CHAPTER SEVEN: RITUALISTS
Bepo’s move to Stardom Schools was preceded by a turbulent chapter in his career at Beesway Group of School, located on the outskirts of Lagos. The conflict began with a seemingly minor issue: the school’s name. Officially called “Beesway Group of School,” the name implied a singular entity, whereas Bepo argued that it should be “Beesway Group of Schools” to reflect its multiple branches. Despite his repeated corrections, the director, Mr. Egi Meko, dismissed the concern, insisting the name was divinely inspired and impervious to change.
The tension escalated when several parents independently raised the same issue during a PTA meeting. The director accused Bepo of informing the parents, a claim he denied. The disagreement over the school’s name marked a strain in their professional relationship, but the incident that ultimately compelled Bepo to leave was far more disturbing.
One night, while in his room at the Beesway staff quarters, Bepo noticed suspicious activity in the distance. A group of five men, including the director, was preparing to bury a cow alive in a pit on school grounds. Alarmed, Bepo grabbed his machete and approached them, protesting the act. The director warned him to leave, but when he refused, one of the men struck him on the head from behind, causing him to fall. The director quickly intervened, pacifying the men and escorting Bepo safely back to his room before resuming the ritual.
The encounter left Bepo shaken. Although he had previously heard rumors of ritualistic practices among business owners and school proprietors, witnessing one firsthand profoundly unsettled him. It reminded him of an earlier episode with his own venture, Fruitful Future School, which he had co-founded. Initially successful, the school flourished to over seventy students by its third session. A parent, Mr. Ogo, once suggested performing a supernatural rite to increase enrollment. Bepo refused, leading the parent to withdraw his child, and the school eventually closed after the surrounding neighborhood became inaccessible due to deteriorating roads.
Years later, Bepo learned that Mr. Ogo had committed murder, killing a civil servant who had sought his spiritual services to resolve infertility after paying N9 million over a year. The woman had demanded a refund and threatened legal action, prompting Ogo to murder her. This revelation reinforced Bepo’s wariness of individuals who intertwined spiritual beliefs with unethical practices.
The following morning, Bepo received a call from Director Meko, summoning him to the office. Anticipating potential conflict, Bepo first moved his belongings out of his room and the staff room. In the meeting, the director apologized for the previous night’s assault, claiming the burial was a spiritual prayer for his late father, who had gifted him the land on which the school was built. Despite the explanation, the event cemented Bepo’s decision to leave Beesway and shaped his cautious approach to institutional leadership and ethical boundaries in his career.
This chapter highlights the intersection of professional integrity, superstition, and moral courage, illustrating the challenges Bepo faced when confronted with practices that violated his principles and sense of ethics.
CHAPTER EIGHT: MISSIONS UNACCOMPLISHED
As Bepo prepares for his relocation to the United Kingdom, he reflects on the unresolved issues he will leave behind at Stardom Schools. One of the most pressing concerns is the legal dispute between the families of two students, Banky and Tosh—a rivalry that had simmered for years, fueled in part by parental involvement.
The conflict escalated during an election for school prefects. Students purchased forms depending on the positions they wished to contest: ₦50,000 for Head Boy or Head Girl, ₦40,000 for deputies, and ₦25,000 for other positions. A management panel screened the candidates to ensure they were academically competent, morally upright, and capable communicators. The shortlisted names were displayed on the notice board for two weeks, allowing students to raise objections, before the candidates addressed their peers during the much-anticipated Speech Day.
On Speech Day, Banky, an SSS2 student vying for Social Prefect, made a highly inflammatory remark during his speech: “Instead of voting for the son of an ex-convict, cast your vote for me. You will never regret it.” His opponent, Tosh, also in SSS2, immediately stormed out of the hall. The tension between the two students dated back to JSS3, and their parents had since become involved, taking the dispute to court.
Tosh’s father, Chief Ogba, was not technically an ex-convict but had spent 36 months in detention while facing trial for alleged misappropriation of ₦2.5 billion from a government contract. He was eventually released and ordered to refund the amount. Chief Ogba insisted that Banky and his parents issue letters of apology to him and Tosh, and publish them in the school magazine, but Banky’s parents refused.
Bepo, who had tried to mediate between the families, hoped to resolve the matter out of court before his departure. Alongside this, he lamented that he would miss the launch of the Invention Club’s Breath Project—a student-led initiative that built phones from recycled panels and chips. The project had attracted interest from the media, NGOs, and government agencies. Bepo feared that, in his absence, the initiative could stall, but he vowed to make every effort to return from the UK for the launch.
The chapter captures the tension of unfinished business, illustrating the challenges Bepo faces as an educational leader balancing parental disputes, student ambitions, and the cultivation of innovative projects—all while preparing to leave the institution he had served faithfully.
