PART TWO
I managed a CPGA of 3.82, in my first year.
3.64 in my second year.
It was in my third year, life crisis, depression, unseriousness and every reason else, I depreciated to 3.44.
That same year, I contested and lost for the post of Social Director under SUG, Oleh campus, after having served as Secretary under Nigerian Institute of civil engineers, oleh chapter. In all of these years of service, I didn’t breach my oath of matriculation. I wasn’t found wanting for gross misconduct.
After losing, I was unanimously chosen to represent my department at the Student Representative Counsel, as Honorable. I obliged. I pushed for the abolishment of 300 naira payment of SUG dues that wasn’t being paid in the head campus; arguing overnight with the then Sports director, who was my course mate and course rep. I started an argument of one Nigeria and reason for non indigene fee as well as catchment area be looked into. That didn’t float. The then speaker, who doubled as my landlord’s son, told me to focus on addressing issues bothering my department, as that was where I was to represent firsthand. True. But each time I asked department ‘what’s up’, I got the cold shoulder. Everything seemed perfect, so nothing to fix. OK na. In all, many people can attest to the fact that I did my job to the best of my abilities in the SRC. The sport’s and social director, and even the then SUG president, can attest to the heat I gave over outrageous budgets.
All of these times, I didn’t breach oath of matriculation or was found wanting for gross misconduct.
I served as Vice president under NICESA again in my fourth year, and when the former president who I established a relationship with, asked me afterwards, if I would be the president in my finals, I gave her a bold no. She asked why, I said the students don’t want me or what I could offer. I was too controversial, wierd, different and irregular. Make I no go put anybody for problem. All of these times, I wasn’t found wanting for any offences.
In my finals, a new HOD would begin his reign. A lot of adjustments. Rumors had it that this guy was good, nice, humorous and everything in between. We were glad; or rather, I was glad. We were fed up with the stern and strict nature of the former. Everyone avoided getting involved with him. With the new one, it was different. He was not the regular kind of Nigerian lecturer; brutal, mean wicked, commanding, oppressing. We didn’t do our findings, we all rushed and registered his optional course. Nearly 90% of the entire class.
This was an eye opener, with a failure of more than 75% after all the preaching, everyone began to adjust and treat our relationship with him with caution. For avoidance of generalizing, I will strictly relate this to me.
In my second semester finals, I was called in a class I was absentia. The hod had announced me the highest in his C.A test for a course he was handling. 22 of 30. He shook hands with me. Until that moment, we maintained a cordial relationship.
Things took a different turn towards our project defence. The hod was strict, stern, commanding and overbearing, and many of us had began to complain and grumble at this new development. He made it a duty to always remind us that it was for our own good.
What sparked the loudest uproar was when the hod had began asking for us to pay certain amount of money for the project defence sake. The reason? Our personal refreshment. Every other department sympathized with us whenever we told our tales. He, through the course rep always made it a duty to remind erring students that they would not be allowed defend their projects.
You know the kind of panic it would stir, especially for finalist? Ehen. So people began paying. I paid too. In the end, no refreshment. They said the money wasn’t enough and so we have to pay again if we want our project defense to continue successfully. That the request he made to Abraka wasn’t fully granted and we had to put two and two together to make it work.
Of course, broke as I am, I complained. My grouse was why they had to keep giving this money collection names that wasn’t. Said it was our refreshment but there wasn’t any such thing. This man even made us spend more, asking for four printed copies of works to be corrected and so we would print and reprint. All money.
This issue stirred conflicts among all the student. The ones who had issues with all this and the ones who didn’t. Series of class meetings were held and we reached an agreement. Everybody was to let sleeping dogs lie. The did was already done.
Not until external supervisor complained about the amount of pages of our works and ask us to add to it and print again. Another money! Again, the class was torn apart.
I personally had to consult the student handout and saw it had dictated how projects were to be done. It also outlined the authorities of the external supervisor. So when the class meeting held for the umpteenth time, I and a few other course mates raised these issues. Somehow, we reached an agreement, albeit not clearly visible whether the man was unhappy or not. But one could tell he wasn’t from how he handled the last meeting. But well, what can anyone do?
It was until during the course of the week that we heard our department and the hod had been petitioned and summoned for whatever reason. Apparently, someone as unsatisfied as me, had gone ahead to write a letter to the provost, anonymously. Being the only writer and the one who was loudest about his disagreement, everyone concluded I must be the one behind that petition. I am saying it again here and now; although I completely agree, as every honest person in that department would, that the content of the letter isn’t far from the truth, I wasn’t the brain behind it. Until today, I don’t even know and can’t guess who was.
Anyway, this really upset the hod as he had thought the meetings we had held had yielded satisfactory results. Of course, anyone in his shoe would lose it. I had course mates who never visited began coming to my house just to have conversations with me about that petition; sort of trying to find out if I was really behind it or yes. Honestly, I wasn’t, but I didn’t care anymore. I was just focused on writing my exams and leaving. Everyone was at that edge now. The department had become so toxic. There was even a fight and physical confrontation amongst some course mates in one of the meetings.
This was when threats began to fly. Of how I would fail and come back. Of how I will not graduate. Of how I needed to go and clear my name and apologize; for what exactly? I do not know.
After the hod’s course exams, there was an announcement that there was mass failure and he needed to reconsult another test… AFTER EXAMS! I got the hint that I was the reason behind that test. Remember I got the highest? So the plan was to nullify that test or divide it into two and make sure I performed poorly in the new one. I raised an alarm immediately. The Provost called for a meeting in my department and addressed it. He canceled the test and we all carried on.
Anyway, results started to come out, and unlike usual, they weren’t pasted. You had to personally go and check yours yourself.
To my utter amazement, this man said I scored 14/70, thus ending up with an F in his course. Apparently, there was mass failure. But that wasn’t my business. It was 6 or 7 questions to answer 4 or 5, something along that line. I just scoffed. There was already boldy written on the department board, a notice of registering your grievances by applying for remark if you were not entirely satisfied. I saw the handwriting on the wall. Even the way I was attended to when I walked into the office to get my result, it was all clear how personal this man was taking it. First he claimed I didn’t greet him, when in fact I did. But then, I still greeted him again.
Anyway, long story short, I wrote to the Provost immediately effectively, because I had had the hint before then that I was a target. I knew all of this quite too well before it had happened.
…details continues…
