Wednesday morning began on a calm note. The sky above Bosol School was a clean blue, interrupted only by the chirping of birds and the rhythmic sweep of brooms as students tidied the school compound. The SS2A class had Civic Education as their first period, and for once, everyone was early—well, almost everyone.
Ayomide sat neatly in her usual spot, jotting down the Civic topics for the term in her planner. Her writing was tidy, with small bullet points and a margin marked with a ruler. Victory leaned over, peeking.
"You wrote it like it's a WAEC syllabus," she whispered.
Ayomide smiled. "Preparation is power."
Ajiboye slid into his seat and greeted them both. "Morning! I brought biscuits. Don't tell Elumezie—he always eats half before asking permission."
As if summoned, Elumezie entered, tossing his backpack carelessly on a chair and calling out, "Did someone say biscuits?"
Just then, the door creaked open and in stepped a new figure—their Civic Education teacher, Mrs. Adeniji.
She was tall and elegant, dressed in a neatly ironed gown and flat shoes that clicked lightly as she walked. Her hair was in a tight bun, and she carried herself with calm authority.
"Good morning, class."
"Good morning, ma!" came the cheerful chorus.
"I'm Mrs. Adeniji, and I'll be taking Civic Education for your set. I expect discipline, punctuality, and participation. Civic is not a 'by-the-way' subject—it teaches you how to live responsibly in a society."
She turned to the board and wrote:
> TOPIC: Values and the Society
"Today," she said, facing the class, "we will discuss values. Who can tell me what values are?"
Ayomide's hand went up immediately, followed by Ajiboye's. Mrs. Adeniji pointed to Ayomide.
"Values are principles or standards of behavior; they are what guide us to know what is right or wrong," Ayomide said.
"Well done," the teacher replied. "Anyone can add to that?"
Ajiboye added, "They're also the things a society sees as important, like honesty, respect, and discipline."
"Excellent," said Mrs. Adeniji, nodding. "Now, let's list some core values in Nigerian society."
She began writing on the board as students contributed:
Honesty
Discipline
Respect
Tolerance
Hard work
Patriotism
"These are not just words to cram," she said. "They should show in your behavior. For instance, if you value respect, you won't shout at your teacher or fight your classmates."
Fadeyi whispered, "So no fighting over puff puff during break again?"
Victory stifled a laugh.
Mrs. Adeniji turned. "Would you like to explain that to the class?"
"No ma!" they chorused quickly.
The class enjoyed the session. Mrs. Adeniji was firm but warm. She didn't shout like Mr. Rasheed, nor did she use proverbs like Mrs. Ayoade. Instead, she explained things clearly and gave relatable examples.
Before the period ended, she assigned them to write short essays on a core value of their choice.
"You will submit next week Monday," she said. "Marks go into your continuous assessment."
As she packed up to leave, she paused and looked directly at Ayomide.
"I hear you're interested in becoming Head Girl," she said.
Ayomide nodded, a little surprised.
"That's good," Mrs. Adeniji continued. "Make sure you don't only read values—live them."
"Yes ma," Ayomide said, feeling the heat of many eyes turning toward her.
As soon as the teacher left, the teasing began.
"Head Girl Alert!" Elumezie called.
"Big Madam Ayomide," Fadeyi added, bowing in mock respect.
Ayomide smiled but didn't respond. She was used to their jokes. What none of them knew was that she had been dreaming of the Head Girl badge since JSS1. And now, in SS2, it was finally within reach.
But she wasn't the only one eyeing it.
During break, while sitting under the almond tree near the staff room, Ajiboye said to Victory, "You know, I think I'll run for Assistant Head Boy."
Victory blinked. "Really?"
Ajiboye nodded. "Why not? I'm the teachers' favorite anyway."
Victory laughed. "True. If you contest, I'll vote for you. But be ready—some people are already campaigning in silence."
Ajiboye smiled. "I'm not afraid. Let's all bring our best."
Nearby, Ayomide sat on a bench, reading. She could hear murmurs and occasional glances in her direction.
Later that day, after final bell, a short meeting was held for all interested prefectship candidates. The Director himself addressed them.
"You are not elected because you are loud or liked," he said. "You are chosen because of responsibility, leadership, and respect for rules."
He pointed to a board with a list of roles: Head Girl, Head Boy, Labour Prefect, Time Keeper, and more.
"The forms will be available from Friday. Fill it if you are serious."
As the students dispersed, Victory and Fadeyi walked home together.
"You think Ayomide will get Head Girl?" Victory asked.
"She deserves it," Fadeyi replied. "But Bosol is full of surprises. I just hope no one starts drama."
Victory sighed. "This term is already looking interesting."
As they turned the corner, they passed by the large school gate with the motto once again shining above in gold letters:
> "God is our Refuge."
In a school where rules were tight and ambitions even tighter, one thing was clear—Bosol wasn't just raising students. It was raising leaders