It is almost impossible to ignore the excitement oozing from every side of the freshers, feeling the relief of finally getting to resume to the greatest of the greatest university of Ibadan. Meanwhile, there is the unflinching tiredness from the sides of the satellites even though school is yet to be in full motion. And with this, it is still difficult to not acknowledge the anxiousness of what the new level holds for them. And then, we have the finalists who even though are excited to finally be in their last session are already thinking of just how much their mental health are going to be tested. Occupied by the constant pondering upon all the things they have to do. Including projects and assignments not counting out the group works and presentations that may later fall in line as time goes on. the worry of how they would have to balance up their grades in the best way possible and meet all the deadlines. of course, the only ones bothered by such thoughts would be the serious ones. While on the other hand we would no doubt have the group of final year students who just want to flex. It’s the final year, Afterall!
And then, the feeling of being back like we never left is in the air. Not so much different from how we left things. The air is the same, the lecturers remain the same with their stoic expressions not counting the few who realize life is not supposed to be take with all seriousness every single moment of their life and decide take time to smile with the students and entertain their thoughts and questions. nothing much, its basically UI being UI.
And just when the undeniable stress of lectures, assignments and presentations are about to begin, the strike strikes! So much love in the week of love from the academic staff union of universities (ASUU). They never fail to show the Nigerian students just how much love they have for them. And there’s the laughable irony of how they are fighting for the benefits of everyone, including the students while intentionally not choosing to discuss just how many years an average Nigerian uses in the university system and comparing that to the years, he/she was supposed to use. Also failing to discuss the setbacks and the most rapid decline of mental health among the Nigerian students. The anxiety and the worry about what the future would be and if they would be lucky enough to be just right in terms of their ages for the labor market. And so, were back like we never left. To the system that refuses to work at the expense of the students. And yes, we are back like we never left to the constant worry, anxiety and anger that is felt to the country and its ways of doing things. And yes! We are back like we never left to the hope and the longings of our hearts, the fervent prayers of our lips to find favor in the lecturers hands, to find favour in the hands of this nonchalant system, to find favour in the arms of love, to find favour in the arms of God… back like we never left.
The earnest desires of the hearts of many to be finally free from these shackles, The wonder of “when would this end?”, “When would this stop?” and “Just how much effort is being made to ensure that this doesn’t continue?” “When would we finally get to feel genuine love from the government and the many who hold seats of power ?” Why do we still have to come back to the same place over and over again when all we want to do is come back to something new and to come back to things actually working. Every time a strike ends, there is the silent hope and prayer that it would be the last time. That it would be the final time it happens but few months away from the end of one, we are back like we never left. Until when would this continue? There is the heart cry for change, the heart cry to not come back to this same spot like we never left!
AASA PRESS UI 