MY 11/11 EXPERIENCE
It's the 11th day of November, 2026, and the streets are calm. The streets that have a secondary school on them are also calm.
This first paragraph can only be understood by people who went to a government owned secondary school and more relatable to those who boarded in government secondary schools. 11/11, as was fondly called, was always a chaotic day. Senior students usually looked forward to and would never miss school on that day. Meanwhile, junior students who were boarders would be devising ways to escape unruly and unexplainable punishment that came as a result of nothing. Some day students stayed back at home while others came because their parents wouldn't grant their wish of staying at home.
I still want to know how that day was declared a day of wickedness and war amongst students of different classes in the same school and even rough students from different schools fighting over meaningless things and even for no reason.
While I was in JSS 3, my classmates had boys they were crushing on, while others were already in relationships. Healthy relationships in JSS 3?! 😆 Those who dated students from SSS2 and SSS3 were somewhat free, while those who dated their fellow JSS 3 students watched their crushes and boyfriends beaten, forced to go under the lockers, asked to draw a car and drive it in reality. Those who were boarders were forcefully made to give up their meals for the wicked seniors, wash and iron their uniforms using box iron, Some were even robbed of their provisions.
Once the time was 2 p.m., the day students would rush home as fast as they could before the inter-school class would begin. Those in boarding houses were silently praying for the punishment to be minimal or easy to handle.
I am still wondering how we came about this day. I am glad that times have changed and the chaos is reducing gradually because I've been a victim before. Let me share my experience.
When I was in SSS1, I had an English language teacher who was our family friend, and I used to report any senior students who dared to beat me and she'd discipline them. When I got to SS2, Mma Ekarika was transferred to another school and the 11/11 of that particular session wasn't funny because two of those senior girls came for me 😂
