Ikechukwu.
My only surviving brother.
Smart guy.
A sophomore in secondary school.
He was an introvert. Like our father.
Hardly spoke until he was spoken to.
So I was curious and interested.
It happened that he missed school for 2 days as a result of his ill health, malaria and when he resumed, he had some catching up to do.
Notes to copy, home works to do, you get the drift...
There was Introductory Technology note to copy as he missed the class too.
So he borrowed the note from his classmate Allen.
He proceeded to copy the note successful.
Few days later, they were asked to submit their notebooks on Introductory Technology.
Complete and neat note with good handwriting carried good marks.
Nwannem nwoke, Ikechukwu submitted his notebook.
The next day, Introductory Technology teacher called him out.
My brother was perplexed.
Him of all students.
What happened?
What has he done?
From the look on the faces of his classmates, they were also surprised.
When he came out and stood where the teacher had indicated, he saw his notebook in the teacher's hand.
He still couldn't understand why he was called out but who was he to disobey.
His teacher asked him to read a portion of his note on types of screwdriver.
He took his notebook from his teacher and read:
"There are different types of screwdriver, they are
1. Flathead screwdriver
2. Torx screwdriver
3. Hex screwdriver
4. Ikechukwu screwdriver"
At the mention of "Ikechukwu screwdriver" the whole class exploded with laughter.
Then he understood and imploded.
The classmate he copied the note from is named Allen and one of the screwdrivers is Allen Screwdriver.
While copying the note at home, he saw Allen Screwdriver and thought the teacher had instructed them to include their names as one of the screwdrivers and proceeded to substitute Allen's name with his.
What an embarrassment.
What a nkojobogos.
I laughed to stupor that day.
Instead of the mumu teacher to call him privately and correct him, he decided to shame and embarrass him in front of the whole class thereby arming his classmates with what to use against him.
Trust students, my beloved brother was nicknamed SCREWDRIVER till he finished secondary school.
Some who knew him beyond school mercilessly brought it to the street too.
It was not a good experience for my introvert brother.
To make matters worse, I decided to share it with our father.
I saw it as a joke and thought father will see it as such.
For where nah?
Umunnem na Umunnam, my dad didn't see it that way oo.
He got mad.
He felt his boy had disgraced him.
"Ogechukwu go and bring me my koboko"
I didn't move.
Koboko kwa?
This thing is a joke nah?
"Go and bring me my koboko". This time, a shout.
I moved.
I felt bad for what was about to come on my brother. I wouldn't have told my dad if I knew he would react that way.
Whip ... "I trained u to be smarter than that"
Whip... "inwero uche?"
Whip... "did u invent any screwdriver?"
"No sir"
Whip... "so why did you write Ikechukwu Screwdriver"
Whip... "or are you a screwdriver?"
I was sad.
I brought this on Nwannem.
His wailing hurt me so bad.
I apologized.
I apologized with morsels of my eba and small bits of meat for days.
Ogechukwu Ikwueme
(Nwanne unu Nwanyi)
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