Photo by RF._.studio
UNIBEN!!
To my young Warri-resident 16-yr old mind, the name held such promise, such magic, untold hope. It signified so many things to me. Most of all, it screamed freedom and adventure. An escape from my strict home where I only heard of my schoolmates going for parties or visiting each other while I wasted away at home reading schoolbooks and novels, taking turns to make eba and cook soup and stew. I hadn’t even had the “luxury” of going to boarding school.
My older sister (older by a year) was already at UNIBEN, and from her letters, there seemed to be so much to look forward to. She could perm her hair & wear colored (mufti) to go to class. And if she wanted, she could even put on lipstick! She could go to the bukas and buy whatever food she felt like eating. Imagine! Everything just seemed so mature, so grownup! Plus, my Mum stayed in Benin, and I missed her so so much, it hurt. It would be heaven to be able to spend those shorter holidays and weekends in her house. It was my turn to enter UNIBEN that year, and I just did not know how to wait. I was completely beside myself with unbridled excitement.
I was deeply worried too. Though I had an excellent WASSCE (West African Senior School Certificate Examination) result, I had narrowly missed the JAMB (The Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board exam) cut-off for Computer Science, my first-choice course of study. My Dad was very proper and would not hear of “Second-List” lobbying. I seemed destined to stay an additional year at home in Warri waiting to re-take JAMB even though I’d passed it- just not gotten the cut-off for Computer Science.
One day my Mum came visiting from Benin and told me she had started the lobbying process to get me in. The only issue was that there was a lot of competition for Computer Science. However, she had been assured that I would be taken in for Industrial Math, and in my second year, if I still wished, I could change to Computer Science. Did I want that? I was like, “Ah-Ah. What kind of *kweshon* is that???? OF COURSE!!”. My hopes soared massively, dampened only by the fact that I wasn’t going to be going in for Computer Science and the pressure this would put on me to ensure results that would see me seamlessly changing to Computer Science in my 2nd year. I eagerly awaited the process to conclude so I could get my admission letter and start packing.
When the second lists eventually came out, my Mum went to UNIBEN to check for my name. She checked and checked repeatedly, and to her dismay my name was simply not on the Industrial Math list as promised. How was she going to tell me? After raising my hopes.
In crushing disappointment, she started walking away.
While walking to her car, she decided to check the second list for Computer Science. A long shot, but well…
And there my beautiful name was. June Tosan George. On the Computer Science list.
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