Her Rise from The Slums

It has been fine

WAEC exams had started and I was left with two papers to bring the exam to a wrap. It took dad one week to get money to repair his car.
During that week things were tough at home. My dad was always at home. He only went out whenever he wanted to meet with those who wanted to loan him money. I and Dami remained at home for that week while mum and Bolanle were the only ones going to school. The school mum taught in and Bolanle attended was two streets away from us which they trekked everyday. It was not possible for dad to produce 400 Naira everyday to care for Dami and I. It was easier to stay at home and eat once a day than to attempt trekking to school and come back to eat. Yes our eating timetable was now once a day which was by seven in the evening. Sometimes we took garri for the day. My family was left with no choicely choice during that week. I comfortable with being at home for that week but it was a different case for Dami. He claimed he misses his friends but I don't miss mine infact I don't have real friends. I am a full blown introvert which still surprises me how I was made the head girl. All came back to normal after two weeks the engine of dad's car was replaced. My parents were still paying the debts we took during the little crisis.

Here I am trying to revise for tomorrow's paper but cannot seem to concentrate because my brothers were watching the Nickelodeon in the sitting room. I was having CRS tomorrow and it was a subject even a devoted Christian must read to pass. CRS was a subject that demanded attention. It wasn't a subject you could pass by just using the Bible especially the King James Version. My jamb result is an obvious testimony. My CRS was one of my lowest and so I took its reading serious.

I quickly read through the topic I was on and closed my book to join in the show my brothers were watching on Nickelodeon. It was the Icarly and it was one of my favorites on the channel I quickly joined them on the floor and soon I was captivated by the actions of Freddie, Carly and Sam as they did their usual live broadcast. I sat there with them watching different shows on the channel and was only jerked back to reality when the PHCN decided to interrupt the power supply and that was when I realized my younger siblings were already asleep on the floor. I did not know when they slept off I guess I was engrossed in the different shows been displayed on the channel. I woke them up leading them to their room and also returned to my room. This was my cue to return to revising. It was 12 midnight. I knew without checking the clock that it was 12 because the PHCN interrupts the supply of power around that time every night.

Nigeria power supply was very poor. Our governments in the aspect of power supply treated us like we do not deserve to make use of it. It was that bad that after giving us light for few hours a day they will come with a massive bill at the end of the month.

I took my personal lamp gotten for night reading for me by my mum. She got me the lamp not because she could but because I couldn't share the general lamp with them. The lamp was fully charged and I used it to revise for one hour. I had slept in the afternoon since I was at home all day so my eyes were still active even at minutes past one.
I tried to sleep so as not to wake up for tomorrow's paper late. It was to be written by 9 and I couldn't afford to go late.

I walked into the hall muttering prayers. I could write my WAEC because the government had paid for us. The major benefit of attending a government school is that you would not be paying for your WAEC yourself if only you passed the exam organized by the ministry of education through the orders of the government. As I sat on my appointed seat like every other day I bowed down my head to say a short prayer and keep myself calm and free from pressure. I resulted to doing this during every exam after the day my classmates fears had left me whipped in the hall. I was in SSS1 and we were in the second term. I had been discovered as the best in my class through the previous term results. We were writing government that day and I had been calm before entering the hall. The moment I sat down i started hearing my name from different angles in the hall. The calling of my name was from people who were scared of the exam and needed to confirm terms they were confused on. That very day I couldn't write much because I was whipped. I was only saved by my awesome performance in my continuous assessment. Ever since I resolved to bowing down my head and pretending I didn't hear my name and raise it up only after we had been ordered to start. To me it was easier for someone who makes eye contact with you to get your attention and that was why I resolved to doing what I do in every exam. At first I got called names by my classmates but over the years they let me be which was one of the reasons I didn't have friends.

On my way home after my exams I was all smiles because I believed I had answered all the questions well. I boarded a taxi home alone. Ever since I started my exams my dad spent twice everyday I had a paper because he had to go to school and come back home most times separately. I pitied my dad because I knew it was not easy for him.

I got home and quickly ate garri for lunch while reminiscing on how the past two months has been. I would be finishing my exams in two days and finally would be preparing for the university that would bring opportunities which will change my family story. The ups and downs this months gone had seriously left us deranged but it has been fine.

Holla I am sorry for not updating in a while I have been trying to combine different things. I did just say I have been very busy
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