Priceless One – Episode 21

“ Never be bμllied into silence!….. And Never allow yourself to be made a victim Shalewa….. those girls needs to be exposed so it will serve as a lesson for the others to learn.”

Evelyn sat in the backseat of her car, counselling Shalewa who sat in-between her and Harriet.

The words Evelyn spoke, echeod through Shalewa’s heart, opening her eyes to the truth. She must speak out and get justice for the pâin and suffering Sandra and her squad put her through.

She turned sharply to Evelyn and said with determination.

“ I am ready to speak out.”

Evelyn smiled and patted her on the back.

“ That’s the spirit girl!” Evelyn commended Shalewa and sat up.

“ First of all,….. you need to tell your parents about this.” Evelyn advised.

Shalewa  hesitated a little, then slowly nodded her head.

“ I will tell them tonight.” She replied.

Harriet smiled broadly and they all hugged.

************************

Two days later.

Sandra and her squad members stood in the principal’s office. Their parents were seated as well and were trying to  find a solution to the issue on ground as Pastor Bamidele and his wife vented pa¡nfully.

“ I will not take this!!!….. I will not tolerate any one bμllying my daughter….. I’m taking this case to the police station and I will not rest until this cμlpr¡ts are expelled and arrésted!!” Pastor Bamidele vented furiously.

“ Please sir…..I need you to calm down so we can resolve this issue amicably.” The principal said gently.

“ No Mr principal, I won’t calm down because from the look of things, it seems the school authorities are not making the necessary efforts I expect them to have done by now!!!….. I mean this is w¡ckedness!!!….. How can these girls tie my daughter to a tree!!!….. And from what my daughter says, these girls had been bμllying Shalewa right from the day she resumed from suspension!!!….. Why should it be?….. Are we not all paying the same school fees?…..Or are they more special than her?…… I might not have much money….but one thing I will never tolerate is anyone bμllying my child because if you touch my child, you have touched me!!!” Pastor Bamidele fired on.

The principal shifted uneasily in his position, thinking of the best way to handle the situation at hand.

“ Sir…..we have heard all you have said but you need to give the school more time to investigate this matter on ground……” The principal was saying when Mrs Bamidele interrupted him.

“ What time Mr principal?…… please what is there to investigate in this matter?….. Is the video evidence not clear enough….. and some students have already come out to confirm that this girls belongs to a secret cμlt which bμll¡es anyone who stands in their way!!” Mrs Bamidele replied impatiently. She was really furious.

“ But they also claimed that Shalewa is also one of them.” The principal added.

“ Yes! She was but after her suspension, she left the group……is that not the reason why they were bμllying her?…. See Mr principal, if the school sweeps this case under the carpet, daddy Shalewa and I will take it up and go to the social media. ” She thréåtened the principal.

“ Ma’am please calm down, I very much understand how you feel….. the school is on your side ma and I assure you that these girls wouldn’t go unpunished…… it’s not up to two weeks they resumed from suspension, and now these.” The principal calmly said.

One of the parents decided to speak up. It was Osasuyi’s father. 

The man faced pastor Bamidele. 

“ Please sir….. you do not need to involve the police in this matter…. I believe there are ways we can resolve this issue….. we can pun¡sh these girls and make them realize their wrongs without expelling them….. if the school expels them……its going to have some psychological impact in their lives, besides, their exams are fast approaching and they have studied really hard for it.” Osasuyi’s father kept on persuading the pastor, but he shook his head vehemently.

Chioma’s father was the next parent to speak.

“ Sir…. I understand how you feel….but if we look at this situation closely……we will understand that expelling these girls isn’t the right thing to do.” He turned to the principal and said.

“.…Mr principal, please help us talk to the school management….. expelling these girls is not the best solution….. you can make them serve punishment on the assembly ground for the rest of the term,….. you can also make them apologize to Shalewa openly on a daily basis, or whatever way you deem fit but please do not expel them.” Chioma’s father pleaded.

Pastor Bamidele scoffed.

“ Do you know the pain and emotional traμma my daughter went through because of this?….. Did you not hear it when my daughter said they made her eat food from the ground?….. Isn’t that déhμmânizing enough!!!” Pastor Bamidele questioned them all.

Sandra’s father spoke up, directing his speech to pastor Bamidele.

“ We are ready to pay settlement to your family…. But please, do not take this to the social media….. it could destroy our reputations forever.”

The principal sighed deeply, watching the parents discuss amicably. He was glad that at least they were not screaming at themselves.

At the end of the meeting, the parents were able to persuade pastor Bamidele to agree to a settlement.

Sandra and her friends were later called up on the assembly ground and pμn¡shed before the other students. Their punishment was to join the sanitary department in cleaning the school premises before the assembly time. They were also instructed to openly apologize to Shalewa on the assembly ground for the next two weeks. And if they failed to comply, they will be expelled immediately from Hamsford College.

One afternoon, after break time was over, the HOD of science department asked to see the principal.

“ You asked to see me Mrs Rotimi.” The principal said.

“ Yes sir.” She said and cleared her throat.

Principal Innocent shifted on his chair and sat up, in eagerness to hear what she had to say.

“ Sir.” She began.

“ I think it’s time for a new guidance and counselling teacher in Hamsford College.”

The principal sighed.

“ You are right Mrs Rotimi…..but ever since the school laid off the last guidance and counselling teacher for extorting money from students who came to her…..we have been careful in getting a new one.” Said the principal.

Mrs Rotimi shook her head knowingly, she knew the last guidance and counselling teacher and how her actions almost ru¡ned the school.

“…But it’s been a year already…..and we are past that sir……” Mrs Rotimi said and exhaled before she continued.

“ The recent behavior of our students, especially the SS2 science class, has proved as a strong indicator that we urgently need to revive the guidance and counselling unit…..there is this woman I know, who is going to be best for the job…. Mrs Bello is her name. She has a masters degree in human Psychology and has 20 years experience working with an NGO unit on Women and Child Rights protection……she has impacted the lives of many youths positively with tangible proofs and results……. This woman just recently retired from her job…..and I think we can hire her even if it’s for a space of one year…..so she can also positively influence the life’s of our students.”

The principal paused and meditated on what Mrs Rotimi just said.

“ Are you very sure of her credibility?” He asked her.

“ Yes sir…..I am 100% sure.” Mrs Rotimi assured him.

“ We can have a day dedicated to having a seminar with the students….. after which, they can have a one on one section with the psychologist, where we schedule it class by class per day…..I am positive this will yield a huge difference in the lives of our students.” She added.

He plunged into a deep thought once a again weighing the possibility of what the HOD just said.

“ Ok….thank you Mrs Rotimi for coming forward with this wonderful suggestion…..i will speak to the management about this and get back to you ma.”

Mrs Rotimi smiled.

“ You are welcome sir….. I always have the best interest of the students at heart.” She replied.

(Do not take credit or Plagiarize AMAH’S HEART stories)