How I Almost Faced the Music

“I don’t want to know or hear anything. You must be present at the local government secretariat on Thursday,” he hung up the call.

The words echoed in my ears repeatedly as I sat on the bus travelling to Lagos. My LGI (Local Government Inspector) didn’t give me time to explain myself anymore or know why I was travelling. Perhaps I could have gone to his office to take permission instead of calling and informing him on the phone when I was already on the way. “Does he expect me to drop from the bus and return, or what is he trying to say now? I said as my mood changed, and I couldn’t focus on the journey again.

I was thinking what would happen if I didn’t show up at the secretariat on Thursday, as he said.

Just a week before, we were informed of the passing out parade for the next youth corps members who had served their country for a year. I understand this, but why must every corps member attend? Compulsory, too? No na! The way it has always been done here is that anyone who chooses to celebrate with the outgoing corps members is allowed to attend. But why make it a must for everyone? I thought in my mind.

“I don’t like what this man is doing. Always strict with orders,” I frowned my face and was pissed.

I had already made plans to travel to Lagos to see my sister off at the airport. She’d just been given a scholarship to Germany to study her master's, and being the only sibling close by, I decided to go see her. The last time my immediate younger sister travelled to the US, it was my big sister who escorted her to the airport. Due to my tight schedule, particularly since it was the time for my final year exams, I couldn’t see her off.

Now, I am serving and have an opportunity to go see my sister, but someone wants to ruin the day for me. Never! I will go. Whatever he wants to do, I will face the music. I summoned the courage on the bus as I cleared my mind of the guilt that what I did was wrong. I plugged in my earpods to listen to music, which was a soothing therapy for me then, and I forgot everything about it.

“At least, I have never been absent from any meetings since I started serving and not being present for once wouldn’t affect me,” I whispered and kept thinking of the outcome.

“Hi, Corper B. Is it true that all corp members must attend the passing out parade on Thursday?” I chatted with a colleague from my PPA (Place of Primary Assignment) and asked. She wasn’t online, and so I waited as my mind was not settled. "But is anything wrong with that?" At this point, I was angry, but I tried not to show it on the bus. Everyone was busy interacting with each other, but I was just carried away with the words from my LGI. He just ruined my mood that morning. “He could at least understand me since it’s my first time taking permission,” I mumbled under my breath.

Thirty minutes later, my phone vibrated, and when I checked, my colleague had responded, “Hi B. No, I don’t think so. Don’t mind LGI Jare.”

Those words relieved me a bit, and I asked further, “Do you think LGI would punish anyone who didn’t attend because I am on my way to Lagos now?”

“Don’t worry about that. I will help you write your name on the attendance. He wouldn't know if you came or not,” she said as she promised to help me. “Oh, thank you so much. I appreciate this,” I typed back with a smiling emoji.

“No worries. Just send your call-up number and your full name.” Immediately, I typed and she confirmed it.

“Make sure you have fun and bring something for me,” she teased with a beaming face emoji. I smiled back, and my mood was lightened by the conversation and that she had just reassured me that nothing was going to happen.

Two days later, I got back to the town I was serving, and the following day fell on our general monthly clearance. As I got dressed up that morning, my mind was made up and ready to be punished, as my LGI said. I already thought of how to cover myself up, but was careful so he doesn’t get me. The man is very smart and could easily detect if you were lying.

I got to the secretariat and, as I thought he wouldn’t be attending to us as usual, we were shocked to see him handling everything. Every corper queued according to their batches, and he kept attending to each of us. After some while, it was my turn, and something shockingly happened.

I have never called this man before, and the first time I did was when I took permission and how he recognised me immediately was what baffled me. How he did that, I don’t know! I'd thought he wouldn't recognise me when I talked to him on the phone.

“So, you later travelled and didn’t show up on Thursday, right?” He paused and confronted me. I looked through his eyes, and I saw his disturbing looks. Immediately, I knew something would happen. At first, he didn’t want to attend to me, but I didn’t know when I said, “My mom died.” He calmed down, and everywhere became silent. He said pitifully, “Oh, sorry. Is that the reason you travelled?”

“Yes, sir,” I said, pretending to be sad.

Corper B looked at me and smiled from afar off. She knew I was lying because my mom had died a long time ago. She stared at me, but I quickly turned to the other side as I tried not to laugh.

“I wanted to punish you before, but because of this, I leave you.” He said.

“Thank you, sir,” I thanked him as I did my thumbprint on his computer, recording my clearance online.

As I left the queue, Corper B came to meet me and said she knew I lied. “I know, and that’s why I quickly took my eyes off so you don’t implicate me with your laughter,” I said as we both smiled.

I thought I was going to face my punishment for going against his order, but somehow, I was able to save myself. “God, forgive me for lying,” I whispered a short prayer, and we left for home.

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