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“The Lekki Headmaster” is recommended by JAMB for UTME beginning in 2025. Here is a chapter-by-chapter summary of “The Lekki Headmaster” to support you as you prepare for your examination. This summary is also good for anyone wishing to learn the whole story.

Chapter 1 – Dusk

The story opens with an unusual assembly scene in Stardom School, Lekki. The school Principal, Mr. Bepo Adewale, a tall, light-skinned, and dynamic man, acts out of character during the morning assembly. Instead of his typical energetic and inspiring self, he was deeply withdrawn and melancholy, and he even shed tears. For a man who is always confident and people-inclined, Principal Bepo Adewale was unable to utter a word and his hands shook visibly when he took the microphone. The Vice Principal, Mrs. Grace Apeh, and other teachers had to step in to support him. Mrs. Grace Apeh issues the instruction to conclude the assembly and the School Nurse, Mrs Titi and other teachers lead the Principal to his office.

In the Principal’s office, he continued crying uncontrollably and the other staff members comforted him. This went on for some time with him unable to explain the cause of his distress. The Vice Principal then dismisses the teachers to allow them to go attend their classes and then contacts the Managing Director, Mrs. Ibidun Gloss, who rushes to school immediately.

Meanwhile, rumours have spread about the incident with the parents having different exaggerated versions of the story – one heard that the Principal kept muttering “Oluwa gba mi o!” to himself and another learned he was weeping uncontrollably and rolling on the floor.

After the MD, Mrs. Ibidun Grace arrives, she calls Mr. Bepo Adewale to her office and attempts to get some answers to what ails him. However, Mr. Bepo Adewale remained quiet, offering no response, and when pressed kept repeating – “Thank you. I will be all right.” This frustrates the MD and she sends for Mr. Ope Wande, the Physics Teacher who is also a Pastor. Mr. Wande tries his best to console Bepo and get him to speak up about what troubles him but this does not help. On realizing that they may never get to the bottom of this, the MD decides to reach out to Mr. Bepo Adewale’s wife and requests her phone number. This step brings to the fore that the Principal’s wife resides in London and they were unable to reach her. Therefore, the MD decided that it would be best if Mr. Bepo went home and possibly sought medical attention. Mr. Wande was asked to accompany Mr. Bepo Adewale home.

Mrs. Ibidun Gloss’ concern besides the Principal’s condition, was the effect letting the distress linger would have on the school. As the rumour spread, she feared that the image of Stardom Schools would be damaged. In as much as she acknowledges the importance of the Principal and his contribution to the school, she stayed focused on maintaining order, avoiding distractions, and extending some support for the distressed Mr. Bepo Adewale. Mrs. Gloss’s mauling over her concern for the school in relation to the incident with the Principal brought the chapter to a close.

This chapter also provides a peek into the background and structure of Stardom Schools. Particularly, it described the adjustment in the school fee structure and how reducing the boarding fee increased enrollment, and more students opted for boarding. This in turn improved punctuality. The school’s stance on students’ achievement was also pointed out as the school prides itself on academic excellence, rewards teachers whose students do well, and those whose students underperform receive sanctions which might even lead to termination of their appointment.

Chapter 2 – The Enticement

After five days of silence, interrogation, and frustration,  Bepo eventually opened up revealing he was leaving Nigeria for the United Kingdom to join his wife and daughters. This was the reason for his distress; driven by pressure, he had no other choice but to succumb, his wife, Seri, and, daughters, Kike and Nike, were already in the United Kingdom. Bepo had other plans born out of his passion for Stardom Schools and his students and his commitment to developing his home country with his talent and work, but his inclination towards family was equally as strong. Although he would love to continue building lives in Nigeria, he also has the duty to care for his family. Despite his ideology, emotional connection, and dreams, he secured a teaching job in the United Kingdom and prepared to join his family.

The life of Bepo in Stardom Schools had evolved over time, beginning from his first entry as the Headmaster of Stardom Kiddies, the early years and elementary school arm of Stardom Schools where he spent his first four years in the school. His empathetic nature and ability to resolve conflict no matter the pettiness of those involved earned him the nickname, The Lekki Headmaster. Besides his mimic of the Village Headmaster in the old TV series, the teachers had observed how he managed conflict and compared him to King Oloja, a character in Village Headmaster. Mr Audu, the Fine Arts teacher had exclaimed, “So, as they have their own Village Headmaster, we also have our own Lekki Headmaster”, and the name stuck.

His colleagues weighing the cause of his distress had different reactions to it; some found it concerning, some funny. Their reason was that many Nigerians were doing whatever they could to migrate to more developed nations for a better life. Here was Bepo who does not have to cut corners in any way and has also secured a job in the UK before leaving feeling reluctant to take the opportunity. They even estimated Bepo’s new pay and that of his wife, who was practicing nursing in the UK, and concluded that he should be happy, not sad. After converting his monthly earnings of 3,600 pounds and his wife’s 10,000 pounds to Naira, Mr. Audu had jokingly concluded that Stardom Schools had bewitched Bepo and he needed to go find his wife and beg her to adopt him as her new husband. Their logic could not pair the financial stability he would experience to his current 400, 000 naira salary at Stardom Schools.

Bepo’s personal aspirations also contributed to his distress as he had planned to start a school go into the transportation business, or grow food after he retires in four years, when he turns 55. He loved the freedom that businessmen enjoyed and had begun attending entrepreneurship seminars to prepare himself. He wanted to be prepared so as not to repeat his experience when he co-founded a school with his friend after NYSC. The school had failed because of the neighbourhood in which it was located, so he was now weighing his finances and the possible locations that would enable his venture. Bepo also wanted to create jobs and contribute positively to people’s lives and the county’s development. He is aware of the challenges around his choice business and keeps the idea of a transport company alive pointing out thriving businesses like ABC Transport and Gog Is Good Motors as a yardstick that he too can navigate the terrine successfully.

While he prepares to move to the UK to start a new teaching job, Bepo acknowledges that every venture has its challenges. His dream of entrepreneurship, now taking a backseat, he has to focus on how to make his new goal work. He thinks of some stories he had heard about African teachers taking up classes in the UK and the challenges with the students. One particular case where a student insulted a teacher on his first day stands out but Bepo strongly believes that whatever the case, a good teacher would have handled it with diplomacy. He reassured himself that such cases were rare and he would be fine.

Overall, this chapter deepens the understanding of Bepo’s person – his career, love for students, dedication, patriotism, dedication to his family as a husband and father, financial standing, ambitions, and dreams and plans for the future. His dilemma sheds light on the struggles of many professionals in Nigeria, especially in the education sector. It also reflects the japa syndrome and the difficulties encountered in deciding to stay or leave the home country in search of better opportunities.

Chapter 3 – Migration Tales

Following his decision to relocate to the United Kingdom, Bepo began seeking information on life abroad, especially in the US, UK, and Canada. One major piece of information he gathered is that wages can be earned on an hourly basis, daily, weekly, or monthly; this is unlike Nigeria where it is fixed on a monthly basis. This flexibility makes it possible for people to decide how many days a week they work and even the number of jobs they take up. He learned that people earn 150-250 USD per day and 2,4000 USD per month, depending on the job and the location.

Converting these wages to naira at the current rate of 1,600 NGN to 1 USD made the earnings appealing. However, Bepo is not oblivious that the earner would need to pay for his cost of living in dollars or pounds, meaning the difference in lifestyle may not be exaggerated as expected.

The second information he learned is that skilled workers are needed and sometimes earn more. A story was told about a Nigerian young man who switched from cab driving to maintenance because he had carpentry skills and earned 500 USD daily. Bepo marveled at this as that converts to about 800,000NGN. He realized that this is why people who wish to migrate were advised to learn a skill beforehand. Thankfully, Bepo had recently learned painting which he believes might be useful.

Thirdly, he learned about the class of workers who migration favoured as their professions are in demand like medical professionals. Nurses and Doctors were migrating at alarming rates which has been confirmed by the government – 1,000 of the 3,000 doctors were migrating yearly. He was also told that although these skilled workers earned well and lived well, some others did not have it easy as they had to work multiple jobs to make ends meet and in some families, one spouse had to work while the other studied. In some of these cases, the stories have it, has not turned out well for some people. For example, when Hope and his wife arrived in the UK, Hope was to study while his wife would work. But just after four months, the wife gave up on the plan saying the job demands were too much for her and she could not cope. All pleas fell on deaf ears; Hope reported the case to his in-laws and they said their daughter already told them about it and they were on her side. There is also the case of a banker who was reduced to caring for elderly couples in London and cried out when faced with the reality of the situation.

Bepo also learned that some people sell all they have to migrate and some borrow to achieve the same. They were also those who borrowed and never paid back and some secretly relocated and paid back after they started earning in the new country. Some of these stories sounded familiar as he had to handle a case in his school as Principal when Mr. Nku borrowed 2 million naira from the school’s cooperative and disappeared.

Another important case in this migration tale is the cost of living in the UK. Bepo learned that it was more expensive to live in London than in the neighbouring cities. Sola, who gave him most of the information he needed had confided in him that she earns 200 pounds daily and rented an apartment for 650 pounds monthly in Manchester, which is 30 minutes by rail away from London where monthly rent starts from 1000 pounds. She and her husband sold all they had to migrate and still had to borrow 4 million naira to make up.

Despite all the challenges, Sola assured Bepo of the perks – The children’s education was free until they went to the university, health care was provided and they got their check-ups twice per month including dental care. She also shared a story where her little girl had an asthma episode and she called the emergency toll number and two ambulances and a support vehicle arrived at her residence in five minutes. She attests to the quality care her child got and how the doctors and nurses also gave the girl a memorable birthday as she was still in the hospital when her birthday arrived. The promptness of the emergency care moved Sola to tears and her daughter attests to having not had such a memorable birthday before.

All these stories confirm the reasons Nigerians choose to migrate and Bepo contemplates these – quality infrastructure and free education. His children were beneficiaries of these already as they were schooled in the UK. He compared the case to that of the parents at Stardom Schools who struggle to pay school fees. For him, he does not have to worry about such.

Bepo was aware that some make it and some don’t. The case of a woman, Riike who migrated to the United States and in less than three years bought two houses in Ibadan, Nigeria, and the case of a man, who had been in the US for twenty years but returned to Ekiti State empty-handed, show the stark contrast. The struggle is real as he learns about another man, a 55-year-old migrant working in freight, who switched to correctional service, yet is unable to invite his children to the US yet. One lesson was clear, for every dime you earn in the US or the UK, you must work for it.

The main message in this chapter is the realities of migration in terms of the demands to achieve the movement and then survive in the new location. It comes with sacrifices, risks, and unforeseen challenges. Some succeed and others don’t. But the path for Mr. Bepo Adewale was clear and secure – his wife and children were already in the UK, his wife was a nurse and earned well, he already had a teaching job in the UK, and did not have to borrow to migrate to start his new life in the UK.

Chapter 4 – A Case of Visa Denied

As Bepo prepared to say his night prayers, his phone rang. He hesitates to pick it up, then checks the caller and it is Mrs. Ignatius, a parent he feels oversteps professional boundaries with him. She discusses everything with him including her marital issues. She also calls him at odd hours like she just did and the topic of discussion often is her personal affairs. Frustrated, Bepo answers the call and listens as Mrs. Ignatius laments about her husband Ibe, who is still to come home at 11:55 pm.

Though reluctant, Bepo listens to her, asking questions where he can.

The Ignatius family was planning to relocate to Canada. Ibe was determined to relocate his family to give his children better chances as he believed that those trained abroad would dominate the leadership position in the country in the future. He did not want his children disadvantaged in any way so he quits his job in the oil and gas industry, wraps up his side job, and prepares for the journey. His wife did the same, leaving her clerical job and took to learn hairdressing and tailoring. 

However, when they got to the stage for a DNA test, this unraveled. It was discovered that his second child, Favour. A student of Stardom Schools was not his. Their visa was denied and Ibe devastated. Feeling betrayed, Ibe’s attitude toward his wife and the daughter Favour has changed. He wanted them out of his life. Bepo was aware of this saga and encouraged Mrs. Ignatius to be patient.

Mrs. Ignatius continues speaking, expressing her fears that things may never be the same again and her husband may never return home. She worries that her son, Iyi had smelt the issue and is asking questions about why their visa was denied. Her suspicion was that the boy already knew the truth and this may cause further issues. Bepo had no answers to her questions and worries; he was empathetic as he was also preparing to relocate to the UK. He was just glad that soon, he would rid himself of parents like Mrs. Ignatius.

Bepo drifts to reflecting on his experience at Stardom Schools and hopes his new job will give him time to write a biography based on his professional life. The challenges of running an elite institution were many and these he acknowledges keep the management on their toes. Some parents he says are “considerate and humble” whereas some are “selfish and nasty”. He also wished to include the dismissal of the government teacher, Mr. Ayesoro, in his writing.

The story then shifts to the Ladeles family Mrs. Ladele is relaxing watching Nollywood movies, a break from her love of Indian movies. She had always made it a point to have her children go to bed at 10:00 pm although her youngest daughter, Bibi, always looked for ways to flout the order especially when her husband was around. However, this evening, it is just her in the living room, her husband, Dele, was away in Abuja, where he worked. Her children had gone to bed and she sat enjoying the movie.

As the movie climaxed and the truth about the love affair of the surgeon’s husband with her friend, who currently was her patient for a CS, Mrs. Ladele edged closer to the screen, and just then, she heard a scream. It was her daughter Bibi, she ran to her daughter’s room. The scream has also awakened her other two children. As she cradled Bibi, the daughter tells her she had a nightmare where she saw the government teacher, Mr. Ayesoro, who she referred to as “Mr. Wala” because of the prominent tribal marks on his face. Bibi had encountered Mr. Ayesoro at school in the basketball court during the school’s inter-house sports practice. Her fear of the man was so intense that Bibi was reassigned to another house. Mrs. Ladele took up the case of the panic attack with the school and to avoid losing Bibi and her siblings as students, the school transferred Mr. Ayesoro to Stardom Hub.

This chapter explored the complex relationships Bepo had to manage, personal and professional, and the complex perspectives that inform his decisions.

Chapter 5 – Snake in the Roof

The students were chatting and laughing as usual during the long break. This is usually the time they had their lunch. While most were busy enjoying the break period, Principal Bepo and the teachers on duty monitored to ensure safety; it is better to avoid rough plays and injuries as the school had experienced in the past. Meanwhile, the MD, Mrs. Gloss retreats to a hidden room in her office to rest; this is an escape only a few people know about. For thirty years, she has had a medical condition that causes her discomfort when she sits for a long time. The pain she has learned to live with after exploring all possible options – medical, spiritual, and traditional- for a cure but none worked.

After Mrs. Gloss rested for a while, she decided to take a walk around the school facility and inspect a piece of land the school had just acquired at the back of the school. When she got to the back gate, a security man, Jombo, escorted her on the five-minute walk to the property. To her surprise, the land was being used as a parking space and filled with different cars, some of which bore the Stardom Schools stickers.

Confused, she asks the security man about it and learns that the cars belong to staff members. She was astonished as she thought she knew which of the staff members owned a car. She also worried about how the staff members could afford some of the car models she saw like Toyota Muscle, Hyundai, and Venza. She was also infuriated that some of the staff were engaging in other businesses since there were two buses in the parking lot, one of which was the regular Lagos yellow commercial bus. Her main fear was that the school finances probably had a leak.

Without hesitation, Mrs. Gloss summoned the Principal and Accountant. When both arrived at the scene, the MD demanded an explanation and expressed deep concern about the school’s financial standing. The Principal and Accountant calmed her down and walked her back to the office where they explained how the staff members acquired their cars. Some source funds on their own but many borrowed from the school’s cooperative society. Here they take loans and pay them back gradually with the monthly payment withdrawn from the source.

Despite the clarification, Mrs. Gloss remained skeptical and perturbed. She called a board meeting to discuss the issue further and ascertain how the existence of the school cooperative may affect the school as a whole. All board members (all from the same family) arrive at the meeting – The Chairman (Chief Mrs. Solape Bayo, Mrs. Gloss’ mother), Martins Bayo (a non-executive director, MD’s brother), board secretary (Oye Bayo, the family’s last born). The Principal and Accountant were requested to declare the account record for the cooperative society. Here, the board learned that the cooperative had 95 million naira in the account and about 50 million naira loaned out to people. Their fear intensify as they believe that the members of the cooperative society may revolt and start their own school, stealing their business. Therefore, they made new laws for the society to help them regain control over the staff’s financial standing.

1. No one can borrow more than 250,000 naira at a time.
2. All loans must be approved by the MD before it is disbursed.
3. The management must be informed about all cooperative elections to maintain oversight.

Chapter 6 – Ade as well as Jide COMES vs. COME

The chapter opens with a glimpse into what Open Day looks like in Stardom Schools. It is usually a very significant day, one that keeps the staff and the management busy. Besides providing the teachers the opportunity to engage with the parents and feedback on their children’s academic performance, it was also an opportunity for appreciation as some parents came bearing gifts for teachers. The open day was also a day of scrutiny and some parents arrived with grievances and scores to settle. The teachers dreaded it. On account of Open Day reports, Principal Bepo recalled a past event where the English Teacher, Mr. Fafore, almost lost his job due to one of such reports.

Bepo was called into the MD’s office by Mrs. Gloss because of a complaint raised by Mr. Guta. When he arrived at the MD’s office, Mrs. Gloss was very angry and she asked about the English Teacher, Mr. Fafore. And before Bepo could understand what the discussion was about, Mrs. Gloss had issued the instruction to fire Mr. Fafore. Principal Bepo knew that at Stardom Schools, people get fired for reasons that may not be grievous. Some of the cases he cites were valid, like the case of incompetence and child abuse, but he also notes that some of the cases were mere conspiracy. He disliked issuing dismissal letters as he felt the pain of the teachers being dismissed. Therefore, to understand the reason Mr. Fafore had to go, he asked Mr. Gloss but was asked to execute the order first.

Determined to get to the real cause, Bepo went to find Mr. Fafore; he called him out of an SS2 lesson to his office where he asked multiple questions about Mr. Fafore’s possible offense. He asked about punctuality to school, any issues with students or the management, and finally about Mr. Guta.  For each question, Mr. Fafore stated he did not have any issues with anyone and he has always been early to school. He also mentioned that Mr. Guta visited his child’s class, checked his English notebook, and then walked away abruptly without a word. Not sure what was in the notebook, Principal Bepo understood that whatever caused this decision was in the notebook. So, he told Mr. Fafore he had to go as per management’s decision. And Mr. Fafore collapsed into a chair.

Mrs. Gloss called for an emergency meeting with all teachers in her office. Here she declared that the school would not tolerate incompetence, using Mr. Fafore as an example. She had requested that some students’ notebooks be collected at random to buttress her point. She was disappointed that an English Teacher made a grammatical blunder recorded in his students’ notes. So, she collected a book from her secretary and read: “Ade as well as Jide comes early.” This statement she believed was wrong in terms of verb choice. The MD claims that the correct sentence should read, “Ade as well as Jide come early.” And Mr. Guta had been enraged by this. She asked that the Principal monitor and check these things so that they would be dealt with in-house.

At this point Principal Bepo speaks up, stating that the sentence is correct and the verb used was the right one. The names in the sentence are joined with “as well as” not “and” which places the clause in the subjunctive form which does not follow the regular grammar rule. By this, he affirms that Mr. Gutsa was wrong and Mr. Fafore was correct. The MD asked that everyone check online on their phone to confirm what Principal Bepo said and they all find he is correct.

The MD was now at a loss at what to do to ease the air as a heavy silence enveloped the room. Mr. Fafore had been shamed, humiliated, and issued a dismissal letter whereas he was innocent. Some teachers sympathized with the MD for having made so much fuss about nothing, while some believed she could have handled the situation more carefully. And Mr. Audu, the ever-joking teacher gives a humourous response – “Mr. Fafore, as well as the Principal, is correct. And the MD, Mrs. Ibidun Gloss, is hereby pardoned, discharged, and acquitted.” With a mischievous smile, he took a bow as the room erupted in laughter, easing the tension. The MD relieved jokingly tells Principal Bepo to give the dismissal letter to Mr. Audu when he gets it back from Mr. Fafore.

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Chapter 7 – Ritualists

Principal Bepo reflects on his previous teaching experiences particularly the time he spent at Beesway Group of School. His troubles began when he pointed out the grammatical error in the school’s name – he said the name should be “Beesway Group of Schools” instead of “Beesway Group of School” and ‘group of’ implies multiples. However, the director dismissed his submission insisting that the name was divinely inspired and no one except Bepo was complaining about the name. And when a parent raised the same issue during a parents-teachers meeting, the director accused Bepo of discussing the issue with people and causing trouble. He warned Bepo to desist from criticizing the school’s name if he wanted to keep his job.

Despite the tension between him and the director, Bepo stayed at Beesway Group of School. He made the decision to leave the school after he witnessed a disturbing incident – the director and some men burying a live cow within the school premises. One night, Bepo could not sleep, as he walked around his room in the teachers’ quarters, he noticed the light within the school had gone off whereas, down the road, the lights were still on. As he pondered this, he noticed movement in the darkness and as his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he could make out the figures as men.

They moved suspiciously, leading a live cow towards a pit. A moment later, two men emerged from the pit and they began the task of burying the cow. This shocked Bepo, so he picked up a cutlass left his room, and headed for the site. To his surprise, he found out the director, Mr. Meko, was one of the men. Bepo protested that what they were doing was animal cruelty but the men working with the director became hostile and beat him with a club. The director intervened preventing further harm to him and Bepo was escorted back to his room.

The next day, Bepo lay in bed haunted by what he witnessed, contemplating what burying a cow in a school could mean and what he should do about what he saw. He wondered if he should report this to the authorities and dismissed the idea for lack of funds and not being ready for some of the troubles that come with involving the police in a case in Nigeria. As he thought about the incident, he recalled his experience when he and his friend started a school – Fruitful Future School. A parent, Mr. Ogo, had approached him for a certain ritual of spreading corn around the school to raise the population. He also thought about stories he had heard about school owners engaging in occult rituals for prosperity. His fear deepened.

Many years later, Be saw the news about the gruesome murder of a woman by a spiritualist and was shocked to identify the spiritualist as Mr. Ogo, the same man who tried to convince him to do the ritual of spreading corn in his school. The news had it that a woman looking to have a child paid the spiritualist 9 million naira to help her conceive, however, he didn’t deliver on the agreement. When the woman requested a refund, he invited her to pick up part payment in cash. When she got there, he drugged her and his accomplice helped hurt her and bury her alive.

Amid his thinking, Mr. Meko called for him to go to the director’s office. When he arrived, the director tried to give him an explanation for what he saw. He apologized for what happened to Bepo and explained that what he saw was a harmless “special prayer” for his late father, who gave him the land on which the school was built. However, Bepo didn’t really care what he said and had already removed his belongings from the school and the quarters. This marked Bepo’s end at Beesway Group of School.

Chapter 8 – Missions Unaccomplished

As Bepo prepared to leave the country to join his wife and children in the UK, he reflected on some of the unresolved issues at Stardom Schools. A particular case on his mind is the legal dispute between two families that had lingered for three years. The conflict began in school as a rivalry between two students but escalated into a feud involving their parents.

Both parents being politically influential figures insisted on their rights.

The main cause of the suit started with the prefect selection process where the students were introduced to the democratic ways. They bought the forms and went through the process until the election. However, during their campaign speech, one of the students, Banky made a statement about his rival, Tosh’s parents, calling Tosh’s parent an ex-convict. He had said, “Instead of voting for the son of an ex-convict, cast your vote for me. You will never regret it.”

Students cheered, Principal Bepo was deeply disappointed and aired his view, telling the students the name-calling was inappropriate. Tosh humiliated, stormed out of the hall and refused to return despite efforts to calm him down. The speech campaign was postponed.

The rivalry between Banky and Tosh has a history. Both have clashed on different occasions, like when in JS3, they competed for the best dancer title at the end-of-year party. Banky eventually won but Tosh’s mum felt their son was wronged and the decision was controversial favouring Banky over Tosh. Tosh’s parents threatened legal action, accusing the school of bias. The second incident was at the school’s PTA election where Banky’s mum and Tosh’s mum vied for the same position – Treasurer. Banky’s mum defeated Tosh’s mum.

Now there is the case of who would be the Social Prefect, the position both boys were campaigning for. Banky knowing that Tosh’s father, Chief Didi Ogba, had spent 36 months in detention during a corruption trial involving a 2.5 billion naira government contract referred to him as an ex-convict. Although Chief Ogba was cleared of all charges and his company ordered to refund the money, the stigma remained.

The campaign incident reached home. Chief Ogba demanded and written apology from Banky and his parents and that the school publish the apology letters.  Banky’s parents refused arguing that their son did not name anyone directly in his statement and that what the parents of Tosh demanded amounted to victimization. This led to a legal battle that had lingered until now that Bepo is preparing to leave Stardom Schools.

Another incident unresolved in Bepo’s mind is the invention club he had started. Although not a scientist, Bepo believed invention was not restricted to a discipline. The project he was particular about was the Breath Project, a promising phone-making invention from recycled panels and chips. The project attracted media attention and sponsorship by an NGO, Life Grid. Bepo looked forward to the success of the project and hoped to witness it. He vowed that if the project succeeded, he would fly back to Nigeria to attend the launch.

Chapter 9 – Laughing Waterfalls

This chapter tells of a standing tradition in Stardom Schools – excursions. The school has built a tradition around excursions that the school is known for hosting a National excursion for the new JSS 1 students as part of their welcome programme. In the two decades that Bepo was head, he had successfully sold the idea of one excursion to a place of attraction within the country per term to the school leadership. And although they did not always meet this target, they fulfilled it seventy percent of the time.

Stardom Schools has embarked on many of these excursions, with students and teachers participating fully. Some of the sites they have visited include Erin Ijesha Waterfalls, Ikogosi Warm Springs, Owu Waterfalls, and Gurara Falls. Some waterfalls the school plans to visit in the future include Karu Falls, Assop, Karu, and Barup.

The Stardom Schools excursions are not only limited to waterfalls, the school has also visited Yankari Games Reserve in Bauchi, the War Museum in Umuahia, Hanging Lake in Ado Awaye,  and Ooni of Ife Palace in Ile-Ife. Bepo recalled the students exploring the site of the tail of Oranmiyan Staff by which Oduduwa was said to have descended from heaven.

Bepo spared no effort in promoting cultural awareness to ensure the students imbibe the spirit of patriotism and connectedness with their home country. This is done knowing that most of the students the school served belong to the elite class and would eventually leave the country to study abroad and some once they leave may never return. To achieve this, the students visited historical sites like the National Museum, National Theater, and MUSON Center. They also participated in festivals like the Calabar Carnival, Osun Osogo Festival, and the Ofala Festival.

In his belief that the students should know where they come from better, the school had ensured to have the tour of many notable places in Lagos including broadcasting stations, telecommunication industries, banks, major oil and gas companies like Chevron and Shell, high-class estates like Snake Island and Banana Island, as well as the slums of Lagos like Ajegunle. Bepo told the students that if people who come from the slums are determined and make the best use of their talents, they make it to the limelight. He cited that some of the property owners in places like Banana Island started from the slums and music and soccer stars such as Odion Ighalo and Victor Osimhen grew up in the low ends of Lagos.

Another major excursion the school embarked on was to Badagry, a town known for its history with the trans-Atlantic slave trade. As the leaders of the town and tour guide explain the history of the town and what they are known for, Bepo was moved by the stories of the enslaved people and the legacy of slavery. He reflected on these events and the irony that Nigerians today are willingly putting themselves into the same situation as they leave the country to seek opportunities abroad. People sell all they have to move abroad and accept jobs that may be even demeaning. He saw the situation as a new form of slavery, working for foreign masters for financial reward.

The locations in Badagry that the students visited include the Palace of the Akran of Badagry where the Kabiyesi hosted them, the First Storey Building in the country where they saw the first copy of the translated Bible, the first primary school in Nigeria, and the Point of No Return where natives were captured as slaves and thrown into ships that took them to Western Countries.

Chapter 10 – Passport Pains

As Bepo prepared to travel to the UK, he faced challenges trying to renew his passport. His lack of urgency in renewing his passport which expired two years earlier had been a contributing factor to this position. He had not been enthusiastic about relocating and did not have reason to worry about the expired document. The coming of the COVID-19 pandemic further delayed his plans and when the pandemic had blown over, he continued to procrastinate. Eventually, in 2022, he has to join his family in the UK and the need for renewal of the passport has become urgent.

As Bepo tried to renew his passport, he realiised the overwhelming surge in passport applications following the japa wave. The immigration offices in Ikoyi and Ikeja were packed and with the flood of applicants, there was no way he could get the document done on time. So she considered alternatives and was advised to either bribe the officials to get what he wanted or explore neighbouring states like Ogun, Osun, Kwara, and Oyo as the number of applicants in those locations is significantly less than any of the offices in Lagos. He considered the online application option but was warned of the attending technical issues that forced applicants to abandon the platform and resume in-person application.

After weighing his options, Bepo chose to go to the immigration office in Ibadan, Oyo State. He liaised with an agent named Tai to facilitate the process. He was charged an inflated fee of 100, 000 naira for a 10-year document as opposed to the official price of 70,000 naira. He was also to pay an additional 20,000 naira to speed up the collection of the passport. He asked about the laws about illegal dealing with immigration affairs and was told that it is only on paper; that in reality, agents like Tai worked closely with immigration officers and to get your passport swiftly, you have to pass through them.

On the set day of the appointment with Tai, Bepo set out for Ibadan early. Fearing the security risk on the road, he did not take his car, rather, he boarded a public vehicle, a Toyota Sienna, at Ojota. Thanks to the completed road, the journey was smooth and fast; he arrived in Ibadan in less than one hour. This was in contrast to his experience ten years ago when he took his students on an excursion, the journey took over two hours because the road was bad.

As the vehicle sped along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, Bepo could not help but wonder about how religious Nigerians were but with few godly people. He stooped himself worrying he might be judgemental. His thoughts were stirred by the number of religious organizations along the road, Christian, Muslim, and Guru Maharaji alike. He also noted that businesses and schools were also taking up space along the road with major companies like Mikano, Multi-Trex, and Lifemate being conspicuous.

As the vehicle approached Ibadan, the roofs reminded him of J. P. Clark’s poem, “Ibadan” which describes the city’s landscape. He tried to recall and couldn’t fully, so he asked Google, and read the lines happily.

He had checked into a hotel on arrival and took some rest before setting out for his 7:00 am appointment at the passport office. At Agodi. When he arrived at the immigration office and tried to access the premises but was refused as it was not time to attend to applicants, he called Tai. That was when he realized that Tai was not an immigration officer but a middleman. They met at a business center that Tai operated in an open space opposite the immigration office.

Despite everything, the process was surprisingly smooth. Tai collected Bepo’s documents confirmed his NIN (National Identification Number) and requested that he visit the NIN office to complete the verification process before his passport application could proceed. The officer working with Tai played his part and Bepo was ready to leave within three hours. The officer asked that he return in three weeks for his biometric capturing.

Unfortunately, he experienced a difficult time at the NIN office due to bureaucracy, administrative delays, and network failures. He had to wait three weeks to complete his NIN validation pushing his passport renewal timeline further and closer to his planned date of departure putting his entire relocation plan at risk.

Chapter 11 – Point of No Return

Stardom Schools honoured Bepo with a grand farewell ceremony to celebrate his twenty-four years of service. A large 3D banner was designed for this with the inscription – “FOR HE GAVE STARDOM HIS VERY BEST” revealing his full name which was the first time some people realized that ‘Bepo’ was short for ‘Adebepo’. To give the school a chance to give him a befitting farewell, he had agreed with their request and rescheduled his flight with the Emirates. The rescheduling incurred a fine of $100 which the school gladly paid.

The farewell events spanned three days, kicking off with a novelty football match between the staff and students of Stardom Schools. The game was fun as Mr. Ibe, the referee hilariously manipulated the game to favour the staff leading to a controversial win of 3-2 score. He blew the whistle each time the students were about to score and cited imaginary fouls. He even gave the staff five attempts at a penalty kick until they managed to score the kick. Although unfair, the match was fun and everyone had a good laugh and enjoyed themselves. At the end, the teams danced around Bepo in celebration.

The second day of the celebration was for a debate on the topic – “The Arts Have Contributed More to Nigeria’s Development than the Sciences”. SS3 students opposed the motion, citing advancements in health, technology, and energy, whereas SS2 students spoke for the motion, arguing that Nigeria’s cultural and entertainment impact has sold Nigeria to the world more than the sciences. Their argument hinged on Nollywood, Afrobeats, and Wole Soyinka’s Nobel Prize Win. One of the speakers, Maryam wittily remarked, “… long before our opponents were born”, as she stated facts to support the motion; this earned cheers from the audience. In the end, the SS3 debaters won. However, Bepo remained impressed by all the students; his pride was born of their eloquence and intellectual growth which gave him the feeling that his mentorship paid off.

The last day of the celebration was packed with more interesting activities – music, dance, and drama. First came the drama club which mimicked Bepo’s speaking style and mannerism. They ensured to include his signature phrases, “other things being equal”, “by the way”, and the one that always got the students to finish off for him, “If you think education is expensive, try … ignorance!” The performance also revealed his habit of putting his left hand in his pocket when he spoke and his short temper with teachers when they were not punctual.

Following the drama were cultural performances showcasing Nigeria’s heritage. The group performed Bata, Atilogwu, Koroso, and Canoe dances. Their spirited dance filled the room. The canoe dance inspired by the Badagry people was taught to the students, years ago when Bepo invited a professional dancer from the National Troupe to teach them. 

That was after he led them to see an October show at the National Theatre. The dance transported him back to Badagry where he vividly pictured the slaves and their agonies. His reverie about the Heritage Slavery Museum led him to scream, “Noooo!” as the dance climaxed, turning the attention of everyone toward him. When he realized what he had done, he improvised saying he meant no school could have done the Canoe dance better; people applauded and the dances resumed their routine.

After the presentations, the MD, Mrs. Ibidun Gloss mounted the stage to express her gratitude. She told the story about how her father, Chief David Aje, had hired Bepo twenty-four years ago. She recounted how Chief Aje recognized his exceptional qualities and insisted on keeping him even when Bepo resumed eight days later than his resumption date. Over the years, his skills, commitment, and dedication to Stardom Schools have proved that Chief Aje was right to bank on him.

To honour Bepo and bid him farewell, the school presented him with a cheque. Mrs. Ibidun Gloss not wanting to reveal the exact amount stated that it was not less than $10,000, the largest farewell gift the school had ever given to any staff member. She also said they did not give him a car or electronic gadgets as he was relocating abroad and would not be in Nigeria to use them.

After the MD had spoken, she gave the stage to Bepo; he barely started with a greeting and was overcome by emotions. Bepo broke down in tears burying his face on the podium. The entire hall stood in applause with many wiping tears from their eyes.

Chapter 12 – Dawn

Finally, the departure day arrived. As Bepo prepared for departure, he ensured no mistakes. He checked his ticked several times to ensure he got the departure time right. He had learned his lesson six years ago when he travelled to visit his family and missed his flight with British Airways due to oversight. He had assumed the time was 1:00 pm whereas it was 11:00 am. This time, he kept alert to ensure history does not repeat itself. Seri called him severally teasing him about the time, asking if he was certain of the time on his ticket; she suggested he check again with his glasses on or maybe asked someone else to confirm the time. To which he responded that there would be no lateness and no penalty this time.

As he prepared to call an Uber ride, Bepo recalled how traffic in Lagos can affect movement and cause unintended lateness, and the role of Okada (Motorcycle) riders in saving the day, despite their rough ways. However, Okada has been banned along the highway, therefore he settled to call an Uber ride. Just then, he heard a knock at the door. His landlord, Mr. Ogunwale, his wife, and two grandchildren unexpectedly arrived to bid him farewell. Mr. Ogunwale offered to drive him to the airport instead. Touched by their kindness, Bepo gently and politely refused but the landlord insisted, so he gratefully accepted the offer.

Little Jide, the grandson of Mr. Ogunwale was excited about Bepo travelling and asked to go with him to London. Everyone laughed at the request and his sister’s response to him. Bepo felt a pang of guilt at leaving Jide behind, he had grown fond of the little boy he usually spends the weekend coaching in elocution and African history. Mr, Ogunwale said a prayer for Bepo and the family set out on the drive to the airport.

At Ikeja Underbridge, Bepo met three of his colleagues from Stardom Schools who had come to bid him farewell and the two-car convoy proceeded to Murtala Mohammed Airport (MM2). The colleagues that came to accompany him include the Vice Principal, Mrs Grace Apeh, the accountant, Mr. Oyelana, and Mr. Audu. They arrived at the airport at 4:07 pm and the sight of the bold ‘Departure’ sign hit Bepo with a wave of emotions as this confirms he is really leaving the country.

Bepo bid his landlord and grandchildren goodbye and gave the children, Jide and Kemi, a cash gift of five thousand naira. Mr. Ogunwale thanked him for the gift and him and the children headed home. Bepo asked them to greet their grandmother for him and Jide reminded him of the promise to return next week to take him to London with him.

The stardom staff accompanied Bepo inside the airport, reminiscing about his time at Stardom Schools and teasing Mr. Audu to borrow a leaf from Bepo’s legacy. Mr. Audu in his usual joking tone asked for clarification on which leaf he was to borrow as he was due to borrow some money from the cooperative the next week. He also joked that he would not shed a tear if he got the visa to relocate, rather he would kill seven cows to celebrate even if the visa is to Afghanistan.

Bepo was done with the check-in procedure at 5:30 pm and assigned seat number 56 by the window, gate 2A. His colleagues bid him goodbye and said their warm wishes. As the colleagues left, Bepo proceeded for the final security clearance. He checked his phone and realized he had missed some calls including calls from the MD, Mrs. Ibidun Gloss, and his wife. He couldn’t return the calls immediately, therefore he left a message to assure Seri, his wife, that everything was going well.

While waiting for the boarding call, Bepo drifted into sleep and had a scary dream. In his dream, he was back at the Badagry Heritage Slave Museum watching slaves brutally tortured, whipped, and forced to board a ship. As the last slave boarded the ship, a white man stood before Bepo and told him it was his turn to board the ship. Bepo screamed, “Noooo!”, waking in panic. The white airline official who had tapped him gently on the shoulder and whispered for him to wake up was confused by his outburst. Security personnel also approached and urged him to compose himself and board the plane quickly.

Finally, at 10:45 pm, the Emirate flight took off taking Bepo to his new life in the United Kingdom. Yet, he remained torn between the reality of leaving the country and the dreams that haunted him.

A New Era at Stardom Schools

On Monday morning, reality set in at Stardom Schools, everyone felt the absence of Principal Bepo. The students were accustomed to Bepo welcoming them to school by the gate on Mondays and Wednesdays but on this Monday, there was no Bepo. Assembly was also dull without the Principal to play with them and or scold them. The Vice Principal, Mrs. Apeh addressed the students but it didn’t feel the same. Even the MD, Mrs. Ibidun Gloss felt the void but assured the students that they will soon have another Principal.

Suddenly, a loud shout erupted from the gate, “Principoo!” They heard from the assembly and all heads turned towards the gate. And there he was, Bepo, ginning, arms open wide as students ran towards him, screaming with joy. The students lifted him high barely hearing him explain that he didn’t go to the UK and would not be relocating. He was where he belonged. The students chanted the school’s victory song as they bore Bepo on their shoulders.

“We’re Stars, we’re Stars! We’re

Stars of Stardom!

We’re Stars, we’re always winning!

We’re Stars and we have won!

No night so dark! No cloud so mean!

Yet Stardom Schools will win!