Story: Diamond by Chinenye Judith Jamesmith – Episode 4

Remedials

I started dating Daniel a year after he got out of school and he had written Jamb twice already but no admission yet. Nigerian universities and their wahala or would I say the countries system and the way the kill the hopes and aspirations of young teenagers.

The second jamb was what he was hoping on to get admitted into the University of Jos but the school system was slow and so it derailed.

One evening, my phone rang, a call was coming from Danie, well his call was always expected but little did I know that this particular call was carrying a long awaited news, and so I picked up the phone and answered casually but then he sounded very excited and I really wondered what could be the
reason behind this Joy.

“Hey babe, you sound very excited, did you hit jackpot or Popsy don travel?” I asked still wondering.

“None of the above my dear, I’m just so excited, like am overjoyed, can you guess what?”, he replied.

“What” I said.

“Guess joor, guess …. sss” he replied, stressing the last letters of the word guess

“Well I’m blank, I replied, I can’t think of anything else, so if you won’t tell me, end the call”, I said feigning annoyance.

“See your head, now you have vex, ok, University of Jos gave me remedial science, so I am going to school this year”

“Wow, I am so happy for you, at least, Dad won’t have to nag you again, baby go and shine and don’t do what I wouldn’t do”,

“Mad ooo, I don hear , how are you doing?”

“I’m fine joor, hope you are good too, well you are good nah, UniJos have burst your brain”

We talked for a while before the call ended, I was so very happy for Danny. Daniel resumed remedials, school was sweet, he got to make new friends, meet new people and that was how he met Dynasty, my big sis, sister from another mother.

The two became very close and regarded themselves as in-laws, naughty jerks but I love them like that. People and course mates couldn’t help but admire their closeness.

I was so happy for him, you know, I had always wanted the best for him and one of my deepest prayers for him was for him to gain admission, to become that which he was destined for, to make his momma proud, you know that joy, the tears of joy that would roll down her cheeks, seeing him on that gown, the shout of congratulations.

But he got remedial instead, a one year program that would either pave way for him or close it and I wanted that way to be paved because I can’t bear the thought of him sitting for jamb again. His success was what I wanted and I prayed for no draw backs.

When he resumed, we had slot to sacrifice, the one day of the week was taken, so we rarely saw each other but I was happy for him though, he was going to school and so I should not be the one to deprive him of that.

On Daniel’s part, he was so excited about school, at least dad would not have to nag him or scold him again regarding him to be irresponsible.

Mother’s prayers had been answered oh how sweet a mother’s love, blessed be the womb that bore him. The joy that flooded her heart seeing her son go to school was immeasurable.

He was ready to make mami proud, so he tagged remedial fun. I could recall him saying Dynasty is bae.

“That bae is such an angel, she is got a heart of gold, beautiful and that great smile, she is just like you my Diamond” he said to me one day.

She’s got brain and I was confident that she would help him make remedials worth it.

Click here for Episode 5