SHUT UP

SHUT UP

“Shut up Livingstone!” My mum yelled back at me.

“Shut up!” My dad said to me.

“Guy, try shut up”. My friend said to me.

“Your mouth will put you in trouble one day”. My sister said to me.

Every member of my family has told to me to shut my mouth because I talk too much. Sometimes I tell myself to be quiet. Nobody wants to listen to a talkative. Nobody wants to discuss with a guy who talks too much.

It wasn’t my fault. I just loved to talk. It’s what gave me joy and sometimes what put me in trouble.

I have said things that have hurt my friends and family but I always find a way of making things right with them until one glorious day.

All members of the parliament sat down waiting for the speaker to pass his judgement. I was a member of the supreme parliament of the Student Union Government of my school. The Secretary of the union has been accused of “Abuse of office and Incompetence”. He couldn’t defend himself and an honourable had moved a motion for his immediate suspension from office. The Speaker hit the gavel and the secretary was suspended.

There was another case. The president of the union was accused of “Abuse of office, Gross misconduct and Negligence of duty”. She had publicly humiliated a member of the parliament and this wasn’t right. I have always disliked public officers who use their office to oppress others and those who fail to carry out their responsibilities.

Without fear or favour I stood up.

“Mr. Speaker and The House. My nomenclature has not changed, is not changing and will never change. I am Honourable Imonitie Livingstone from the ever great, ever corrosive and ever powerful faculty of engineering. What the President did to that honourable is a slap not only to his face but also to our faces. If she cannot respect the honourable, it means she cannot respect us. And if she cannot respect us, it means she cannot respect you Mr. Speaker. If she cannot respect you Mr. Speaker, it means she cannot respect the Vice Chancellor of this great school. Because of her Abuse of office and Gross misconduct, the gods are not happy. According to the constitution, Article 7, Sub section 5, I hereby move for the indefinite suspension of Madam President”.

The house was on fire. Murmuring everywhere. I sat down but I was scared. I was scared of the consequences of my actions. The motion was seconded by another parliamentarian. There was a counter motion and after voting we won. The president was to be suspended but the speaker was under pressure too. He just couldn’t hit the gavel. He knew this would bring about chaos in school. He was concern of the wellbeing of the students but the parliamentarians had the voice and that made the parliament supreme. The speaker had no other option than to hit the gavel and sitting was adjourned.

Immediately, I left for my hostel. Then I got a call from a friend to leave the school premises and go to a far destination.

I took a cab and went to my grandma’s place at once.

“Why didn’t you call before coming” she asked when I got to the house.

“Nothing. I wanted to surprise you. The school is on strike and I’d love to stay here and study for a week”.

That night I got calls from my friends asking for my whereabout. I only told them I was fine but did not disclose my location. My best friend called and informed me that he was stopped and harassed by unknown guys asking for my whereabout. My roommate called and told me some guys came to the room looking for me.

Why were they looking for me?

I didn’t do anything wrong. And if someone was to be blamed, do not blame me. Put the blame on my mouth. She acted alone. She should take full responsibility and not me.

My grandma had no idea what I was going through. People in school were looking for me. In no time I was famous because of the motion I moved. Everyone was asking questions.

I went back to school. I was ready for anything. I didn’t walk alone anymore. I was always with someone. I went to class with a friend and returned from class with another friend. I was always on the move. I never slept in the same room consecutively. I was changing rooms. I slept in my friends’ rooms. That’s the advantage of having lot of friends in school.

This life style was tiring. I never felt safe anywhere.

I really want to appreciate my friends. They helped me during this period. My friends in “BDPA” and “Ekosodin” were buying drinks for the “Strong men” just to keep me safe. My friends were pleading on my behalf. They were willing to protect me. I cannot repay them for their selfless sacrifices.

That was how I escaped being beaten or killed in school. All thanks to my friends.

After that incidence, I stopped talking for a month and during that period I grew wiser.

Wisdom is profitable to direct.