Chapter 9: Principal’s Office

For office, principal dey talk with pity:

The principal na old baba wey like peace. As I enter, he look me with soft eye, like say make I no cry.

“No be just apology? If you do bad, get mind talk am. To curse person no good.”

He dey talk slow. I just dey look him, dey wonder if he sabi the full story.

I reply cold: “I curse, but I get reason. No be me start am. After all this cyberbully, Halima and Musa Lawal no suppose apologize to me?”

I talk with boldness. For Naija, you gats talk am as e be.

Principal sigh, hand for head:

He just rest hand for bald head, dey think. I feel small pity, but I no gree talk sorry.

“Even if you no wrong, the other person na celeb with millions of fans. Person no fit fight power. Even if you get ten mouth, e no go work. Just bear am, make peace return.”

He dey try advice me like father. Na so old people dey talk when dem no wan make matter big.

I bone: “So if she use power press me, I suppose gree?”

For my mind, I dey beg God make this matter no spoil my scholarship.

I look am direct. For Naija, if you get mouth, use am well.

Principal just raise hand: “Nothing you fit do. You no get power. Nobody go hear your side.”

He dey talk truth, but e pain me. For this country, na power dey talk.

I roll eye: “I go make Halima come beg to clear my name.”

I no dey fear. If e go hard, I ready to push am.

Principal no believe.

He just shake head, dey pity me.

He rub face, dey tired: “The forum wahala dey affect school. I go tell admin shut am for one week. Settle am in one week or school go enter.”

For my mind, I dey plan strategy. I no go gree lose.

I look up: “How?”

I dey ask sharp. If plan dey, make I hear am.

Principal: “Like make you write apology, then post am everywhere.”

Na so. Na only apology dem sabi for this country. I just hiss small.

I press lips.

I hold mouth, dey plan my next move.

If I write apology and dem post am everywhere, even if I no wrong, na me go still carry blame.

For Naija, if you gree one time, dem go ride you forever.

No way.

I stand gidigba. I no go let dem use my head like gala for traffic.

So I talk cold: “If e clear, I go want make school make Musa Lawal apologize to me.”

Make dem know say I sef dey reason justice.

Principal nod: “If you be victim, Musa Lawal suppose collect blame.”

He dey try balance am. Na so old people dey do.

With that, I no talk again, waka commot.

I just pack my bag, bone face, waka comot like boss. Everybody dey look me for corridor.