By Asiat Meikudi
6th January 2018 was a colorful and happiest day for Abdulrasheed Abdulquadri as he stepped his foot in the Seat of Caliphate to begin his disciplinary of Adult Education— a four-year bachelor degree programme at Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto.
As a young and enthusiastic undergraduate, he had envisioned a glittering and enjoyable days ahead on campus without any restriction or monitoring.
In fact, Abdulquadri never had the slightest premonition of what it takes to be in the university.
In February 2018, Abdulquadri decided to join the News Digest Press _one of the press outlets on campus to improve his writing skills and outshine his phobia of speaking in public.
He later served as Public Relations Officer at the National Association of Campus Journalists(NACJ)_ the motherboard of all the press outlets on Danfodiyo varsity.
The Spike of Panic
Teaching practice is a supervised instruction experience and usually the cumulative course of every educational student in a university.
The course is known for elevating the cumulative grade point average(CGPA) of students but Abdulquadri’s case was different.
In 2019, Abdulquadri had his first Teaching practice(TP) exercise at Government Girls Day, Zuru, Kebbi State. Having fulfilled his duties as T.P student, he conclusively hoped for an excellent grade in the course.
But to his surprise, his expectation was dashed.
“When I saw that my TP result was ‘Missing Grade’, my conscience of working pursued me to see it rectified, though I set out toward its rectification.
“Although, the journey wasn’t that rosy as I thought; it involved writing a letter to the departmental H.O.D through the department examination officer and turning his office to my branching place everyday to keep him remembered,” he recounted.
Abdulquadri now boasts as a graduate of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, but the spike of the missing grade in TP result was a moment he said can never evade his mind.
“But Alhamdulillah, it was a delayed task but it wasn’t denied.
“My ADE318 was later rectified in 2023 after my final year exam although it took a big part of my time.”
The Fate of Adama
Adama (surname withheld), experienced pangs of string after her final year examination.
Having completed the examination with ecstasy and hope of not returning back on campus unless for a certificate, little did she know that fate had a sting of flaw for her.
Adama is an Adult Education graduate at Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto. She completed her B.ed degree with her coursemate in 2019. But fate had stunted her ecstasy to come back for another time.
“I used to find myself pitying those who had spilled over course, not knowing that such fate would string/ strike me too.”
When the news of her released results filtered her ear in 2020, as curiously and eagerly she was, she hurriedly checked her portal only to find spilling over two of her courses.
“Knowing that there was nothing to do than to reseat the courses in 2020. I presumed it would dictate destiny and sat again for the courses with hope of success this time,” she lamented.
Adama, after sitting again for the two courses and expectedly awaiting a positive outcome, fate again descended vicious prick on her.
“The results came out and one of my courses was missing in my portal which implied a missing grade.”
“After I went to my department to lodge the complaint, and as God willingly, one of my departmental lecturers pitied my situation and helped me out of the predicament.”
“It was the toughest and most difficult feat, but with a lot of prayers, effort from family and friends, It became triumphant,” She recounted with a trail of excitement.
The challenges of students differ from academic tasks but a slight poke would raise lumps in their journey to bag a degree certificate.
A Ransom for Phone
Yusuf Taiye is another graduate from the department of Economics who encountered trials in the hand of fraud on campus.
Taiye was known as tutor master in his department and hardly had time to read himself. But he encountered a trial of disturbance in his 200-level when he lost his phone to a fraud who demanded a ransom in return for it.
“After I lodge the complaint to the school authority at VC complex about my stolen phone and the finder request on a certain ransom to be paid before returning the phone.”
“But With the help of my friends and coursemate, my phone was retrieved and the perpetrator was dealt with,” he said.
What It Takes To Be A Graduate
Expressing what it take to be in university, Professor Mohammed Zaiyan Umar, the Vice- Chancellor of University of Benin-Kebbi and also a graduate of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, said graduates, while still in school are tarred with lot of challenges which may be with lecture, accommodation, compiling with school norms and custom.
“The success of this university is built around diligence and character. Every graduate of university is prone to encounter one or more challenges, but it is worth making,” he said.
Also, Professor Sheu Sidi, a lecturer at the department of English and Literary Studies, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto said the major problem that is likely encountered especially by students from another region is lack of adjustment.
“Students, especially from another culture, usually find it hard to adjust to the norms of this school. When it comes to dressing, Immoral dressing is prohibited in this university and so must be complied with.
He further said that the university is aware of everything students do and has the record for it, sequel to some students who thought otherwise.
“Most of the students think we don’t have a record of all their activities. We know everything and all these we look into before granting them exit,” he said.