The University of Lagos (UNILAG) has been in and out of the news lately. Regrettably, it has been more of bad news than good news.
From the sad news of Oluchi Anekwe, the 300 level first class undergraduate student of the department of accounting who was electrocuted to death by a high tension cable to the Student Union protest against the lack of basic amenities on campus, the 300 level student simply identified as Jacobs who died after reportedly taking a poisonous substance, and the perceived ineptitude of the university management in handling some of these crises. The only positive from the school was the sterling performance of Daniel Dada Ayodele, who graduated with 5.0 CGPA.
After a brief pause from the headlines and twitter, news frittered in of 17 missing Unilag girls. The circumstances surrounding their mysterious disappearance leaves so many questions. What happened? Twenty girls were supposed to go to Lekki for a party with an 80k thanks for coming but they apparently ended up in a White House in the middle of nowhere and only 3 came back crying that they barely escaped with their lives!
The next story was just the sheer nonchalant disposition of the management of Elegushi Beach. According to an eyewitness account, Funmi Odusina and Sola Ogunmefun both masters students of international law and diplomacy lost their lives at a friend’s birthday party after they drowned. Their death was complemented by the absence of lifeguards or emergency medical unit.
Some of these stories snake around young girls.The first set you may want to say allegedly disappeared because of their covetousness while the later was due to the carefree stance of beach authorities at Elegushi beach.
Unsurprisingly, you do not need to be a student of the University of Lagos to know that some female students on campus engage in high-level promiscuity and refined prostitution. In the evening on campus, you see female students at New hall or at the Moremi car park hanging out with guys or wealthy men-old enough to be their father. While the guys prefer to have s*x with them in their cars, these shameless old men usually ferry them off campus to hotels. In the same vein, it is not unusual for the students to attend off-campus parties on the island.
It is just unfortunate that some of these phantom parties and men who pick them have ulterior motives that have lead to the reported death of these students.
This is not restricted to Unilag alone as same happens across Nigeria’s tertiary institutions. But, the management of some of these schools can only do little or nothing about it. Students are adults. You cannot monitor their affairs because they are expected to manage their lives. This is another reason parents do not bother to check their wards in school.
However, with these incidences, monitoring these students is ever more important as some of them are literally teething when they are admitted into school. They are not matured. Hence, they are susceptible to campus shenanigans.
They tend to get carried away by campus life. Before they know it, their GP is swimming in the lagoon, they are strong members of cult groups and the ladies are deep into junketing with wealthy men who shower them with irresistible gifts and mouthwatering vacations.
Having a robust and rounded life on campus is essential. It is important to indulge. Like many people say, you must pass through school and the school must also pass through you. But, in a bid to satisfy this urge, you must be wise when doing it. If you want to party, party with moderation. And if you have to leave campus, you should be careful with the activities you engage.
The police is investigating the disappearance, some of the managers of Elegushi beach are in police net, and the parents of these girls will be mourning the painful loss. Of course, they will rue the fact that these deaths could have been prevented. But who are we to question death? It could come at any day and time.
In all of these negatives, the Unilag authorities have always tried to absolve themselves of any blame. But, as far as the students are carrying the identity card of the school, it makes the management responsible. They should be proactive in protecting the students. For example, there should be a register for students to sign in and sign out. All unsavoury or distasteful event that happens to any Unilag students whether on or off campus gives the school bad PR. And many alumni of the school are genuinely concerned about these horrible headlines. Again the Unilag management must be proactive.
In the meantime, we hope the 17 girls will be found which is most unlikely and for God to grant the family of the girls the fortitude to bear the loss. Hopefully, students especially girls will learn from these incidents.
The University of Lagos must not lose its status as the university of first choice and the nation’s pride! This bad PR is not helping at all.
