After completing his Universal Basic Education, Khalid's father, Sayyad, decided to enroll him in Federal Government College B-Y. Although Khalid had always dreamed of becoming an Islamic scholar and had attended ta'aleem and dirasaat sessions at various mosques in G-town, Sayyad preferred FGC B-Y for its balanced curriculum, which combined Islamic knowledge with Western education. Khalid agreed to attend FGC, and Sayyad obtained an entrance form for him.
A week after Khalid took the entrance examination,
Sayyad received the news that his son had excelled,
securing admission to the prestigious college. Overjoyed, Sayyad took Khalid to the school, paying all necessary fees and advising him extensively before bidding him farewell.
As Khalid settled into his new surroundings, he felt a deep
sense of loneliness. This was his first experience in a
boarding school, and the reality of being away from family hit him hard. Tears streamed down his face as he thought about the long days ahead without his loved ones. A senior student, Rabi'u, welcomed Khalid to the hostel and showed him to his room. As Khalid struggled to come to terms with his new environment, Rabi'u offered words of comfort and reassurance. However, Khalid's tranquility
was short-lived, as a senior student soon confronted him,
shouting and intimidating him. Undaunted, Khalid stood his ground, refusing to back down. Rabi'u intervened, defending Khalid against the senior student's aggression. As tensions eased, Rabi'u took
Khalid under his wing, offering guidance and support to help him navigate the challenges of boarding school life. As the day drew to a close, Khalid's emotions still simmered. Rabi'u, sensing his distress, brought him snacks and ice cream, coaxing him to eat and calming his fears. Though Khalid's journey at FGC B-Y had begun on a tumultuous note, he found solace in Rabi'u's kindness and
the promise of a new friendship. The following day, Khalid was jolted awake by the sound of whistle blowing and roaring voices. Disoriented, he quickly realized that senior students were chasing junior students to prayers. Rabi'u urged him to hurry to the mosque, and Khalid hastily dressed and rushed out. As he ran, he saw flashlights pointing in his direction, and his confusion turned to fear. One of the senior students struck him with a cane, and Khalid sprinted towards the
gate. When he reached the mosque premises, he joined a queue of junior students waiting for water to perform
ablution. Suddenly, a group of senior students arrived, yelling and wielding canes. Khalid trembled, seeking an escape route. The students behind him cautioned him against running, and the senior students began caning the junior students sporadically. Khalid was struck on the neck, and someone handed him a Quran, ordering him to rush inside the mosque. In his haste, Khalid collided with a pillar and broke three of his front teeth. He emerged from the mosque, crying
loudly, and attracted the attention of senior students
guiding the queue. They rushed to his aid, calmed him
down, and provided water to wash his mouth.
Rabi'u took Khalid to the school clinic during class, where he received an injection and relief tablets. Later, a staff member summoned Khalid from his class, and he followed
him to the admin block. Khalid's heart sank when he saw his father's car parked outside. Khalid's mind racing, he thought, "Maybe Rabi'u told Father about the incident, and now he'll withdraw me from the school." Determined to protect his father's dream,
Khalid decided not to reveal the truth. Upon entering the principal's office, Khalid saw Sayyad sitting with a smile. However, when Sayyad noticed Khalid's broken teeth, his expression turned to shock and anger. "What happened to your teeth?" he thundered. Khalid hesitated, and Sayyad repeated the question, his voice echoing through the office. The principal intervened,
trying to calm Sayyad down. Khalid attributed the incident
to an accident, claiming he collided with a pillar in the
mosque. Sayyad was unconvinced, sensing that Khalid was hiding
the truth. He pressed Khalid for the truth, but Khalid
swore in Arabic that he was telling the truth. Sayyad's
anger turned to disappointment, and he declared, "I'm withdrawing my son from this school. I won't let him stay in this situation." As the principal continued to plead, Sayyad's frustration reached a boiling point. "No, I have made up my mind," he reiterated firmly. "My son will not continue in this institution." The principal, however, refused to give up. He implored Sayyad to reconsider, promising that the school would take concrete steps to prevent such incidents in the
future. After a moment's deliberation, Sayyad's demeanor softened. "This decision should ultimately rest with my son," he declared. "He is the one who must decide whether he can cope with the situation." The principal turned to Khalid, inquiring whether he was willing to stay. Khalid
nodded affirmatively, and Sayyad turned to the principal, stating, "I will permit him to continue, but under one condition: if anything untoward happens to my son again, you will be held accountable."