CHAPTER 17: THE JUDGMENT.
After the incident, the school authorities ordered Orkumaga, Peter Emeka, and the other students to bring their parents along with them while coming to school the following day. Orkumaga after going home, told his parents about their invitation by the school authorities without telling them what had happened with the fear that, his father had already warned him before never to fight or cause troubles in the school. Early in the morning, His parent followed him to the school. While they were going, Orkumaga's heart began to pound without knowing what would be the outcome of the meeting but none of his parents knew what had happened. As they arrived the school, all the school authorities and the other student's families were all gathered in the hall. At exactly 10Am, the principal asked if all the students were present with their parents and they all agreed. The Principal Mr. George now welcomed all the families of the students and again, asked them to sit separate with their children and without wasting time, they did immediately. After they sat down, the Principal Mr. George began to talk. He asked all the family members if they know the reason they were asked to come along with their children to the school and also, asked them the reason they brought their children to the school but none uttered a word. He asked again for the second time and this time, one of the student's father from Peter Emeka's group stood up and answered the question and said that, the reason he brought his son to the school was for him to study hard and gain knowledge but the reason he was asked to come along with his son to the school he is still yet to know.
The other from the same group stood up and said the same thing but the principal Mr. George after thanking them, still asked if there was any one of them that had a different reasons but all said no.
Again, the principal called all the students to stand up. When they stood up, he asked Orkumaga to explain to the parents what transpired and also why they were all invited to the school.
Orkumaga now stood up, looking at his father and mother, he sighed and then began to talk. He narrated how it started from the beginning to the end.
While he was explaining, the parents of those Peter Emeka's group, because they were filled with shame and disappointment, all their heads started falling as they couldn't face their children.
When he finished narrating everything that transpired between him and the other students, the Principal asked the parents whose children were guilty to pass the judgment themselves before the school authority's decision and from there, Peter Emeka's father put up his hand.
The principal, seen his hand, said to him that, he's free to talk and he immediately stood up.
After greeting all the people that were gathered in the meeting, he felled on his knees and began to plead for mercy on behave of his son but the principal seen that, said to him "It is not the time to plead"
He (The principal) explained again that the permission was given to him only to pass the judgment for his son's actions.
After taking correction as he was still on his knees, Peter Emeka's father now stood up and said to the principal that, what his son did was not what he brought him to the school and also condemned his actions . The Principal Mr. George again, asked the other children's parents if they have any different takes on their children's actions but all said it was disgraceful. The principal Mr. George now excused him self to have a brief discussion with the other school authorities before passing final judgement. After 10 minutes, they came to the conclusion.
The Principal immediately turned to the parents and said to them that "Because of what your children have done by hating an innocent student from day one of his coming into this school and up to the extent of ganging against him in an uncompleted building, your children are not needed in this school" He told them to take their children to another school that would allow such acts from their students. After telling the parents of the mischievous students to take their children out of the school, the principal again called Orkumaga and his friend James Duke and said to them that, "The school is proud of you" and again, thanked their parents.
When he finished thanking Orkumaga and his friend James Duke, he said to them again that, "Because of the maturity you both have shown, you deserve a double promotion", He immediately called Orkumaga and James' parents and said to them that in the school, the reward for being nice is promotion. He said again to them that, for the that their children have exhibited good conducts, they deserves such a reward for their maturity since they have shown their levels far ahead of their other class mates.
Immediately he finished talking about Orkumaga and James Duke to their parents, he turned to Orkumaga and James Duke and said to them that, " You have been promoted from JSS1 to JSS3" After promoting them, the principal again told Orkumaga and his friend James Duke that there were now in Jess3 and also advised (Orkumaga and James Duke) to keep it up.
Seen that their children were promoted, Orkumaga and James Duke's parents were now in tears, celebrating and hugging each other. After few minutes, they were asked to stand together for pictures to be taken and they did exactly as they were told. The principal again told them that, they would be shown to the students on the assembly as they come school the following day in the morning.
After they finished taking pictures the principal turned to the parents of the mischievous students who expelled still sitting down and told them to go with their children to another school that would tolerate gangsters but after hearing that, the parents all felled down on their knees, pleading with the principal and shading tears but no one paid heed to them as the meeting was now over.
Both Orkumaga and James Duke went home very happy.
In the evening, on the same day Orkumaga and James Duke were promoted, James' father Mr. Duke visited Orkumaga's house with his son James and both parents went out to celebrate their children's promotion as the parents also became friends.
While they were eating in the restaurant, Mr. Martins thanked Mr. Duke for training his son well and also told him that, it's his son James that made his son Orkumaga who was born with hot temper to be now calm but Mr. Duke after hearing as credit was given to his son by Orkumaga's father, disagreed and said to Mr. Martins that, his son James was born with hot temper also and after saying that he again told Mr. Martins that he was coming to thank him also for that but just that, he said it before him.
After they finished eating and discussing, they thanked each other and drove home.
The following day, early in the morning, Orkumaga took his bath and was set to go to school but his father stopped him not to follow the school bus that and drove him to the school. As they arrived the school, Mr. Duke who was also taking his son to the school for the first was already there to drop his son. When they saw each other, they laughed and hugged each other. Asking each other why they have decided to take their children to the school for that day but all agreed that happiness was the reason.
While they were about going to their houses, Mr. Martins called the 2 and told them to behave well to earn more respect for themselves and families.
At exactly 8 AM, the bell was rang for the students to gather on the assembly and immediately Orkumaga and James Duke ran to the assembly and joined their new mates JSS3 on the queue but few of the students who were not aware of their double promotion started pushing them out of their queue but they (Orkumaga and James Duke) said to them that, they were give double promotion but still, the students didn't believe them but while they were being dragged, the principal with other school authorities arrived the assembly. After singing the national anthem, the principal Mr George now called the 2 of them to step forward. As they stepped forward, he told all the students that the 2 were given double promotions due to the fact that, they behaved matured more than their class mates. When he finished explaining the reason Orkumaga and James Duke were promoted, he also told the students that, other students who were found guilty in the incident that happened involving Peter Emeka have been expelled from the school. As he said that, all the students who were also been bullied by Peter Emeka and his group started celebrating but the principal Mr. George told them to keep quiet. He warned them that, any of the students who still exhibit such a habit should desist from it before he or she would be caught one day and also instructed them again that, once such a student is caught, he or she would face the same fate as those that have been expelled. He asked the students if they have heard and they all answered yes in chorus and the assembly was dismissed for them to go to their classes. Both Orkumaga and James Duke entered inside their new class with good reputation and all their new mates stood up to welcome them while clapping their hands. Orkumaga and James Duke maintained the standard of being good students throughout all the years and because of them, all the students in the school took them as their idol including their mates and with few years, the name of the school became elevated every where in the whole city of Lagos. They gave the school a good name that, it was named the best secondary school in the whole City of Lagos.
3 years after promotion, Orkumaga and James Duke were now set to graduate from the school.