Brainless

By Favour Ogbugo
^{∙ Girls Senior High School, Agege, Lagos ∙}

After everyone was done applauding Abigael, the MC came up the stage and I knew immediately that he was going to call me next. I was already getting nervous. ‘I can’t do this’, I said to Favour, rubbing my sweaty palms together. Favour who was surveying the crowd turned to me. ‘Of course, you can. You have come this far. Why go back?’ One of the reasons I love Favour is that she could always calm me down. ‘Ok, Ok,’ I said shaking my head to clear my thought. She is our best student, our model, our loyal Head Girl, our friend. In a standing ovation, let’s welcome our outgoing Head Girl, Obinna Goodness. The MC shouted as the crowd stood up to clap for me. Good luck, Favour said as I climbed the stage. I can’t explain why I was nervous. It is not as if that was the first time I would face the crowd. Why is this one different? I queried myself.

I mounted the stage flattered by the praises I received from the MC. I thanked him as I grabbed the microphone. I took a deep breath before I started my long speech. ‘Good afternoon, everyone,’ I said and cleared my throat. ‘First of all, I would like to say big congratulations to all the graduands. High school has not been easy. I am sure your first word after your last exam was ‘finally’. I know this because that was my first word too and I danced happily after the exam. Everyone laughed. Briefly, I would like to share a little of my story with you maybe you would learn a few lessons from it.

Before I discovered myself, I was lonely, bullied and depressed. I never listened in class. I was moody and I used to be a part of the top five most unserious students in my class. I used to be called to teachers’ staff room for counseling. I never took to any of the advice. I was completely overwhelmed by so many disadvantages until Favour Agadu came into my life.

One morning, my class teacher announced Favour Agadu, a newly transferred student. It was the first term of year two in senior school. Favour introduced herself with so much confidence that I imagined her to be a very proud girl. But I admired her confidence a little. Then, the worst of the worst happened. My class teacher looked round the class and said ‘sit next to Goodness.’ As she was coming to take a seat beside me, my mind was overrun by a thousand thoughts. For no tangible reason, I didn’t want her to sit with me. After she had sat down, I looked at her quizzically and smiled at the same time. ‘Hi’ she said to me. ‘I’m Favour. Nice to meet you.’ ‘Nice to meet you too, I replied somehow reluctantly.

Class, give Goodness a round of applause. She would be showing Favour round the school premises, Mrs. Bolatito announced. This announcement caught me off guard. Our class teacher knew that if she had asked me to take her round, I would have declined. During long break, Favour began to pester me to take her round. I got really annoyed by her persistence. She kept asking me too many questions and I ignored her. Reluctantly, I showed her half of the school. I showed her the cafeteria, restroom, my class teacher’s office and the school gate. As we walked about, she kept talking about how boring the school is compared to her former school. Out of annoyance, I yelled at her to go back to her old school after all, nobody forced her to join our school.

About two weeks later, we had bonded a little. We shared breakfast or lunch most times. Sometimes, I would share my snacks with her and she would do the same the following day. She volunteered to put me through certain difficult topics in Mathematics and sciences. Gradually, we became not just classmates but study partners. One afternoon, Favour dragged me to the library to go and study with a couple of other classmates, one of whom is an infamous bully. Tonto had been suspended twice by the authority for fighting in the school. The last time she was involved in a fight, she bruised the face of a girl so badly that the Principal was furious and threatened that she would be expelled if she ever attacked any student again. Her mother pleaded on her behalf and signed an undertaking to that effect.

As each of us pulled out a chair to sit, I noticed Tonto gesturing to a classmate about me. ‘Ah, ah wonder shall never end. Brainless too wants to study’, she sneered. I had always allowed her words to get to me, and because of this, I held my head down, ready to get depressed. But I heard a loud statement that made me raise my head. “How does that concern you?” Favour confronted Tonto. “What did you say?”, “Do you need hearing aids?” Oh God! My mind is about to blow up. “No! I heard you correctly.” “Then why did you ask again?” “Do you know who I am?” Seriously! Who cares? “I don’t care, all I know is that this doesn’t concern you, and I’m not sure this is not why you are here. So, if you could just leave…” this fiery exchange of insults between Tonto and Favour continued for minutes. Nobody attempted to stop them. We all kept mute as if we couldn’t hear them. But within me, I was happy that someone is fighting for me. I tried to stop myself from bursting into laughter. “You are very stupid for interfering, “I wasn’t even talking to you, you fool”, Tonto said, trying to act smart but Favour laid her flat! “I think you should tell yourself that since you are the one interfering. Leave now or I will call the librarian”, “This battle just started. “I don’t think you know what a battle is. I advise you consult a dictionary before you leave”, Favour said as Tonto turned and left with her friends.

At this point, I could not hold the laughter. So, I had to let it out. Favour joined in, “Oh…my…God!” You just shutdown Tonto like that! I…I can’t believe this. “I was holding a table so I wouldn’t fall from laughing. “Why can’t you believe it?”, “I never had the courage to confront her”, I said as I took a deep breath. Favour just watched me without saying a word “Her words hit my heart like a hammer and constantly digging a hole in my heart. I was moved to tears and quickly covered my face with my palms. Favour drew close to me and hugged me tightly as I cried in her shoulders like a baby. I started blabbing words about what Tonto had done to me, but I was sure she didn’t hear some of the words I said.

From then on, Favour and I had become close to each other and Tonto kept her distance because Favour was always with me, and I have gained some confidence too. Favour made me discover my potentials and filled me with books and everything I was supposed to know about life. People who knew how I was then could not recognise me.

I took a deep breath and continued, The Bible says, “Show me your friend and I will tell you who you are. Who are your friends? Have you ever sat down and asked yourself? “How have my friends impacted my life? Mind the friends you keep, and secondly, don’t keep your mouth shut when you are being bullied by someone. Stand up and speak up! Don’t be like me who took Tonto’s words to heart. I never get to move further because those words draw me back, I felt like my whole word revolves around her, don’t let those words damage you before you speak up, please… I’m begging please…, you have the counsellor or you can even meet me or Favour, no matter how the situation is, please feel free to me any of us, even my team, please. I also want to tell you that Abi has changed ever since I force on changing her life just as Favour did to my life. Lastly, before I drop the mic, I will like for us all, in a standing ovation, let us applaud the principal, the vice principal, all the teachers, my team and Victor Favour for all their hard work and also applaud yourself for your hard work and congratulations once again. Thank you.”

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