Lets Emulate Mbanandi

 THE CAMPUS MOTHER

BY TOBBY ELEFUNT

It was so obvious that Mbanandi would make it to university that year. 

Her performance was absolutely excellent in every examination. She never underperformed in all subjects including those that were regarded as key subjects. These key subjects which included Mathematics, English and Science were a must pass if one would qualify for university entrance.

When the results were out she was one of the five students who made it with a single digit points amongst those that passed at her school.

Mbanandi’s parents Mr. and Mrs. Zgambo were proud of their daughter. Their advice to their daughter on the importance of reading wide including the next topic before the teacher touches it, did not fall on deaf ear. From primary to secondary that was her motto.  By the time the teacher came up with the topic it was like a revision to her. Teachers were shocked at how she could clearly answer and explain what she had been asked in line with the topic of the day. This spirit helped her very much that she took position one in many tests. 

Entry exams for university place were written. She was among the seven successful students from her school that made it to various universities. Being a first year student she never new many places of the campus apart from those that mattered most to her. She only knew the cafeteria, Library and teaching area. She spent much of her after class time in the library reading books which corresponded with her civil engineering degree program. Lecturers liked how she quickly submitted her assignments. Within short period of time she became the talk of the administration. Her name was always used when lecturers advised other students.

One other morning, Mbanandi’s lecturer was busy with second year students in the teaching area when she passed through the corridors from the library.

“Hey ! Mbanandi come over here” said Dr. Bazu one of the lecturers.

“You called me sir,” she said.

“Yes I called you Mbanandi, some of the students here do not know you by face they just hear about your outstanding performances starting from your class work to interclass quiz competitions. I want them to know you so that they may emulate what so ever secret behind your good performance,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mbanandi who had a habit of playing with her fingers when talking to new faces was busy playing with her pen. She was such a shy girl that she never felt comfortable standing in front of boys and girls who happened to be new faces to her.

Before she answered, one of the students called Evelyn Nachisale, commonly known as ‘campus mother ’especially by her crew members who she led, stood up with all her mighty.

“Sir, I stand to contradict with your point that we should know her secret behind her performance right here in class”, she posed before she continued. “That would be bleaching her right to secrecy; I suggest it would be healthy if each one of those who want to know her secret should consult her at their own time.”

With her statement the applause consumed the momentum as Mbanandi felt so relieved with such an eleventh hour rescuing point from a girl she didn’t even know. 

“Mbanandi! You can go they now know you by face”, said Dr. Bazu as he picks up chalk to continue lecturing.

As a routine, the campus mother and her crew used to gather at the door steps of the multipurpose hall every evening after supper. On this day, they did the same. Their agenda was to arrange a one on one meeting between campus mother and Mbanandi who became famous within the three semesters of her first year. Eventually, one of the girls within the crew was set to go and look for Mbanandi. She brought her together with Mbanandi’s friend who she met in the first semester during orientation. They later became roommates.

“Why have you taken so long to call my new daughter Mbanandi,” asked Campus mother.

“I didn’t find them at their room, I had to look in all obvious places like at the Chapel before her classmates who directed me to check at the library where I found her with her friend,” she answered.

“Okay fine, let’s not dwell much on that, mmmmmh guys I suggest we call it a day lets go to our various rooms,” said campus mother.

Before they all disappeared she turned to where Mbanandi and her friend were standing. “As for you guys you are my guests tonight, follow me.”

Remembering her voice which she heard for the first time when the lecturer called her to the teaching area when she was coming from the library, Mbanandi recognised campus mother. She whispered to her friend, “let’s go with her she isn’t harmful.”

Campus mother’s ears were too sensitive she heard her low voice then she said, 

“You are right I am not harmful indeed just want you guys to be my friends.”

At the room, campus mother didn’t waste time but to make a fast introduction before letting the cat out for her call to Mbanandi.

“Happy to know you Mbanandi and what’s your friend’s name?” she started.

“Thanks, her name is Suzie. Suzie Nkhonjera, we are both doing civil engineering.

“Wow that’s fantastic, nice to know you Suzie, am Evelyn Chisale am doing social science second year. I would have been in third year by now but because of failure to meet the required passing percent, I have repeatedly been writing supplementaries which I haven’t done well also.”

“It’s okay Evelyn, just work extra hard you are going to make it. But then, I hear people calling you campus mother what transpired?” wondered Suzie who seemed more talkative than her roommate.

“Good girl, I like that kind of openness. To answer your question let me say that’s one of the reasons I’m called Mbanandi for, but now that I have two of you right in my room let me say I am going to explain to both of you,” She said.

And then she continued before the two opened their mouths, “firstly let me say I together with those friends you saw me with at the door steps of the hall, belong to a crew of boys and girls here on campus. The name of our crew is the ‘FAME’. It’s not the only crew here at the campus; there are several other crews you will get to know them as we go along. In these crews there are boys and girls with different talents. For example, in our crew we have dancers, singers, rappers, and many others that participate in several competitions. For that reason, thus why when the lecturer asked Mbanandi to tell her secret for her massive performance in school things, I objected. The reason of my objection was that if the secret is put on public, the crew that Mbanandi would join will not be distinguished from the rest. Hope you follow me guys,” she paused before Mbanandi jumped in.

“Yes we keenly following you but to my side I don’t think the crew thing is the right way to go. I thought we all come here for school? Isn’t that enough for a student?” she asked.

“Thus why I want you guys to be part of the FAME crew, you are just super intelligent. I believe you can add something to the fame of the FAME. Let’s just cooperate you will see how good it is to belong to a crew especially the FAME,” boasted Campus mother as she trickly take Mbanandi’s questions.

“Excuse guys, can I say something?” begged Suzie.

“Of course, you can go ahead Suzie,” answered Campus mother.

“I suggest we skip to the next point. As for this one, I propose you give us time to think over it before we come back with our response,” said Suzie.

“I second you Suzie, remember we’re having a class tomorrow early morning with Dr. Bazu and it’s getting late,” said Mbanandi in backing her friend up.

There was a moment of silence as the two were waiting for campus mother’s take on the proposed idea while she was busy pouring a cold soft drink into three glasses for all of them.

She sat down and draws her first sip before she demanded cheers to both of them with glasses meeting in the air.

Then she opened her mouth to respond to them.

“Alright, girls I hear you loud and clear. It’s really getting late; imagine we started at around seven and now its few minutes to nine.

 Anyway, my other point for calling you to my room is the issue of my results in school and when the Lecturer asked Mbanandi to tell the class about her secret behind her massive performance, I thought I would be the first beneficially to that secret, thus why I personally asked the lecturer to dismiss Mbanandi from revealing the secret in public. I wanted it because at the end of this third semester am writing my last supplementary before I get weeded if I fail,” pleaded campus mother.

“Mother, hope I commit no offence by calling you mother, after all you said am your new daughter,” said Mbanandi.

“No, no, no, it’s alright you can call me mother, everyone else calls me mother at this campus. I am the mother not only for my crew but also for the whole campus,” said campus mother.

From that moment the two first year girls adopted the title ‘mother’ in calling campus mother.

 

“Anyway it’s not that there is any secret behind my performance, it’s something every student does. It’s all about reading. Reading wide including next topic before the lecturer touches it and by the time he does, it becomes a revision to you. Where does it become a secret then?” wondered Mbanandi. 

“In addition to what Mbanandi has said division of time is paramount. It is noted that most students spend much time on socialising than studying. They merely visit the library but spend much time on partying while pile of school work is waiting for them. They only start concentrating on school things when exams are around the corner of which time is not enough for them to cover all the work in readiness for exams hence poor results,” added Suzie.

“Oooooh girls, in fact let me say my daughters I am convinced with your advice, I will try to implement it. I never read that much, I have always been busy running up and down organising social events since I am entertainment prefect. And I don’t remember when I last visited the library. All I do is partying with my crew,” admitted campus mother. 

From that night, Mbanandi and Suzie became campus mother’s best friends. They never went to library without her. Gradually, she started emulating their life style and she never spent her time with the FAME crew anymore. Members of the crew wondered on what changed their once patriotic leader to become that passive. They called for an emergency meeting to elect a new leader. On her side she also resigned as entertainment prefect to give herself enough space for studying.

When time to write exam was in, campus mother was fully prepared to face the paper. She wrote it excitedly.

The following semester, everyone was eager to know campus mother’s results. On her arrival on the campus, they all got amused to see her coming with her father. His presence was noted during assembly in the multipurpose hall where he asked Mbanandi and Suzie who changed his daughter’s mindset on school to come in front and he promised to take care of all their welfare until they finish school.

Campus mother made it with distinctions something that pleased her father who was a Deputy minister of Education.