During my first year in secondary school (JSS1) there was no basis for electing or appointing class leaders as we were all meeting eachother for the very first time and no one knew the other. Even the teachers did not know the students as at then.
My class teacher then appointed a class prefect and an assistant to act in the respective capacities with the promise that at the end of the first term of JSS1, there would be a change depending on our results.
He said that whoever took the first position would become the class prefect, second would become the assistant, third would become the labour prefect and the fourth would be the assistant labour prefect. We all agreed and continued our activities for the term with the interim prefects as our leaders.
As a child, I was very playful and at that young age, playful children are tagged "noisemakers" in the school system.
Whenever the teacher requested the prefects to produce a list of noisemakers to quell the noise in the class, my name was always there. Sometimes, beside my name would be written X2, X3 or even X5 depending on the amount of noise the prefect felt I made. X2 meaning I made noise on two separate instances, X2 means three separate instances and so on. Anyone who went to school in Nigeria would be conversant with this system and how negatively students with extra tags are seen by teachers and fellow students, especially the teachers.
Fast forward to the 1st term examinations, I studied hard and had a good result. I ended up with the 4th position. I was happy because I have never held any leadership position up untill that time and I was hoping to become the assistant labour prefect. It would be a good start for me.
As the new term began, my class teacher came, he reminded us of the initial plan for the class leadership. He then announced the guy who took first as the class prefect. We all clapped, he continued announcing and I was getting ready to be called upon. When he got to the 4th position for assistant labour prefect and realised I was the one, he said no, that I won't be his prefect. Stating that I was a noisemaker and even asking me how I managed to have a good result. He then skipped me and went on to the girl who came 5th in the exams, who happened to be my neighbour in the class.
I was deeply offended but I was barely 10 years old then and could not say anything in my defense.
I felt cheated and unfairly treated but there was little I could do, I just accepted my fate and by the next day I continued my playfulness.
Needless to say, I did not stop noisemaking and my name remained ever present on the list of noisemakers and he would always highlight it, reminding me why he did not choose me as a prefect. I hated him for it but it was just in my mind.
My results remained good regardless and I was always among the class toppers till I left the school, but I never got a chance to hold a leadership position before leaving.
