By Taofeeq Imam
After a weary lecture-day, Akinlola Gboyega returned to his apartment at Oceanic Villa. Exhausted and frustrated over the thought of having to prepare for a continuous assessment the next morning, he waited for light to pop up.
His phone battery was running down, and it could not sustain him to read for the C.A throughout the night. After waiting for several hours, the 300-level student of Applied Chemisty was left with no option than to rush to the school mini market to buy a torch light.
“It was really a sorrowful experience without light,” he said.” My phone was down and I had no torch then. I was left with no choice other than to go and buy torch that very night to read.”
This has been the plight of many students occupants in Oceanic Villa_one of the private hostel at Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto.
It has been a month since the residents of Oceanic Villa saw traces of electricity in the hostels. According to the students, the problem is not unconnected to payment of house rents.
Though the agreed pattern of payment of the rent is on session basis, the eight-month industrial strike action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has frustrated the process.
“The blackout is just frustrating. I have been finding it difficult to charge my phone and I have most of my materials on my phone,” Akinlola lamented.
Just like Akinlola, Rodiah Olaide is another student occupant in Oceanic Villa who narrated his ordeal over the electricity blackout.
Speaking with the News Digest Press, she said that the situation is taking a toll on his academic activities.
“Sincerely, the disconnection of the light causes great inconveniences to me. I have been finding it difficult to charge where I have most of my study materials. Also, I could not iron my clothes because of the absence of electricity.
“The stress is unbearable for me. Before we go to other places to get those things done, it’s always late. And has been affecting my studies since I found it difficult to read at night,”she added.
NEPA Bill and not House Rent: The Reason for the Blackout
Meanwhile, in an interview with the landlord of Oceanic Villa, Dr. Garba Gusau told the News Digest Press that the reason for the frustrating blackout is as a result of the students’ failure to pay their NEPA bill, and not payment of house rent.
“It has been a while since the NEPA BILL was paid by my tenants,” he said. “I am more concerned about the Bill because it has to be paid for failure to do so, the NEPA staff might disconnect the light forcefully which won’t be at their own convenience.”
Dr. Garba Gusau said that the students should either complain about paying the NEPA Bill, or continue to wallow on the frustrating condition of blackout.
“They should pay the bill or let it be. Paying the bill shall help the development of the restoration of the light, if not they shall forcefully pack out of the rooms at the end of the session.” He warned.
The Plight of Adeshina Abefe
Adeshina Abefe, a 300-level student of Business Administration has also been receiving his own share of the blackout.
He said it has become too worrisome for him to endure. Even though he hoped for a miracle to occur in restoring the electricity, Adeshina Abefe still believed that the situation was caused by payment of house rent.
“It has been Up to a month we’ve been living without light and it has been a worrisome situation all this while,” he said.
“I don’t believe this situation was caused by unpaid NEPA Bills. Rather, it is because of the payment of house rent.
“We’re hopeful we get over this matter so that our light would be restored as soon as possible,” added.