"Leo Lazima Nifunge Na Wewe"- The Good Old Days Back in School

Schools are shutting, and I can see students in my neighborhood peacefully walking home. Some are even holding hands, while others are demonstrating their talents to one another, and I'm sitting here on my dingy balcony, marveling at how cool these kids are! That lovely lady with the locks has just followed that cyclist and asked him over for grilled pizza. Is it even possible for you to be a serious young lady? We never discussed our grades with anyone until our parents had chastised us for our term's performance. That's when we'd reveal our identities to who knows who.

Earlier, I had lost count of babies wearing graduation gowns in the name of proceeding to the next grade. Well, that's great because my first time ever of almost coming close to graduation was in 2012. We were forced to do that graduation thing and it costed two thousand five hundred shillings which were so expensive for some of us hence not managing to pay and do you know what they were?

A tas and that thing that's won by church ushers that runs over the shoulder and to the waist. Yes, that one that you're so much trying to remember its name. That's what costed us that much amount. Some opted to just go for one. Shock on you, right? With all the pride, I had invited everyone in my family and a few villagers 

During our nursery days, we would proceed to the next grade by a word of the mouth from the teacher. No written report thus making it easy for some of us to promote ourselves. She would be like, "So and so you're proceeding to the next class while so and so, you'll be repeating again for the third time." That's how most of those who were to remain behind call it quits forever. Yes, as early as nursery school. They just decided that no more school.

Back to business anyway. Why aren't these kids "closing with" each other? I mean, why am I not hearing "leo nafunga na wewe" in the air? That's how we got to know who is to be feared amongst our peers. The two rivals would start preparing for the fight once the exams were over. Then there would be around seven or so days of just going to school to play, clean the compound, dance, and receive the marked papers.

My squad and I would go around stealing marked composition and Insha papers and go into hiding just to read and laugh about the crooked direct translations written by our fellows. It was fun in itself. We even received thorough kicks from those who caught us in the act since they mostly belonged to the boys.

The rivals would form a team of supporters who would walk around them as their security. Sometimes, a fight would even erupt between these two supporters as everyone waited for the crowning day. These two would walk around at the center of their supporters, following each other with looks and hot breaths like bulls on heat. Once the closing prayer had been made, both the teams would run to the designated hidden point where they had promised to have the fight. A few members of each of the teams would rush to the site to do the clearing of thorns, shrubs, and any stone on the ground for the safety of their bull during falls.

The remaining members would then arrive at the ground escorting their bulls with girls walking behind them with claps, songs, and ululation. On the ground, each of them would then remove their uniforms and remain with the home clothes that they had put on "inside." All these would happen somewhere far away from school but in the middle of the bush. We would cheer and sing songs to praise the one that was giving the hard tackles.

If the other one was chosen, all of the accolades would be directed at him. That was the game over and over again, as their security crew walked around the small pitch, offering suggestions on how to deal with the opposition. They acted like women in the labor wing in general.

The fight would then come to an end when one of the bulls was injured and the other was begged to leave him, or when an adult appeared out of nowhere, scattering everyone into the nearby bush because, well, no one wanted to be recognized because it would result in punishments if he/she was reported to the parent. To confuse the adult, we would travel in separate ways to our homes.

                                            PHOTO COURTESY

In any case, we'd reassemble just to proclaim the winner, tying one of the girl's belts around his waist and placing his bag on his breast to imitate a medal. Then, with songs and dances, his admirers would raise him high on their shoulders. The owner of the belt would then become his official girlfriend.

I still wonder why it was always the short guy winning. Was it because he was the one closer to the ground?