CHAPTER FOUR
A month has slipped through her finger tips without Amara grasping any course that was taught. She wanted to lose hope on being optimistic about the situation. She and Laura had attended several tutorials and she had also met Laura and other colleagues of hers for assistance, but every effort of hers to understand what is been taught was in vain.
Two days later, on a Thursday afternoon. Amara was on her way to the state library at bank road, when she stumbled on a book store, which displays a book by Dr. Ben Carson “You have a Brain”. She took the book and read through the paper back and table of content. She was captivated by the content of the book. “How much does that book cost?” she asked the man at the sales desk. He told her the cost of the book. She brought out her purse from the hand bag she was carrying and paid him for the book. Immediately she arrived at the library, she took a position and began to read through the book. The more she read the deeper she got lost in the printed pages of the book. After some hours of in-depth learning, she learnt to manage her situation and believed that God directed her towards purchasing the book. By the time she finished reading the book at the library it was already late in the evening. She left the library and was revived in spirit. As she arrived at the hostel she began to apply all that she has learnt from the book. Her understanding and discussions on every course began to change for good. Few weeks later, she is now a guru in every course that she attended and the students were surprised at her new found knowledge.
One day after lectures, Amara and Laura was walking back to the hostel and group of girls approached them, and was thanking Amara for the tutorial she had with them. Laura was surprise on what was happening. “So everyone in our level now know that Amara is extremely intelligent. God, I thank you for this divine transformation,” she thought for few minutes and never knew when the girls parted. “Laura, hope you are okay,” Amara asked with a fulfilled smile, as she held her friend’s hand. “My dear, I’m fine. Just happy for you.” She replied. “Thank you,” Amara replied. “So you now hold tutorials for our fellow fresh year students,” she said. “It is the Lord’s doing. We have to keep going, so that we don’t faint along the way before we arrive at the hostel. I’m very hungry,” Amara said. They both laughed as Laura carried her bag on the head to demonstrate how hungry she also was.
Two weeks later, every student was busy packing his or her belongings and set to travel to their respective destinations. The A.S.U.U. strike began earlier than expected. Amara woke up early and packed all her items and headed for the school park, where she boarded a bus going to Anambra. When they were travelling Amara wished that the strike will not linger for up to Six months, because she don’t know what to be doing in the village for such a long time.
After a couple of days of Amara’s arrival, Ure and Other girlfriends of hers were also back, the community began to seem friendly to her and her days of boredom was vanished. Amara became enthusiastic about live in the village again.
The A.S.U.U. strike was prolonged to seven months and the reason being that the government was unable to concur with the Union’s demands. As a result of this, the strike was not called off at the sixth month. Amara and her friends were not happy with the situation, also the village is not as interesting and lively as the cities in which they reside for their education.
Ure came to visit Amara, so as to spend some time with her in her family house in Oko. When Amara got a glimpse of Ure at their entrance gate. She stood up from her chair and ran towards her, both girls exchanged pleasantries.
“Amara, you have gotten fat, please don’t get too fat so that you won’t become obese, it’s just a compliment,” Ure said. “My dear, was it not this strike that made me to be at home and consume more food than I should. If I was in school, this wouldn’t have happened,” Amara replied. “Well you don’t look bad,” she added. “How are your parents? Are they at home?” Ure asked. “Actually, my mother just stepped out to get bitter leaf (Vernonia amygdalina) in the next compound, but my father is in his Obi,” Amara replied. “Please come inside and have a seat,” Amara offered. Ure went in and sat on the chair kept towards the entrance door, while Amara went into the kitchen to get a plate of Abacha, a bottle of groundnut and a cup of water. After a while Amara came in with a tray, and kept it on the side stool. Both of them sat down and discussed over lots of issues. The one that caught Amara’s interest was the news Ure said she heard over the radio when she was in Lagos. The news was about a man that man handled his wife to death, reason because his wife caught him in bed with another woman. After Ure had disclosed the news to Amara, she became emotional.
“Ewo!” she exclaimed. “So that was how the woman’s life came to an end,” Amara said. “Do you know what baffled me the most?” Ure asked. “My dear what?” Amara replied in a questioning manner. “The police arrested the man and interrogated him and he denied ever touching the woman, talk more of manhandling her to death,” Ure said. “What did the police do to him? Did they release him?” Amara asked. “Well, he was still in the custody of the police who were carrying out further investigation, I never got the full news, before ASUU’s strike began,” Ure replied. “Na wa! Most men are extremely heartless,” said Amara. “Do you just say