The Assembly with Principal Hyde

“So is that why…” as Michael was about to ask further the two boys started laughing again. Michael looked puzzled and they indicated to Mr Raimi who climbed the podium used for announcements, the left side of his head was wrapped in bandages. He raised his right hand which was holding a cane and the students quieted down for a bit as he began speaking.

“Good morning, students.”

They responded with a drawled out “Good morning, sir.”

“How are you, today?”

“Fine, thank you sir!”

“Wetin do your head?” a stray student voice asked from the back and all the students roared in laughter.

“Who said that?” he barked, looking to the students on his right searching for the voice, but Onos’ had already ducked down behind the innocent face of Michael who stood frozen, motionless, afraid to be spotted.

“Anyway,” he continued but someone from the other end yelled “CALL THE POLICE O!”

“Who said that?” he asked getting down from the podium and looking towards the students on his left but many of them only turned around looking innocently and saying “I don’t know, sir. It is from the back sir." as the others continued laughing.

Defeated, realising many of the few students who used feared him no longer did, he retreated to the podium to commence the announcements.

“As you know our former principal Mr Oshodi has retired, we now have a new principal, Mr Salami.” He indicated to a short and chubby man to his far left. Probably, in his late fifties or early sixties dressed in an old ill-fitting suit whose pants covered his shoes.

“Please, give him a warm welcome to our school!” and he began to clap but stopped immediately due to his sore hands and stepped down for Mr Salami to take the podium. The students especially the juniors, prompted by many teachers, clapped for him as he stepped up.

“Thank you very much, Mr Rotimi. Good morning, students!” he boomed.

“Good morning, sir!” they drawled again comically.

“I have heard many things about you, students” he said “all of them bad.”

They laughed proudly as if he had complimented them. “I was told by the former principal that you had deflated his car tires, twice.”

“Iz a lie! The car was bad.” Another voice echoed from the back, interrupting Mr Salami but he remained calm and continued.

“I was told by the teachers that you had beaten some of them, Mr Raimi here is an example.” He gestured.

“Aww, sorry sir.” Another student heckled and Mr Raimi cowered not enjoying being made such a weak example of.

“...and I was especially told by the police that many times, they had to come here to keep the peace, but they will no longer be coming to do so.” The student laughed here again obviously enjoying the accolades. Still, Mr Salami remained calm and then he brought it out. The students became quiet when they saw the knife!

“YOU LITTLE RASCALS! YOU ARE NOTHING BUT A BUNCH OF RIFFRAFF’S!” Mr Raimi’s voice boomed and echoed all around the assembly ground as everyone was absolutely quiet. Students, teachers and even the birds sat quietly on the wires watching and listening to the spectacle before them. It was unbelievable, their new principal, who a moment ago seemed gentle and weak like the last one had suddenly transformed into a knife-wielding psychopath. It was watching Dr Jekyll turn into Mr Hyde, threatening them like a madman. Nobody saw it coming.

“Listen, listen to me. I am not like your former principal and I am not like your teachers that you can push around and beat up. If you come near me? I WILL STAB YOU!” he barked.

And he gestured this by getting down from the podium, going to the nearest pillar behind him and stabbed the innocent slabs of concrete.

"Ah!"

"Yee!" the students flinched.

“This one is mad.” Onos whispered to Michael who shushed him immediately, afraid to be spotted and be the first to feel the knife. Then madman Salami, sorry Mr Salami got back on to the podium and continued.

“You people cannot threaten me, I was in the army and I was in a psychiatric hospital so I am mental, in fact, I am mad!”

“AHHHH!”  the students gasped.

“Told you!” Onos whispered again to Michael who nodded this time.

“Everybody warned me before taking this job. They told me you people can harm me. They told me that you can even beat me, that it is better for me to just retire instead of coming here. Do you know what I told them? I told them mogbadun, I am not well too. We will beat each other; in fact, we can even kill each other I don't care, the police won't come here. But one of us must give in to the other. This school must change. Do you hear me? It must change." He boomed again slightly jumping on the podium and he began ticking off his fingers.

"This is what will happen. There will be no more missing classes. No more loitering about. No more late-coming and definitely, no more sneaking out of school. If you don’t like it. Then don’t even come to school!”

“AHHH!” The students gasped again.

“YES!” The teachers agreed. “That’s right!” they mumbled.

“And to the teachers too!” he turned beside facing them as they froze. “There will be no more missing classes. No more resuming late to classes and definitely, no more sneaking off before closing time!”

“AHHH!” The teachers' jaw dropped and the students, in turn, laughed at them.

“No more business as usual!” he threatened and anyone who tries to defy my laws will be dealt with, severely! Assembly dismissed!” he said and the lines, ushered by the teachers and prefects, slowly filed out into their respective classes murmuring quietly, not quite believing the event of the morning.

Usually, the assembly was about reading devotionals, reciting of the national anthem followed by the national pledge and then some inspirational sermons or quotes from their mild natured principal to boost their morale. But now that they had forced him into early retirement, they now have a former psychiatric patient for a principal, one who was probably not completely cured of whatever psychosis he had. They had no one to blame but themselves.


https://adeabdulsblog./2020/04/25/infinite-love-6/

Adesokan Abdulafeez