Edem 1

Etetim Edem

Professor Soya

Com 1101

8 February 2017

Standing up!

February 2015 marked the beginning of one the most controversial periods in my time at

high school. My classmates and I were just rounding up our preparations for our Final exams in

high school. During that period, as was tradition the teachers and other students tried to keep

their distance and keep quiet. It was to allow us final year students to the maximum.

For some reasons best known to the head of the boarding department of the school our

peace and serenity was cut short. I was on my way to study on a warm Nigerian day when the

head of boarding screamed my name from the corridors of the administrative building, three

floors up. Why are you walking around so aimlessly? he asked. I replied I'm not! then he

said why is your hair in such manner? Would you go and cut it!

I replied I'm tryna study, I'll cut it after my exams. This reply seemed to have outraged him

because after that he called a mandatory assembly. At the assembly, I was called out and asked

to sit down and let a barber cut my hair in front of the whole school. I couldn't believe what I had

been asked to do. It had never happened before and I wondered why it was happening to me. I

had always been a very obedient student. I always kept to time and always respected constituted

authority even as irrational as their policies and regulations were. However, today was not going

to be one of those days. I didn't believe my treatment was fair so I refused to do what I was told.
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This sparked even more outrage in the mind of the head of boarding. He immediately threatened

to not allow me write my exams if I didn't do as I was told. At this point, I had already decided

enough was enough and that if I gave in now, the oppression would continue and might even get

worse. I couldn't imagine my younger sister having to face such irrational behaviour and

tyrannical ruling.

I said no and excused myself from the assembly, my classmates followed to show solidarity

knowing fully well that it would mean they wouldn't be permitted to write the exams as well.

In the end, my parents were called and they were outraged by what had taken place at the

assembly. They brought up a formal complaint against the boarding department and I along with

the rest of my classmates were allowed to write the exams with our hair in tact.

I felt fulfilled and accomplished, it was the first time I really stood up for anything or to

anyone. It was an experience I needed to have and it helped shape me for the real world. It goes

to show that taking a stand for what you believe in might be difficult but it's worth it.