19/02/2026
When I entered the university, I noticed one strange thing in the girls’ hostel.
Every girl had a shaving stick.
Not one. Not two. EVERYBODY.
Now, the only human being I knew in my life that used shaving stick was my father.
And as far as I was concerned, men use it to shave their bie bie ( beards).
So I was confused.
I told myself, “Bukky, face your book. This is not your ministry.”
I decided to gboju nbe ( look away) After all, e no concern me.
Few months later, I was dressing one evening when one of my useless roommates — that girl that came to university to study other people’s life — saw me.
She screamed like she saw a ghost.
“BUKKYYY!! You wan plait this evil forest??” she shouted, pointing directly at my Angelina.
I almost fainted.
Before I could recover, she added:
“So you no dey shave?? Abi your guy like make something dey hold him like Velcro??”
I wanted the ground to open and swallow me.
But that was the day I knew.
So THIS is what the shaving stick is for.
The next morning, I bought my own shaving stick.
I locked the bathroom door.
I looked at myself in the mirror.
I said, “Angelina, today is your freedom day.”
My hand was shaking like say I wan defuse bomb.
But I did it.
I shaved.
I finished.
I came out.
I was proud.
I was free.
I was reborn.
Five minutes later…
The itching started,
Not small itching,
Not normal itching,
WUCKED itching.
I froze.
“Ayilalaa ooo!!”
I looked at the shaving stick.
“Abi Aboki don use this thing before??”
Another thought entered my head.
“Hope say no be stafilokokos??😳😳
Hope say I never contact incurable disease because of peer pressure??”
I stood up.
Sat down.
Stood up again.
Angelina was on fire.
As I was going for lecture, I was scratching on the road like person wey dey pursue invisible goat.
I would scratch small.
Walk small.
Scratch small.
Walk small.
If you see me that day, you go think say I dey rehearse cultural dance.
In the lecture hall, the thing became worse.
I couldn’t concentrate
The lecturer was saying:
“Photosynthesis is the process whereby—”
Me, I was whispering:
“Jesus is Lord… Jesus is Lord…”
I crossed my legs.
People thought I was forming posh.
Na lie.
I was using one leg to press Angelina so she can behave.
Thank God our desk was covered.
I quietly inserted my hand under.
And began emergency operation.
Scratch.
Pause.
Look up.
Pretend to write note.
Scratch again.
Tears were in my eyes.
At one point, I saw my life flash before me.
When I got back to the hostel, I confronted my roommate.
“Why my Angelina dey scratch me like that now? How una take dey cope??”
She looked at me and shouted:
“HA!!! You barb upward???”
I said, “Yes na, e get formula?.”
She held her head.
“Jesus Christ, Bukky! You barb against the direction of hair growth! Na why!”
That was the day I learnt that even hair has traffic rules.😭😭😭😭
