There have been complaints from the JSS2 students about their hostel, Saint Catherine’s hostel. For months there have been stories of a spiritual attack. At exactly midnight a violent wind would open the windows of the hostel, the bunks would begin to shake, and the bolted doors would become ajar, they would see a woman wearing a paper scarf with high heels―they called her ‘Madam Takpankpan’ meaning madam paper scarf. The principal alarmed by this occurrence moved the JSS2 students from that hostel and directed all prefects in the school to move into the hostel so that we could report what we saw.
When we moved into the hostel, we decided to divide ourselves according to our religious beliefs― Muslims said their prayers, Christians were divided into two, Catholics and Protestants―I was a catholic but I joined the protestants because they had bottles of anointing oil and Bibles, while the Catholics had Chaplets and candles. We got into the hostel around 9:00 pm, we prayed till 11:55 pm ―most of us got tired and wanted to sleep when the head girl, Alexandria said we should wait till midnight to see whether the woman would come.
” The woman might come anytime soon, this is not the time to sleep, ” she said.
” See, body no be firewood, with this type of prayer she no fit near here today, ” I said.
An argument started from nowhere, we started arguing whether to sleep or not, at midnight a strong breeze started blowing, it put off the candles lit by the Catholics, the windows and the doors were wide open.
” Run for your life!”
I didn’t know who said it but I didn’t care, we all scampered out of the hostel, leaving the bottles of anointing oil, bibles, and candles behind. We ran in different directions, all the other hostels were locked.
” Gum! Gum! Gum! Please open the door we are in trouble ooo.”
It was Abigail the Labour prefect, she was knocking on the door of Saint Elizabeth’s hostel.
” No! Stay outside with your trouble. If we open the door now she will come inside, ” the matron said.
Nobody opened any hostel for us. We all converged in front of the Saint Catherine’s hostel and started praying again. A girl amongst us, Toyosi, started threatening us.
” If you don’t praying, I will kill all of you.”
People continued praying, but I stopped though.
” Shut up! You are still praying, right? Where is that knife? let me kill somebody.”
The word ‘knife’ brought silence. She started running towards the school field, two ‘ prayerful’ prefects ran after her and brought her back. The communication prefect was there with the school phone, we tried our parents’ lines but most rang without an answer, until Bisi, the Sanitary prefect’s father picked up.
” Hello! Daddy. There is a witch here that wants to harm us please help us, “she said.
” Don’t worry your mother and I are here praying for you, no evil would come your way.”
” Sir! Sir! We here oo, we are many, ” we said.
We all clung to Bisi, holding her tightly.
” Don’t worry I am praying for all of you.”
The school phone went off due to low battery
” She is here oo, Blood of Jesus, Run!”
We all scurried to a safe place. Alexandria and I ran to the school farm, it rained heavily that night―we couldn’t sleep till morning. The next morning, the front of the hostel was littered with her footprints, there were signs of her triangular heels, the hostel was closed down. Since that day, I haven’t slept alone on my six-spring bed since I sleep with two persons to be safe.
Victor writes 