Chapter 2: The Legend of Aunty Grace

If na to talk about our counsellor, for this permission matter, she too stubborn.

First year meeting, she talk, "Make I clear am now: no dey come meet me for permission anyhow. If I approve your own, then next person go come, then another one—na so you wan scatter school?"

That time, we think say she just dey strict. Who know say na so she really be?

Big thing, small thing, personal leave, sick leave—she no dey approve anything.

Somebody wan go her sister wedding—she no gree.

She say, "Na your sister dey marry, no be you. E concern you? She go vanish after she marry? Wait till na your own wedding before you find permission."

Somebody wan go house collect new ID card—she no gree.

She say, "You don big finish you still dey lose ID? Why you no lose your face join? So na disgrace you come here come do?"

Somebody chop nonsense, get food poisoning, ask for permission—she no gree.

She say, "I don talk am before, sick permission gats request one day before, plus hospital report. You dey claim say you get run belle for hostel—why you no just talk say dem thief your kidney you gats lie for bed for one month?"

Worst one, one girl get serious menstrual pain, ask for permission. For her own Citizenship Education class, counsellor call her name, mock her: "As girl, you suppose dey take care of yourself well."

All these things, e too much to count. Na from her mouth wey I hear say, "If you like, cry from now reach next year, permission no go drop from my hand." Even cleaners for school dey fear her; if she pass, dem dey greet am with double respect. "Good morning ma, good morning again ma."

To get permission from her hard pass make Super Eagles win World Cup—almost impossible. Na only juju fit help you get am.

Of course, if you try run am anyhow, leave without approval or skip class, wahala dey. At least, she go disgrace you for WhatsApp group and you gats write 3,000-word apology. If e bad, she go call your parents and put bad record for your file.

But me, I no send all that now. Make counsellor do as she like—today, I dey go house.

I reason am say, sometimes for Naija, if you no get leg or person for high place, you go just dey jam wahala everywhere. But this one, e don pass my power. Family first, na so dem dey talk for our side.