By Sulaiman Aisha
Yesterday can never be repeated as today. Neither we dare to change reality, nor can it be denied, because in the very end, destiny will claim its cause.
Many years ago in the past era of ages, a little girl lost her father (Mr Goodluck) to a car accident. Some months after, she was separated from her mother (Mrs Goodison) and was living with one of her aunties (Mrs Mary). Mrs Mary had three little children, two boys older than Hanifah and Zainab, a girl who is a junior to her.
Both Hanifah and Zainab were enrolled in the same school, the same class. When the duo got into basic two, their teachers discovered Hanifah’s brilliancy was beyond her current level. Thus, she was offered a double promotion by the school.
The poor girl was so excited that she happily notified her aunt about the win immediately she got home. But little did she know that her elation would be compromised, as her aunt refused to sign the scholarship agreement while saying “I will follow you to school the next day.”
It’s a miracle to Hanifah, not knowing exactly what was happening until the next day. Her aunt joined them in school to inform their teachers that both she and Zainab must graduate together while turning down the offer out of jealousy.
The little girl became sober when she realized the action of her aunt. However, her cheerful teacher consoled the girl as she whispered to her ear “let nature take its cause.”
Hanifah’s chores were increased to tamper with her reading exercise but the girl failed to be influenced by circumstance and always leads her class.
Three years later, the two girls were already in Basic five and Hanifah was appointed as Head Girl but Zainab was not eligible for any position in the school. Due to her known hypocrisy, Mrs Mary’s concern increases but her hands are tight this time around.
The two girls graduated from Basic school with good grades, however with different qualifications, furthering their education in a private secondary school.
When they’re in Junior Secondary School two (J.S.S. 2), another opportunity came to Hanifah as she was again offered another double promotion to write examinations with the J.S.S three students. She reluctantly received the letter, and went home to inform her aunt again. After she refused to sign it, Hanifah secretly went to her mum to narrate all her ordeal to her. To her surprise after the conversation, her mother also moaned to her ear “let life take its course because they’re handicapped as weak.”
After three years, they became students of the Senior Secondary School (S.S.S two) but something strange happened to Zainab and she was admitted to the hospital where it’s discovered that she had been pregnant for about three months. The pregnancy jeopardized her education, withdrawing from school.
Hanifah on the other hand, had won an inter-school debate competition, and subsequently was awarded a scholarship after which she was promoted to S.S.S three. She wrote her Senior WAEC examination and graduated from the school in the same year (a year before the original time, she ought to graduate).