BUT Episode 1

Story by O'nezer

Episode 1

"The best graduating student is...." the vice Chancellor was about to call out names when the noise in the graduation hall started in hush tones and quickly it became loud to the point of interrupting him.

Oh, not a noise from anything else but excitement of graduands finally having to leave the four walls of the university after several years of different mixed experiences of joy and sadness.

Some were excited that they were finishing strong, some on the other hand were excited for the fact that they struggled to graduate with their mate while some people were not happy because they had one issue or the other that delayed them and hindered them from not graduating a year or 2 before that day.

The transparency with no hidden privacy was why everyone else in the departments had access to each other's results as it was always pasted on the notice board close to the office of the Student Advisor's office. 

It was as worse that people in other levels can as well see your result if they have anything to do around the offices close to the notice board.

It was so easy to know who is doing well and those that are struggling to get an average mark. Directly or indirectly, everyone knew the matric numbers of the ones that were doing well in the class and they can either use the best students' results as yardstick or consolation to themselves.

On many occasions, the staff adviser had repeatedly robbed the best students on our faces as the pride of the department and this comparison either made the average student feel bad or less of themselves.

It is exciting to know that it was graduation day and out of 150 students in the department, 85 students were graduating while others have one issue or the other that was making them stay behind while others were graduating. 

One of the major things that can make a student have an extra year is the mismanagement of students' scripts. Many times, some Lecturers get so careless that they misplace students' script and the only song they keep telling the student is to "try again the next session".

Only on a few occasions does a student with cases of missing script get to be helped. If the matter should now get out of hand, you should be that student that the Lecturer doesn't like at all or the lecturer likes you with the aim of sleeping with you and then you turn him down.

We have many students who later had to change University after repeatedly failing a course because the Lecturer wanted to sleep with them or have a relationship with them and this was almost becoming a tradition in the department.

As much as everyone craved to leave university so they can start a new life, the more the memories from the school will never leave their mind. It's a journey that definitely needs to come to an end and that day is finally here.

Many parents graced the occasion in different catchy expensive clothing. From those on matching cloth to those on flying gowns and colourful native wear while some were on suit and others on casual wear.

The parking lodge was filled to the brim and some other parents were asked to park close to the road side with the assurance from the school management to send security officers to look over their vehicles. 

Talking about food, snacks and drinks. Everything was in excess that at the end of the day, we had some student that didn't get any award but went home with plenty pack of foods. 

Aroma of foods were calling each other, as you turned to the left, you will see porridge garnished with dried fish and crayfish while turning to the right you see pounded yam wrapped in leaf laying calmly inside a well packaged container with varieties of seven-in-one-kind of vegetables.

The pack of rice with different styles were moved from one place to another and the drinks were so much. Some families came with cake and snacks while those that didn't come with anything at all still ate till they were filled.

As we saw some people sharing handkerchiefs with their names on it, some sharing pens and jolts and some others shared keyholders, Handfan and many more.

The vice Chancellor had been calling names per department of the outstanding student across the campus, claps and cheers from the audience also added to the beauty of the roll call.

"The best graduating student for this academic session is Beatrice Ali a student of Accounting department" the vice Chancellor finally called the name after the noise was reduced but immediately after the name was called, the noise, cheers and clap doubled the initial one.

Beatrice walked down from her seat to the podium and she was going to be giving a speech in a few minutes before they moved to other things left on the order of the program.

"I want to give God the glory because this is the day the Lord has made and we will rejoice in it. I am giving just a few minutes to talk but I'd love to share a bit of my story with you" she said and the whole room became silent.

What does she wants to say?

Watch out for the next episode.