English Palaver
Mr. Olu has always been an enthusiastic and fantastic English Language teacher who has groomed his students to speak impeccable English. He usually frowned at the fake accents of broadcasters and media personalities and never forgave TV presenters and social media users who were in the habit of murdering the Queen's language. He has left quite an impact on his students, and this pleased him much. Akin, one of his favourite students, got himself into trouble with Mr. Aliyu, the mathematics teacher. Mr. Aliyu had asked Akin why he didn't submit his assignment.
"Why didn't you submit your assignment?"
"I left it at home this morning, sir."
"You left it at home?!" queried Mr. Aliyu.
"Yes, sir!"
"You even have the gut to tell me you left it at home!"
"I can explain sir."
"Huh…iii—it—what I mean is—I—"
He was stuck of words. As he struggled for words, the hands of Mr. Aliyu had struck heavily on his face twice like lightning. Tears rolled down his cheeks unhindered. He wept uncontrollably and refused to be comforted by his peers. He blamed himself for assuming that every other person, including his mathematics teacher, had the least inclination for impeccable English and reserved some anger for his mentor, Mr. Olu, who always insisted on speaking impeccable English. He reasoned he could just have told Mr. Aliyu that he forgot his homework at home instead of sounding ambiguous. He convinced himself that could have saved him the trouble with Mr. Aliyu. Mr. Olu had taught them the use and misuse of 'forget' by speakers of the English language in Nigeria.
"Use 'left' when you forget something tangible like notebooks, pens, bags, etc."
"However, use 'forgot' when it is something abstract you are referring to."
"For example, 'I left my bag on the beach yesterday.'"
"I forgot the idea I discussed with you."
It was this knowledge that Akin decided to put to use that landed him into the trouble he never envisaged. Akin refused to be consoled throughout the day and wondered at the painful cost of learning to speak what he is taught in school to be correct English.
Discussions on career still continues in the course of the work.
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