Baskadia

The two thousand capacity auditorium was filled to capacity with guests elegantly arrayed in their colourful dresses . As usual , Faculty members were decked in their academic gowns and were seated in their order of seniority . The seat rows in the front were traditionally reserved for graduands who were uniformly atired in the university's black with red patterned gowns . Parents , guardians , friends and students filled up the rear . The occasion was the twentieth convocation ceremony of my school . The university's leadership hadn't organized any about five years in a row and so they had quite a pack - full on the program of events . I sat quietly as I savoured every bit of the events .

Dr Obi , a lecturer in the Mass Communications Department got every one reeling with laughter as he cracked one joke after another .

Finally , it was time for the main event and the Vice Chancellor got up from his seat and was escorted to the podium to deliver his speech , this was after a certain dignitary had read the Convocation speech earlier on . My eyes intermittently would meet with aunt Juliana ' s my late mother 's only surviving sibling . She had taken the pains to travel to the town to witness my convocation .

I must have dozzed off , and for how long I could not figure . It was the sound of the rapturous ovation which spontaneously filled the hall that brought me back to full consciousness . My heart skipped. " This must be a dream !" I concluded . The VC took his time to recap after the ovation had quietened." Iwuji Esther I , 010/5224 Department of Economics and Statistics , Faculty of Social Sciences came out with a First Class and is hereby given an automatic employment as Lec - turer in the Department of Economics and Statistics having been found worthy in character and learning , among other attributes " I immediately became the cynosure of all eyes . Everybody in the auditorium wanted a hug or have a handshake with me . I had become a celebrity all of a sudden .

Ceremony over , I lay down on my tiny naked mattress - with my clothes on . All my earthly belongings - composed actually of not more than a few pairs of old shoes , a big Ghana - must - go bag - containing a few clothing and undies . Others are books and stationary . I got up again and paced about in my cubicle - sized room , tears streaming down my cheeks . I thought about my late mother . " She should have been here to witness my joyous moment. " I imagined loudly . " As for dad , I never had the chance to know him except his pictures ! My mum told me he died when I was yet an embryo." Plenty of thoughts flooded my head . Thoughts of bitterness , struggles , pains and of victory . I thought about how I single handedly saw my self through the four walls of the university just by a dint of hardwork . I dreamed , I persevered and I overcame . No one gave me a chance . Not at all !

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