Caught in the Act

Gambling! I faced the music.

After my junior school days at Elbossa College, I was transferred to Odomola Senior Secondary School, Papa Epe, Lagos, Nigeria. I remembered how we had different teachers - biology, chemistry, physics, and many more. The biology teacher was a beautiful young woman. She taught us about the animal kingdom, plant kingdom, and many more. She would say, "If you can't pronounce the tse fly, just call it Tee Say - Tee say fly!" She teaches and adds "Hallelujah" as if she were preaching. That made boring biology fun! Her name was Mrs. Okunuga.

So, within the school boys, we had some guys that began a book game with numbers. It felt new, as if I was just hearing it for the first time. Hmmm! Fascinating, I moved closer, ready to study what these guys were doing. The game can have as many players as possible, up to 30. All you have to do is pick a number from the book page. Nigerians here know that notebooks come in 40 leaves, 60 leaves, and 80 leaves. So, what we will do is label these books until the end. Once we are done labeling it, the first person would open a page after publicly announcing the number. So, if he opens the chosen/ announced page, he wins the money.

You know then, I had a new exercise book, and I was told to give it out for the game, which I did. Soon, those who lost came to me for money, some promising extra after winning. Every guy began to get addicted to the game. I remembered a guy called Oseni; he wins most games and has a sweet mouth.

This game continued on and on for months. Many teachers would pass by, feeling that we are reading or opening books randomly, but a curious teacher stood at the window when all of us were totally focused on the game. He was the ICT teacher, very smart. Watching as they placed bets, he instantly understood that it was a form of gambling.

He collected the book, found my name on it, called all those involved, and I was among them. The man said, "You all are gambling." I didn't know it was a serious crime. I began to explain myself with confidence, saying that this is what the game is all about. I was like, "My book was just used during the process." The man didn't take it lightly; our names moved to the principal.

My heart was pounding because after the assembly, the Vice Principal Academic will definately call for us. I was shaking like a living vibrator; I wasn't myself. Soon, we went to the office. In the office, I met the principal, vice principal, and other teachers. After a brief exchange of words, they told us to call our parents. When I got home, I didn't say a word about it. I did my assignment because I knew it was going to be another issue. I was a good boy at home, and Mum or Dad must not know that I was involved in gambling. Not me!

During a lecture period the following day, I was called for, and I summoned myself to the principal's office. Shockingly, I saw my dad. You were involved in gambling! 🤔 I didn't hear anything for about a minute 😅. A question was tossed to me in my native language by the VP. "Pamilerin so too to", which means"Pamilerin, won't you speak the truth?" I pulsed trying to process everything.

Then my dad said, "Pamilerin, they said that you were involved in a form of betting." My innocent and pitiful face erupted. Deep down, I understood what betting was, but I didn't know that betting is not only Baba Ijebu or the common bet Naija or Spotty Bet. I began to speak. The teacher framed me, and I wasn't among. My book was used... This and that. I continued to lash out.

But there was this Agric teacher who had street experience; he was like, "These children don't know what betting is. This is not yet betting." He softened the whole situation, but I didn't go scot-free. Punishment wasn't suspension; it wasn't cane; it was a warning. Soon, I escaped, but for a while...

At home, I had to face the music. The school was just a preamble. I was disciplined by my parents. My Mum said that it was just twice that her parents came to her school, during registration and graduation. My dad added that he was an obedient child and he never stole from his parents. They told stories of people who lost their properties to gambling.

Since then, I don't bet. 🙂‍↔️ I am a changed boy. I am a minimalist 🤣🤣😅.

This prompt by Hive account@theinkwell made me remember those days!