MY ENCOUTER WITH YEAR ONE STUDENTS

"Madam, give me fufu with Egusi soup", I said hungrily as I sat on the plastic chair in the restaurant. Madam G's fast food has been my normal place of taking lunch especially after tedious and boring lectures. The restaurant is neat, with well-arranged plastic tables and chairs.

The walls were beautifully painted with an advert logo of 'Minimie Chinchin'. She serves varieties of well-spiced African dishes ranging from Rice (jollof, stew and fried), beans, fufu, garri, moi-moi, salad et cetera. She also has varieties of African soups like Oha, Egusi, vegetable and Okro. The aroma from her kitchen was appetizing and inviting. At the extreme were speakers for playing cool music to soothe the soul as digestion takes place. She knows how best to treat her customers.

Sitting next to me were three young fellows; two boys and a girl. Their names were Obi, John and Nancy. I was able to know their names as they discussed. I took time to observe them and I figured out that they were among the newly admitted students. Obi looked like a ‘campus nigga’. He wore a designer’s shirt upon a blue jean trouser with a beautiful canvas shoe. He had an ‘afro’ hairstyle. On his neck was a gleaming gold-plated necklace. John on the other hand looked simple and appeared innocent. He was donned in a sky blue polo shirt on a milk-colored chinos trouser. He wore a flip-flop which was partly covered with dust as a result of frequent treks. Nancy’s dressing was exceptional, revealing and seductive. She wore a tight pink polo shirt well-tucked in a blue jean trouser.

I drifted my attention to Nancy. For a moment, I paused my meal and looked at her deeply. I noticed something about her. She was beautiful. Yes, she was beautifully made. Her facial makeup was extraordinary. She beautifully and carefully painted her face well. Her smiles were contagious and charming. And she had a ‘diastema’ which beautified her smiles. She is light-skinned with an innocent round face. Her hairs were well braided, she painted her finger nails and her accent was superb when she spoke.

From her demeanor, she seemed to be one of those mummies’ pet that was pushed to the university just to acquire a Bachelor's degree. She had an Iphone7 on her hand. Her eyes were glued to the display of her IPhone 7. And at the same time, she conversed with the guys. She was good at multitasking. She would giggle whenever Obi made remarks about ladies. Her right thumb was busy scrolling and navigating between her social media accounts. She was chatting with her ‘online lover’. Her phone kept on beeping whenever she received a message. As I ate, I listened carefully to their discussion while pretending not to be interested in their confabulation.

"Boy, you see all those fine girls wey we see for Bj services wey come print school fees invoice and receipt, I go make sure say I run package wella, I no fit just dull for my first year.” Obi said sarcastically while John chuckled.

"See eh, fine girls full ground oo. We go shine our eyes wella so that we go run dem wella, I don even collect one girl number. Her name na Anita and she fine wella, I must enter her palace ooo before all those church guys convert her." Obi continued. This time around, I raised my eye balls a little and looked at Obi. I was startled. I wondered if he truly understood what the university entails.

"But guy, man suppose read and hustle ooo. Girls go dey chop our money finish if we start dey follow dem." John said innocently. John seemed more of the serious type even though he enjoyed the conversation. Intermittently, he would chip in, "My man, you no say dem be tell us say our department tough wella, we suppose dey plan on how to jack wella so as to make first class."

"Leave that yeye talk, who first class epp?", "My uncle wey get third class dey work for Oil Company wey dey Lag." Obi interrupted.

"One final year guy bin tell me say to make first class here no easy oo but I challenge am say I go make am. After all, I bin dey carry first position for my secondary school." John said boastfully. The grimace on his face showed that he was rest assured that his high school knowledge was more than enough to see him through on campus.

"Guy, leave that thing. No be by secondary school knowledge oo. FUTO tough wella but me no send anybody. My own na to run package with girls." Obi interjected. This time around, Nancy giggled.

John continued, "I don even buy materials for Physics and Chemistry. I go jack am wella and I go dey attend their tutorials from tomorrow. Even self, I fit start to dey go that building wey I hear say dem dey read based on night class. I even hear say one lecturer like that sabi give person 36 title blocks for Engineering drawing." John looked like a brilliant student who was hell-bent on achieving his goals. For him, making a first class result was as easy as reciting the letters of the Alphabet. But Obi on the other hand sounded like he was not quite interested in academics. His main focus seemed to be on daughters of evil. I mean his utmost priority were LADIES!

They cracked jokes together reminiscing their high school days. Nancy consoled them by laughing out loud whenever she had a funny joke. I was beginning to enjoy their discussion. I kept on swallowing my fufu balls while still listening to them hoping that I will join them when I am done eating.

As they discussed further, I found out that Obi was admitted to study Industrial Physics, John was in Civil Engineering while Nancy was a Biochemistry student. I wept for Obi. I looked at John and I was like "for your mind, you think say here resemble your secondary school abi? I looked at Nancy and said within myself, “Well, you are a Lady and might marry even before you even graduate”.

After my meal, I paid the woman and complemented the nice decorations on the walls. She smiled and said, "Thank you". I returned to my seat to relax and allow the food digest properly. As I sat down, my mind was enveloped with a myriad of thoughts. I recalled how naive I was on campus four years ago. I remembered when I was a freshman. I remembered how easy I thought I could make a first class. I was not type that was into ladies. I had my goals and I focused on them. I created a personal relationship with my God. I equally remembered the hustles and bustles on campus back then. Even the period I read on empty stomach just to make good grades. As I reflected, I felt an irresistible urge to advice these three fellows on what campus life entails. An inner voice told me to mind my business. I was quite annoyed with Obi. With the way he spoke, I wondered if he will survive not only on campus but in his department.

Just then, somehow I mustered courage and chipped in. "Hello, young people of Africa. Good afternoon. I believe you guys are in 100L?"
"Bros, we no dey 100L, we be FUTO students". Obi said angrily.

"Oh, I know that already. How are you doing?" I replied him. This time, John kept mute. Nancy's eyeballs were buried on her screen.

"My nigga, I dey fine oo. I just dey observe as you dey enjoy your fufu for dis hot weather. You no even call your boys make dem chop small." Obi retorted. I chuckled.

"You know how food is important for us to survive na, anyway, no vex. Ehn, my name is Anthony. I am an Engineering student currently in my final year." I said with full confidence.
Immediately, Nancy lifted up her eyes and looked at me. John quickly said, "Ah, Bros, you be elder oo. You don tey for this school." I smiled at him.

"Hello Nancy, I love your makeup. It's nice". I flattered her. She blushed and smiled back to me. "Thank you dear but how did you know my name?" She replied. I smiled back at her and said, “I overheard it during your discussion.”

I turned to the guys and said, "I have been listening to your discussions and I was not really impressed. I know you are still new to the system. That is the more reason you need to be careful least you make a costly mistake". I paused to watch their mood. They were listening to me with keen interest. Even Nancy dropped her phone and listened to me.

"You see eh, this is a Federal University of Technology not a university for jamboree. For you to graduate, you must be found worthy in character and in learning…" Obi immediately chipped in, "Bros, all dis your grammar no go find job for person if im graduate. Nigeria no be like that o. Man suppose smart and im eyes suppose dey shine wella oo". We all laughed at his comment.

I smiled at him, regained composure and said, "I know all that bro, but that is not an excuse not to work hard. Hard work pays. I can assure you that.” I turned to Obi and asked him, “Bro, did you actually apply to study Industrial Physics or were you admitted through supplementary?”

He laughed and said, “Bros, I don write JAMB two times and I no get admission. I bin wan study Computer Science but my friend com tell me say make I try Physics say I go get am. Na so I try am and im work. I hear say the course no easy but I no go kill myself. Last last, I go sort wella.”

When he finished, I looked at him sternly and said, “I am sorry, such is not obtained here. For you to make it in your department, you have to WORK HARD and again avoid distractions especially Ladies.” My reply did not augur well with him. He just replied “Okay oo, thanks sha for your advice.” I did not need to spend time advising John. I only encouraged him to work hard.

I faced Nancy and said, “What about you?” “Did you apply for your course?” she thought for a moment and spoke up. “Dear, I actually applied for the course but I am not too interested in academics. I just need the certificate. After here, I will marry and venture into business. I so much enjoy partying, clubbing than reading” I listened to her with keen interest. She spoke again this time in Pidgin, “See eh, I go chop guys money wella oo, I be better campus babe oo.” I could not help but to laugh. Obi replied her, “No worry, any guy wey you chop im money go enter you.” I checked my wrist watchand I noticed that time was not on my side.

“Well, it is my pleasure meeting the three of you today. I really do not have much time on me. I need to attend a programme in few minutes.

That notwithstanding, let me round up with my talk” I continued further, “I congratulate you for scaling through the admission process. It was not easy. The campus is filled with good and bad experiences. Your topmost priority should be your academics. Do not joke with it. Mind the friends you associate with. Always attend your lectures, practical and submit your assignment as at when due. Take your prayer life serious. Study hard, avoid distractions and remain focused. If you do these, you will excel on campus.” I said confidently. I hope to meet you guys another day.

I stood up, exchanged contacts with them and thanked them once more for listening to him. I shook hands with the guys, I smiled at Nancy and left.

By:
Aniebo Anthony