This was what happened when soldiers came to our school to flog all the Teachers

So I remembered this experience and said I should share.

Two years ago after being jobless for like two years, I got a job as a class teacher in a primary school. It was just a small school around my area.

That morning the principal called the teachers and introduced me to them as the new staff. He asked me to say something to the teachers and I told them that I was ready to give in my best to ensure that the school succeeds.

Everyone clapped.

When I saw the way they clapped, I went further to tell them that I was ready to stand by the school through hard times and good times. And I was even ready to make sacrifices for the school.

As I was speaking the principal and proprietor of the school were all nodding their heads and clapping their hands. In their mind they were thinking they had gotten better person as teacher.

So that same morning during assembly, I was standing behind the assembly ground when I saw two soldier Hilux drive down and park in front of the school gate.

I started looking outside. I noticed that the soldier men were not happy at all. Everyone was looking angry. I turned to the principal who was addressing the students and noticed the principal was also staring outside the school gate.

From the gate, one of the soldier men shouted.

“Who was the idiot that peeled my son’s back with cane?”

Because I was one of the biggest teachers in the school that had muscles, one of the soldiers began to look at me like I was the suspect. I turned my face away. My heart was beating fast.

“I say who was the idiot. The fool. The bastard that peeled my son back and hospitalized him? Who is he?” The soldier man shouted.

When I heard hospitalized, I knew the situation was a serious one. Everyone started looking around the school. Even me joined to look around with my eyes.

So since I was still a new Teacher, the principal pointed to me and told me to come and handle the assembly and address the students while he and the old teachers address the angry soldier.

While I was standing in front of the assembly ground and telling the students not to be afraid, I kept hearing the soldier man shouting.

“No don’t calm me down. I say don’t calm me down. I came prepared for all of you today. You hospitalized my son, and I am going to hospitalize every teacher that is present here in this school.”

I stopped talking to the students. I started thinking of quitting my job and going back home.

I turned to the teachers and saw how they were all begging the soldier man. One of the women even knelt down.

“No no no. Madam don’t beg me. I have directed my men to flog every teacher in this school. Every single teacher. Lock the school gate. I say lock the school gate. No one moves. If you are a teacher in this school come here and lie down flat.”

At that point, I approached one of the soldier men who was looking friendly and asked him.

“Good morning sir. Sir how about new teachers. I mean teachers that just resumed work today. Should we also join them.”

“Yes. Both new and old teachers should go and lie down there.”

I nodded my head.

My body was present but my spirit had already begun to run home. My stomach started grumbling. I felt like urinating.

Then the soldier man asked me.

“Are you a new teacher?”

“No sir o. God forbid bad thing. I am a new student. I am still yet to collect my school uniform from the school.”

Without wasting any time I picked one of the student’s bags on the floor and hung it on my shoulders and joined the JSS1 line.

The soldier was still looking at me. The principal of the school saw me amongst the students and was shocked.

At that moment, one of the students turned and looked at me.

“Uncle, I thought you are our teacher?”

“Shut up. I will slap you now now. Who is your Uncle? Do I look like your father’s brother?”

“But you are our new teacher na.”

“Bros, I will slap you o. I am not your teacher o. I am a new student and I am in JSS 1b. My name is Praises Chidera Obiora. Go and check our register.”