To my sister,
And other ASUU-stricken undergrads, in Nigeria:
As you continue to ‘waste’ at home, your university lecturers,
fighting what appears a pointless war with a brainless collection of gangster-government, may you be advised of these things. I hope it makes sense.
One, the pathway to your degree is suspended. But the degree in itself does not assure you anything. So, you have to find a middle ground. Or what they call making the very best use of what you have got.
You will have loads of time on your hands and there will be waking days when you question the very essence of your citizenship – disillusion, hatred and anger, filling your heart – for the big “stop!” that has been written all over the page of your life for simply being a young Nigerian.
I won’t mention the daily frustration of living in a namespace where absolutely nothing works. Comfort yourself in the old saying of a friend. Nigeria does not recognise that you exist. It is sad but true.
I know you watch football, and unlike me, doesn’t follow Manchester United.
But one of the joys of watching Manchester United over the years, is the subtle lessons, that you find to learn in the team’s philosophy, that to win, you must be relentless. even in the face of defeat.
You must never dwell on matters that are out of your hands. But, whatever options that stare you in the face, you must be willing to sacrifice all - take huge risks – in order that your chances of winning gets amplified, sometimes even only by a fraction.
Luckily, you live at a time, where independent research is just a mouse click away. I know its expensive to come near the internet in Nigeria but there are few things you can do too, to get the best of the sometimes horribly slow internet connections but I would find time to discuss that with you in an other message.
Visit http://amazon.com and do textbook searches on topics you envision you would study once you are back at school. Divest all that time and frustration into reading the books if you can find them. Email me if you do need help purchasing the ones that are rare. Hopefully, we can do the maths, and do business. I know most of our public libraries are sitting museums…
As you read, it is important to ask yourself the most important question facing your generation. How do I solve the problems I face, as an individual and how can I use that knowledge, to resolve the problems we face as a society ? or As Fela Kuti once put it one of those timeless masterpieces – Mr. Follow follow –
“…//My brothers, make you no follow book-o// look am and go your way…”
This is time to understand the dynamics, of catastrophic decisions of the past, that has got you into this perpetual half-time. We made ourselves 2nd-class, over the years, by never looking inwards - at our own capacity to be in charge, and be best at it. If it is not from London or Washington, it is not ‘class’….that thinking…
For so long, we were programmed to go to school for the sake of a first-class, and the B.Sc. and strictly that.
With the illusion that everything beautiful will follow, even when the whole notion of study, is to sharpen the capacity of your brain, to solve problems.
I know you hate it, but the politics of Nigeria, from that of the faceless local government Chairman to that of the distant state governor, as maddening as they are , remains where the battle was lost….the reason ASUU can be offline fore 60days+, and no one is crying.
You must continue to pay attention to it, discuss it with your peers, and most importantly, contribute. I know, I know, you are thinking, these politicians are beyond debate but that is because we let them. You and I.
I urge you to make it a point of duty to visit http://www.saharareporters.com on a daily, if not hourly basis just so you are aware of the mind-boggling rape of the namespace we all, mournfully accept as home.
It helps you to stay focused, i.e. know-what-is-going-on, especially that you don’t fall a fool, to the nonsense propaganda that are shot at you on NTA, or junkyard newspapers like Thisday. I hope you have outgrown your childhood fancy of poring through Ovation rating who is beautiful, and who is ugly now. Now, you will understand why it was such a fruitless waste of time….and uncle used to be so annoyed at everything Ovation.
Essentially, this is time to find, a rhythm that is outside the confines of school – and painstakingly dance to it, in order that you may be the best in real-world problem solving – which is the ultimate reason you are after your B.Sc anyways.
Always remember you can ask your uncle to explain again, if you find the style of my writing too long-winded and restless.
I just happen to have so much to say, yet I know it wouldn’t express how much I miss, and feel sorry for you, but I hope it helps.
love always.
/Me.
