TOLANI
© Esther Charles
Episode 23
The HOD looked at Chimaobi for some seconds, then, stood up, asking Chimaobi and I to walk out of his office.
Realising his actions could cost him, he sat back on the chair again, almost panicking.
“Young man, we could actually settle this without this whole drama. I understand Mr. Ernest here is not innocent of the accusations but please…”
Chimaobi stood up, picked up his phone from the desk, and turned to me.
“Let’s go, please.”
“Chim…”
“Tolani, let’s go.” He said, as I picked up my handbag and walked out of the office while Chimaobi followed.
I was sad. I just wanted us to settle the whole thing so I could defend but Chimaobi wasn’t taking it.
We stepped outside and walked towards his car. I didn’t want to talk, I could feel the lump of annoyance right in my throat when I swallowed saliva.
We got into the car, and he called his dad, narrating everything that had transpired. His dad instructed us to wait for some minutes so he could reach their friend who was the Dean of my faculty.
Afterwards, Chimaobi’s father called, asking us to go to the dean’s office which was situated around my department.
We came down again, asking around.
Getting to the dean’s office, Mr. Ernest began to call me, and sent different apology messages when I did not pick.
“He’s sending messages. Should..” I tried to ask him.
“No, Tolani, no.” He took away the phone from me, putting it in his pocket.
“Let me handle this.”
The Dean was a woman, who was about her late early fifties. she was definitely a strict one from her looks.
“Chimaobi, you’ve grown into a very handsome young man.” She said, patting his shoulder.
“How time flies. How are you doing?”
“I’m doing well, ma.” He bent his head in respect.
She offered us a seat as we started with the conversation.
There, we narrated every of our encounters and my personal encounters with the HOD and Mr. Ernest.
She had put a call across to the HOD before the conversation began, asking him to come with Mr. Ernest. Not only that, she called two other senior lecturers she would want to witness the settlement of the case.
Afterwards, Mr. Ernest and the HOD came into the office. The senior lecturers were already seated in the office. They came before them.
I could bet Mr. Ernest heart was p******g, he had sweaty hands and tingling feet all through the time. He kept wiping his sweaty hands on his trousers.
The Dean requested my chat conversations with Mr. Ernest.
.
After going through the chat conversations, she started with apologies.
“I’m very sorry you had to go through all of this nasty things from your supervisor who should protect you. We apologize for the inconveniences, emotional stresses it must have cost you. Chimaobi, this apology goes to you too, I learnt from your dad that she’s your fiancé.”
“Yes, ma.”
“Good, I understand very well how much trouble this must have cost your union. We sincerely apologize and promise to settle this rightly here.”
“Young man, you have just now to accept your misdeeds, and say the truth. It’s unfortunate that a junior lecturer as you are who has not even started with your career journey is taking advantage of students. If you don’t take responsibility for your actions, you wouldn’t know what next to come to you from my desk.” She said as Mr. Ernest cleaned a line of sweat paving it way on his forehead.
Seeing him in that situation was refreshing and satisfying. I couldn’t have wished for any better ways to be satisfied.
“Ma, please, I can’t go down alone on this. Please, ma.”
“What do you have to say?” She asked him thrice as he stuttered.
The HOD tried to interrupt but the Dean wouldn’t let him.
“Mr. Anyanwu Godfrey, you should not be taught on how to behave rightly. You are an educator, I believe you know how best to behave.” She said to him, asking Mr Ernest to continue.
“I’m sorry, ma.” The HOD pleaded as Mr Ernest spoke.
“I didn’t do all these under my biddings. Yes, I liked her, yes, I made passes at her during her second and third year, but I backed out after several rejections. I only resumed my advances at when the HOD asked me to.” He cleaned his sweat and I spreaded wide my mouth in shock.
“Oh! Really? I said this. This m…” Chimaobi spoke but he was cut short by the Dean.
“Let me handle this, son. Stay in charge of your emotions, okay?”
“Okay, ma.”
“Go on” she urged Mr. Ernest.
“I didn’t ask him…” The HOD interrupted.
“Mr. Anyanwu, do not push me.’
“Sorry, ma.”
“He asked me to visit his office, giving me her name written in a piece of paper. He said he learnt she was one of my supervisees. He urged me to frustrate her and have her come to a particular hotel room. Initially, I refused to do that because I had my eyes on her and would not want him to have her, but seeing the good offer he placed, I couldn’t but agreed.” He spoke with eyes all pale and my body became extremely hot. My body temperature was so high as I wondered on what an old man like my HOD would want in me to sleep with him.
“How did he get to know me?” I mumbled.
“No interference, young lady.” The Dean cautioned me, turning to Mr. Ernest.
“What was the offer?”
“1.2 million, ma.”
“Jesus!” I exclaimed.
“He deposited 50% of the money immediately. I couldn’t resist the offer because I wanted to use a stone to kill two birds, which was having the money to myself and having sexual intercourse with her before passing her to the HOD.” Mr. Ernest said and Chimaobi stood up within seconds, before anyone could know what was happening, he gave Mr. Ernest a very hefty punch on his jaw again.
“Pass her to the HOD as per she is a ball right?” He said when he punched him at first and was ready to give him the second punch when one of the senior lecturers present, held his fist, his waist, taking him out of the office.
“Jesus!” The HOD shouted as Mr. Ernest mouth bled.
To be continued!
