By Shamsudeen Abubakar
With a radiant smile, Safwan Abubakar, a 300-level student, danced effortlessly across the Makasi hostel verandah. His hands waved freely in the air as he twirled his shirt, playfully heading towards an empty bucket to get water. “An bar ku abaya ‘yan gida,” he exclaimed, meaning, “those who stayed home have missed out on so much.” His vibrant dance moves, accompanied by Fab biscuits in his hands, suggested a special encounter that had left him feeling jubilant.
As he dashed to fetch water, his enthusiasm grew. Upon getting the water from his neighbour’s bucket, he retrieved his sponge and MP3 player from his room, filling the atmosphere with music. He jogged around, enthusiastically mimicking the “eyi eyi yeah” refrain. “Kai! Today was fun!” He shouted, attempting to calm down and greet this reporter.
“I am coming back from the fitness trek,” Safwan told the Digest Press. “I had so much fun. I have even made new friends, and connected with people I had always wanted to have a minute chat with.
“God will bless the inventor of this fitness trek. This fitness trek is a very wonderful event. Of all the events in this school, I value this trek most,” he beamed, adding that he wished to have more fun the day after.
Evolution of Fitness Trek in UDUS
In February 2016, Mr. Bello Audu, the Chief Consultant for Economics at DTGES, TEDR, and Innovation Economist at UDUS, invented the UDUS Fitness Trek. It all started when he graduated from UDUS University. His experience from a similar event in the banking sector at the UBA Bank, Sokoto, inspired him to create a social activity for students of UDUS titled “UDUS Fitness Trek.” Mr. Audu contacted Halima Akande, a top official of the Penpress then, and requested a meeting with the Student Union. After their discussion, the SU then approved it, but the school went on strike a that time.
“I conceived this initiative realizing that students don’t engage in any social activities. They are always attached to books,” Mr. Audu explained. “The trek was inspired by my experience with the UBA Sokoto, where staff would come together to unite, have fun, and stay away from the banking activities. We used to chat, discuss, and get fit on that day— it was called ‘Jogging to bond’ then. So I believe it will be good for our students too.”
According to Mr. Audu, upon the school’s resumption, the SU presented the initiative to the school management. The school management, through the Dean, Prof MAGAWATA, asked him to write an undertaking that they are not going to pay him for the initiative, and he shouldn’t expect any funds. The sports director and the Vice President of the SU visited Mr. Audu’s office to further discuss the event plan. Mr. Audu, along with his team, planned a trek from the school to the first gate within the town, with a sound system to motivate students.
However, funding became a challenge to the initiative, and Mr. Audu and his team had to rely on limited resources. Due to short notice, he had to fund all the logistics as he could not get help from NGOs, and organisations within the Sokoto metropolis — he bought bottled water, glucose, and others for the event to take place.
“We kept the event going with the little we have. We went on the directives of the chief security from the first gate to Kwalkwalawa, and moved on through the back of the first gate.
“We had people from UDUTH and City campus who joined us. We also went along with the security, Press members, and photographers who were snapped by Tanny Pictures. We had a memorable day that day. We discuss, trek, exercise, and have fun.” Mr. Audu explained.
When asked about the motive of the Fitness Trek initiative, Mr. Audu stated that the initiative aims to create something that will bring the students together, have a social activity that is good for their body system, improve their fitness, relieve them from the pressure of academics, and reenergize them.
“This is an event that can be sustainable, and I am very happy now because every successful SU government has been able to keep it going, and recently I saw UDUS staff having similar fitness too, which all points down to my invention.” He added that he’s happy building a legacy that people want to know about him now.
Despite not being adequately recognised for that, Mr. Audu was very happy because he brought what people were enjoying. The event was held with the participation of a Professor in education, some security advisers, and the Dean. Despite some challenges, the trek was successful, and the initiative has been sustained by every successful SU government.
UDUS Fitness Trek, Not Everyone’s Cup of Tea
Mukhtar Shafiu, a 300-level student of education, felt bad because he missed the fitness trek. He failed to attend it as he couldn’t afford the costume to wear on that day.
“I woke up intending to attend the fitness trek but unfortunately, I don’t have the costume. The only alternative I have was nowhere to be found,” he said feeling disappointed.
Another student who couldn’t attend the fitness trek is Jabir Sani, a final-year student of Curriculum Studies. He sees no fun in students coming together to trek. He, however, found it difficult to adapt to the larger society.
“I prefer to eat and sleep rather than going to the fitness trek. Everybody has what impresses him but I do find my joy in watching films and sleeping,” he said, that was his fun.
More Students Continue to Celebrate
For Suadeeqah Sa’eed, a political science student, the trek is a symbol of unity__ it brought students together with friends that one misses for a while. The atmosphere was good for her as everybody was dancing freely and unsociable people were also carried along.
Suadeeqah suggested that: “The SU should bring this Fitness initiative every semester for people that missed the first semester because people don’t even do exercises these days,” she affirmed, saying, “I am one of them.”
She further expressed that she was so happy and she had so much fun. Though, it was so tiring that she wasn’t able to do anything after the event. But she felt healthy and regained her energy after the whole event. “It was a good social activity. Thank you so much UDUS.” She concluded.
Like Suadeeqah, Ahmed Raji Onimisi, a final year student, also expressed that the fitness trek was cool and nice to him.
It was the first time in his life that he had such a trek. He has the opportunity of meeting his friends, roomies, Asiya, the lady whom he was crushing on, and faces that put a lasting smile on his face.
He added that he had pains all over his body after waking up but he lost the pains after the fitness trek. “I give special thanks to the organizers of this fitness trek and great UDUS aspirants.”
“It would be more fun if lecturers could join too. But due to their age and societal conviction, students won’t feel comfortable with their presence, and they also won’t feel at ease.”
Similarly, Fatima Muhammad from the English and Literary Studies department also expressed her enthusiasm. She stated that the fitness trek was full of fun.
“It is the only fun we have in the school. SU tried. The only problem is that it lacks proper Organization ___ DJ supposed to be in the middle of the student not behind. Playing language music like Yoruba music is not proper because he was killing the vibes since not everybody understands the song.”
She emphasized that SU should add games and some social sports activities on the day to make it more lively. Parade, bicycle riding, displaying skills such as dances, and many things to make it more fun, unlike the FYBs.
She added by saying, “I want to appreciate the person who brought this idea of Fitness Trek because the school would have been so boring. He tried to bring this up ___ something that brings students together that’s not against the school rules.
“I unite with friends that I haven’t met since UG1 with this fitness trek; it brought us together. We snapped pictures and had fun. A very big thank you to the initiator of this idea from my end and my friends. He tried.” She acknowledged.
SU CTC Chairman’s Insight on Successful Fitness Trek
Speaking with the News Digest Press, Abdullahi Sanusi, the SU-CTC Chairman, expressed his excitement for the successful completion of the fitness trek event.
The SU made the event come back to life seeing how people wanted it. “We have to postpone it for others to resume school.”
When asked about the rationale for postponing the event in the first place, he explained that; “People have been calling us to postpone pending the time they resume school. So we postponed it for that reason.
Speaking regarding the challenges he encountered during the fitness trek, he stated that it was only with the music that they had problems. “We sent our PRO to guide the DJ when people complained about the kinds of music played.”
“We even sent our vehicles to UDUTH and the teaching hospital for others to join us. People were as happy as we expected. We ended it peacefully.” He stated, with a sigh of relief.”
He concluded that the Union also realizes students are lacking in social activities, which is why they kept the legacy of their predecessors. He also promised that they are planning to bring up another initiative similar to the fitness trek as the students needed more fun.