ESTELLE SHUGA'S DIARIES

THE TRUTH ABOUT UNILAG ( THE JOURNEY SO FAR )

EPISODE 2

DAY 2

I did not wake up by 5am; not after what happened yesterday. In fact I did not have the intention of stepping out of my hostel. But my roommates managed to persuade me. I went to my faculty (Business Administration) for FBA 110 (Faculty Maths). Yes, we do Maths. Faculty of Business Administration is not beans o! That reminds me, I have to ask this question: Why do we have so many students in school? Anywhere one goes on the campus; there are always students in large numbers. Kilode gaan? Well I do not believe that all of them are students of Unilag sha.

Anyway, I made my way to rooms 1& 2 in my faculty for Fba 110. Lo and behold, what a great multitude of students I saw. It was the perfect scenario of the ‘feeding of the 5000’. I had to turn back instantly because I was overwhelmed by such a population of students. I couldn’t even climb the stairs leading to the venue talk less of getting a seat in the classroom. I just waited outside patiently; perhaps hoping for a miracle to get in and just silently praying for the lecturer to show up for that class.

After what seemed like an eternity, I saw my course adviser walking like a super hero. Trust Unilag students, they didn’t even know where he was going. They just followed him like that. It was like a stampede. Just picture the scenario in the Lion King where uncle Scar tried to get Simba killed by frightening the buffalos. I just stepped back calmly. I mean I only have one life to live.

One of my sources informed me that my department (Actuarial Science) was asked to wait in the classroom as we would be having a meeting with my Course Adviser. A new time table was finally drafted. Departments were split because of the population of the students. My Course Adviser requested to see the Course Rep. That was how one boy just stood up. The next thing that followed was like World War II. People started talking randomly; mostly inquiring who he was and who put him in that position.

He was allowed to speak after some time and he said he nominated himself because he saw that our department was not properly represented. My God, what a speech! (Abeg, who ask am?). I never knew that Actuarial Science students could give speeches too o. Just hold on, more speeches are still coming. Trust my course mates, they did not agree with ‘Barack Obama’.

We all reached a consensus ad idem. Nominations were made for the posts of ‘Course Rep’ and ‘Assistant Course Rep’ respectively. Now this is where your popularity and influence comes in (besides God). If you are in Unilag and you do not have the aforementioned traits, you are going no where. Okay, let me re phrase that. Now let’s leave God out of this matter. If you do not get along well with your course mates or other people in your department or people do not like your character or personality, they will not associate themselves with you. So in other words, be of good conduct always because people are watching you. Although we have a lot of haters who never mean well for us, always remember to just do your thing.

As I was saying earlier, nominations were made. I can’t remember the exact number of people that were nominated, but I think they were more than four. Then we had the manifesto segment. Yes, manifesto segment. On top of ordinary Course Rep and Assistant Course Rep position o! I was just in my zone observing all these things. Come and hear different speeches. I am very sure that most politicians can not even deliver manifestos like my course mates. I hail you guys’ o! I almost died with laughter. Simple question: Why do you think you should be the Course Rep?

And that was how we were listening to the stories of our lives. Mind you in Unilag, if people want you, they want you irrespective of any speech. You may be really good, but if you do not have supporters O.Y.O (on your own) is your name. We finally cast our votes and the Course Rep turned out to be the same Barack Obama that was criticized earlier on. This is a moral lesson for us all. People change as quick as a chameleon; even faster.  The Assistant Course Rep turned out to be a female. Alleluia! Females are finally getting the recognition we deserve in this nation.

After that exercise, we were done for the day. Or should I say I was done for the day because some people were still trying to start conversations that did not want to be started. Different sheets were flying about requesting for our details. People were exchanging pleasantries as well as numbers and pins all over the place. I heard some girls were exchanging hostel details too. Abeg, na hear I hear am o before some people will visit me today.

And that was how the Class of ’18, Actuarial Science department started. A lot of things have happened but I still love my course mates. We are one happy family. We may fight and ‘beef’ each other, but deep down we all want the progress of one another.