Few days ago, I heard a student say that,
"If ASUU will not settle their scores with the federal government, it is
their business, to us life goes on.”
Regrettably, that has been the case for many students. While only a few
want the strike called off, others want it sustained. They seem to have found a
new lifestyle, one that affords them the freedom to do what they want to do,
when they want to do it.
One would have
expected that, by now, the hostels would have been vacated and put under lock and key.
But that has not happened, thanks to school management who didn’t put it into consideration. I mean, what would have been the fate of the old and young
women, casually identified as “any-wash”, “any-work”,
“any-anything-you-want-help-with”, and who make a living from rendering local
and menial services to students in the hostels, especially the female hostels.
Where would they have pitched their tents? Where would the next meal ticket
have come from? That would have been a sad tale to tell for folks who have
known only this type of trade for the past decades.
Although the hostel were not vacated by the
students, it still affected a few number of people such as the security
personnel who do not get as much tips as they used to, and the food vendors,
some of whom have been forced to suspend business activities as a result of the
little or no patronage they experience from the few students, since most of the
them have now resorted to doing the cooking themselves, and have even made
“cassava flakes” their favorite lunch choice.
For someone
visiting during daytime, the school may appear quite boring judging from the
number of students seen around, the shuttle buses parked and lined up without
passengers, the classrooms and faculty buildings void of students who normally
loiter around, as well as the virtually empty and inactive shopping complexes.
But for those students who know “as e dey go for Unilag”, there could be no
better time than the on-going indefinite vacation occasioned by the feud
between the FG and ASUU.
Students are
indoors busy with a number of stuff that has no academic orientation. Who has
time for book sef? Even some of the final year students who are supposed to be
working on their projects have abandoned it. Some stay indoors playing games,
others watching movies, sleeping and waking up to continue the movie series.
The common room has become a permanent viewing center for watching movies
ranging from Africa Magic while others go on surfing the internet, downloading
television series, facebooking… and taking advantage of the free Wi-Fi
connection available.
Most times you would even hear these students having some
kind of altercation with one another keeping the common room and hostel noisy
and lively. Many a student would come around the hostel on weekdays to have a
feel of school and they sure did. Power for sure has always been very good.
If you take a
stroll through New hall complex¸ one of the busiest places in the University of
Lagos, at night, you’d understand why some of these students want these strike
sustained. Despite the ongoing strike, this complex still maintains its rave. From
the turnout of the big and flashy cars waiting to get some hot and sassy girls
to the crowded joints- suya, chicken and chips joints, although the number may
have receded. Many have cultivated the habit of going to nightclubs regularly.
At Access bank
frontage, pairing has not stopped, it has only become more romantic as there are
not many eyes around to behold Romeo and Juliet in the niche they carve out for
themselves.
This period,
only very few students meet at the chapel; Mosque too is fine in case you want
to know, just a few days ago there was a program attended by many schools from
other parts of the country especially the northern states.
While many
student have been thrown into a state of languor, others still gear-up to
“jack” but this too “na low-key things jare”.
If you aren’t in
school this period you may never have such opportunity again…
Articles written by Kalu Ben (Freelance writer)
#kaluben
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