After five days, Mr Bepo eventually reveals that he is leaving Nigeria for the United Kingdom as he can no longer withstand the pressure to relocate. His “foot-dragging over the matter had pushed his marriage to the brink.” He did not want to leave his students but his family was also “keen” on his mind. His two children – Nike and Kike – have also joined forces with his wife to force him to relocate.
He had spent four years as the headmaster at Stardom Kiddies – the nursery/ primary arm of the school and the rest of his time as the principal at the secondary school. It is his years at Stardom Kiddies that earned him the nickname, “The Lekki Headmaster.” The name was actually used first by Mr Audu, who joked about Mr Bepo’s humanistic and empathetic disposition which allowed him to resolve conflicts amicably. He said:
“The way the headmaster masterly resolves these fights reminds me of the way King Oloja, in Village Headmaster, resolved all the roforofos brought by his chiefs and villagers. So, as they had their own Village Headmaster, we also have our own Lekki Headmaster.”
The Lekki Headmaster: pg. 10
Even after Bepo became the principal of the secondary school, this nickname stuck. Many of Mr Bepo’s colleagues found his reaction to his relocation abroad extremely funny as it is surprising to see someone who had the “golden opportunity” to relocate abroad be reluctant to do so.
His wife Seri, is a nurse and is earning up to £10,000 per month and Mr Bepo got a teaching job that pays about £3,600 and other entitlements. All of these would provide him a life that is much better than the one he has in Nigeria where he is paid only about N400,000 per month. Mr Bepo’s colleagues discuss all of these amongst themselves and criticise his reluctance to leave.
Bepo planned to retire from Stardom at 55, which is still four years away. He had plans to become a business owner and to “develop fellow men and his country”. Bepo also thought of establishing his school. He recalled what he had learned in one of his entrepreneurship seminars about the importance of starting small. He also knew that it was better to build a school in a place where the residents could afford the kind of education he would provide. He remembered establishing a neighbourhood school – Fruitful Future – with a friend shortly after his National Youth Service. It turned out unsuccessful because the parents in the area could not afford the school.
He thought about other business ventures like farming, food and sachet (pure) or bottled water businesses. He especially considered the commercial transportation business as he believed that someone with minimal capital could begin it and that it would begin to make money as soon as the vehicle was purchased. However, he was wary about the stories he had heard – about how many commercial drivers are untrustworthy as they come up with different stories so that they can keep the profits for themselves. But, Bepo still kept this option open as he is reminded that if big companies like ABC and God is Good Motors, could operate successfully, there is still an opportunity for him.
However, now, he has to set aside those dreams as he would be relocating to a new environment where he would be earning more and sharing a new life with his wife and children.
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