Will Things Ever Change?

I saw the mammoth crowd gather, it was like it rained sugar from heaven and the ants have gathered for a feast. Musa my elder brother held my hands tightly, and i tagged along happily beside him. I was only a naive 9 year old. He looked at me closely and said, “Zubairu, you see what i told you, the Ribadu square is not for the faint-hearted. No matter what happens, stay close. I must not look for you okay?” i nodded quickly, because it felt like his hot breath upon my face would be followed by a quick smack across the cheek.

The crowd was in a Frenzy as one of the top politicians from our village mounted the podium. He kept waving something that look like a broom, but when i squinted my eyes and looked closely, it was an umbrella. As he talked all the veins in his face kept popping, and his Adams Apple kept bopping up and down in a funny manner. Most of them that spoke that did so with so much gusto that i believed them. Who wouldn’t?

But all that seems like ages ago now. I truly believe that they were going to visit our school and rebuild it. But here I am, still going to school without adequate school supplies. I hurried my strides cause if i go late I would have to sit on the floor, and Mama will not be happy because she washed this uniform yesterday, and she has warned me vehemently to keep it clean. Clink! Clink! Clink! And the school bells went off.

Vera Bonny