is somewhere around Oduduwa Hall. Let's go, Kalu will meet us there" he said taking it for granted that Siji would go with him. Actually Siji had no plans but he didn't feel like meeting mothers, he was trying to escape one and here is another. Then again, he reasoned that it would be easier meeting Pago's mum than Ese's mum, but he still tried to find a way out.
"Okay, but, how can I manage with my bag and all.........."
"You'll drop them in the car na" Pago interrupted impatiently as he walked out of the class
-- I will have to give Ese a plausible excuse-- Siji thought as he followed Pago out of the class.
"Actually, we are to have EEE 201 by noon but the lecturer has rescheduled so we are free for the day" as Siji answered he thought of Ese and knew he had no excuse to give her if he didn't attend her matriculation as planned
"Good" Pago said loudly snapping him out of his thoughts "My mum is coming today"
"Really, you never told me"
"It's because she just told me yesterday, I knew she wanted to come but I didn't know it'd be this early. She said it's because her friend's daughter is matriculating today. She called me during the lecture, I guess she is around already, I'll have to call her back to ask where she is.
"Hello mum, where are you?" He asked when she picked the call
"Okay, we will be there shortly" he hung up and turned to Siji "she is here, she is somewhere around Oduduwa Hall. Let's go, Kalu will meet us there" he said taking it for granted that Siji would go with him. Actually Siji had no plans but he didn't feel like meeting mothers, he was trying to escape one and here is another. Then again, he reasoned that it would be easier meeting Pago's mum than Ese's mum, but he still tried to find a way out.
"Okay, but, how can I manage with my bag and all.........."
"You'll drop them in the car na" Pago interrupted impatiently as he walked out of the class
-- I will have to give Ese a plausible excuse-- Siji thought as he followed Pago out of the class.
About the Author
Soji Adeola Ayanleke was born about 3 decades ago in Kano.
He studied Electronic and Electrical Engineering at the Obafemi Awolowo
University, Ile-Ife, he speaks Yoruba and Hausa fluently and he is
trying to learn Igbo and Spanish. His hobbies are reading, writing and
playing some indoor games.
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