By Esther Oguntuase and Boluwatife Adedokun, Akungba Akoko.
Anybody that witness the event that took place in Adekunle ajasin university, Akungba akoko, tagged “fearless concert” will be stunned and appalled with the way students embraced social activities and celebrities more than their academic life or their entire life.
“I wonder why students behave like this, aspiring to see celebrities but not aiming to become one” faforiji Tadese, a 300 level student of history and international studies commented. This is after seeing horde of students present at the concert even when some of them have exams on the day after.
It has become noticeable that social event has taken a toll on students on university campuses these days. While some find it interesting and necessary for their daily living and sanity as they will always say,”all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” while others believe that, “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy but all play and no work makes him even worse.” They affirm that their academics is of utmost importance and should not be treated with levity as their studentship is geared towards achieving the best in the space of their chosen profession.
While reacting to this, Adamu Emmanuel, a 100l student of statistics and computer science at the University of Agriculture, Makurdi explained that student’s priority is determined by the environment they find themselves. He stated, “We’ve been made to understand that everything is connected. So getting a degree and hanging out with friends or going to a party. They will prefer going to a party because they know they can pay their way through school or their parents can talk to people in authority.
He added that peer pressure is another factor. Seeing Yahoo guys and prostitute making it is a discouragement on it’s own.
Students who see the way talented dancers and rappers are hugely compensated compare to the way best students in their academic field are given a token or nothing will be discouraged about academic activities.
The case of Uniben best graduating student who was only gifted with a token of ten thousand naira has been a centre of discussion among Nigerian students, reacting on social media as everyone was shocked with the little amount given to the student . Many students are highly dissapointed by the way the government show nonchalant attitude towards the students outstanding performance, when the dancer is collecting fifty thousand naira and more.
It is apparent that the society pay a huge amount of money to students who are outstanding socially than those who perform excellently in their academic career. This can be said to be a discouragement to most students.
When speaking, Oyero Abiodun Yakub, a 400l student of physics electronics at the Federal university of technology, Akure said, “the ‘social life’ of students have taken a new definition since internet fraud became rampant”
He added that most students study to graduate and make a living, and after making it before graduating, they see education as not being valuable.
He narrated that early this year, there was a particular image in circulation, comparing the ride of a lecturer and that of a student. The lecturer’s car was tagged BSc, while the student’s was tagged Btc… You can guess what both cars look like! Also, some students don’t believe in working with their certificate, so they find every means to survive while still in school.”
The rate at which students give attention to social activities these days is something worth attending to. Students are concerned about social activities more than their academic life.
The spirit of embracing social activities have dominated the minds of some students and this has eaten deep into their system.
The society has been seeing as encouraging riches than education. Student only try having a certificate and find an alternative for themselves.
Ayomide Yusuf, a 500l student of Aquaculture and fisheries management, federal university of agriculture, Abeokuta explained that prioritizing either academic or social life depends on the individual because different things work for each person.
When talking Bejide Taiwo, a graduate from the department of linguistics and languages at Adekunle ajasin university stated that students prioritize their academics more than their social life. “The way I see students read, sometimes night class, although they leave some space for social activities fellowships and the likes, but in all you’ll always hear an average serious student say, I’m in school to read and not to play. students also value good CGPA too.”
He explained that student focus on social life due to the fact that the government is not encouraging intelligent students and social activities broaden students knowledge.
In all students, involve themselves in social activities to make themselves comfortable and confident. Students go out with friends to enjoy themselves to the detriment of their academics. Students also want to create a name in their circles and for that matter, they engage in a social oriented life. Their readiness to respect social activities is more than that of academics because they get a bunchful of self exposure,” Alex Yeboah (Kwabena Churchill), a student of education and psychology at the university of Cape coast, Ghana elucidated.
He explained further that placing their concentration more on their social life would lead to a lot of damage to their health and psychological well-being so they must create a reasonable balance between their academic life and social life since each have great effects on their life.
Adeola Oyenuga Esq., a legal practitioner and national coordinator of team LSWK opined that students prioritize their social life more because they feel there are ways to get anything so they feel there is little or no need to study. They are also hooked on the media, trying to meet up global standard and the only people they see doing well in life are online celebrities. “Being social is not wrong and it is necessary but should be done rightly.” He said that the imbalance between both parts of a person’s life can be sorted by maintaining the right character, desire from making wrong priorities. “The government also has a role to play. The government starts from ourselves. The government cannot wipe people which shows that there is something fundamentally wrong and a question of personal character. Since there’s free-will, the youths can decide to do better.”
Big brother naija is another reality show that students give their utmost attention to. This is a social event that most student sacrifice some activities just to watch. This show has really engrossed some students and it sway away their attention.
The birth of this is what is worrisome and concerning, either they are to be blame or properly the environment they find themselves, but according to Michael Olu-olofin, a real estate manager and he said journalist said ” the nonchalant attitude of the government is the main issue. There’s no more control in the society and the economic situation is not helping. Many are really discouraged by the possibility of not getting employment after graduation whereas those who didn’t attend school are far ahead of them who are graduates”.
He added that a good number of them are actually making lives for themselves and education is gradually competing with social activities. “As it stands, social life cannot be separated from the youth and they can actually make a life from the combination of the two”
This show has really gained ground among the youth than any other activities.
The recent show that happened in obafemi awolowo university, ile-ife was one that the students enthusiastically welcome with great involvement. The show tagged “Evident show was highly graced by the students of the so called school.
According Ayoola oluwaseun, a student of history at Obafemi Awolowo university “majority of the students prefer attending club than attending class, ” Reading is very stressful, if am to take one out of going to class and going to club, I will rather pick club, though if you read you will pass but is not easy.”
“Students priotize social activities because it gives them an avenue to satisfy their lust, desires and gives them immemse pleasure” Afenibi sheriff, a 400 level student of Adekunle ajasin university noted.
Speaking on the social life of the students, he noted that the older generation of Nigerian students could ever have grown with the notion in mind because it was widely believed that education is the key to success unlike this generation where the reverse is the case as there are undergraduates driving the car some professors can never dream of driving till their retirement. “For such a student, social activities become a priority and academics is just a way of getting degree regardless of what it takes” he affirmed.
It is obvious that student pay money and attention to social activities, this some believe in the populat saying “education na scam”. Some believe that education has nothing to offer them than certificate.
Daniel oluwaseun a final year student of ogun state university justifies why students show such attitude; “this is absolutely caused by peer group and civilization. They find social activities lively.” She added that both academics and social activities are good if the students can strike a balance.
“Students can only succeed through academic activities, but academic activities is not only in school. Anything that makes you reason, read or write is an academic activity and there are some social activities that are beneficial in this manner, partly social and partly academical” she commented.
Social activities have been perceived as one of experience-given activities. Youths get experience from what they see. Reacting to this, Skeeta Imisa, a journalist from Kenya said, “people want to belong and it is through this social activities that students get the sense of belonging. This is actually the period where most people try to do something their peers do. It’s a phase and most of them actually don’t know what awaits them after school,” she affirmed.
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