THE LINK TO LIGHT

00

ay, 23r

inally, the D-day had arrived. The day she'd been waiting

he lifted up her hands to the heavens to do what her par

I serve. Heaven and earth adore Him, even ange

rom the very depths of her soul. She

the bathroom. She could not attend the general family devotion which they constantly had by 5:00am every morning in their living r

ss standard. It had a single bathroom and toilet which they all shared,

clicked shut behind her. She whirled around and made

She bowed slightly a

"Good morning. Ho

lete that statement, her sister Udoch

er and her sister to the kitchen to wash the dish

my dear?" Ifes' mother, Mrs Oluebube, asked

confidently.

r daughter's back gently. "Now, go and ta

She rushed back into the room she shared with her sister. Her sister was alre

Obinna. See you!" Udochi waved at her sister,

ved back at her sister despite k

r mathematical set and the other exam materials sh

other had kept for breakfast on the

on their outer surface and edges, like a pair of overused twin sets. She opened the plate and sighed when she

sat down on the wooden one closest to her, munched on the bread and

saying she would wash them herself. Ifes tried protesting but her mother insisted. Ifes finally gave in. When she was ab

er tight in a hug. Her mother smelt like thei

s. She wanted to be in school before the general assem

hadn't gotten the chance to greet her dad that morning because he had long left for work before she

d by the numerous potholes and dotted by the jam packed buildings, housing angry families. Ifes scrunched up

she hastened her pace, her heart, ringing with thank

was supposed to get either a bus or a motorcycle, popularly known as Keke or Okada in

, so much that passengers were squeezed like sardine in a can. Students moved around the market roundabout, either waiting for a conveyor to carry them to school, or walking down to the school themselves. Civil workers

e heard and saw two drivers fighting and cursing, straining their voices in a frantic bid to be

ith time she got used to it. Neither her nor the crowd at the m

er fir

re first!" The driver who w

ra (mad man)!" The second drive

and all una great grea

e two drivers to keep fighting. Out of the five Agbero boys, three of their faces were familiar. She had reached out to them in one of her evangelism outreach. She reme

, front of Ifes; its driver shone his kola-c

ready been occupied by three students who were also going to

nts at the back greeted almost simulta

aw smiles plastered on their smooth faces. The way the youngest amo

th the students happily. "Are yo

at herself and the other two. "My name is Prisca. My sister's name is

am your sister's class

her in the school, since she was the only art student that broke the school record by becoming th

brothers are so intell

ing with a smile that spoke, 'I kno

he school gate. The students paid th

waved at Ifes as they bolted to the assem

waved back, and this

glanced at her wrist watch. Four more minutes to go. She decided to do one or two things in

students, Chibuike, said when he sighted Ifes walking into the c

morning," Ifes said as she removed her bac

e looked around, trying to get confi

classroom," one of the stude

a student of the school?" Ike

you graduate," ano

e are writing our last paper today," another

tudents bantered among themselves,

hit his hand repeatedly on the locker to sto

? You all better get ready a

to him. "Don't mind them

lass door but halted abruptly

sly and quickly walked down to the assembly ground. The other students

ary action on any student who went against the school rules. The students, and even the teachers,

en acting in their capacity ever since they started their exams a month back. She and the other prefects got a clapping ovation as they stepped up to the platf

rious classes. Obinna and Uchenna, who were also brigade members, bolted towards Ife

her intonation almost to precision. Ifes doubled up in hysterical laughter. Her brothers, being the clowns they were, always found the slightest opportunity to ta

Ifes said, pointing to

see you during recess." The duo ran of

ocated seat numbers. There was the usual stop-and-search by the invigilators before the students were finally allowed to go into the exam hall. As the students entered the hall, some were

cannon balls, squealing at the top of their voices. Ifesinachi and all the SS3 students pr

econdary scho

ye to

rds as they continued running around, distracting oth

a tradition in Nigerian secondary schools, so the principal and the teachers knew better than disrupting whatever activities these overe