Snota was heavenly.
It was Etini’s dream school. The kind of school that people graduated from and became recognizable in the society.
The school had collaboration with the church, and it was owned by same founder of the church bishop Umoh Aubrey.
Her dream of becoming a philanthropist and a charity organization founder was going to come through via Snota, and Etini was ready to follow her dreams at all cost.
The morning Etini was set to begin school, her mother had made a new box available. New bedsheets, towel, under wears, panties and new dresses. It wasn’t going to be easy to let their only child live alone in the midst of strangers far away home. Being a boarder was the only option the school constitution had given.
Her father carried her In front of the motorcycle, while her mother sat behind with the box.
“Etini! See you in Snota soon.” A girl called Mmayen said to her excitedly. Etini waved gently at her with a soft smile. Kokomma had left since noon, and she was sure Kokomma was going to keep a suitable space for her at the hostel.
As her father drove into the school premises, the security men led him to where motorbikes were packed. There was a division between the car pack space and the motorbikes space. The car park space was obviously for the wealthy parents who had also come to drop their children.
Etini was ashamed to alight from the front seat of her father’s bike.
“Welcome to Snota theological college, we will lead you to your hostel after you identify your name on this list.” A tall lady said nicely to Etini. Then she turned to her parents, “Good afternoon sir and ma’am.”
Her parents nodded gladly. “God bless you.”
Etini read the names on the paper quietly until she saw her name. “here is my name, Etini Oscar Edemusung.” She said delightedly, pointing her finger on it.
“Oh, you’re in Christ’s hostel. Follow me.” The lady said as she began to walk away.
Etini’s mom carried the box and placed on her head as she and Etini walked faster behind the lady.
“My name is Miriam Bassey. I am your hall mistress.” The lady said shrilly.
Etini wondered what it meant to be an hall mistress. Her slippers making flappy sounds as it echoed.
The school was perfectly beautiful as Etini kept admiring the trees, the flowers, the green fields, the tall buildings…” Miriam Bassey turned after a long walk to see if Etini was right behind her, and she was surprised to see Etini’s mom too, she paused, “sorry ma’am. You can’t join her to the hostel, parents are not permitted to cross the school block and go further.”
There was disappointment written allover her mother’s face.
“But I want to know where my daughter will be staying.” She said calmly, bitterness almost drowning her voice.
“It’s not allowed here ma. When you come on visiting days, you and her will meet at the visiting hall. The hostel is out of bounds for anyone who isn’t a staff and student of this institution.”
Her mother looked at her worriedly as she held her hands. “Etini, you know who you are and where you come from. Be a star and make us proud. Do not bring disgrace to your father and myself.” She said thoughtfully. Etini nodded at her words, “Yes mama.” They hugged each other and her mother waited and watched her walk away to a distance until she couldn’t view her and Miriam anymore.
She gave a soft sigh walked back to her husband.
**************
Her hostel was beautiful. Etini smiled as she was shown her space by Miriam. She lowered herself on the soft mattress of her corner and touched it firmly. It was different from the one she slept at home, hers at home was almost like a plain mat.
“Hello, My name is Nkoyo, and yours?” A bright smiling girl of her same age said to her girlishly. “I am your ‘saidi’.” Nkoyo added. Etini wondered what ‘saidi’ meant.
“I am Etini Oscar, I am new.”
“I know. The time for dinner will soon be here, I think you should get ready.” Nkoyo said and got up from the bed; smoothing her dress. She was chubby and beautiful. She was the kind of girl people referred to as ‘ajebutter’ soft, tender and fragile.
Nkoyo opened her locker, and Etini wondered if she opened a shopping mall in Snota, the locker was filled provisions, drinks, and perfumes. She took a bottle of perfume from the locker and lavished it on her body. The scent of it circulated the whole room.
Etini thought Nkoyo to be greedy. Her mother had always told her that girls like that who used expensive things like perfumes, sanitary pads instead of normal tissue paper that was affordable were suffering from greed and selfishness, and it was a sin.
“will you use my perfume too?” NKOYO asked nicely. Etini shrugged. “No thank you.” she said, faking a smile.
As they entered the refectory, the scent of jollof rice and nutmeg had surrounded the whole hall. Etini widened her eyes as she saw a large bowl of chicken and beef on each dinner table.
“Let’s find our table.” Nkoyo said and held Etini’s hands, walking around the dinner table until they got a space.
The school meal time table was pasted on the wall. And after Etini read the list of meals for each day, she was amazed to discover that students were given meat everyday. Her mother had told her that it was sinful to eat meat daily, and that it can cause a child to steal. Etini wondered if her mother was wrong, or the school was wrong.
