Chapter Three

As Dera contemplated the situation, she noticed the arrival of the school principal, Mr. Johnson, in his sleek black Mercedes Benz. Slowly, he parked his car in his designated spot, and the security guard, dressed in a blue and white uniform, promptly stepped forward to open the door for him.

'I can do it myself,' Mr. Johnson declared, observing the middle-aged guard's attempt to assist him.

'Sir Johnson, you must be tired from the drive,' the guard replied.

'I didn't hire you to open my car for me. I hired you to serve the school,' Mr. Johnson retorted as he retrieved his briefcase from the back seat. 'Return to your duty post.'

'Yes, sir,' the man responded, making his way back to his post.

Meanwhile, Mr. Johnson strode purposefully to his office, dressed in a navy blue suit and donning black-framed glasses. In his early forties, he possessed a round face, sharp eyes, and a stern demeanour. Upon reaching his office, he spoke into the intercom, announcing, 'I want to see Mrs. Nnaji in my office.'

Upon hearing this, Dera had the feeling that the principal intended to meet with Mrs. Nnaji to obtain the names of students who had not yet registered for the WASSCE examination in her class. As Dera's form teacher, she wanted to ask for a bit more time to settle her fees. Dera's parents had specifically asked her this morning to request an extension from the principal or her form teacher. However, she knew she couldn't do so now, not while she still had unfinished homework. Letting out a sigh, she proceeded to her classroom, realising there were still ten minutes before the assembly began.

Mrs. Nnaji gathered the files containing the names of the students in her class and made her way to Mr. Johnson's office. She knocked on the door, and a deep, solemn voice responded, 'Come in.'

Entering the office, Mrs. Nnaji closed the door and greeted Mr. Johnson, who was seated at his desk reviewing some documents. The only chair available was buried under a pile of books, so Mrs. Nnaji remained standing.

She had decided to plead on Dera's behalf, hoping to prevent the principal from sending her home due to unpaid fees and allowing her to stay until the money was available.

'I need the list of those who have paid. For the students who still owe, I want them to leave immediately,' Mr. Johnson said coldly.

'We still have about one month before the WASSCE registration ends,' Mrs. Nnaji smiled, hoping for understanding. 'I would like to have more time for my student,' she requested.

'WASSCE registration was supposed to end last month, but due to defaulters, the council extended the deadline for another month,' Mr. Johnson replied, glancing up at Mrs. Nnaji. 'And who is this student?'

'Chidera Onuoha,' Mrs. Nnaji replied. 'She's an exceptional student, as you are aware. However, her parents are facing financial difficulties. Her mother called me this morning, promising to pay before the registration closes. I would have covered Dera's registration myself, but I had to settle my son's urgent hospital bill. It was necessary for his treatment to commence...'

Mrs. Nnaji paused as she noticed Mr. Johnson's lack of interest in her story, focusing solely on the payment aspect. Mr. Johnson seemed skeptical, doubting the possibility of Dera's parents being able to pay since they owned a small shop.

'Surely, she will always be the student with outstanding fees. Students like her will keep requesting extensions,' Mr. Johnson remarked. 'If her parents cannot afford to send her to school, they should withdraw her and consider other options. This is a school.'