Fueling the Fire: The Corper's Chronicles

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Most of the corpers were present on the first day of school's resumption except for a few who didn't join us. Where I teach, we are 11 Nigerian corpers including the new ones who just joined us. I was the only old corper who was present for the first week of resumption while the other 5 corpers were new, making us 6.

This act vexed the principal who had been patient till the third day of the week to see if others would join but didn't. After the assembly last week Wednesday, she called for a brief meeting where she expressed her thoughts on the nonchalant attitudes of the other corpers who refused to resume. She'd expected them to call to give their reasons but none did, and this aroused her anger the more. Through her mood that day, one would notice how dissatisfied she was with such act and it was as if she blamed herself for accepting them in the first place.

"I would like to have a meeting with the corpers by next week Monday," she said while facing my direction as if she was indirectly telling me to pass across the information to the others when they come. I nodded my head in affirmation of what she said and we were dismissed to go prepare for our classes.

What even upset the vice principal later in the day was when the students had free classes which the absent corpers were to take, and while walking around each staff room to make sure every staff member was taking their work seriously that day, he kept expressing his emotion and discontent about what the corpers did:

"This is unfair, they could have called to inform us but no one did. Is this good? If we didn't accept them the first day they came, we would be seen as the bad people here. Now, see what they are doing. It's wrong!" Still venting his anger on them while I was sitting in the staff room as I focused on my lesson note which I had stopped the previous day.

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The next week came and all corpers were present except for one who is also my colleague in the staff room. She is a corper who I have observed to be a lazy one and an on-and-off individual who doesn't take her job seriously. Although, she had told us that she would resume school after a week of resumption and she made up her mind which she did without informing the school management of her absence. Another brief meeting was held after the assembly and I could see the principal displeased with her because she had expected her to come to school on Monday but she didn't.

"Do you see what this corper is doing? I hope everyone can see this." She emphasised that question to confirm how disappointed she was with her. Quickly, she ordered the vice principal to call her to report immediately and that she wasn't ready to listen to any excuse but to be in school that day.

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After we were dismissed, I picked up my phone to call her but she wasn't picking it up. As I was going to the classroom to teach the students, one of the staff signalled for me to come over and also expressed his dissatisfaction, "I don't know what is wrong with corper Joy (not her real name) I knew how I begged the school management on her behalf the first day she came and see what she is doing. Please, do you have her number, I need to call her?" I nodded and said yes which I gave him.

School closed for that day without corper Joy showing up and the vice principal came to meet us in the staff room with other corpers sitted and aired his opinion with some rules to remind us not to take laws into our hands thinking we could do as we wished and everything ended there.

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When I got home that afternoon, I checked my phone and saw that our monthly clearance biometrics was scheduled for the next day after school hours. An hour later, I got Corper Joy's message explaining why she didn't pick up my calls. She went ahead to talk about the clearance scheduled for the next day and asked if there would be school that day.

Really? So, you don't want to come to school after being absent for a week? I asked surprisingly. She smiled and said she would try.

Lazy person, I muttered in my mind and we ended our chat.

The following morning came and I was getting all ready for school when I saw her call.

Why is she calling me this time of the morning? I asked because she has never called that early except she needed something.

Oh, she doesn't want to come to school again. I said after realising the reason why she called.

I picked and after the usual morning greeting, she asked if I could help collect her clearance form.

What? I exclaimed!

I do not expect this from you, Joy knowing you should be in school. The principal was mad at you yesterday for not showing up even after not coming all through last week. You want to add more fuel to the fire right?

It took her a few seconds before she mumbled, "Okay sis, I will try to come."

You better do, else no clearance form for you and you know what that means? No allowance at the end of the month. Besides, the vice principal won't give me. So, do yourself good to come around, apologise for not showing up last week and even on Monday, then that is it. I encouraged her with the words.

"Alright, sis. Thanks so much," she said and cut the call.