Growing up as teenagers, the joy of being associated with one’s dream in the professional circles arouses a sense of pride. The initiative of wearing a suit on the first Monday of every month in T.I Ahmadiyya Senior High School fitted and filled the void of hopefulness in many students alike. No wonder the school has an enviable accolade “the only real school in the world.”
On the eve of a suit wearing day, preparations are usually made awaiting the special day and many are often not perturbed of skipping supper as they are engrossed in activities that will add up to making them look smart the following day. The school cobbler, watch seller and tailor attract customers on this day than any other day. This obviously means that students make sure their shoes are properly mended and brightly polished. Furthermore, one needs to look smart with his or her glowing watch on the wrist, and alterations are certainly needed to make suits perfectly fit. Because the thoughts of many even at evening “preps” (night studies) are tuned towards how special the following day will be, it is safe to say that the all awaited day started on the eve itself.
Eventually, it is dawn and preparations become even more intense than imagined. The all awaited day has arrived and it is one where lateness becomes non-existent in the genes of students. The noise made by metal buckets in the cold quiet dawn draws one’s attention to how busily students are preparing for a bath. It is a day on which colleagues who would usually bath when the morning has already broken will be spotted as early as 3:00 am. Just as how photographers have their peak days on special occasions, expert tie knotters among the students body are in high demand.
The minutes taken to iron uniforms on this day go further high as students carefully and cautiously iron their attair so well that its tip looks as sharp as a razor. Students who have never been bothered with the state of their white shirts and brown shorts unsurprisingly start to become concerned about the wrinkled nature of their blue black suits.
In such a situation, they make sure no wrinkle is left un-ironed. With just one or two working irons, all students in a room will have to manage. With this, it becomes likely that confusion is sometimes bound to happen as to who irons before the other.
It is morn and students march en route to the assembly grounds. Male students walk with pride donning their AMASS customized suits. The congruence of smart-looking males and beautifully dressed females intersect at the “Alombo Junction”, where they troop together towards the grounds for assembly. Students calmly await the arrival of the headmaster but undertake some sort of involuntary activities like saying the opening prayer, reciting the school anthem, as well as singing the national pledge. On days as such, students who are bold and have the charisma walk up the podium to deliver some soothing poetic words. The “Naree-takbir” [slogan of greatness] shout and the “Allahu Akbar” [Allah is Great] response meant that the headmaster was moving towards the ground with his entourage. The grounds become very quiet and the headmaster with his infectious smile admits how handsome and beautiful his students look. Alhaj A. B. Abubakar’s speech would not be complete if he does not end with his iconic trademark phrase “…. and take your studies seeeeeeriously”.
After the crowd has been dispersed, people who have for one reason or the other not dressed in a suit end up feeling negatively distinct from the rest as they could be easily fished out in the midst of the masses like how a black sheep is easily spotted among a tribe of white sheep. Another situation that avails itself is when it is time for breakfast. Having tightly put on a tie with a coat in a scorchy afternoon, it becomes a problem when one has to cope with the heat in the dinning hall. It is quite fascinating to see students constantly checking out their shoes and dresses in making sure no dust or dirt spoils the party. These acts pass through the afternoons till class sessions come to an end.
Although it is a day filled with energy drilling activities, it is relished by if not all most of the students as unique. Forecasting into the future, the concept of dressing in an official manner is likely to continue in the working circles. Therefore, the mere act of imbibing the suit-wearing culture in students could help a long way in psyching up their (students) minds in making them ambitious to have a gist of how their professional careers will feel like. From the saying “Big things have small beginnings,” we can deduce that the routine of having students dress on first Mondays of each month could go a long way in sparing them on in attaining their highly desired goals and ambitions.
Long live T.I AMASS, Long Live all those associated with it.
Peace 🕊️
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