My Coursemate

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 9

Episode 9

“I was the invigilator for MAC123, Advertising examination written in hall 1 and I can bear witness to the number of students who wrote the paper. I may not be able to identify each of them if I see them, but I took home a copy of the attendance register.” The invigilator’s wife began to read the statement written by her husband before he was killed. She was standing in the middle of the senate hall and all the panel members paid close attention.

The VC wasn’t happy from the look on his face, but he had no choice but to listen.

“From the list of the students who took part in the contentions examination, I can confirm that Azizat was indeed part of them. She was in school that day and she wrote and submitted

her paper to me just like every other student. The VC’s daughter is well-known to me and I have no doubt that I saw her in the examination hall contrary to the claim that she was not in school on the said date.”

The invigilator’s wife continued to read her husband’s words. The woman has a very sweet voice that sounded like that of a radio newscaster. She pronounced each word correctly and waited for every sentence to sink before reading another.

“My submission therefore is that Azizat, the VC’s daughter was in that hall where I Invigilated. Any other claim is a lie.” The invigilator’s wife said with a measured tone.

“Irredeemable rubbish! Arrant nonsense! Absolute poppycock! Total balderdash!” The VC said. The man is a professor of English and, so he likes speaking ‘big big grammar.

“Let me even assume that your witness is accepted, because clearly, you can’t speak for your husband. But let just take it that I listened to you. Apart from this purported attendance list, what other proves do you have to show that my daughter was in school on that day? Because I can see clearly that you are lying.” The VC said.

“I don’t think she is lying. The statement was written by her husband before he was brutally cut down days ago. We should admit the statement as evidence.” Professor Ejememeje said. He sounded very firm as if he will be unwilling to accept anything else.

“I’m the course lecturer and I marked the scripts and detected that Oti wrote exams for Azizat. I made report to this committee based on what I saw on each of the exam papers.” It was Mr Ade, the course lecturer who stood up to speak. The entire hall was becoming very tensed.

“I said it earlier that it would amount to a miscarriage of justice if Azizat fails to appear before this committee. The overwhelming evidence before us as presented by the invigilator’s wife clearly shows that she was in school. I support that the invigilator’s statement should be admitted as evidence against the accused. Any punishment should include the two students.” Mr Ade, the course lecturer said before sitting down again.

“I asked earlier, what other evidence do you have Mrs Invigilator. Your husband is dead. Instead of sitting on the ashes to mourn him, you are here peddling unfounded rumours.” The VC said. He behaved as if he did not hear the other panel members who spoke earlier. He directed his gaze and anger at the invigilator’s wife. I’m sure if he had a gun, he would have shot her.

“I have another evidence.” The invigilator’s wife said. She reached for her bag and produced a CD.

“Actually, before coming here, I had gone to the security department to get the CCTV footage for the examination hall. Everything that happened in that hall on that day has been collected from the CCTV and registered in this CD. I will play it now for everyone to see.” The invigilator’s wife said. Her words sounded like a bombshell. No. one remembered that all the halls in the school were recently wired with CCTV cameras.

There is a CD player and a television set installed in the senate hall for situations like this. The invigilator’s wife proceeded to the CD player and slot in the CD and pushed the play button. She fast forwarded it to the portion where I stood up from my desk and went to meet Azizat on her desk claiming that I need a pen. There and then, it was clearly seen that I handed over an already written answer script to Azizat.

“So here you have your evidence, Mr VC.” The invigilator’s wife said.

The hall went silent as everyone waited for the VC to say something. For more than five minutes after the video stopped playing, the hall was overtaken by the silence of a graveyard. The silence could be cut by a knife. Except the humming of the air conditioner, nothing else was heard. And were it not for the air- conditioner that made some noise, I’m sure I would have heard as the VC’s heart beat so loudly. He didn’t see it coming. The invigilator’s wife has hit him below the belt.

“The difficult moment that I did not want to face has come.” The VC said when he finally found the courage to speak. For the first time since the hearing began, he stood up from his seat to address the panel members.

“I found it hard to accept the fact that my own daughter was involved in examination malpractice. I was ashamed, so I did everything humanly possible to cover her mistake and protect my image as respected academic and the VC of this great school.” The VC continued. His voice was sober and remorseful. Everyone listened with rapt attention.

“I even sent men to kill the invigilator. I also wanted to kill Oti so that the case will just die, but unfortunately it was his friend, Eke who was killed. I was the one who made sure Oti’s three friends did not come to witness for him as promised.” The VC drops each confession like a World War bomb and everyone in the hall felt the sounds of his words ‘tata tata tata’ in their ears like gunshots.

When he said he killed Eke and the invigilator, almost everyone in the hall shouted in distress and deep emotions. The invigilators wife started crying like a baby.

“I’m sorry for all I did. Nemesis has caught up with me and I must now do what I was supposed to do as a responsible leader that was known to be.” The VC continued to speak. His voice was now lower than normal. I think he is crying in his heart but I didn’t see tears in his eyes.

“Oti and Azizat my daughter are hereby expelled from UNILAG for engaging in examination malpractice. They are to be arrested if they are seen within the school premises 24 hours from now.” My heart sank when I heard that I have been expelled. I collapsed and passed out. I was rushed to the hospital where I recovered after one hour.

It was when I was in the hospital that I heard that the VC had also resigned from his position and that he was arrested by the police for murdering Eke and the invigilator.

“Where is Azizat for God’s sake? Why did she abandon me? Now, I’m expelled. My parents are poor, but hers have money. No matter what happens, she will have a better future than me. We were both expelled, but I’m the looser. What have I done to myself?” I asked so loudly that people rushed into the hospital ward. They thought I was becoming crazy because I shouted really loud. I tried to stand up from the bed but two nurses held me down and gave me a sedative injection that made me to doze off within seconds.

Watch out for episode 10.