Living In The Ghetto - Episode 26

Adanna was finally on a summer holiday. They called it summer holiday which had a third term summer coaching, though Nigeria has only wet and dry season. Everybody in the school already knew that Adanne's brother was admitted to UNILAG. She told Chimaobim's class teacher  and he announced it in the assembly while the principal turned it to a motivational speech. "Our Ex student is making us proud, be like him. I am sure we will receive good news from others sooner," he boasted. 

University of Lagos finally announced their screening date. Chimaobim was happy. His journey to the university had begun and he couldn't help but anticipate how it would be. He had grown up reading novels that centered on campus life; some unknown authors and he enjoyed Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's novels centred around Nsukka narration, the location of the University of Nigeria campus. He felt he was an opposite her and she was his inspirations - their names could be interchanged, he always fantasized. He thought about life in the campus, girls engaging in prostitution and living carless lives, boys being cult members etc. He imagined students wrapping their books in their arms and walked in a proud gait. Mama always loved to watch Nollywood movies and he grew up watching Nollywood campus movies with her

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. He knew actresses like Oge Okoye and Ini Edo who graced the home videos in campus lifestyle kind of movies. Wale Adenuga production movies weren't exempted - they also gave the campus auras. Adanne would be glued to the television while he fantasized about the campus life. She will later discuss with Chimaobim, how she would be behaving in the university when she finally enters. 

The next day Chimaobim entered University of Lagos. He was shocked. It was a beautiful sight to behold, and the environment looked serene. The last time he came for post utme, the campus shuttle dropped him at the bus park which was opposite the CITS building where he wrote his examinations. After the examinations, he picked up his bag he kept with a woman that sold petty items in a small kiosk. The woman collected their bags and the aspirants paid hundred naira each for their valuables to be kept there. He thought it was a smart move which the woman made tokens; once in a lifetime. She stuck a paper tape which she used to write their various names on them. After the post utme, he entered the campus shuttle to Yaba.

Entering the University of Lagos, some students alighted at the gate. "If you are going for post utme screening at the multipurpose hall, it's better you alight at the gate. Multipurpose hall is a nearby," a voice said.

Chimaobim alighted with them. He adjusted his files which was almost falling off from the envelope. He positioned himself on the slab while he kept walking into the gate. The gate appeared weird to him. It's constructed in a way he could not assimilate, he said to himself. He walked into the gate, down to the multipurpose hall.

"Whoop!" he yelled. "I have not taken my time to stare at this amazing beautiful environment."

The street light reminded him of the ones he saw in Hollywood movies. He wondered how it would be when it luminated at night. The beautiful ornamental flowers sent goosebumps to his spine. The bustop? He had never seen bustop well built like that where people sat and waited for shuttles and cabs except in movies. It had always been a sign post to dictate, "bustop here," and the danfo buses, tricycles etc that always disobey it.

Read " She Did It " by the same author ( Obinna Tony )

. He stood by the side of the road and admired the faculty of environmental sciences before he saw someone walked past him.

He tapped the man in a courteous manner immediately and he turned, while his eyeballs lit up. "Where is Multipurpose hall?" he asked.

The guy smiled. He must be a freshman. Nice, he thought to himself and nodded.

"That's it at your back," the man pointed. 

Chimaobim turned and saw a building that was enclosed by numerous corrugated irons. "Thank you," he said.

The man smiled gesturing in the air. "...but one thing," he said.

Chimaobim eyeballs rotated and his brow fixed at the man's lips while the lips moved in a smirk. "You have to pay five hundred naira due so that a better file would be given to you at the door. It has the university logo," he said, pointing at the door. 

Chimaobim peered at the door slightly, through the gate and it was dark from outside. "Oh--" Chimaobim stuttered. "Okay, I'll pay at the gate."

He made to walk away, but the man grabbed him by his shirt. "You are to pay to me," he said flaunting his gap tooth.