By Jumoke Esuola
That night, after visiting the bathroom three times to cool the heat that had been boiling her body, Joy Enoch buried herself in a mosquito net to avoid going to the school clinic with a malaria complaint the following morning.
The occupant of IA Hall of Residence applied all her strength to reduce the heat, fanning herself with a hand fan. Perhaps, the fans in her room are not working and she could not opt to sleep outside like how some students_who could not withstand the hellish conditions of hostels_do.
Joy, after managing to catch a sleep for about three hours, woke up again because she was drowning in sweat.
“This heat is so unbearable for me, and I wish I could put my bed outside like the rest of the students but I can’t,” Joh cried bitterly.
“I have a very sensitive body and know how many times I visited the clinic this semester after being diagnosed with malaria. Any small sting from an insect is going to react to my body.
She said,”I am already covered with heat rashes all over my body including my face but that is a lesser evil compared to what I would be expecting if I join the other students to put my bed outside.”
Students of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto who could not bear the full wrath of Sokoto heat at night always put their beds outside, but that itself is not a safe practice.
Situated in the dry Sahel covered by sandy savannah and isolated hills, Sokoto City_where Usmanu Danfodiyo University is located_has an annual average temperature of 28.3 °C (82.9 °F), making it one of the hottest cities in the world.
The hot season lasts for about three months_from March to June_with an average daily high temperature above 101°F.
Following the average maximum temperatures and humidity levels, you can expect dangerous heat conditions like sunstroke, muscle cramps and heat exhaustion.
According to a Public Health Scientist,
Dr. Habib Adamu, heat cramps, exhaustion, and heat rashes are the illnesses prevalent during the hot season.
How ASUU, Holidays Saved me for Three Year
Bilikisu Yahya, a 300-level student, said the hotness and the heat of Sokoto city was always a tale to her. Ever since she gained admission in UDUS, the period either coincided with the school holidays, or industrial strike action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities(ASUU).
But now, she has started experiencing what she equated with the hellfire.
“The school has warned us to be security conscious, that’s why I ensure our dormitory door is locked at night before going to sleep. I don’t sleep outside and the heat is very excruciating inside,” she said.
“I have spoken with the hall governor regarding the condition of our fans
and I hope that the situation will be rectified as soon as possible.”
Speaking with Ummuh Salma, the hall governor of AI halls of residence, said, “Immediately I resumed I went to complain to the maintenance because the heat is unbearable.”
She said the Dean of Students Affairs directed her to compile the names of rooms that have no fans, and also the ones that developed faults.”
“I hope the management will take actions to correct the situation,” she added.
In an interview with the Chairman of the Caretaker Committee for Students’s Union, Mohammed Shamshudeen, gave the students a glimmer of hope, adding that the issues of fans would be rectified as soon as possible.
“It is quite unfortunate that the residents have to experience that considering the weather we are in and that is why the matter is on our priority list along with some matters that concern the welfare of the students,”he said.
“Therefore, the affected residents should be optimistic because sooner than later there will be working fans in all of the dormitories.”
I Take Out my Bed at Every Opportunity
In finding a conducive shelter for the heat, Aisha, a 400-level student, resulted in taking her bed outside.
She said the condition was bearable when the fan in her room was working. But ever since they stopped,” I used to take out my bed at every opportunity to enjoy the natural breeze and pray things get better.”
“Then, I used to lay on my bed inside the room while the fan did its wonders but the privilege was not long there.”