BUK's administrative injustice: A blessing in disguise.

Before today's episode, I would like to take you back to a year after I graduated from high school, where I would like to share with you how I sat for WAEC (West Africa Examination Council) for the second time as a Teacher Assistant. I wrote both WAEC and NECO for the first time in 2003. I failed English Language in former and Mathematics in the latter. As we are all aware of the technicalities of securing admission in our Universities, a candidate needs to pass both subjects to obtain admission. I chose to rewrite WAEC so I can score a good grade in Mathematics, which will give me the opportunity to gain admission. I must say, that was the another humiliating moment of my life. I could vividly recall, in the year 2004, I got a part-time job as an admin and teacher assistant in Amana (the school I graduated from). That was my first ever job immediately after high school. I was helping the school Manager (Uncle Wole) as at that time to write and issue receipts, and assisting in the classrooms as well, by marking assignments and other similar commitments. Everything was so smooth, I could still remember receiving my first salary of N5000, the joy was unimaginable, at 17, N5000 feels like N50k for me. This temporary joy was cut short, when in 2004, I had to put on my school uniforms again to rewrite WAEC. I was such a debasing situation for me. Still, I never allowed my ego to get in the way or thoughts of such feelings of debasement should my students see me in school uniform and their mockery or reactions. I got up to the challenge and was on top of the situation for the three weeks I wrote my WAEC. That was a year after concluding my Secondary education.

“When one door closes, another one greater than it opens.” MY DAYS IN BUK

Many of my colleagues never believed I know how it was to be in a Nigerian University. They thought I was just another Daddy's Ajebo, who after speedily passing WAEC in "Special or Arrangee" Examination Centre obtained admission abroad and that is all. Far from it, I know the struggles of queuing to get simple things done, the registration hassles, the crowded Theatres and much more. The memories of my days in BUK are still fresh.

Recall that, it was not easy to overcome the feelings of debasement I had, anyways, the result was good as I passed my papers; and was ready to apply for admission into Bayero University Kano (BUK). Starting in the year 2005, I gained admission into BUK to study mass communication under the Faculty of Arts and Islamic Studies (FAIS). After the first semester, the story was not good at all; another struggle. It came to a point I had to drop out because of some silly logistical and administrative faults by the school management. But in the end, I was the one who was victimised. ​​ During my first semester examination, I think it was journalism or a course that bothers on something similar, I sat on a seat and one other student came and requested that the seat was his. It was actually his because I later noticed that I had the same matriculation number (student number) with him. The school management owned up to it that they did it deliberately, because in my JAMB form I did not choose BUK as my first choice institution but chose Usman Danfodio University, Sokoto (UDUS); that they mistakenly gave me admission in BUK. So they did that deliberately, so that the other person and I, having the same matriculation number would show up if any issue arising from that comes up. By so doing, they will be able to justify who the rightful owner of the matriculation number would be. I got very humiliated at the time, when the outcome of the justification made me drop out because of some people’s mistakes (administrative injustice I would say).

I could remember riding my 'Lifan' bike towards my Dad’s office profusely crying “jini da Majina”, to break the sad news to him. I had a minor accident on my way that left a scar on me until today. We (Dad, friends, relatives, networks of lecturers) tried all we could to talk to the HOD, Dean and VC (Vice Chancellor) but all to no avail. I cried my eyeballs out and told my dad that I am no more interested in school. I just want to go back to the market or even become a mechanic or whatever, I just hate school, or he should just give me a capital to start a business, but he persuaded me with the sweet things a dad says to his son. Back to University few days after their injustice, they agreed that they would only be able to give me a diploma course to compensate me for their mistake. What a joke! Although I was compelled to accept the diploma course (Sociology) and did it for few months before eventually dropping out again as I had no interest. During that time, that should be in the year 2006; I got an offer to study in Informatics Institute Kazaure. That was the first major difficult decision I took in my life, I had to abandon the diploma I was given as compensation by BUK, and I went to Kazaure in September 2006 to study Information Technology, something I have the passion for. At this point, I will say Alhamdulilah, as that was the turning point of my educational career and best decision I ever made.

See you next week as i round up my struggles till my departure to Malaysia in 2009.