Mr Bepo is set to leave on a flight by 10:00 pm on a Saturday and boarding rites are set to begin around 5:00 pm. He chooses to leave around 3:00 pm. As he is about to call an Uber, his landlord, Mr Ogunwale, and his family come to bid their farewells. The landlord offers to drive him to the airport.
Mr Ogunwale offers a brief prayer for the traveller and then proceeds to drive his Honda Pilot out of the garage. Mr Bepo packed two big bags and a smaller one. His wife had advised him to travel light but not to forget essential items like iru (locust beans) and egusi with ground crayfish and dry snail. He found all of these at the famous Oyingbo market.
Bepo had sold his car for N1.5 million to the Stardom School’s accountant and had gifted his electronics to the landlady. As they drive to the Murtala Muhammed Airport, they meet the Vice Principal, Mrs Grace Apeh, the accountant, Mr Oyelana and Mr Audu along the road. They had planned to accompany him to the airport.
At the airport, the Stardom staff follow him to the check-in point where they go through the security points and get his bags checked. The staff has to bid farewell as they depart to beat the Lagos traffic. As he settles down waiting for the boarding call, he falls asleep and dreams that he is at the Heritage Museum in Badagry where he is counting the slaves who are beaten and then forced to enter the ship at the Point of No Return. He counts the slaves, all 7 million of them and at the end, a white man tells him to enter the ship. He yells: “Noooo!” This is when an airline official gently tapped on his shoulder. It is time for him to get on board the plane.
The Monday after Mr Bepo’s departure, the students and the MD feel the impact of his absence. However the MD assures the students that they would get another principal. But just before the MD could say more, the students draw her attention to Bepo who has returned. The students immediately sweep him off his feet as he tells them that he is back and that he is not leaving as he is going to complete his mission. His voice is barely heard as the students chant the school’s victory song.
