You this girl, what is wrong with you? Must it be you? You fight everyday. Yesterday you fought Michael, on Monday you fought Jude, today it is Nnanna. What is wrong with you? Kneel down, I will give you 12 strokes of the cain?” Instructor Cynthia shouted at  Nwamaka. She was obviously very angry with her.

“It’s not my fault ma’am let me explain what happened,” Amaka responded.

“If I hear one more word from you, I will increase the lashes of the cane to 24,” Instructor Cynthia threatened. Amaka had no choice than to keep quiet.

Nnanna brought out his tongue as a form of mockery for Amaka . It made her forget Instructor Cynthia’s warning.

“Nnanna you are mad,” Amaka cursed.

Instructor Cynthia turned in anger and gave her a slap across the face. Afterwards she started flogging her all over her body. It got to the point that Amaka could no longer endure it so she held the cane.

“Will you leave the cane?” Instructor Cynthia commanded.

“I will not. ” Amaka challenged her.

“Nnanna go and hold her for me ,” instructor Cynthia instructed Nnanna.

“If you know that you don’t love your life, then come close to me ,” Amaka said brazenly.

Instructor Cynthia and Amaka were dragging the cane until other teachers noticed what was going on . They all pounded on Amaka and gave her the beating of her life. They continued flogging her till one of the students ran to the principal’s office to report what was going on . She ran in without knocking on the door and the proprietress was startled.

“Good afternoon ma, the instructors want to kill Amaka”

“Who is Amaka?”

“Nwamaka Ikeoha, my classmate.”

The proprietress quickly followed her to the staff room. When the teachers  noticed the principal’s presence, they stopped. But at that point Amaka fainted.

They tried their best to resuscitate her. The principal sent for milk which they gave Amaka to drink.

The proprietress faced the teachers.

“Can someone tell me the meaning of what I just witnessed?” The proprietress asked.

Everywhere was calm. Instructor Cynthia was shaking .

“I asked a question, can some talk to me,”

“We came in , and met Amaka, fighting instructor Cynthia. We decided to intervene” Instructor Emeka explained.

“Really? Are you trying to tell me that Amaka left her class and came inside here to fight an instructor? Is that what you are trying to tell me?”

Emeka kept mute. 

“I remember you told me that you intervened . Please can you describe your method of intervention.”

“We tried to stop her from fighting instructor Jenny but she was adamant,”Instructor Emeka explained further.

“You mean that this small girl overpowered Instructor Jenny and even you? That was why you all had to join to beat her,”The principal asked in anger.

“I’m sorry ma. It will not happen again”

“Of course, It will never happen in my school again because you may not be here after now”

“Ha! Cynthia has implicated me,” Emeka cried silently.

“Now Cynthia, can you tell me what is going on?”

“I am sorry ma’am. Amaka is always fighting her classmates. That is why I decided to discipline her”

“Really? What caused the fights?”

“I don’t know ma.”

” You don’t know? A child under your watch is always fighting. You never tried to find out what is causing her to fight. It never occurred to you that she might be trying to resist being bullied.  You felt the best thing to do is to beat her to a pulp. You are not fit to be a teacher, I will attend to your case later”

She held Amaka, helped her to get up and took her to her office.

“How do you feel now?”

“I feel better ma”

“They said that you are always fighting,is it true?”

“Yes ma.”

“Really, I’m surprised you agreed that you are a fighter,” The proprietress expressed.

“I’m not a fighter, ma. I tried to avoid fighting. I only fight to defend myself,”

“It’s like your older siblings bully you at home?”

“I’m an only child,”Amaka informed her.

“Hmm! So what makes you want to fight?”

“My classmates bully me. They always sing a song with my name ‘Amaka who is your papa Tim Tim, Tim tim. Amaka, where is your Mama’s working place Tim, Tim, Tim tim’ I begged them to stop but they were adamant. Whenever they see me in a happy mood, they would start singing the song. I have tried reporting them to some of our teachers but they couldn’t help me. There was a time I wanted to stop coming to school because of their harassment. I later decided that instead of me stopping school, I would confront anyone that sings that song to me.”

“Was that what made you fight today?”

“Yes ma.”

“You should have explained to instructor Cynthia. “

“I wanted to explain what happened but she didn’t allow me. All the teachers believed that I was a troublemaker.”

“But why is the song paining you? I don’t really see anything demeaning about it. Though they shouldn’t be referring to your father in that manner; It is an insult. I believe that is why you are angry?”

“No ma.”

“Then what is the issue?”

“Tears filled Amaka’s eyes and she tried to clean it with her cloth,”

“Don’t cry. Please feel free to talk to me,”the proprietor pleaded with her.

“I don’t have a father?”

“I am so sorry to hear that. I don’t know that your father is dead. Now I understand why you feel so bad when they ask where your father is.”

“That is not the issue ma. I don’t know my father,” Amaka explained in tears.

“I’m confused. Can you please explain so that I can understand”

I live with my mother. When I was younger, I felt it was normal. But as I was growing and started seeing other children talk about their father, I became uncomfortable. I have asked my mother several times about my father. She always tells me that he never existed. I don’t understand what she meant by that. The last time I asked her, she cried so much. I made up my mind never to talk about it again. But my classmates won’t let me be.”

“I’m sorry for everything you’ve been through. I want to promise you that it will never happen again.”

She took Amaka out for shopping and bought lots of things for her before taking her home. 

Amaka’s mum was happy to welcome the proprietress and Amaka . She was trying to run around to get what she would use to entertain  her but the proprietress told her not to bother herself.

“Amaka’s mum please don’t worry yourself. I don’t really have much time to spend here but there is something I want to beg of you, please, don’t say no. Your daughter is being humiliated in School . I never knew about it until today. I am handling the matter and I know that it will not happen again. However, I will plead that you tell her the history of her birth. No matter how painful it is, please, let her know. She is facing a lot out there that you don’t know. They have been singing humiliating songs for her, asking her who her father is. Unfortunately for her, she doesn’t even know anything about her father. That is not fair. I am the daughter of a mad woman . I never knew . When people make fun of me and call me a mad person, I would be fighting them . But the day I was told the history of my birth, it marked a turning point in my life. I made up my mind that I would never become what people expected me to become. Most of those that mocked me then depend on me for survival today. Please tell this girl what she needs to know. I will take my leave now.”