OBE TI SO (THE SOUP IS READY)
How could anyone ever forget our dear government teacher in high school? The great JOGS where Mr. Samuel was obviously in a world of his own. One that he must have consciously or unconsciously created around himself and he strode graciously like a human rights activist so there was no fooling around him and even the school authorities related with him diplomatically. He had a good grasp of the subject and I can still remember some of his teachings as at today especially characteristics of a civil servant with the acronym ANIC which stood for Anonymity, Neutrality, Impartiality and Continuity. See me feeling fly like say I know book that much.
As knowledgeable as he was, he was brutal as he beats mercilessly that there were hushed tones flying around that he probably had mental issues. But trust students who were always at the receiving end of his brutality as they always had a way of retaliating especially those in the same class with his son who coincidentally was always in one trouble or another with his mates and was dealt with at every opportunity. A sure way of having their own pound of flesh you would say. Mr. Samuel always assured us he was going back to school to study Law, nice idea but make he no go vex one day beat up Judge for inside court o. But one day go be one day for Mr. Samuel sha cos my set had a lot of rebels who were always eager to unleash their youthful exuberance.
And so it happened on this fateful day after the Sallah holidays, we all sauntered into the school savouring the length and freshness of our once lush green boulevard from the school entrance to the admin block and quickly settled down into our classes for the day’s lesson. My class had one of the son’s of the paramount ruler of Ijebu land, Alaiyeluwa Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, Ogbagba II. The Prince was such a very pleasant and nice guy and it was his regular practice to bring Sallah meat for his teachers every year and then share some more amongst his classmates too. Our government class was the last period before the break which we sometimes ignorantly referred to as “Breaking Time” and I hope u don’t all go posh on me calling us local kids o cos I know say na all of us make that mistake back then.
The Prince immediately followed the teacher after the class to hand him his Sallah meat and as Mr. Samuel gratefully received the meat, a student bystander saw him collecting the meat from the prince and the devil who was always busy roaming about jejely used Leke when he smiled and shouted “obe ti so” which literally meant that Mr. Samuel’s soup pot was going to be full that day. Abomination, how could this innocent boy had allowed devil to use him that day to annoy the teacher who was going on his way jeje? Oga just turned back and grabbed this young man asking him “obe ti iya e se ti baba e fe je abi” (the soup your mother cooked that your father was going to eat I suppose)? And so the beating started and the prince could not even plead on his behalf. Our dear classmate was mercilessly beaten to a pulp and then the rampage started, other students stood up and cautioned him to stop the beating but he refused not realizing his cup was full that day, he dared the boys and he got a reprisal attack on himself but his mischievous son had taken to his heels at that time sensing what was about to go down. And students got angry the more because he was Ghanaian who just oppressed us at his whim. The students were eventually rounded up cos of the snitch we always had who wrote down names of participants in the fracas. Leke eventually healed after the merciless beating but he had really learnt his lesson.
Lesson learnt, as a teacher, never push students to the wall because they may fight back in a negative way and as a student, not all jokes are funny especially the ones that may lead you into Mr. Samuel’s path and always bear in mind that the snitch’s ink never runs dry. One day soon, we will get to discover the identity of this snitch and that day may come during this our forthcoming 25th graduation anniversary and reunion coming up later in the year as we have incorporated a confessions night into the programme of activities.
