I Choose The Great Ife Spirit - You Should, Too.
Adejumo David
It started with winter, some two weeks back now. The ID checks at the school gate and the horror of having to return to town to pick it up if forgotten. The law enforcement agents in black-black all around campus. The fear, the panic and the anxiety that made some light hearted folks flee to their father's houses a day before the D-Day; And, ironically, the management's dogged submission that the situation was under control; despite the fact that some lecturers were cancelling classes and tests.
It wasn't long after, we witnessed the tragic departure of one of our own. Wendy. Oh my, she was beautiful.
Interestingly, the year One students of the university studying science related courses had a shocker awaiting them as they took their first test some weeks back.
Reactions to the aftermath of Chemistry (CHM 101) turned out a little melodramatic and worthy of note. The newbies were welcomed in grand style into the prestigious "Oba Awon university." The general call was that the time allocated to the students wasn't enough to cover all of the questions given; But you know, like I know, that that doesn't stop some folks from plucking the whole 40 Marks from the tree of the CHM101test: "Iba f'awon Michael Jackson ati Jackie Appiah Ogba!!"
Next, we had (and still have in some areas) the general power cut that turned almost everybody into fairly used electronic appliances retailers with extensions, phone and laptop chargers, lamps et al always on the go in Bag packs and side pockets.
Poor power supply led to scarcity in water supply in town and in the Halls of residence, leaving students no option but trekking miles upon miles to get water for the necessities of life.
Scarcity in the water supply led to a lot of things. Students skipping multiple bathing sessions was only one of the many. The things that were caused could be summed up in a word: Anger! Believe it or not, obviously or not, for as long as these terrible days lasted, we were all angry at some point or the other.
Well, I hope now that things are gradually returning to a state of normalcy, guys will chill out and feel cool. But I doubt if that will be the case really. The blue in the face eyes all around campus and the always-on-the-go expressions people reflexively portray isn't fading anytime soon.
And why is that? I guess the answer is pretty straightforward: All these frustrating stuff aren't meant to make us happy, are they?
We fail to realize, however, that there is virtually little or nothing we, as students, can do about any of these; for now at least. The embargo placed on Students' Union activities being a chief reason.
So what then do we do? Allow depression and sadness chill out with us in our hostels, houses and reading rooms? Be weighed down and lost in this atmosphere of nothingness and frustration where everything seems difficult? No! We won't do that. That is not the great Ife spirit.
Here's my charge, fellas: We will survive. We will thrive. We will scale throughout unhurt emotionally and psychologically. We choose to think of all these and smile. We choose not to loose our vibe and our drive because of the hardship of the time. Come to think of it, If things like this don't happen now, what fun stories have you to tell to your children about you being an hustler once and that things weren't always easy (That, of course, will be when you're made already).
As for me, I choose not to lose hope, or my vibe, or my energy. I choose to wear a happy face and to smile a smile of comfort and peace and to make someone happy too. I choose to see these things as an avenue for me to grow and build my muscles of resistance against unpalatable stuff life will throw at me as I look to achieve my dreams and my life purposes. I choose the Great Ife Spirit!
Akin David is a Student Journalist with OAU KILONSHELE News Agency from the College Of Health Sciences. He really appreciates feedback and comments from readers on his works. He can be reached on:
08168109443 (WhatsApp)
It started with winter, some two weeks back now. The ID checks at the school gate and the horror of having to return to town to pick it up if forgotten. The law enforcement agents in black-black all around campus. The fear, the panic and the anxiety that made some light hearted folks flee to their father's houses a day before the D-Day; And, ironically, the management's dogged submission that the situation was under control; despite the fact that some lecturers were cancelling classes and tests.
It wasn't long after, we witnessed the tragic departure of one of our own. Wendy. Oh my, she was beautiful.
Interestingly, the year One students of the university studying science related courses had a shocker awaiting them as they took their first test some weeks back.
Reactions to the aftermath of Chemistry (CHM 101) turned out a little melodramatic and worthy of note. The newbies were welcomed in grand style into the prestigious "Oba Awon university." The general call was that the time allocated to the students wasn't enough to cover all of the questions given; But you know, like I know, that that doesn't stop some folks from plucking the whole 40 Marks from the tree of the CHM101test: "Iba f'awon Michael Jackson ati Jackie Appiah Ogba!!"
Next, we had (and still have in some areas) the general power cut that turned almost everybody into fairly used electronic appliances retailers with extensions, phone and laptop chargers, lamps et al always on the go in Bag packs and side pockets.
Poor power supply led to scarcity in water supply in town and in the Halls of residence, leaving students no option but trekking miles upon miles to get water for the necessities of life.
Scarcity in the water supply led to a lot of things. Students skipping multiple bathing sessions was only one of the many. The things that were caused could be summed up in a word: Anger! Believe it or not, obviously or not, for as long as these terrible days lasted, we were all angry at some point or the other.
Well, I hope now that things are gradually returning to a state of normalcy, guys will chill out and feel cool. But I doubt if that will be the case really. The blue in the face eyes all around campus and the always-on-the-go expressions people reflexively portray isn't fading anytime soon.
And why is that? I guess the answer is pretty straightforward: All these frustrating stuff aren't meant to make us happy, are they?
We fail to realize, however, that there is virtually little or nothing we, as students, can do about any of these; for now at least. The embargo placed on Students' Union activities being a chief reason.
So what then do we do? Allow depression and sadness chill out with us in our hostels, houses and reading rooms? Be weighed down and lost in this atmosphere of nothingness and frustration where everything seems difficult? No! We won't do that. That is not the great Ife spirit.
Here's my charge, fellas: We will survive. We will thrive. We will scale throughout unhurt emotionally and psychologically. We choose to think of all these and smile. We choose not to loose our vibe and our drive because of the hardship of the time. Come to think of it, If things like this don't happen now, what fun stories have you to tell to your children about you being an hustler once and that things weren't always easy (That, of course, will be when you're made already).
As for me, I choose not to lose hope, or my vibe, or my energy. I choose to wear a happy face and to smile a smile of comfort and peace and to make someone happy too. I choose to see these things as an avenue for me to grow and build my muscles of resistance against unpalatable stuff life will throw at me as I look to achieve my dreams and my life purposes. I choose the Great Ife Spirit!
Akin David is a Student Journalist with OAU KILONSHELE News Agency from the College Of Health Sciences. He really appreciates feedback and comments from readers on his works. He can be reached on:
08168109443 (WhatsApp)
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