Five days after his emotional breakdown at the assembly, Mr. Adewale Bepo finally opens up about what is troubling him. He reveals that he is leaving Nigeria to join his family in the United Kingdom. He explains that his constant delay in making the decision has already put his marriage at risk. His wife, Seri, and their two daughters, Nike and Kike, have all been pressuring him to relocate, and now he feels he has no choice but to give in.

We also learn more about how Mr. Bepo earned the nickname “The Lekki Headmaster.” He first got the name when he was in charge of Stardom Kiddies, the nursery and primary arm of the school. A colleague, Mr. Audu, compared the way he resolved conflicts among children to how King Oloja in the old TV drama Village Headmaster settled disputes in his village. The name stuck with him, even after he became the principal of Stardom Secondary School.

Many of his colleagues find it strange and amusing that Mr. Bepo is reluctant to relocate abroad. To them, moving overseas is a “golden opportunity,” especially since his wife Seri is already earning about £10,000 monthly as a nurse, and he himself has secured a teaching job that pays £3,600 plus benefits. Compared to his Nigerian salary of about ₦400,000, life in the UK looks far more rewarding.

But for Bepo, leaving Nigeria means abandoning his long-term dreams. He had planned to retire from Stardom Schools at age 55, just four years away, and then start a business to help develop his community. He once tried starting a school called Fruitful Future with a friend, but it failed because the parents in the area could not afford the fees. Still, he believed he could succeed if he found the right location and started small.

Apart from education, Bepo also thought about other business ventures such as farming, bottled water production, and commercial transportation. He especially liked the idea of transportation because it could start making money immediately, but he also worried about dishonest drivers who might cheat their employers.

Despite his plans, Mr. Bepo now faces reality: he must put aside these dreams and focus on starting a new life with his wife and children in the UK, where he will be better paid but far from the mission he loves most, teaching and building others in Nigeria.