Every Monday morning, my school has a routine of doing a short revision of the previous week's work on the assembly ground, and it is a way of encouraging students to always read over the weekend. Failing to answer the questions asked by your class teacher attracted a few strokes of cane, and it was a bad way to start the week for almost all the students.
I watched Master Ade walk majestically to Jss 2A line like every other Monday morning and wondered if he finds joy in punishing students. He was my classmate's worst nightmare, and there was nothing we could do about it since he was our class teacher. He stood over 6ft in height, and his giant figure gave him a good grip on us whenever he would wipe us, so there was no escape when those strokes came.
"Good morning sir," We greeted, and my heart was racing already. I could tell it was the same for my classmates as we waited for his response.
As usual, he said nothing and just smiled. That smile was like a routine, the last we would see on his face throughout the week.
He reached for a piece of paper in his pocket and opened it properly. Mr. Ade started asking questions, and like we expected, only Quadri, the class best student, answered all his questions properly.
The rest of us got punished, and it annoys me because I read over the weekend, but I still got punished on the assembly ground. There was always one question I couldn't answer, and the punishment was the same as missing it all.
It got to a point that I started wondering what Quadri was doing differently that always helped, but pride wouldn't allow me to ask him. He always tops the class while I came second, and there has been this rivalry thing between us since I joined the school.
A few weeks passed and we were given a group assignment by Master Solomon, the agricultural science teacher. Quadri and I were paired in group, so we had to work together over the weekend to find some plants in the community.
We agreed to meet at his place on Saturday around noon and upon arriving there, Quadri was sweating profusely. He had just finished playing football, and I started thinking again because I don't get the time for all that, and yet, he beats me in the assembly and during exams.
I waited outside his house while he went to freshen up. Quadri joined me a few minutes later and we set out to find those plants.
"Have you prepared for Monday already?" I asked as we were going.
"What's happening on Monday?" He asked, staring at me like he had no clue.
"Mr. Ade questions on the assembly ground," I stuttered.
"I don't prepare for anything," Quadri replied.
In my mind, I thought asking him was a waste of time because no one would want to share his success secret with his rival.
I didn't utter a word about school work, and we just continued going from one bush to another, picking up leaves, cutting little branches, and others.
After hours of walking about, we couldn't find the African star apple tree popularly known as Agbalumo. The leaf of the tree was the last thing to complete our assignment, and we started contemplating what to do next.
I suggested we ask the elderly people around while Quadri thought going back home was the best option.
"Oh, so you want to go and read for Monday. You should have done that instead of playing ball in the morning," I teased Quadri.
He just looked at me and agreed that we should ask the elderly people around. We asked and they directed to somewhere very far, it was a big farm outside our community.
"I think it's better to just go back home, we can explain to Master Solomon on Monday" Quadri suggested.
"What if he doesn't listen?" I asked.
"He would listen. We have everything except the leaf," He replied showing me what we've gathered in a plastic bag.
"I am scared," I stutter, and Quadri eventually opened up that his street had a football match and he would be representing them. If we go to the farm, he will miss the match.
"When do you read if all you do is play football today?" I asked with more curiosity.
"I every day after school, and only revise on weekends. Reading every day ensures I cover all the topics we were taught during the week," He replied.
"That's it," I thought, and started smiling like I had won the jackpot.
We went our separate ways immediately after we got back to our neighborhood. I made a reading roster later that evening and started using it to study every day. It wasn't easy because I had to go for two hours math coaching every day after school, but I did my best with it.
As weeks passed, the fear of Monday morning became a thing of the past for me. I get on the assembly ground with confidence and that reading habit became a routine for me throughout my time in school. The leaf I took out of Quadri's book impacted my academic life positively.
Image is mine.