Sequel to the crazy turn of events that the nation of Nigeria was engulfed in a couple of weeks ago (where how foolish our decision to run a mono economy was confirmed in a glimpse), there came an announcement via the usual means of the University Bulletin advising students to proceed on a break that would span a whole two weeks on the 25th May, 2015.
Seldom reservations against a number of key decisions notwithstanding, it is kudos-worthy how the University Management responded to the situation of things during that period. Modicums of power supply had given some faint reason for students to remain in school, although biting issues ranged from ease of transport (especially for off-campus contingents) to the more than 100% increase on a majority of commodities. All that and, many of us still managed to make an appearance in classes, all thanks to several nice brands of cologne. But, the authorities were aware of how disastrous the turn of events could be if a pause had not come to academic work and so then came the smart invention of a ‘mid-semester’ break.
Those two weeks were exactly what several of us needed, to be needed. Many jumped high in celebration of the air of freedom that came with that announcement, for a myriad of reasons. There was the set that just needed to ease off the pressure of the workload and, there was this pocket of persons who had looked on to an opportunity to go home and…………refill. So, to a large extent, the occurrence was a welcomed development. This is probably the reason some of us liked it when members of the Non-Academic Staff union of Universities went on a protest last week. Any regular visitor to the University Facebook page knows how much attention any post that appeared to inform of a possible extension to the break, for whatever reason, got. The Students’ Union Public Relations Officer has however since informed that the management is resolving the observed differences with the aggrieved workers. That is the most likely reason for which we have classes even open now and probably have had a few lectures hold.
An old song quizzes, ‘Why do all good things come to an end?’ Whatever creative nomenclature it was given, the holiday has come and gone and, it is high time we got used to that. Hopefully, we made the most of it.
It does not currently appear like the series of events will affect the initially announced time for examinations to come up. So, let us all get our houses in order in readiness for the next couple of weeks which, except the past no longer predicts the future, promises to be sapping, in all kinds of ramification.
Most likely, there would be a multiplicity of lectures going forward-some of which will have no respect for your schedule. The previously scanty Faculty Library will also become overpopulated in a very short while and, let us just hope none of us is yet to commence reading.
