Baba Offa walked into the sitting room and the atmosphere changed. He apologized to his brother for arriving late. His mother, Iyá Ibadan never knew he was coming to Lagos. They didn’t normally tell her about their visits. According to him, he had been in the neighborhood for some time greeting some of the neighbours that he was familiar with. …

Immediately Iya Ibadan opened the door, my brother wanted to bring out the perfume from his pocket. For what? I didn’t know. It was a reflex action by a child that was dazed by the truncation of his routine plan- smoke the cigarette, finish up and spray your location with a perfume whose fragrance would mask the odour of your …

Mr. Olaoye was a new teacher in my school. His swagger was too much. A young man with a puritanical savvy. He was neat and clean. He was what the Gen Z will call “fine boy no pimples”. Oh God, where did you hide this kind of person that you decided to give us people like Mr. Cane and co.? …

OI had two elder brothers that I never knew so well until I was about 10 years old. It’s possible we had met or seen when we were toddlers, but we never knew we were brothers because we never lived together for one day to really bond like siblings. My first two brothers were shuttling between Lagos Island, Ajegunle and …

Everybody was proud of my brother, Mark Owhin. Almost six months in the same school, Salvation Army Primary school, there was no negative report or complaint about him. As for me, I had not spent a month in school when I became popular. I was accused of punching a boy who called me “Olori Gbeske”( a physiognomic abuse). I guess …

Finally, Alfa Ligali admitted that my problems transcended gbere (incisions). That was the most sensible decision to take. Having designed my head and face with all manner of lacerations and nothing seemed to be working, it was time to concur. He therefore opted for preachment. He was still scolding and preaching to me over the indefinite suspension when I heard another knock …

Kolawole Aladetoun was a brilliant boy. His father was the first Vicar of the famous Bishop Adelakun Howells Memorial Church, Hogan Bassey Crescent, Surulere. Kolawole was my classmate and he was my personal friend. (Please note the arrogance in my emphasis). What a metaphorical fraternity!! We were very good friends in school as well as in the neighbourhood. He was …

  BY Dapo Thomas Two years after enjoying the magnanimity of what the school authorities called “PROMOTED ON-TRIAL”, I never cared to find out what it meant. That’s their problem- promotion is promotion. All the same, I was curious to know the meaning. I wanted to find out if I was entitled to the gifts given to those that passed. …

When I chose fish crumbs as my favourite snack in my primary one, I didn’t know I was creating a prophetic problem for myself. Something happened in the assembly that tickled my consciousness to the reality of my ironic choice of fish crumbs as my favourite snack every morning. If I didn’t go to school for one reason or another, …

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, said, on Wednesday, that 75 per cent of the primary schools in his state are battling a shortage of teachers while 90 per cent of the schools are dilapidated. Fubara said he became aware of the deplorable state of the primary schools in the state when a firm, New Global, in its bid to partner …