I have read so many irritate articles, features, columns and advertorials in both in-house publications and national dailies making unnecessary praise-singing about the immediate past vice-chancellor to have achieved unprecedented development in Bayero University. I keep on asking myself, how? Which of the Bayero University? And in fact, do we have another university called Bayero? No, that should be hype-making. Or can we call it impression management? I think it should be spin doctoring base merely on propaganda. Up till now, am still thinking of the appropriate word to describe these hyper-claims.
Digging deeply to the root of the claims, I was left with no option than to conclude that those hype makers might actually lack knowledge of the real meaning of development or they pretended not to know. Perhaps, they could have tag the situation as “development in process”
I have consulted different versions of oxford, Merriam-Webster, Cambridge Advanced Learner’s, Chambers dictionaries and later stop being analogue and proceed to more powerful search engines such as Google, Ask Jeeves, Alta Vista, Excite, in an effort to see if the word “development” is the appropriate word to describe the current situation in the BUK, but got disappointed.
In my effort, I was able to understand that, technologically, development is the systematic use of scientific and technical knowledge to meet specific objectives or requirements; Scientifically, it is an extension of the theoretical or practical aspects of a concept, design, discovery or invention; and Economically, it is the process of economic and social transformation that is based on complex culture and environmental factors and their interactions, all of which are nowhere near what we have in Bayero University.
While I appreciate the visionary measures put in place by the Prof. Abubakar Adamu Rasheed led administration that led to the introduction of more faculties which eventually give birth to more departments, the intellectual requirements, necessary equipment and resources needed to meet the expected standard of such departments was never provided.
Though, students’ population increased, due to insufficient hostels and lecture theaters, hostels and lecture rooms are overcrowded and no serious intellectual interactions is taking place between lecturers and students.
The most unpardonable lie I have ever seen, read or heard was the claim made by one Bala G. Abdullahi under an article titled “The Changing BUK Skyline” that the department of political science recently demolish for renovation and upgrading has not only been completed but being put to use. The publication of that article dated to May and the claimed completed complex is still under construction and in fact, far from been completed.
Also, the recent mere repainting of male and female hostels has being extravagantly described as landscaping, upgrading, reconstruction and renovation of male and female hostels and I say NO! This is strange, outrageous, untenable and far from what we see in our hostels. In fact, the most suit word to describe our hostels is “death trap” as we, on a daily basis, pray for the painted dilapidated buildings not to collapse.
Under Prof. Abubakar Adamu Rasheed, welfare of students and lectures was never prioritized. It is only in Bayero University and some other substandard universities that one can see three to four lecturers squirting in the same office and in fact, hardly you differentiate professors’ offices with that of junior lecturers.
Though, street light is strikingly illuminated in the BUK, making the school environment looks more attractive especially in the night, classes are mostly closed and those that are open, are without light, thereby demoralized students enthusiasm to read at night.
For this reasons, I implored the new administration under the supervision of the vice-chancellor Prof. Muhammad Yahuza Bello to prioritize students and lecturer well-being.
Welfare program that broadly encompasses the physical, mental, social cultural and spiritual well-being of students and lecturers such as good health services, student/lecturer counseling services, moderate electricity supply, hygienic water supply, educational tour, recreational, cultural, religious and adequate sport activities is an important part of any serious minded institutions, therefore, the new administration should be mindful of it.
The Prof. Muhammad Yahuza Bello led administration must understand that teaching and research can only take place successfully, first, in a peaceful, calm and unruffled environment, and secondly, when the required equipment are readily available, and not just mere patent falsehood making.
To facilitate knowledge dissemination and assimilation, the new lead administration must ensure conducive teaching and learning environment for both students and lecturers, and not just sycophancy. The new lead administration should forget about the hype-makers and concentrate on the works at hand.
Adeagbo Hammed, is a 400 Level, Mass Communication Student,
Bayero University, Kano,
08109224060.
