CHAPTER 18: THE GRADUATION.
Haven being in the school for fewer years than his actual mates which he entered into the secondary school with, Orkumaga was now set to graduate from the school with his friend James Duke who was also given a double promoted along with him on the same day. So, the principal Mr. George with
all the school authorities held a meeting to plan for the graduation.
In the meeting, one of the teachers suggested that it would be nice if the graduating student would be given a different material to sewn to dress on the occasion so that, they will be unique from the other students in their main school uniform.
As he brought that suggestion, all the staff agreed and immediately, the principal asked if there is a material they think would be good to sew and again, one of the staff raised up his hand and when he was enabled to talk, he told them that he's also a designer apart from being a teacher and so, he knows the type of material that will be good for the occasion and again, the principal with all the other staff told him to bring the sample of the material for them to see before approving. The following day while coming to school, the teacher brought the material for them to see and when they saw it, all of them agreed that it was a nice material. So, the principal Mr George asked the teacher if he can be able to provide the material for the 50 students that were going to graduate and the teacher agreed that he would be able but said it will depend on the amount they will agree on as it would determine if he can be able to provide it. The principal again asked him the amount he want per each student and he said N15000. The principal again, asked the other staff what they think and many suggested that, in as much as they want the best for their students and also for the glorification of the school name, they know that not all the students could be able to afford the price so they pleaded with the teacher to reduce something from the price and he agreed said it was not as if he wanted more gain but was due to the cost of the material they wanted for the students. Haven said that, the teacher still considered and reduced the price to N12000 and from there, the principal and all the staffs thanked him for considering the school and the students.
The principal immediately after the meeting, summoned the graduating students and told them about their plans to sew a different type of clothes that will make them unique from the other students and they all agreed clapped hands for him.
After they stopped clapping, the principal again told them the amount and asked them to with the money and pay on time so that they will be able to sew it themselves. He again said that the reason he is allowing them to sew it themselves is because he knows some of the student's parents has their own designers and again explained that it will be nice to give them their final respect by giving them freedom to do what they want. He urge them again to try and come with the money while coming to school to pay for the material and take it to their various designers to sew on time.
After few weeks, all the students were able to pay for the materials and the principal asked all of them to sew nice designs and also told them that, he would want them to make the whole city proud with their designs and they all assured him.
The principal summoned all the staffs and asked them to bring out suggestions for the occasion. When he finished talking, the VP academy stood up and suggested that, the students should be able to produce a drama, and dance to perform on the occasion and immediately he brought out the suggestions all staff clapped for him and again, the principal Mr George asked the teachers to join hands together in producing a wonderful drama with the students and also asked if there is any one that could be able to compose some songs for the students to sing. He suggested that, the song would not be part of the drama but would be a welcome song for the graduating students to sing in welcoming the people in the occasion to the school. The principal again explained further that when you invite people to your occasion, you welcome them well.
After the principal had finished talking, one of the teacher's who was very good in singing raised his hand and agreed to teach the students the song but suggested that it will be nice for them to sing more than one and again promised to compose 2 and rehearse with them.
All the staffs as they heard that, clapped for him and thanked him for the wonderful suggestion. when they stopped clapping,
the principal Mr. George again asked the staff to bring more suggestions and again, one of the staffs stood up and suggested about the DJ on the occasion and again the principal asked if they have known a good DJ that would not disappoint and he the same teacher agreed that he knows and the principal told him to bring the DJ while coming to school the following day. One of the staffs also suggested about the MC of the occasion but the principal Mr. George told them that it will be nice for the school to provide someone would MC instead of bringing another person out and who doesn't know the manes of the students to spend on and they all agreed. The principal Mr. George immediately chose one of the staffs of the school. Mr. Ben to be the MC of the day, saying that he's their English teacher and so, it will be nice for him to help in doing the MC.... He asked Mr. Ben if he was not okay with but Mr Ben told him that he's happy for the privilege. The principal Mr. George again urged staffs to give in the best to be able to produce the best on that day and they all agreed and after thanking every one the meeting was ended.
2 weeks after going through serious rehearsals both on the dramas and the songs, they all set to give out the best on the occasion.
On the 15th of September, the day all the graduating students were waiting for. All the dignitaries were seated including so many secondary schools principals from different schools, the representatives from different universities, and also many others that were invited. So, the DJ Mr. Bens welcomed every one and clearly Stated that, all the people coming should be seated but assured them that it would be for the main time pending when they would be called up to the guests table as seats would be given to them.
While the DJ was doing his best to make the occasion lively, the MC of the occasion Mr. Ben asked him to pause and the occasion commenced.
At exactly 10AM, the MC Mr. Ben called on the chair man of the occasion Mr Adams. The managing Director of one of the biggest Oil companies. The MC again, called all the special guests who were all invited to step forward for them to be shown their seats and they all complied immediately and they were all given a seat. The MC Mr. Ben again called on the principal of the school Mr. George to step forward to welcome all the dignitaries and without wasting time, the principal Mr. George moved to the podium and collected the microphone and welcomed all the dignitaries and the whole people in the occasion and again, declared the occasion open.
While the program of the occasion was being shared to all the people in the occasion, the DJ was busy killing the show with wonder music. Few minutes after getting a signal from the choreographer who was in charge of the students performance, the MC Mr. Ben told all the people in the attendance to sit back while announcing the entrance of the graduating students who were coming with a wonderful welcome song.
All the people in the occasion gaze up to see the students as they were coming and singing melodiously as they went round waving and welcoming the whole people in the Occasion. The song was talking about their years in the school and how it has come to an end but the journey has just started, wishing the school the best and promising the school that they will never forget the years they have spent, thanking the principal of the school and all the staffs, asking other parents to also bring their children to the best school in the world and also telling them how being students of the school has made it easy for them to be respected every where they goes during their time as students of the school. All the dignitaries were in tears clapping and weeping with tears of joy as they listened to the song. Even the staffs of the school including the principal were in tears. All the dignitaries including the parents of the graduating students while in tears trooped in to bathed the students with money.
After they finished singing, they went back and changed clothes and again stepped forward with a drama to present.
While they were presenting the drama, the MC Mr. Ben instructed that no one should go in to throw money on them until when they are done and they all the obeyed as it was said. They presented 2 dramas and when they finished, the MC thanked them and again moved to the next which was the award for the best students of the graduating students
The MC called the principal Mr George to step up to present the gift to the best students of the school and when Mr George stoop up, he thanked the whole parents of the students and asked them to do more to help the school in giving their children the best education they deserves. When he finished talking to the parents, he took the awards and handed it to the chairman of the occasion Mr. Adams to present to the best students and also gave him the list of the names.
Looking at it, the chairman of the occasion Mr. Adams called Orkumaga and pronounced him the best student of the year among the graduating students.
When he called Orkumaga's name, all the people in the attendance were happy clapping for him as he stepped forward to collect his award. After giving the award to Orkumaga, they asked him to stand still beside and the chairman of the Occasion Mr. Adams continued, he called on James Duke and again he stepped forward and his award as the second best student was given to him. He called on Albert Lalong as the 3rd best student and he immediately stepped forward and his award was also handed to him. When they finished presenting the award. The MC called all the 3 best students parents to step forward for pictures and the stepped forward to the stand and immediately snapped the pictures.
After the pictures, the chairman of the Occasion Mr. Adams was given again micro phone to talk.
Collecting the microphone, the chairman of the occasion Mr. Adams thanked the Principal of the school Mr. George and all the staffs of the school for their performances and also said that, as the song which the students sang said the school is the best secondary school in the world, it was not just over exaggeration.
The chairman of the occasion Mr. Adams again urged the principal Mr. George with the other staffs to keep it up with the good work so as to maintain the good name of the school.
When he finished urging them to maintain the good name of the school, he offered to build some blocks in the school with the some of N10 million.
Again, the chairman of the occasion Mr. Adams brought out a cheque he already signed of N5 million in an envelope and gave it to Orkumaga for scholarship to further his education in the university and also a check of N2 million for James Duke and another 1Million for Albert Lalong. He did not just stopped on the 3 best students but also handed another N2Million cheque for all the graduating students to be shared.
When he finished handling the cheque to the students, he advised other students to keep it up.
And while he was handling the cheque to the students, the students, the staffs, the parents were shouting hailing Orkumaga and the students as the chairman continued. He again sent his driver to his boot and when he came back, he brought out awards and gave one to the Principal of the school saying it was just a thank you award for his hard works and again gave the awards to the 3 best graduating students, Orkumaga, James Duke and Albert Lalong.
While he was presenting the awards to the students, the principal of the school Mr. George invited the parents of the 3 best students to come forward to be part of the award presentation.
All the parents of the 3 best students were filled with tears of joy for their children and they moved forward to the stand.
When he finished presenting the award, Mr. Adams now thanked the school for giving him the opportunity to be the chairman of the occasion and then moved back to his seat.
When he sat down, the MC Mr. Ben now call on the chair lady of the occasion Mrs. Becky Young who owned the biggest hotel with more than 50 branches in Lagos and outside the city. The chair lady Mrs. Becky Young now stood up, thanked the chairman of the Occasion Mr. Adams and also the principal Mr. George and the whole staffs of the school. She thanked the students of the school and all the parents and the people who were in the occasion. After she finished thanking everyone, Mrs. Becky Young. Called the 3 best students and told them that, the reason they were chosen as the best was because they performed well and also behaved well but there's more that's expected from them as they move from this step to another. She advised them to always remember this day and take it as a special day in their life and also make sure to maintain the standard. She told them that they should take it that they are footballers who are always rated in every match they plays and again explained further that, as a football player, the fact that you were given man of the match in the previous match doesn't mean you will be given another man of the match if you didn't play well again in the next match.
Still on the players she said that, the players are also voted best yearly but the fact that you were voted best this year doesn't mean you will be voted best next year unless you replicate the same feat and above Others.
When she finished advising them, she said she would have loved to give the 3 a job in one of his hotels but because they are still young and needs to further their education, she's always their and ready when ever they need her as far as she's alive. Mrs. Becky Young again brought out a cheque book and signed four cheque... N5million each for the 3best students and N5million for the other graduating students and handed it to them and the other to the school to give it to all the other graduating students.
When she finished, she thanked the staffs and advised them to keep it up.
After she was done, the MC of the occasion thank her and asked God to reward her for more than what she needed in her life and again, the MC said because of the time, they would not be given people enough time talk and again said they have many that would have loved to talk but since there is no much time, five minutes would be given to those that were invited and another 5 for those that were moved to talk. He again asked if there is any one that has a gift for the school or for the graduating students, he or she should feel free to come up and give it or drop it on the table and immediately called on the ushers to be able to help gather the gifts together and immediately he finished, he called on the representatives of the universities that were also in attendance to step forward and 5 different university representatives moved forward to talk and they were there for Orkumaga, James Duke, and Albert Lalong. Both were there with the sum of N4Million, N4million for Orkumaga, James Duke and Albert Lalong.and also with a Scholarship into their universities.
When they finished given their gifts, many others came out with their personal gifts to present to their best students. Some were there for their children while others were there for Orkumaga and again seen that they were the MC Mr. Ben gave them 10 minutes to do that before going to the next on the program. As they were all given permission, many stepped forward to snap pictures with Orkumaga and the others with both of them. After they were done, the MC again told all the people to settle down for refreshments and they all obeyed and immediately food and drinks were served to them, all according to their preferred choices. When they finished eating and drinking, the MC called the Principal of the school Mr. George to end the occasion with his closing speech and prayer, and again Mr. George immediately stepped up and thanked all the people that graced the occasion, praying for God to take them back to their various destinations.
When he finished praying, all the people in the Occasion ended the prayer with an Amen and then left to their veracious destination as Orkumaga was now set to decide on the university of his choice from so many of the universities that were looting for him with scholarships.