CHAPTER FIVE: SNAKE IN THE ROOF
Break time at Stardom Schools unfolds in its usual lively fashion, with students relaxing and staff members engaging in animated conversations. Contrary to her routine of withdrawing to a private room in her office to manage a chronic health condition that makes prolonged sitting uncomfortable, a fact known only to a trusted few, Mrs. Ibidun Gloss, the Managing Director, decides to take a walk instead.
Her steps lead her toward a parcel of land the school had acquired two years earlier, located about five minutes from the back gate. Upon arrival, she is startled by what she sees. The property, intended for future development, has been converted into an informal parking space. Numerous vehicles—ranging from modest cars to impressive buses—are stationed there, many bearing Stardom School stickers. The sheer number and quality of the vehicles alarm her, especially in light of the school’s known financial limitations.
Disturbed by the discovery, she immediately summons Mr. Bepo and the school accountant to the site, suspecting possible financial misconduct. When they arrive, she questions how members of staff could afford such vehicles. The principal calmly suggests they return to the office for a detailed discussion and assures her that the school’s funds remain intact. He explains that many staff members obtained loans through the Stardom Cooperative Society, which financed most of the vehicles.
The explanation, rather than easing her concerns, intensifies them. She demands to know the scale of the cooperative’s finances, expressing disbelief that it could fund such purchases so freely. Her sharp remark about the situation leaves both men unsettled.
The following day, she convenes a meeting of the board of directors, which includes members of her family. The financial report reveals that the cooperative holds approximately ₦95 million, with over ₦50 million already disbursed as loans. While no evidence of theft emerges, Mrs. Gloss voices a deeper fear: that such financial independence among staff could eventually empower them to establish competing institutions and appropriate Stardom’s brand identity. She likens the situation to “hanging a snake in the roof and going to bed”—a danger ignored at one’s peril.
After careful deliberation, the board resolves to tighten oversight of the cooperative. Loan limits are reduced to ₦250,000 per staff member, all applications intending to borrow above a hundred thousand Naira must receive the Managing Director’s approval, and management must be duly informed of cooperative elections and major decisions.
Thus, what began as a casual inspection exposes latent vulnerabilities within the institution’s internal structure. The “snake in the roof” symbolizes not immediate betrayal, but a potential threat, one that demands vigilance, regulation, and strategic foresight to prevent future instability.
CHAPTER SIX: ADE AS WELL AS JIDE COMES VS. COME
Open Day at Stardom Schools is always a mixture of anticipation and anxiety. For many teachers, it is an opportunity to receive appreciation from parents, sometimes in kind, sometimes in cash. For others, it is a day of tension, as parents arrive armed with complaints about academic performance, classroom methods, or disciplinary measures.
On one such Open Day, Mr. Bepo recalls an incident that exposed the fragile balance between parental influence and administrative authority. An English teacher, Mr. Fafore, became the subject of a formal complaint lodged by Mr. Guta, a parent who had stormed into the Managing Director’s office demanding the teacher’s dismissal.
Over the years, Bepo had witnessed several dismissals—some justified, others the result of circumstance, pressure, or subtle conspiracies. Each time he was required to draft a termination letter, he felt a personal burden. He understood how easily reputations could crumble. His empathy was shaped partly by his own past humiliation: a period of unemployment when, out of desperation, he misused ₦2,500 meant for an electricity payment and was publicly disgraced when officials disconnected the supply. The memory lingered as a reminder of human vulnerability.
When instructed to summon Mr. Fafore from his class, Bepo hesitated because he disliked interrupting lessons. Previous legal disputes had forced the school to discontinue the practice of leaving students copying notes under a prefect’s supervision. Reluctantly, he called the teacher out. On their way to the Managing Director’s office, he asked whether there had been any confrontation with Mr. Guta. Mr. Fafore remained bewildered; the parent had merely entered the classroom, inspected his son’s notebook, and departed without comment.
Moments later, the teacher was informed of his dismissal. Devastated, he returned to the staff room to collect his belongings as whispers spread among colleagues about the absence of job security within the institution.
At an emergency meeting that followed, the Managing Director explained the basis of the complaint. Mr. Guta had identified what he believed to be a grammatical error in his son’s notebook: the sentence, “Ade as well as Jide comes early.” According to him, the verb should read “come” instead of “comes.” Outraged, he threatened to withdraw his children from the school. Convinced of the teacher’s incompetence, the Managing Director had acted swiftly.
However, Mr. Bepo respectfully disagreed. He explained that when two subjects are joined by “and,” a plural verb is required, but when linked by expressions such as “as well as,” “together with,” or “alongside,” the verb agrees with the first subject. Therefore, “Ade as well as Jide comes early” is grammatically correct because “Ade” is singular.
Unpersuaded, the Managing Director instructed everyone present to verify the rule using their phones. The search results confirmed the principal’s explanation: the construction used by Mr. Fafore was accurate. A heavy silence followed. The realization that a competent teacher had been dismissed over a misunderstanding left the Managing Director visibly deflated.
The tension was eventually eased by Mr. Audu, whose timely humour lightened the atmosphere and softened the embarrassment. In the end, Mr. Fafore was reinstated.
The episode underscores the pressures inherent in school leadership—the delicate interplay between parental expectations, administrative authority, and professional integrity. It also reveals how easily decisions made in haste can undermine both morale and justice, and how wisdom sometimes lies in the courage to admit error.
