Chapter Three

Abinla smiled. 'We still need to believe that we will change the world. Of course, we can.' She was a sixteen year old beautiful young girl, though poor, she had big dreams which she was hopeful about. 

Ayibaemi shrugged. 'Not sure of this dream of yours. But if you are able to make it come through, then, I will be glad. But we could have been picking bottles to sell instead of wasting our time here.' He rubbed at his nose. 'We just need money, not changing the world.' 

'Have you ever thought of becoming the richest man on earth?' Abinla asked.

Ayibaemi stared at his sister, obviously offended. 'What, you think I don't have dreams as well? Go on and build your dream paradise. I will buy it from you, 44billion dollars.'

 The two girls with them laughed, including Abinla.

 Ayibaemi looked at the three girls. 'Don't you think I would become like Elon Musk or Bill Gates?'

 'Really?' A girl carrying a pink plastic bag chuckled. 'If you believe you can become a Forbes Billionaire then I think you should believe that someday your sister will build paradise for us all.' 'I think so,' Ayibaemi said reluctantly.

'I know so,' another girl said, smiling hopefully. 'Our climate is breaking down. Thankfully, Abinla will help us get a beautiful paradise.' 

'If we must build the dream paradise, we have to do it together,' Abinla said with a smile.

'My sister...' Ayibaemi's words were interrupted by the ringing of the school bell, which sent all the students dashing for the door. Abinla and Ayibaemi looked at each other and then with smile on Abinla's face, they walked inside.

 'I don't think you will be able to achieve your dream paradise, Abinla,' Ayibaemi said.

 'I don't think I will give up,' Abinla said back.

The number of classrooms was two. The first class served those in junior classes from JSS1-3 while the second classroom served those in senior classes, from SS1-3. Abinla and his brother were all in senior class, so they had to stay in one classroom. However, the senior classroom was separated with a wooden divider, which made it seemed as though they were in separate classrooms. The number of teachers was above ten, but since the beginning of the crack buildings, many of them stopped coming. Instead, they ventured into other businesses and came to school once a while.

In Abinla's class, a small blackboard was hanging on the peeling blue wall. Just as Abinla pulled her drawing book from her bag, her Science teacher, Tariebi Dakolo, walked inside; carrying some Science textbooks. The tall, slim teacher was paid a little sum of money every month. Instead of finding a sideline like most of the teachers, she chose to wholeheartedly teach the students. She didn't want to divide her attention, as she wanted to give the students the best she could. Was this her little way of changing the world? Only Tariebi could answer that. Tariebi stood in front of SS3 class, which was Abinla's class. With her dimple smile, Tariebi looked beautiful in her bright floral dress. 

 'I have to tell us a story which most of you might not have heard,' Tariebi said with a smile.

 'What kind of story?' A student curiously asked.

 'A story about the beginning of poverty in my village.' 

The students laughed at Tariebi's words.

 'We are all aware of how Bayelsa State, which once offered rich pickings for our farmers and fishermen, is today cloaked in oil...' A student said. 'Aunty, please, we would love to hear any story about building a paradise here on earth. I'm just tired of talking about contaminated crops, how our lives have been cut short because of gas flaring, having premature babies...'