The costly mistake

Greetings!

Having group discussion before exams in my school has always been what we used to look forward to in every of our examination cycle. Though, back then, I personally don't used to get myself involved in the discussion, but I have friends who are brilliant that I used to follow to the discussion and I won't lie to us, I have always been a very good beneficiary of the discussion as I used to go there with my writing material to jot down the cogent point made at the discussion.

“ James, it's time for the group discussion, let's go,” I reminded him, “is it 2pm already?” James asked. “This is 10 minutes to 2pm,” I replied. “Haa, let's hurry up so that we can get to the discussion venue at 2pm,” he said.

So, we quickly gathered ourselves together and set out to the faculty of law basement, venue of the group discussion. Though, our examination would come up later that evening and that particular paper would be our last paper as final year students of the institution.

“Let's walk fast as people would have been waiting for us at the venue,” James said. “Okay, I will intensify my walking speed,” I said, walking behind James.

So, on getting to the venue of the group discussion, our friends and cliques from the department had already been waiting for us and the time was around past 2 in the afternoon already and what this means was that we have been keeping them waiting. Though they would have started the discussion on the CSC 504 course, but for our coming late, they couldn't as James would be the one to co-ordinate the discussion.

“ James, it's not fair ooo, why did you keep us waiting since morning?” They chorused “ I am so sorry, I slept off,” he replied. He continued, “if not for Sam, I would have even woken up after the exam.” “Haa, God forbid,” they chorused. “Amen,” he replied

So, immediately after the conversation, we went into the discussion with our mind fully on the discussion with everyone jotting down what was being discussed.

“Please can you come again?” Lekan asked. “What is not clear to you in what I have explained so far?” James asked. “ everything from the start to the finish,” Lekan replied.

It's after Lekan reply, that everyone shouted

“Lekan, please don't draw us back, let's move forward please.”

But Lekan insisted on James explaining all over again, but trust my friend James, he would always make sure everyone was carried along and this was exactly what he did and at the end everyone was happy.

Though, it was tough for him to get all of us along, but trust the born teacher himself, he would always make use of all the teaching methods to make things easy and understandable for all.

So, after the discussion, we all wished ourselves good luck in our final paper and departed for the examination hall fully prepared.

On getting to the examination hall, we were all seated according to our matriculation number and after we had been well arranged, our answer scripts and question papers were well distributed to us.

“Read the instructions very well and make sure you are not in with any foreign materials and if there's anything on you that can get you indicted, make sure you get it off you now,” said the exam invigilator. “Yes sir,” we all chorused.”Also make sure you write your name correctly and fill in your matriculation number and all other necessary information on your answer script,” he said. “Okay sir,” everyone shouted. “ Your exam starts now, remember you only have 3 hours for this paper. I wish all of you best of luck,” the man said. “ Thank you sir,” we replied.

It's on this note that we all started to put pen to paper without any further delay. Thank God for the group discussion as everything discussed at the venue of our group discussion came out. In fact, it's as if we have seen the question beforehand and have revised it.

“Sam, how far?” Shola, one of our group members, asked. “ Fine," I replied.

So, we continued writing the paper and lo and behold, we could not even exhaust our time before we were all done with the exam, but one thing about our exam invigilator was that he would not allow you to leave the exam hall until 15 minutes till the end of the paper.

“All of you, stay put at your seat and let there be absolute silence,” the invigilator said. “Okay sir,” we all replied. “We still have 45 minutes to go, check all your information very well,” he commanded. “ Yes sir.”

So, immediately he said this, all those who were done with their exam began to check if they had filled out the correct information. I too checked my own and I was pleased with what information I have filled in the required space.

So, when it's exactly 3 hours of writing the paper, the man said,

“ Listen everyone, it's now time for you to submit your paper and this is how we would carry out the submission process. You people will stand up and submit according to your matriculation number.” “Okay sir,” we replied.

So, at his instruction, people started submitting their papers according to their matriculation number, but at the submission, the unexpected happened and this unexpected incident happened to no other person than our amiable group leader and my friend James.

When it's his turn to submit his paper, he went forward to submit and as he turned back to leave the venue of the examination hall, a piece of paper where he had jotted what he had used to teach us at the group discussion was sighted by the chief investigator in his back pocket.

“That boy, come back here,” the man said. And since he was not conscious of what had happened, he went back to the man and the man asked him to turn around and after he had turned around, the man dipped his hand into his back pocket and brought out the jotted paper.

“What's this?” The man asked. Immediately James saw the paper brought out by the man, he was shocked and dumbfounded. He already knew that he had nothing to say to justify himself.

But even at that, he tried to explain to the man that he mistakenly brought in the paper and that he didn't make use of the it in the examination hall, he called all of us his friends to come and testify but it's only me that went forward to testify but even with all my testimonies, the man didn't agree with our testimonies and explanation and instead of him listening to our pleas, he referred us to the examination and disciplinary committee of the school and at the committee sitting with James being questioned, the chairman of the committee, professor Ayodele said,

“ James, upon our internal investigation, we found out that you brought this exhibit into the examination hall which was a grievous offence,” the head of the panel said. “Yes sir, I brought it in, but…” he wanted to reply with an explanation but was cut short by the head of the panel. “ James, you are here to give us a yes or no answer and not to explain,” the man said. “Okay sir,” he answered. “ Did you make use of it in the exam hall?” “No sir,” he responded. “Though, we have cross checked you paper and this exhibit and we have equally found out that you did make use of it, but you are going to be punished for bringing it in after being forewarned by the chief investigator,” the man said. “ Sir, I…, “ he wanted to explain himself, but he was at the second time cut short by the man. “ Here is my judgement, you are to re-write the exam in the next academic session and you must be present in class and meet up with 80% of the attendance,” the man gave his verdict and that was the end.

So, James went back to register for the course, sat for the exam and passed creditably well. My friend James is now working at one of the biggest companies in the country now.

Thanks for reading.

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