The King Of The Jungle

The way deep and the weather sharp during the winter. The jungle was favoured by the pedestrians’ soles that polished its face, as the dust loomed up in the surface of the crust. The jungle was a den of lion for the freshers who had not been baptized by the school. The birds sang; butterflies flied, but sometime squirrels crossed my path with palm fruit in their mouths. “my lifetime, I’ll give God my lifetime; when I give God my lifetime, He’ll take care of me; He’ll never ever let me down; I’ll give God my lifetime”. I chorused victoriously.

After I trekked for 45 minutes, I got to campus and headed for my department. It’s an artistdom. Everywhere was crowded with teens and adults, hastened to meet the lecture time. And some students hung around under the trees to wait for lecturer who scheduled the meeting time. I rushed to my department in quick steps to meet Victor who had been waiting for long at the Language Laboratory corridor. “How far guy! Is the lecturer around?” I shook his right hand. “No. He promised to be here by 6:30am but he’s nowhere to be found.” He frowned, and gave a faint smile. I gazed at the students standing at the veranda if I would recognize someone among them, but to no avail. “guy… have you seen the exam timetable?” I asked gently in a whispering way. “No, pal”. We hurried to the students’ officer office to check the timetable on the notice board. “Come guy,” I called him to come close as I struggled for space to check the timetable. He could not force himself into their midst because he’s a fatty man.

I got out of the crowd to find Victor who was standing farthest. He was tiredly waiting for me, “Vic! Victor… come let go to library to get some books for study.” He walked toward to join me at the main veranda, “Joshua, it’s already late. Let’s go tomorrow.” I knew everything will be alright when we got some references in the library, “everything will be alright, pal.” We walked out of the Language department with remorse, blaming ourselves for rushing the class in the morning eating breakfast. “what’s the benefit?” Victor asked. “guy, I understood you. But daily attendance is necessary.” He laughed, “do you think attendance is working for us?” I paused and turned to him, “let do ours and leave the rest for God.” I bid him farewell when we got to carpark and took to my way. He called me to board the bus, not knowing that I was penniless. I kept it from him ̶ everyone complained about financial problem.

Evening was the best time I enjoyed walking the jungle. Its painted cool picture endorsed by the magnificent colours of the sun embraced me in its warm shade, anytime I walked in its shadow. The vigorous scent of the plants blew to me at my lonely state. Its coolness was my happiness and the chirping of the birds was an encouragement when I danced to their songs.

****

I was flipping the pages of the book slowly with the aim of getting a cogent information from it. “huh… where will I get…” Victor called quietly, “guy… take a look at this.” I collected the book from him, “wow!” I nodded to confirm positively, “thanks, guy.” I returned the book to him and went straight to the shelf to search for Psychology book. I counted the shelf-row to three before I found the educational book. “I can’t read this book finished here…” I thought. I opened the book to page 1,659, which was the last page of the book. “hmm… what a voluminous book it is?” I walked back to my desk, flicking through the book to look for child developmental education. “amazing... I found it.” I sat down and raised up the book for Victor to see. He was very busy reading like a sheep grazing in the green pasture. I tapped my desk to draw his attention to the book, “Hey…” He raised his eyes and focused the back cover of the book in my hand. “hmm… read on,” He waved.

I opened the book again to child developmental psychology when my phone rang out. I quickly picked up the phone and answered the call, “hello…” Everyone was looking around to know the violator.

Victor signaled to me to hang up the call but I ignored. “what’s happened in the class?” Victor was shaking his head continuously, “drop the call…” I winked to him, “okay, we’re coming…” The librarian stood up from his chair and walked down slowly“who make a call?” I interrupted my call in fear. 

Victor stood up from his desk to meet the librarian, “sir… I want to use the toilet.” The librarian turned around and pointed to a door, “that is the toilet.” Victor waved to me to keep calm, “thanks sir.” I stood up and walked to the shelf to search for a book in pretence. I closely observed the books on the shelves if there’s one really showcased the child development. “hello…” the librarian called quietly. “good afternoon sir” I replied innocently. “I hope you found the book you’re searching for?” trying to help… “yes sir… I want to borrow the psychology book,” I walked back to my desk.

“guy, what’s up?” Victor raised his hand up for handshake. “nothing much happened… make we go…” I switched to pidgin for better communication, “no yawa now, guy, make we waka go class for lecture.” Victor smiled when he heard me speaking pidgin, “I no fit flow with you for this language.” We both laughed.

I stopped at the librarian desk. “what do you need here?” Victor asked with a step taking back to the desk. “I want to borrow a book…” I raised up the psychology book and placed it on the desk for proper documentation. “where’s your borrowing card? He brought out the book record to fill in my information. I placed my borrowing card on the desk and he filled in the record.

“Joshua… your phone is ringing.” I picked up the call, “hello…” I was worried when I heard the information of the conflict that was going on in the campus. Victor peeped out of the exit and found people running helter-shelter, “what’s this?” We exited the library.

““solidarity forever… solidarity forever… solidarity forever, we’re always fight for our right.” The students chorused angrily. We waited in the front of the library to avoid the fiery protesters that chased away all the buses on campus to avoid damages of public property.

“what’s happening?” Victor asked a student who was running to a safety place. “The students are agitating for the decrement of school bill.” The school gate had been sealed up by the Student Union Government. “We no go gree ooo… we no go gree… we no go gree…” the protesters chorused repeatedly.  

On the school memo: “school closed with immediate effect until further notice.” The closure of the school made me panic. I hurried back to the library if I would be able to return the book. “Joshua… wait!” Victor trailed behind me till I got to the library. “wonderful! What a terrible attack?” I exclaimed. Victor was shocked to see the damages caused by the angry protesters. “wow… this is serious!” I took three steps backwardly to join Victor and say goodbye.

****

“hi…” I raised a greeting hand to Victor after a three months’ strike. “longest time dear…” he was robust and fair. We're happy to meet again. 

I went to the library to return the book to the librarian, “good morning sir.” I brought out the book and placed it on his desk. He opened the book record, flipping the pages to search for my name while I was waiting. “yes…" he placed my borrowing card on the desk and requested for two thousand as a fine for not returned the book on the due date. It surprised me that I owed twice as much as I thought I did. I was confused, “sir… what’s all about?” I was serious and steady, “I returned to library the same day I borrowed the book but the door was shut.”

He did not consider my relentless efforts to return the book. “how will I get my borrowing card if I leave the book on his desk,” I thought. 

My voice echo attracted students’ attention to the librarian desk to know what’d happened. “quiet… quiet… I’ll arrest you,” the security officers intimidated me. I smiled and pointed at them, “I’ll destroy you if care is not taking… hey! Mr. librarian, give me my borrowing card or I continue to shout.” The atmospheric condition of the library had become unendurable for the readers. They’re complaining and their decorum could not tolerate the noises in the library.

“hey, keep quiet…” one of the security rushed out to call the Man O’ war personnel to arrest me. I insisted on my borrowing card, “give me my borrowing card,” I agitated furiously. 

Every reader stood aloof as an audience looking at the stage I created. The Man O’ War personnel grabbed my right hand, “follow me.” “leave me,” I unfolded his fist and faced him, “personnel, you need to be careful with me.”

He asked gently, “what’s the matter?” I explained the case to him vividly. The school security officers were annoyed, “take him away or we report him to the school panel.”

I was scared of the school panel but I didn’t let out a scream. "All is well," I said inwardly. I believed everything will be alright if I continued to ask for my borrowing card.

“Give him his borrowing card, after all, the school went on three months’ strike.” personnel suggested and leave. I was relieved when he left the library with his colleagues. I shouted again, “give me my borrowing card.” 

The librarian was stiff-neck, and unwilling to return my borrowing card. “please, give me my borrowing card,” I beat the desk three times to call the attention of other official members in the library.

Director walked out angrily, “what’s going on here?” director asked.

The librarian explained everything without substitution. 

“is that all... give him his borrowing card,” director commanded.

Everyone was surprised at how quickly she commanded. I was glad to receive my borrowing card because with it, my final clearance will be done.

“if I’d known, I would have agitated for my borrowing card.” Victor remarked in anguish.