By Simon Abah
As an undergraduate of
the University of
Ibadan, years ago, I
looked forward to many occasions on campus. Some were matriculation and
convocation ceremonies. Another was the faculty-lecture-summit involving
notable outside stakeholders such as the ones I witnessed, involving Femi
Falana, Frank Kokori and others. These summits were academically
enriching and fulfilling – despite my early-in-the-day- exposure to academic
giants such as Professors A. Faniran, O. O. Areola, J. O. Ayoade, C. O
Ikporukpo, A. S. Gbadegesin and others that space won’t permit me to mention.
On the day of
matriculation and or convocation ceremonies, we dressed smartly and hung around
outside the convocation and/or matriculation arena. Afterwards, we went about
exchanging forced banters especially to the celebrants we didn’t know
personally. You need not know the celebrants to be feted. We were on a mission
to be feted. All you needed do was to say, “congratulations” to
celebrants, family members and parents, acting like you know them, beaming with angelic smiles. This gave you straight passage to enjoy a culinary trip. How we
needed it! Conserving scarce resource was a student’s fare. At least we were
certain that we weren’t going to dine on those days at D’Morris restaurant
within campus and saved nickels which we needed to sustain ourselves
afterwards.
The University of Port Harcourt held its convocation ceremony on Friday, March
24, 2017 for undergraduate and graduate students. It reminded me of Ibadan days, only this
time, I needn’t have to go to the panoply of celebratory arcade to be feted by
unknown persons. I came at the behest of the family of a graduate and was sure
of my chow.
Although choices await school leavers especially
as finding a job in Nigeria
is largely dependent on the contact persons one knows nowadays. There are a few
jobs for few people. A graduate nearby, out of excitement in fulfilling a life
ambition, spasmodically shouted to his parents, “Dad, I am now an
intellectual.” I had to stare. Intellectual? Who is an intellectual in Nigeria?