Chapter Nine

Just like a flash, I am a finalist. When did I started, I mean I still remember going to my first lecture like it was yesterday.

When I was in 100level, I used to believe before I get to 400l, I would be tall with beards and muscular physique but here I am still skinny, short, baby faced. No one would even believe I am 24 years if I told them. But I learnt a lesson though; do everything you got to do at the right time.

This life is short and time waits for no one. The University is just a typical example of this. 4years is almost gone like it never happened. Even though I had not been stable with a girl, and which can be linked to my short comings, I never took my academics with levity hands. My cgpa is 4.39 and I am still hoping my project grade will top it from second class UPPER to FIRST CLASS if a have a B grade and above.

But what is a life after university? Why has education been rendered useless? I mean, a person can contest and participate in BB naija to win millions of Naira and a student who made first class in a university could be rewarded with a hundred thousand naira? Out there, is there even a job? Gone are those days when degree meant a lot. Nowadays, you need to have a master degree before you could find a good job and that's even if there is a job at all.

Reasons why many loves to travel abroad to get "masters" because when they got back, they could easily find a good job.  Even a person who had studied and has only and only a degree certificate in oversea would be respected here in my country and if the company have their way, such a person would be made the boss over a person with a master degree certificate gotten from any university here in my country. Such a person would even be regarded as an expatriate. Expatriate my ass! Why is the system this backward? Is not like our certificate is respected there in the oversea.

Before our certificate is even permitted to be workable there, you would have to go through some of their education. I think I need answers. I left the cubicle where my mind was sank in thoughts and sat outside with the rest of my villa mates and started a discussion.

"O boy, dis country tire me. why e be say, our certificate no dey recognize for abroad and na our people dey use by fire by thunder dey educated."

" bobo, na so we see ham o, this country! Oga oo. After this university mahself na to just go keep certificate for house go find business do. Na only for opportunity person fit use ham bcos if una dey wait say na go see job, na dream." another villa mate answered

"I think the problem why be say our education no dey valuable for dem place be say, since dem ogas dem, luggard used the system of indirect rule for colonialism, the British officials brought about education abi? Na dem dey build schools up and down. We hear say dem get problem of language wey be say we black no fit speak English and dem no fit speak our language. We even get many language for this country. Dem carry education come so em fit teach us dem language and nothing more. Na why our educational system is referred to as a liberal education wey mean say, education by mouth to only understand dem language and not scientific education or practical education. Since dem no weytin dem do, dem no fit recognize our education na. my own thought o make dem no come carry me for here"

"you see ham talk too o, well... make we just come this school may e no be like say we no come. We just dey pray make we too succeed for life"

While we were discussing, I remembered I needed to see my project supervisor he asked me to come so he can approve my project topic and I can start working on it at my earliest convenient time.

"so tell me Damilare, why do you want to write on the reason for underdevelopment in Africa as a continent and the effect it has brought to each nation in the continent."

"Sir, I just have this desire to research on this topic to brighten my knowledge and maybe publish a book on this topic to make the world learn and in same manner use it to correct the same mistake Africa leaders as been making. We were told in class that African state of backwardness is attributed to two reasons which were the internal and external factors. In the internal factors, was the African debt crisis and the external factor was the nature of the market economy. More so, a Neo-liberal school of thought had claimed that the underdevelopment in Africa is attributed to the corrupted leaders why many more disagreed and said it is attributed to the market economy which Africa were given the instruction that the market takes over the decision of their state and not the government and in this manner, prices of commodities produced in Africa were determined by the market and not the government which is making Africa leaders struggling to repay their debts. I felt there are more to this and if I research on this topic for my project and in same manner was able to publish a book on this; it will be a didactic to correct the errors in the African society."

"Okay then. Take it one step at a time. Your project first, then your book. Let's see how you perform in your project then, maybe I can guide through publishing your book. I Left his office and returned to my hostel

It was not easy making research on this topic I must confess, I had surf and surf the internet, read various PDF and visit the library. On this fateful day, I had visit the library like I used to when I came about this girl with a bow leg. Even though she has a bowed leg, it didn't reduce how beautiful she could be. I kept looking her as she from afar of seeing her going to and fro from her sit to the shelves, searching for books. I couldn't resist but she seems to need a help from an expertise like me. so, I walked up to her.

"It seems you need a help finding a book?" I said with a smile sitting on my face

".yes I do." She said smiling back.

" Sorry for disturbing you people with the way I have been walking around. I just can't seem to find any book on Nigerian history."

"Wait! You are in history?" I asked surprisingly.

"Yes, but history and education. What about you?"

"Oh! I am in history and international studies, 400level"

"Wow, you have a small stature for your level..." She said, laughing ironically

"Yeah... tell me about it when my body refuses to grow nko? What level are you?"

"200" she answered sharply.

"Okay, next time when you are looking for Nigerian African, look for a book by Toyin Falola" I stretched my hand inside the top shelves and brought out a book for her "Try this out, it should have the answer you want." I turned my back to return to my sit when she asked for my number

Oloriburuku - unfortunate being

He go spoil my mission- make me not achieve my intention

Shey this man is okay Sha? -- is this man okay?

Yansh/bakasi

Chai - exclamation

Weytin-- what

Sabi - know

Gobe- Trouble