It is no news that the University of Ibadan decided that her students should remain at home for the first semester of the 2020/2021 session. Since the school would be operating virtually, it is expected students should stay at home. You and I know that even with the decision made by the authorities of the university, it is not possible for all students to comply with the “stay at home policy”.
For instance, I being a final year student of the university, cannot just stay at home solely for the whole semester, considering the fact that I have to work on my project with my supervisor. Since the system has not really been so workable to ensure the flow for final year students to do project completely virtually.
This reason alone made me look for other options apart from staying at home to learn so that I can be around the school environs to ease my project work. I am not the only one who made this decision, a thousand students or more probably made this same decision like I did. The other options to be considered include staying with a family member or loved ones living in Ibadan, staying in private hostels, staying in staff boys quarters etc.
On Saturday, the 20th of March, 2021, armed robbers invaded Agbowo area. This is an area that is mostly populated mostly with students right now because of the decision to learn virtually, even most church fellowships had to move outside too, to move with the wave of change. The armed robbers were said to have invaded the area around 2am and carted away with many valuable goods. In the process of the robbery, one man was allegedly killed and many were injured. All the efforts by the police to stop the robbery proved abortive as the siren blown could not stop the community from the attack. This news was culled from oyomind.com.ng, a news, entertainment, music and fashion website.
After the incident on Saturday, a press release from the University students union was released that same day, the content of the press release was an advice to students to keep safe. After I got the brief for our publication for AASA (Archaeology and Anthropology Students Association) press that same Saturday afternoon, I was prompted to write on the current happenings, since our theme for this week is humanity, and safety is necessary for humanity to thrive. Therefore, I thought about writing to know your opinion on safety presently for the average Unibadan student.
Do you think that the University was right after all by saying we stay at home to receive lectures?. Wait! Before you begin to ponder on this remember that a home has several meanings, but the meaning I am particularly interested as regards this article is that it is defined simply as a safe abode. Do you really think that the school considered this meaning before advising us to learn from home?. The university asking us to stay at home already preconceived that staying at home is the next best option if you are not staying on campus, since your parents or guardians would be the ones accountable for you.
Therefore, you being robbed at Agbowo would not be any fault from the University, because the instruction was to stay at home and receive lectures. So do you still think that the school was right after all by picking the home rather than “Agbowo”.
I agree with the school authorities on their decision, because I have lived at Agbowo before and it really is not safe actually. The fear of not being safe was the main reason for me to leave Agbowo and live inside the school instead. This means that the school believed that at your home there are measures put in place to keep you and your family safe. So I will conclude by asking you this question. Did you actually make the best choice after all?.
Note
“Agbowo” is used instead of the word “off-campus”, which is the environs outside the university campus.
News article credit: Oyomind.com.ng
AASA PRESS UI 