The morning was super cold. The environment was so calm that I could even hear birds chirping. Looking at my wrist watch, it was 9.30 am. The absence of Ikenna’s early morning prayers and devotions made us less time conscious. We definitely missed him.
I sprang up wondering where Nonye my roomy could have gone to so early in the morning. Stepping outside, I found my fellow corp mates pondering on the possible rift Ikenna’s misdemeanour could cause between us and the community. The principal had passed a circular asking to have an intense discussion with us.
We sat discussing how to address the situation and matters arising when I realised Nonye was still nowhere in sight and it was 11:20 am.
Abeg, who has seen my roommate? I asked the others, but got negative responses. We decided to raise an alarm if she hadn’t returned in an hours’ time afraid that she may have been attacked by agitated indigenes of the community.
A couple of minutes later, Nonye walked into the compound , her eye reddened and face swollen. Huh? What is wrong? I asked her. She paid me no attention, entered our room , began sobbing hysterically and shut the door.
Stunned by her actions, we all looked at each other wondering what went wrong with her.
Mtcheww, I hissed. Drama everywhere, it doesn’t end, does it? I was saddled with Jumoke’s challenges, Ikenna had dented our reputation with members of the community, had no one to say I was moving to the next level with relationship wise, and began feeling overwhelmed.
I calmed the other corper’s down, telling them I’d find what went wrong with Nonye being her roommate and close confidante.
I got into the room Nonye and I shared and questioned her repeatedly.
You can talk to me. Where you raped, where you attacked? I asked again and again, but she replied saying NO.
Having tried for about 40 Min's without headway, I simply let her be.
I had to quickly get ready for a meeting with the principal at 1:30 pm. We (the corper’s) had been summoned over Ikenna’s act and other issues which weren’t stated in the circular.
The meeting which lasted for hours left all of us gobsmacked and dazed. Another student claimed to be pregnant for Ikenna . Some other female students alleged they had been sexually harassed and were taken advantage of. All hell let loose, everywhere was in topsy turvy. There was indeed fire on the mountain. Members of the community were agitated threatening fire and brimstone with a strong resolve to bring all culprits to book.
I subtly and smartly left the chaos and headed home for some peace and safety, before things got really awry. Getting home, I found Nonye with Christian materials all around her. She had obviously been praying, crying and listening to gospel tunes all under our hot roof with extreme temperature.
Discovering she felt better and was in semi hi spirits, I narrated everything that transpired during the meeting to her. She felt at ease and narrated how her fiance had left her to marry another woman .Not just another woman, but a very close friend of hers she had taken to his apartment to act as a chaperon.
A friend had called her earlier in the day, informing her about the new development at home and heartbroken after getting calls from some family members who also confirmed the news, she ran out to commit suicide, but changed her mind and returned to the corper’s lodge.
You contemplated suicide Nonye ! I exclaimed. I consoled her pointing out that if her fiance stooped so low as to marry her friend while we served far away in Taraba, then he wasn’t good husband material.
I affirmed and highlighted her positive qualities; convincing her she deserved and would definitely get better with time.
We decided that all she had told me be kept on a hush and confidential from nosey mates (corper’s) and neighbor’s.
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