By: Adedokun Seyi O. and Ogeroju Rabiat Opeyemi
She is the acclaimed “largest hall in Sub-Saharan West Africa.” But it appears, today, that her problems may not be any smaller too. They say her new motto is “strength and virtue”, but that strength has availed her residents not in breaking free from the menace which currently torments them. They changed the former motto hoping that things will be better, they obviously forgot William Shakespeare and his words that “What is it in a name/that which we call a rose /that by any other name/ will surely smell as sweet”. However, in the case of Awoites, their new motto has not taken their “struggle” for survival away from them. They still lack, they still face challenges and their new motto has no doubt neglected their plight.
BACKGROUND
Obafemi Awolowo Hall was commissioned in the year 1986, with an average capacity of about 1500 female students, both undergraduate and postgraduate. The hall is being constituted with 9 blocks designated A-I.
On the 30th day of September, 2016, the sewage tank situated in the front of Block A (a postgraduate section) collapsed as a result of the torrential rainfall, although the pipe had been broken before this. Subsequently, the residents of this block, and the adjacent blocks had been subjected to detestable sights of faeces, urine and bathwater in addition to the stench that comes from the collapsed sewage tank.
It is pertinent to note that this failed sewage tank is situated beside one of the network of taps situated in the hall, where residents fetch water, used for diverse purposes, including cooking. Students are also attracted to do their laundry at this location because of the proximity of the taps, which increases the chances of their contact with the pollution of the failed sewage tank. The location has also become a perfect breeding site for various insects and the malaria-bearing mosquitoes, amongst other perils like a possible cholera outbreak.
The hall executive body had ensured that the situation is brought to the notice of the hall management, and of the school authorities, but nothing had been done because the school was said to be low on funds, and the hall had little or no IGR.
The broken sewage pipe should have been fixed much earlier, but for the non-challance of the leaders, and apathy, if not even cowardice, on the part of the dear followers.
Students have been falling sick due to the repugnant odour that visits their bodies systems without express invitation. Cooking, washing and drinking have all become rituals to be accompanied by intense fasting and prayers.
AN ERROR AWOITES CANNOT CORRECT
Common sense whispers to every normal person that a sewage pipe is not supposed to be channeled beside the tap which supplies water for domestic purposes. However, the 2011 executives of the hall were oblivious of this connection when they forcefully joined the tap and the pipe on the same bed of struggle. Today, this reckless step haunts Awoites more than the daily thought of climbing long stairs with pails of water in hands. The legacy is not only deleterious; it has also proved difficult to be deleted.
An Awoite, strangely or out of frustration, had said, “I don’t see anything bad in using the water to cook. In situations like this, you end up with religion because only God can save when there is no choice.”
RICH AWOITES VERSUS PENURIOUS MANAGEMENT
On the 30th of September, 2016, the pipe finally broke, and sewage escaped freely, after it could no longer endure blows from the harsh weather. The Hall Management was notified in a jiffy and the school management thereafter assisted in inviting a plumber who estimated the cost of repair to be ₦150,000.
“Where do we want to get the money from?” the Hall Management had complained as report has it. They did not mind lowering their hand below that of their subjects. If the student could lend them the sum, they would refund it after four months, they claimed.
However, a student resident thinks the management lacks sympathy to the plight of members of the hall. She had said in response, “We do not have enough to borrow [sic] the Hall Management for now because we have exhausted much money on the hall week. If the Hall Management does not do anything, we have less to do as well. They are not taking it serious because they do not live in the Hall and as well, they are careless of our welfare. We students don’t even have money.”
THE MANAGEMENT HAS CHOSEN ₦120,000 OVER THE LIVES OF 1500 STUDENTS!
It gets even more interesting. The Hall Supervisor appears not to think much of the problem. “Is it just because of the broken pipe that you have come to attack me?” she questioned when approached by our correspondents. “Well, the management has taken action by calling the USLB, and the required resources and workmanship have been estimated to be about ₦120,000. The school management will take responsibility since all the protocols have been observed. One of us would likely take a salary cut because the money will come from the Awolowo Hall vote, and taken from the IGR. So, in a week’s time, we should get a solution to the sewage problem,” she added.
But we all know that a week in Nigeria, or especially in University of Ibadan may go as far as being a month, a year or even more. The Tech/Zoology-Awo road has taught us the real definition of soon as we all know how many years it took to complete the project. A week in Nigeria does not apply to Room 32 in Faculty of Arts that has been under lock for more than a year after renovation! A week here is similar to “soon” which in turn relates more to “never”.
TO AVOID CHOLERA, AFFORD CURRENCY
When asked if they would contribute to find a lasting solution, Awoites had divergent opinions. One said, “If Awoites are to contribute, as generous people, I will give a lot especially if it will stop me from visiting the hospital. I will definitely give.”
On the other end though, another had this to say, “For no reason will I contribute to that broken pipe because I paid maintenance fee and they will never return it if nothing is damaged.” A final-year student also commented, “This is my final year, I cannot even contribute a pinch of salt to Awolowo Hall after different contributions. If they like, they should repair it or leave it.”
“There is recession everywhere, if the management does not have money, Awoites too are broke,” a fourth Awoite opined.
AWOITES NOT READY TO FACE SDC
However, it appears the problem is not only the ongoing economic recession. We have those whose source of demotivation is a potential SDC case. We would recall that, just last semester, the university management resorted to the stick (after the carrot has been mistakenly deleted) when students of the university contributed money to fix a faulty pumping machine in the hall. When approached, a resident of the hall exclaimed, “I cannot pay a dime o, I still have years to spend in UI, I don’t want SDC just like the pumping machine issue.”
Another, also while shouting, said, “Another SDC letter in preparation! Please I have no hands on this matter.” And similarly, a third had this to say, “The broken pipe issue? SDC niyen, not saying anything.”
AN IRRESPONSIBLE STUDENTS’ UNION?
In the course of working on this report, we also got to know from a very reliable source that the Students’ Union President has been duly notified but up till this moment, the far-becoming-less-popular Students’ Union President is yet to visit the place nor has he taken any visible action to safeguard Awoites’ lives, a shameful story of an irresponsible general neglecting his wounded soldiers.
While the action of the Students’ Union President is not even surprising, that of the SRC does not leave one with any hope in the desirability of Students’ Unionism. The council despite parading not less than 25 Awo Hall representatives in the Council seems not be aware of the situation too, that leaves one wondering what exactly they are representing…their pockets…just like their role models in the Green and Red Chambers? If a Council that’s heavily funded to a tune of about a million naira in addition to offices and a big chamber does not consider a broken sewage worthy enough to discuss then that’s what is called “NOT FIT FOR PURPOSE”.
COMMENTS FROM PORTERS AND STUDENTS
Porters who work in the hall were also approached for their side of the coin. While one thought the management is trying its best, another was found to be just as fearful as the student residents. “I’m sure the management is taking serious action on this for the welfare of the students,” the former had said. But the other? “Please, don’t implicate me. I’m not saying a word. Even if my silence means the broken pipe is okay, say as you think.”
Finally, there were students who displayed absolute apathy, perhaps because graduation stares them already in the face. An Awoite, though directly affected too, had said, “I’m really not interested in this issue, come back later.” And another was even less courteous, “What is my business with the broken sewage? I’m graduating soon.”
Wow! Thats a nice report. More grease to your elbows reporters.