An Open letter To Tunji On The Scrapping of NYSC

My friend Tunji is not a happy man. He is currently holed up in a remote village in Nigeria undergoing the mandatory National youth service. He says civilization is yet to reach that section of the country. There is no internet network and the only place to make phone calls is on top of a hill where weak gsm signals appear once in a while. His daily companions are goats that strut around the earthen footpaths. Tunji has vowed to start a “Scrap Nysc” campaign on social media as soon as he passes out from the scheme by June this year.

NYSC is National youth service corps. A student crosses the hurdles of Jamb & aptitude test and gains admission into a university. The student then contends with a lot of things while he/she is in the university system including ASUU strikes. He/she graduates and the next step is the mandatory youth service. All graduates of tertiary institutions below the age of 30 are eligible for youth service. However in Nigeria the ideal age of a youth leader is between 50 – 60 years so an individual who is above 30 years is still “eligible” for youth service. What the person needs to do is to repackage himself/herself by trimming of facial hairs, adopting a low hair cut, tweaking of birth/age credentials and he/she is good to go!

Since we are back to the season of open letters, this piece is an open letter to Tunji to have a rethink and shelve his plans because Nysc will never be scrapped.
Contractors and suppliers are the major beneficiaries of the Nysc scheme. Contactors supply the Nysc kits: khaki caps, belt and jungle boots. According to Nysc procurement records the official cost of an Nysc uniform for a single corper is: Khaki Suits - N2,870, Jungle Boots – N1,789, Canvas -N1,709, Caps -N243, Belts -N232, Socks - N238, P.E Shorts - N404, Total - N7,485.

Multiply N7485 by 100 thousand + corp members that serve every batch. You will arrive at a huge sum. It is a lucrative business. If you are an Nysc contractor won’t you frown upon any move by the government to scrap nysc? The Nysc kits are so good that the khaki tops and trousers sometimes get ripped off right in the middle of action on the parade ground. The buttons are so tight that they fall off readily.

If you take a look at feeding on camp, you will discover that Nysc camps give corp members high quality feeding. Corpers queue up to collect watery beans, coarse bread, coloured water, okro soup etc. That is the reason why “mammy market” is usually flooded by well fed corp members. The camp officials are very selfless, they care so much about corp members that satchet water meant to be given out alongside with food at each mealtime at the different camp kitchens are sold to corp members on the sidelines. A contractor in charge of food supplies will break the head of anyone that dares to scrap Nysc.

All the long drills and parades under the hot sun are very effective. Corps members can fight and disarm the boko haram terrorist group using the military skills acquired in camp.

When postings to Places of primary assignment (Ppa) are carried out and a corps member gets to his PPA and is rejected by the employer, he or she is left stranded in a strange land sometimes roaming the streets for weeks in search of an employer. This will open him/her up to the environment. He/she will quickly learn the names of towns, streets, lanes and offices in the state as he/she moves up and down. Isn’t this a good way of providing orientation to a Nigerian youth?

Majority of corps members are posted to teach in schools in the rural areas. These schools could have as many as five teachers who even bother to show up to teach. The school principal and subject teachers will rub their hands with glee and shout for joy when fifteen corps members show up with posting letters. They will scramble to secure corpers for their subject areas. Lazy teachers specialize in dumping their workload on corpers. Nysc definitely serves a source of happiness to teachers. Why would anyone want to scrap it?

Tunji you really want Nysc to be scrapped so that the teachers sitting under the big mango tree in Umukoro community development high school on Monday morning discussing when the governor will pay arrears of leave grant will be forced to go into class to teach abi?

There are male Corp members who take biological activities very seriously. They always end up impregnating the female students they were sent to teach. Call them morally bankrupt, spiritually deficient or whatever name you like, they are playing their part in promoting “national integration”, “cohesion” & “union”. The fusion of gametes from two different tribes producing hybridized Nigerian offsprings.

Can you give me one minute please? I want to check up on the status of my Nysc discharge certificate.

Whew! It is safe...the rats have not been able to penetrate my strongbox. The discharge certificate is precious. It is one of the important documents that you have to present if you ever want to get into a position to take your share of the national cake.

Youth corpers always complain that their N19,800 monthly allowance is inadequate to take care of their needs. These corpers don’t seem to realize that they are serving the country! They want to earn fat allowances like the “honourable” members in the house of representathieves & Sinate. N19800 is even too much, the amount is sufficient enough to feed, buy clothes, shuttle between PPA and your accommodation, buy a car and even pay bride price.

Corpers also complain that Nysc allowances aren’t paid on time. Inconsiderate corpers! They don’t want their allowances deposited in the fixed account of the state coordinator, Oga Zi & Lgi to yield enough interest for jollification of the officials before being disbursed to them.

Digressing a bit……..Corpers are always said to be hungry beings who love eating on the go.

Please stop for a moment and give that corp member serving in your school, office or living around your hood some food items!....erm…Don’t give any medical doctor who is a corp member your food items. Why? They walk around with an air of superiority and are treated as first class Nysc citizens. They oppress their fellow corp members because they are well paid……that was how Dr Eteka took my friend Julie from me. I thought I had found a nice girl who will be cooking free Banga soup for me only for Dr Eteka to step in and lure her away. She switched alliance when she found out that my 19,800 per month was nothing compared to Dr Eteka’s N90000+ per month…..*sobs*
Sorry for the digression.

Banks and other private corporate organizations love youth corpers. They use them as full time staff working off their bones Monday to Friday 8am – 4pm (minus Cds days). Some of the male bosses love working with beautiful female corpers. They love them so much that they hire them as personal assistants/confidential secretaries. Sometimes the work becomes too confidential that it has to be carried out overtime in the privacy of hotel suites. Isn’t Nysc such a “lovely” scheme? These organizations will fight tooth and nail to maintain the status quo.

Tunji have you heard of the body called Nysc foundation? The private firm that partners with Nysc in providing loans to Ex-corp members. These are the people that have been deducting N500 from the allowances of all corps members under the pretext of a revolving loan scheme since 2007. During the final clearance, corps members have to part with N500 naira or forgo the collection of their discharge certificates. Nysc foundation claims to have given out a “whooping” 14 million naira as loans out of the 300 million collected so far. What happened to the remaining N284 million?....Uche…sorry, Tunji face your work o.

Calling for a review of the Nysc is akin to an exercise in futility. As long as the Ogas at the top are benefitting from the present arrangement, the scheme won’t be reformed.
The federal government cannot give graduates a lump sum of 200 thousand naira at graduation to start up a business or advance their academic careers because the government is broke. The government is so broke that 20 billion dollars have disappeared from Nnpc coffers without any serious effort to recover the money. The government is so broke that 3 billion naira has been budgeted for the purchase of a new aircraft into the presidential fleet in this year’s budget. Nigeria is so broke that billions have been paid to kerosene marketers as subsidy without them actually supplying the product.

The government cannot make the Nysc scheme a one year skills based training program for graduates, 80% of corp members must be flung into schools to teach while a privileged few serve from the comfort of their luxurious homes abroad or blue chip companies owned by their parents.

Tunji I hope you can see reasons with me why Nysc will never be scrapped. All youths must obey the clarion call even if it means serving in Borno or Yobe states.

AN ESCAPE FROM THE FRIEND ZONE (3)

CHAPTER NINE

Monday was the first day of the Valentine week and the atmosphere in the university campus was heightened with the valentine fever. Students were on the prowl searching for valentine dates. Various valentine themed programs and parties were advertised on billboards & banners around the three campuses of the university.

 “Guys what is your plan for valentine? Odiong asked his friends as they ate lunch in Foodie cooks.

“Mehn I dey look for Caro, if I no see her, this valentine go just go like that” Emma replied.

“You don turn wizkid abi?”

“I will probably attend Jccf campus fellowship program or I go just dey night class” Ken said.

 “I heard there will be a gig organized by the SUG at the pavilion. Can you imagine they are asking for N500 gate fee?”

“Nonsense! dem no fit organize free show upon all the money wey dem dey chop for dere” Emma complained.

“I saw Sug presido the other day I couldn’t recognize him anymore the guy looks so fat nowadays”.

Ken’s phone rang and his hear skipped a beat when he saw the name of the caller. It was Eva, she wanted to meet him at Love garden in annex campus. Was she having a change of mind?

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Ken rushed down to Love garden, a small shaded park located behind the faculty of Law and directly opposite Hall 3A girls hostel. An enlarged circular & concrete seat built round a big almond tree with spreading overhead branches. Law students in their customary white and black outfits sat on all sides of the park discussing legal terms. Ken looked around for Eva and was about dialing her number when he saw her approaching from the hostel.

The sight of her stirred up the flame of love that has been a little doused in his heart and the resentment he had built up in his heart over her refusal to go out with him melted away. She had rolled her wavy hair back into a pony tail and looked radiant on her blue blouse and maroon skirt outfit. 

“Ken what’s up…..Thanks for coming”.

“You look good Eva”.

“Oh Thanks! Sorry for bothering you, please can you help me with a favour?

A favour? He would walk through fire for her, she only had to ask!

“Yes…anything!”

“I have been very busy since morning helping my friend Juliet to design costumes for her departmental play tonight. I have not attended any of my lectures today. I have just been told that there’s an assignment has been given and that we are supposed to turn it in tomorrow morning by 8am. I won’t have time to do it. Can you please help me do a little research on Grey literature. I’ll get it from you tonight”.

“Tonight?” Ken asked raising his eyebrow.

“Yes” Juliet is in the department of theatre arts and they’re presenting The lion and the jewel a play by Wole Soyinka. It holds tonight by 7pm at the Little playhouse. You are invited. I’ll make sure Juliet reserves a special seat for you!”. You can bring your friends along”. She winked at him.

“Okay, you know I’ll do anything for you. I’ll call you by 6:30pm”.

“Thank you dear”.

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An evening with Eva! Ken’s mind was joyous as he raced up the staircase of Mc Giraffe Cyber Café to check on Eva’s assignment. The way she looked at him suggested that she had other plans for him that evening. It was going to be more than just watching a damn play that he had no interest in. It was going to be a romantic night…..this could be the tipping point. He could picture himself walking out hand in hand with Eva in the middle of the play strolling to the love garden or going to the hangout at Paul harris park, the possibilities were endless.

The cyber café predictably was jam-packed with users, he had to wait for some time before getting a free Pc to use. He bought one hour airtime and inputted the login credentials.

Ken hissed when he saw multiple internet explorer windows on the system. The previous user had not bothered to close the web pages before logging out. He began closing them one after the other. On getting to the last window the heading of the article on the page caught his attention. Written in bold red fonts was the title:

HOW TO TURN A FRIEND INTO A LOVER IN ONE WEEK- THE FIVE ULTIMATE STEPS MANUAL

“This could be useful!” he exclaimed. It was comforting to know that someone else was in the same boat with him.

He scanned through the article, most of what was written made sense. The writer claimed to be a dating guru based in Lagos. M. Ken did a Ctrl + A & Ctrl + C and pasted it in a new document page. He was going to print it out alongside with Eva’s work.

Grey literature…

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CHAPTER TEN

Idara’s mind was made up, it was five days to Valentine. She was going to make that final push. Ken was avoiding her. She had apologized to him for her recent outburst. He had accepted her apology and told her that he had nothing against her. He had informed her that he didn’t want any romantic relationship with her. She had been friendzoned.

She felt humiliated and had to get back to her hostel room to cry out her frustration. The feeling of not being wanted was disturbing. Idara knew that although she wasn’t drop dead gorgeous she was consistently turning down advances from other guys. Why can’t Ken find her attractive?

It didn’t take her long to realize that Ken was chasing a girl; Eva Essien a second year English student. Idara managed to trace Eva and found out that indeed Eva was a beautiful girl who could literally turn a man’s head upside down but she was way above Ken’s league. Ken didn’t realize the folly of dating a high class girl.

Seduce him……

She had to hatch a plan that will draw him into her net.

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Little Playhouse University of Uyo is a multipurpose enclosed arena in the department of theatre arts. Staging of plays & cultural dances, events & shows and sometimes lectures are carried out in the venue.

Ken sat next to Eva who true to her words had secured a good seat for him. Odiong and Emma who grudgingly agreed to attend the event were at the back row. The whole audience eyes were fixed on the stage where the student actors were playing out their roles. Ken watched as Lakunle the civilized young man wooed Sidi the beautiful village girl. The stage lights and the stage effects were fascinating and he found himself immersed in the show. He occasionally glanced at Eva. The gentle whiff of  her alluring Avon eau d parfum floated over his nostrils, she looked as lovely as always on her grey hooded jacket on top of a black jean trouser, her dark flawless skin seemed to glow in the dimlight of the hall.

The audience all laughed at the comical attempts by Lakunle to wow Sidi. Eva choking with mirth moved her head and briefly rested it on his shoulder and for that short moment Ken was lost in another world, a world where he was wooing Eva on a natural stage.

His thoughts went back to the dating manual. He had read and memorized the five steps and the corresponding explanations.

1) Approach indirectly

2) Create a sense of familiarity

3) Give her space

4)  Declare your feelings

5) Strike

From what he read he had used up steps 1 -3, he was left with steps 4 & 5. He was going to apply them tonight. If he succeeded Valentine’s day will be a most memorable day.

The play finished a few minutes after 9pm and the audience streamed outside.

Ken introduced Eva to Emma and Odiong both of whom looked impressed with her. He felt a sense of regret that he couldn’t introduce her to them as his girlfriend yet.

Eva walked with him sucking on a can of Guinness malt. They walked in silence down to the faculty of law building where her driver was waiting with the car.

“That was a good play Ken….they made it look so real”

“Yes, I enjoyed it……..Eva how are you going to spend valentine’s day? Any plans?”

She gave a short laugh and said “I don’t really know yet, what about you?”

Ken took a deep breath, this was the moment. In a sudden burst of passion he took her hands and declared.

“I am spending it with you, Eva I love you!”.

She didn’t say a word, she just stood still her face as blank as a statue.

“Eva let us take this relationship to the next level….Right from the first day I set my eyes on you in the library I knew that you were the one for me, I feel it in my soul!”.

“Ken…. sorry I don’t feel the same way you do, you are just a friend to me…, , I don’t see you as a lover, I only see you as a brother. Besides I am not ready for any romantic relationship right now”.

Her look of indifference was replaced with a look of pity.

“We can work things out, come on Eva!” Ken was desperate, he reached out to hold her hands. his world was caving in. The rug was slipping off his feet.

 “Let go of my hand! Ken….goodnight!”.

“Eva please…don’t walk away”.

She turned and took fast steps to her car, got in and her driver drove away.

Ken’s leaned on the wind tree his heart squashed in a thousand pieces.

“Oh my God what have I done? I only declared my feelings, could it be that she is overwhelmed with emotion? Have I completely ruined my chances with her? His mind was going haywire. Why is love so cruel?

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Ken was moody the next day. He managed to drag himself to attend the day’s lectures.

“Ol boy how did you manage to find that babe? your babe set wella!” Emma stated.

“She is blazing hot! I swear that chick fine no be small, men you get luck!” Odiong affimed.

Ken couldn’t say a word. How could he tell them that the girl was not his, that she broke his heart, that he was just a friend and a brother to her, that his place was fully cemented in her friend zone.

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CHAPTER ELEVEN

7pm Wednesday morning two days to valentine day, Ken received a call from a lady who introduced herself as Ndidi. She informed him that Idara his colleague/friend was very ill and had requested to see him. She wanted to deliver an important message to him in person. Could he please come to No 12 Apexx line to meet Idara that morning?

“Idara is sick? But I saw her on Monday, she looked hale and hearty, Ken thought to himself. He still cared for Idara as a friend, she was a nice girl. He would do what he could to help. Lectures on Wednesday were all scheduled for the afternoon. He will sacrifice the morning for Idara.

No 12 Apexx Line was a fenced building located on the ever busy Zenith bank road intersection. Ken knocked at the gate and waited but there was no response. He pushed the gate open and walked inside. The compound comprised of two bungalows with a long and straight entrance. Fruit trees stood on both sides of the walkway, their intersecting branches creating a dark canopy over the walkway. The lawn on the right side of the building was littered with dry leaves.

“Which door should I knock?” Ken asked himself. The first door had five religious stickers plastered on it and looked more welcoming. He walked up to it and knocked.

Footsteps sounded from within and the door swung open. Idara came out.

“Come in Ken”.

“Idara a friend told me you were seriously sick and wanted to see me” I just had to come but it looks like you are perfectly okay.

“Ken i was seriously sick but I feel much better now, please come in”.

Ken followed her inside the room. He looked around, it was a spacious room with ground tiles a medium sized couch stood close to the door, a television set was on top of a wooden stand. Pictures and wall papers were pasted on the wall. The house felt warm and welcoming.

“You are welcome. Grab a seat this is my cousin’s place, she leaves her house in my care whenever she travels”. Idara said.

“What should I offer you? There is breakfast in the kitchen”.

Ken turned and looked at her and for the first time he noticed her dressing. She wore a skimpy top that exposed her cleavage on top of a miniskirt that showcased her laps.

Don’t worry…what is it that you wanted to tell me?

She smiled.

 “Relax Ken, I’ll tell you. Do you want see some photographs? She didn’t wait for his reply before tossing a bulky envelope at him”.

He went through the pictures and noticed from the corner of his eyes that something fishy was going on. 

Idara was sliding on the couch towards him. He looked at her in amazement.

“K…..eeen” she whispered as she reached forward and took his left hand staring deep into his eyes. He had never seen such an hypnotizing look in her eyes before. His heart began racing as she inched closer….closer.

Marvin Gaye’s Lets get it on was playing softly in the background.

There's nothin' wrong with me
Lovin' you, baby love, love
Let's get it on, oh baby
Lets get it on, let's love baby
Let's get it on, sugar

Her face was just a few inches away from his face. He could feel her breath on his face. In a quick move she brought her lips to his and kissed him.

Ken felt light headed as the temptation to yield came upon him...the scenario was overwhelming….his body and mind were warring....pleasure and the voice of reason were in conflict. She moved once again placing her laps on his and reached out to unbutton his shirt.

His willpower won the war and he pushed her aside and stood up.

‘Stop this! What are you trying to do? You lured me in here to seduce me?”

She stood up and confronted him her face was twisted in fury.

“I hate you! Is it because of Eva Essien that you are forming? Let me tell you she will never be yours!! She is not in your class! And I am done with you! She shouted.

Rage built up in his heart, he fought the urge to attack her.

“Look here, don’t you ever come near me again! You are a slut!”.

He kicked the door open and stomped out.

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CHAPTER TWELVE

14th February Valentine day fell on a Friday, the beginning of the weekend. The public bus Ken boarded to school was filled with students and the general discussion naturally shifted to the topic of valentine day.

“Valentine day is overrated, look at all these girls wearing red cloth to school today” A vocal guy with a thickset body at the back voiced out to no one in particular.

“una don wear cloth dey wait for guy wey go come spend money on una head. If to say all guys dey like me una for wait tire!” he declared.

“Sharrap there! broke guys like you shouldn’t be talking, allow us to celebrate valentine in peace jor!” a plumpy shaped girl sharply responded.

The male students turned on her and heckled her. Her female compatriots rose to her defense and the bus got rowdy as several voices were raised up each struggling to be heard.

Ken sat head bowed, a bit depressed turning over the pages of  5 ultimate steps dating manual in his hands. The shock of Idara’s onslaught on him had worn off. The valentine was definitely going to be a lonely one and the loneliness will be accentuated by the fact of what could have been. The fun he could have had with Eva.

The last paragraph on the manual read;

 Don’t quit, if you strike and he/she declines don’t give up try it again…her saying “No” is a way of testing your resolve. She wants to find out if you are really serious.

Don’t quit….he will try again.

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Lectures ended by 3 pm for Ken. Professor Udoka’s 4pm class had been postponed to Saturday morning. The man was a killjoy fixing his class on the day after valentine’s day.

Pick your call….Pick your call Eva!

“Hello Eva”.

“Hello Ken what’s up?

“Eva can I see you today?

“Maybe...i guess I was a little too frank with you on Monday evening…I am sorry if I sounded rude.

“There’s no problem Eva” Have you heard of Lost in the woods concert slated for tonight organized by Jccf?

“Yes! I have seen the advert, will you be attending?

“Yes…it starts by 6pm, I was wondering if you could come around”.

“Well…I’ll see if I can make it, call me by that time.

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The valentine evening atmosphere on campus was electrifying. Lovers breezed past buildings walking hand in hand, predators prowled around searching for prey, cars were parked along the campus gates and side-streets with male occupants waiting patiently for their female valentine partners. There were rendezvous at dark corners. Music sounded from open air parks where parties were on full swing. The different Christian campus fellowships had their programs running.

Ken felt a bit odd and a little out of place walking alone. This was the first time in seven years he was observing the lovers day celebration. He wore his designers outfit reserved for special occasions such as this; a Saint Laurent printed shirt, a Ralph Lauren Jean trouser and a black suede shoe. The Tom Ford black orchid masculine perfume smelt nicely on him. He looked dazzling enough to impress Eva if she cared to turn up.

 “Ken I am at sculpture garden, meet me there”. A text message from Eva read.

Wow she was already waiting! He rushed down to sculpture garden located in front of the department of Fine arts.

Eva was seating on a base of an elephant sculpture with a guy.

 “Hello Ken good to see you” Eva greeted him warmly and turned to the guy besides her, “Sweetheart meet my friend Ken, Ken meet my sweetheart Richard”.

Ken’s stomach churned at the word “sweetheart”, he instantly felt hatred for the guy. This was her sweetheart!

Richard looked matured and classy, definitely he wasn’t in the same league with Richard.

With bile and resentment in his heart he managed to shake the hand Richard offered.

“Richard stays in the Uk, he came here for a short vacation. Can you imagine Ken? People are leaving Nigeria and he is coming back here for vacation”.

Richard and Eva laughed heartily while Ken managed to pull off an unsuccessful dry laugh.

He looked at her with accusing eyes and suddenly felt small standing beside them. He wanted to run away to cry his eyes out.

“I am going for the concert”. He wanted to leave. He wanted to leave her and her Janded boyfriend.

“Alright Ken we will join you later”. Eva’s tone sounded triumphant, her eyes seemed to mock him…….

“you now know your place boy”.

Ken could feel the mist in his eyes as he walked on, the tears were forming.

Unreciprocated love! The girl he loved didn’t love him back. He was solidly trapped in her friendzone. All his dream of a lovely evening evaporated! He wasn’t going to any damn concert.

“You no dey look road? A tall guy walking with his arms around the waist of a petite girl yelled at him as he rammed into them.

“I am sorry”

He moved faster with no clear destination in mind and finally sat down at a corner in convo park.

As darkness fell upon the campus the street lights were powered on, illuminating the arena, he could see happy faces of lovers everywhere.

Ken sat with his face in his palm. He sensed the scent of cigarette smoke nearby, he looked up. A guy was seated next to him, waving a lighted cigarette stuck in between his fingers.

“Wetin dey do you? your girl don leave you?” he asked Ken in a slow drawl.

He didn’t wait for a reply and continued.

 “I no dey do anything with these campus babes, dem sabi break heart….I no dey everly believe this thing dey call love”. The guy was swaying from side to side, he looked tipsy.

“na to find one babe wey I go take sampe body dis night be my own, you no go join me?” the guy declared as he stood up, adjusted his cap and walked away dragging his feet on the ground.

Eva friendzoned me! 

I am stuck in her friend zone.

Didn’t I do everything to please her?

There is no escaping the friendzone…..maybe sometimes you have to accept it and move on with your life.

Have you finally found the one you've given your heart to
Only to find that one won't give their heart to you
Have you ever closed your eyes and
Dreamed that they were there
And all you can do is wait for the day when they will care.

Ken got up to his feet and with a shattered heart walked through the first gate and slipped away into the dark night.

  

THE END

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 Music credits: Banky w, lionel Richie, Marvin Gaye, Brandy.

Textbook & Lecture credit: Wikipedia

Leroi communications 2014.

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AN ESCAPE FROM THE FRIENDZONE (2)

CHAPTER FIVE

Dr Martin sat in his Bmw 3 series parked besides Perculiar Spot waiting for Eva Essien to come out. He had spotted her walking into the snacks bar located opposite the mini stadium. From his investigation this was her favourite hangout. The time was about 6pm and the campus was gradually emptying out as staff and students were homeward bound.

Two days of tracking down Eva had yielded results. He had traced her academic records and found them to be near perfect. The girl was cruising at a cgpa of 3.8. By next academic year she will be in his class where he hoped to fully influence her. Currently he could only rely on impressing her with his vivacious personality and using the academic mentoring trick.

After a fifteen minutes interval, the view from his side mirror showed her approaching his direction. He winded down the glass and honked the car horn to draw her attention. He removed his shades, opened the door and came out dangling the car key with his fore finger.

“Good evening sir” Eva greeted him recognizing him as one of the lecturers in her department.

“Good evening Eva, how are you?

“I am fine sir”.

“Eva I was just going through departmental results the other day and I found out that you have one of the highest Gpa in your level, I am really impressed” he said.

 “Oh wow thank you sir”.

“There’s no need to thank me, you are a brilliant and beautiful girl. You will go places if you keep up the current effort” he stressed the word “beautiful” while looking into her eyes. She looked flustered with the compliment and kept her eyes down.

“Eva …look, let’s drop this sir thing, it is too formal, just call me Martin. He moved closer to her.

“Sir i am not comfortable with relating with you on first name basis, I prefer to stick with “sir”. Eva said cautiously while keeping a little space between them.

Dr Martins shrugged off her reply and went further.

“Eva I was wondering if you will be free tomorrow…say by 5pm……let’s hangout at Monty suites. It’s a cool place with good wine, I hear their chicken tastes nice and there’s a karaoke bar where you can sing along to any song you want. He appealed putting up a seductive smile.

“Men! Always hitting up on her, always asking her out….don’t they ever get tired?” Eva thought in her mind.

“Well it sure sounds like fun but sir i am not interested, sorry I have to leave now” she said firmly.

“Okay Eva there’s no problem there’s always another time, have a nice evening”.

He winked at her as she walked on by. He watched her as she turned round the corner and headed towards Convocation park. Staring lustily at her, he observed her curvaceous body and swaying hips. She was definitely a catch and getting her will be the pinnacle of his playboy career.

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CHAPTER SIX

Gaining entry into the university library was a matter of routine if you were a regular user. The library attendants would be familiar with your face and won’t request for your library card. The library attendants wield great power. They request your ID, order you to leave, confiscate prohibited items, tell you to switch off your mobile phone and sometimes help you to find a book on the shelf.

Ken heaved a sigh of despair when he sighted the attendant on duty, an unfriendly old lady that every student always avoided. He had forgotten his library card at home due to his haste in rushing to submit Dr Chukwueka Eze’s assignment on time earlier on in the day.

He dropped his school bag on the shelf outside and proceeded to make a quick dash into the library but the eagle eyes of the attendant had already caught him.

She drew him, hissed and with an outstretched hand rudely demanded for his library card.

 Ken studied her facial features. Her face was shaped like that of an owl, a thin nose with small fiery eyes, her thin rimmed glasses perched precariously on her nose giving her a witchlike appearance.

“Sorry ma, I forgot it at home”.

“How do I even know you are a student? You can’t get into this library without your library card, so get out!” she said harshly pointing her fingers to the exit door.

“Aunty please let him go in, I know him, he is a student” . A voice sounded over his shoulder. Ken instantly turned and was surprised to see Eva standing behind him, she had a bulky looking notebook tucked under her arms.

The attendant stared at both of them for some seconds, shook her head and mumbled some incoherent words to herself and waved Ken in.

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“Thank you Eva that woman is a nut case” Ken said with gratitude written all over his face as he followed her in.

“You are welcome, nobody likes that woman.’ Eva responded, “I have had a similar experience with her”.

As they walked close to the history shelf she paused and asked;

“Ken are you stalking me?”, “You seem to pop up everywhere I am”.

“No! it is just coincidence and maybe it is fate that keeps bringing us together.”

She chuckled and walked to a cubicle and pulled a seat. Ken followed her and took the seat next to her. He pretended to read while his heart pounded. He was searching for a good conversation topic.

“Would she be annoyed if he interrupted her reading or would she be glad to have a little talk, what could be the best approach to use in getting her phone number? the library was nearly empty there were no distractions. He had to get her phone number today! His train of thoughts raced on.

 “I will not be staying here for a long while, Eva finally said after 15 minutes had elapsed, it is getting dark. I need to be on my way home.

“Where is home?

“Home is where the heart is” she replied and rose up.

He stood up…..“Let me see you off then”.

“hey don’t bother yourself”.

“No I insist” He grabbed his book and followed her, there was no point staying if she was leaving.

He was tongue tied as they walked out of the library, he knew she was expecting him to say something…..anything.

Please can I have your phone number? He asked at last.

A short pause ensued. Her perfect lips curved into a smile.

“I don’t give out my number to guys” she replied ”but today seems to be your lucky day, so I’ll make an exception for you”. Give me your phone let me type”.

A short panic gripped Ken. One side of the screen of his Nokia X3 had a black smudge and some letters on the keypad had peeled off. He had planned getting a new phone at the beginning of the semester but was restrained by limited financial resources. Would she rate him based on the appearance of his phone? She was using a high tech phone. He had seen her dropping an Apple iphone 5s into her bag at the library bag stand.

To his relief Eva typed her number without examining his phone and handed the phone over to him.

“Is that your car?  He inquired as he spotted the Honda fit parked under the almond tree at the front of CBN auditorium the same spot she had parked in the previous week.

“Yes its mine. Sometimes I drive it, but most times its my driver who drives me, do you want to take a ride? She asked casually.

“Wow!” Ken thought in his mind it was clear that Eva was from a very rich home, she was chauffeured driven. Much as the temptation to say “yes” was overwhelming he had to decline the offer.

“No thanks, my friends are waiting for me at Student care cyber café.

“Alright then goodbye”.

“Bye!”

 He watched her as she drove off.

She was a nice girl, didn’t have the rude attitude he always saw from most girls. She even offered him a ride which meant he had made a good impression on her! He had gotten her phone number at last!!!

 Ken was in upbeat mood as he walked happily towards Student care cyber café to meet up with Odiong and Emma.

His love for Eva had skyrocketed. Things were shaping up fine, life was good!

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CHAPTER SEVEN

Idara Etuk sat on her bunk inside Prefab hostel hall 2B gisting with Ndidi and Agatha her friends from Hall 3B who had come visiting. A half filled bottle of Margenta juice and two enamel cups was on top of the side-stool close to the cupboard. They were discussing relationship issues while listening to tracks from Beyonce’s I am Sasha fierce album playing on her dvd music player. The discussion shifted from the latest rumours making the rounds on campus to their personal issues.

She couldn’t keep it to herself that she was in love with Ken and was infuriated by his unresponsive nature. It was funny how she had been relating with him for two years as a colleague without any romantic feeling only to fall in love in the third year. Ken had volunteered to help her out with some difficult assignments, she got close to him and found something in him that she was looking for, something she couldn’t explain but she knew he had it in him.

Ken was very intelligent and was said to be on second class upper grade point level with a high possibility of graduating with a first class certification. He had bright prospects. This was the type of man she wanted.

“Ndidi can you imagine this guy no even send me upon all wetin i dey do? he acts totally disinterested.

”Do you think he has a girlfriend?” Agatha inquired.

 “Nope, I would have known if he has one, he is just a little too bookish” she replied.

“You see he is a nerd. Nerds are shy guys, you have to go in for the kill” Ndidi advised and continued   “I once dated a guy like that, the guy bin give me too much wahala. Such guys need a major push to express their feelings, he wants to be overwhelmed by you before loosening up. You need to loosen him up”.

“Ndidi what exactly are you suggesting?” Idara asked.

“Well….Step it up….seduce him”.  

You ain’t serious” Idara exclaimed looking at her friend,” that will be cheapening myself”.

“Look babe na the way be that, you wan spend this coming valentine alone? You better take the bull by the horns”.

Seduce him……

Idara drew a pillow to herself, placed it behind her back and leaned on it. She rolled her eyes……seduce him……

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“Look guys i am serious o, you guys are experienced in this dating thing. Where is the best place to take a girl out for a date in this town?”  Ken threw the question that was burning in his mind open to the guys in the room; Odiong, Emma, Rooney boy and Terry. They were sitting on the floor in Emma’s one room apartment all of them engrossed in a Fifa 2013 Ps3 game.

“Take her to Food affairs and make sure you carry enough cash in your wallet or else na plate and spoon una go wash before dem allow una leave” Rooney boy said and they all burst into laughter.

“Guys i am talking about a rich girl here not anyhow local chick”

“Your babe na rich girl?” Terry interjected, “na the girl suppose take you out na, wetin you fit give am?” Another dose of laughter followed.

Ken hissed and looked away. The first call he made to Eva wasn’t eventful, it barely lasted for one minute. He had to talk to her in a relaxed environment about his feelings. His second call would be to fix a date. Where will he even take her to? Would she turn down his offer or accept to go out with him?”

He was worried about Idara’s romantic overtures. At first her actions intrigued him. Seeing a girl struggling for his attention and affection somehow boosted his ego but now it was becoming ridiculous. She had stepped up her antics and from all indication wanted an affair. She was insisting on seating with him in lecture halls, reserving seats for him, looking for any opportunities to make body contact, she had even gone to the point of buying food for him. He will have to let her know that he wasn’t interested.

His love interest was in Eva! He will have to get out of Eva’s friend zone and enter her romantic zone maybe then Idara will leave him alone.

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CHAPTER EIGHT

“Insulin is a peptide hormone, produced by beta cells of the pancreas, and is central to regulating carbohydrate and fat metabolism in the body. It causes cells in the liver, skeletal muscles, and fat tissue to absorb glucose from the blood…”

Prof Udoka lectured while looking at the faces of the students in the lecture room. The elevated platform gave him a good view of the whole class. He noticed Ken sitting in the middle row with his hands on his chin, staring through the window with a disinterested look in his eyes. It was obvious the boy’s mind wasn’t in the class.

“What was the last statement I made Ken?” he asked with an authoritative voice.

Ken was jolted into reality and stood up with a confused look on his face.

‘I am sorry sir, I didn’t quite get you”.

A short peal of laughter rang out from the back row.

“How will you hear me when you are not paying attention? This is quite unlike you. What are you thinking about? Is it money or a girl? Cos that is all what you young men care about. You’ve got to concentrate boy! This is not the time to start chasing after girls”.

Ken bowed down his head. The Prof was right he had been thinking about Eva. It was time to make that second call to fix the date.

Ken promptly left the class at the end of the lecture to avoid a few jeers that was certain to come his way.

“Hey Ken wait!!

That was the voice of Idara as she hurried towards him. He quickened his steps but she caught up with him and blocked his passage.

“You were thinking about me, weren’t you? She asked with a sly smile.

He shoved her aside and moved on.

“Hey boy stop pretending that you don’t want me, when are you going to come out of your shell?” she raised her voice in exasperation.

Ken gave her an angry look.

“Idara I am not in a good mood to talk now, just stay away from me! He shook his head and moved on.

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“Hello Eva”

“Hi Ken”

“Eva will you be free tomorrow by 7pm…..let’s hangout at Pepperoni fast food joint at Aka road.

“Ken is this a date?…are you asking me out?

“Erm…..not really…well….Yes, I guess so”.

“Sorry I don’t do dates”.

“Don’t call it a date…..let’s say its an informal occasion to talk”

“Talk about what?”

“We are talking about feelings Eva”

“Ken it is too early to catch feelings….you are just a friend to me and I can’t go out on date with a friend”.

“Eva i mean, getting to each other better”

“Stop pushing your luck too far, Ken…..talk to you later” Her line dropped.

“Oh my God she dropped my call!”. Ken wanted to scream, he wanted to hold her, he wanted to pour out his soul to her, he couldn’t keep it within himself anymore.

Every time I see you and I look into your eyes/There's a feeling that I get
And it's way down deep inside, girl

I know why you're scared of love/Cos you think it just won't last long
There ain't nobody else in life/That can take the place of you
I just hope you realize what my heart is going through

How long, must this feeling go on/How long, must I stand the pain and
How long, must this feeling go on/Waiting for the night/Waiting for the right time to come”.
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Dr Martin hit on his desk in frustration. Eva was proving to be a hard nut to crack, she had turned him down on three separate occasions. The 22 years old girl saw through all his overtures and subtle moves and had been able to stay out of his clutches. Although he had made subtle threats of victimization to her, he knew he couldn’t act on his words. She was more connected than he thought.

He had discovered that the Vice chancellor was a family friend to her father. If she decides to take the matter to the Vc his job will be in jeopardy. He had barely escaped the last sexual harassment case brought against him two months ago by Victoria a 400 level student by the skin of his teeth. The case was hushed up by the Head of department after he signed an undertaking to stay clear of students in the faculty. A new accusation will see him being thrown under the bus.

He will have to lay low and bide his time. When she enters into 300 level he will use another method on her; the love angle. He wasn’t called the playboy for nothing.