OMOGE KAMPUS SERIES EPISODE ONE

Omoge Kampus – Chapter One

The lantern’s light flickered weakly, casting long, wavering shadows across the veranda as Asa sat beside her father, Akande. The evening air was still, punctuated only by the distant calls of night birds and the soft rustle of leaves.

…chirp-chip…. chirp-chip …. chirp-chip 

“Asa,” Akande began, his voice steady but firm, “yoruba elders will say, ‘O le mu malu lo si odo, sugbon o ko le fi ipa fun un l’omi mu.’ I have done my part by paying your school fees. The rest is yours. Study well, and make the family proud.”

“Yes, Bààmì,” Asa replied, bowing her head respectfully.

 “I will study hard and come out with good grades, lagbara edua.”

“Ase” His father said as if sealing her heart desire with heaven’s stamp.

Asa was born in 1960 into the Arogundade family—a household neither extravagant nor destitute, but comfortable enough to cater to their nine children.

Her father, a respected chief and a medical doctor, carried himself with quiet dignity, while her mother ran a modest bead-selling business in the market. Luxury in their home was never loud, but it was not absent; it existed in small, measured ways—a neatly polished floor, a well-cooked dinner, the occasional new cloth.

Asa herself was the second-to-last child, a girl of modest intellect and gentle spirit. Her grades had never been extraordinary, but they were enough to earn her place in the university—a place she had dreamed of since she was a child scribbling letters on the dusty floor of her primary school.

The morning sun spilled over the dusty compound as Asa packed her cloths carefully, folding each piece with precision into the worn canvas bag her mother had stitched for her. The fabric of her skirts and blouses smelled faintly of soap and the lingering scent of her mother’s oil lamps. Today was different; today, she was no longer a child stepping into the world of grade school. Today, she would walk onto a campus for the very first time.

Her father drove her to school in the family car, its engine a low purr beneath the calm chatter of morning birds. He parked outside the administrative building, handed her a small envelope containing advice, small coins, and a firm warning. “Remember, Asa,” he said, his eyes meeting hers with solemn pride, “your mother and I have done our part. Now, the path is yours to walk. Keep your head high, but your heart humble.”

She nodded, feeling a mixture of excitement and nervousness tightening her chest. With a soft prayer whispered under her breath, Asa stepped down from the car and made her way to the hostel that would be her home for the coming years: Moremi Girls’ Hostel.

The red bricks of the hostel glowed warmly in the morning sun. Around her, laughter and voices of other girls echoed—a symphony of anticipation and new beginnings. Asa’s heart beat faster. This was her moment. The threshold of a world she had long imagined, now finally within reach.

She drew a deep breath, squared her shoulders, and walked in.

*****

Asa stepped into the bustling corridor of Moremi Girls’ Hostel, clutching her bag tightly. The air was thick with the scent of soap, perfume, and a faint trace of smoke—remnants of students’ late-night adventures. Her heart fluttered nervously as she tried to make sense of the new world she had entered.

A girl with a confident sway in her step approached her. Her name, she soon learned, was Odelola. “You new?” Odelola asked, one eyebrow arched.

“Yes… Asa,” she replied softly, unsure how to carry herself

“What’s your room number” Odelola asked, Asa handle a paper to her, she looked into it, her face drop.  

“Follow me, I’ll show you your room.” She led Asa down the hallway, passing other girls laughing, tossing their hair, and calling names that seemed foreign. Asa tried to keep her composure, her heart beating faster with each step.

They arrived at room number 17. The door was ajar, and a strange, carefree energy spilled into the corridor. Odelola nudged it open.

Inside, three girls lounged across the room, half-dressed, their afro hair wild and unrestrained as though it had defied a night of revelry. The air was heavy with perfume and laughter. Their conversation, laced with bold words, spoke of chiefs, romantic escapades, and intimate secrets. Asa froze at the doorway, her body rigid, unsure whether she should retreat or intrude.

For several moments, they remained invisible to them—like a shadow at the periphery of their world. Asa shifted nervously, cleared her throat lightly, and offered her most polite, warm greeting.

“Good morning,” she said, voice trembling slightly.

The girls paused mid-laugh, glancing at her with a mixture of surprise and mild amusement. Then, one of them—a tall girl with sharp eyes—smirked. “Ah! So this is the new girl we’ve been expecting?”

Asa’s cheeks flushed, but she managed a shy nod. “Yes… I’m Asa. I just arrived.”

The girl stretched languidly, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “Well, Asa, welcome to Moremi. You’ll see, life here is… interesting.” There was a mischievous glint in her eye. “Don’t be shy. We like to speak our minds.” They bursted into a mysterical laugher.

Asa swallowed hard, trying to adjust to the strange, bold energy radiating from the three girls. She felt tiny and careful in their world—polite, timid, and so unlike them—but a small spark of curiosity flickered inside her. Perhaps this is what it means to step into a new life.

After a few moments of awkward silence and the trio’s laughter fading back into their conversation, Odelola finally turned to Asa.

“My room is in number 28,” she said, her tone casual but firm. “Check on me later this evening. Don’t worry, you’ll find your way.”

With that, she gave Asa a quick nod and left, leaving Asa alone in the room, her heart still fluttering from the strange, bold energy of the other girls.

Asa stood there quietly for a moment, taking in the space—her new room, modest and simple, yet entirely not her own. The corridor outside was now quiet, and she felt a mix of relief and nervous anticipation.

Read Chapter Two here

Written by Abisola Olowoyo (Ini Crown)