One of the systems that is always looking for ways and means to stress people in the system is the Nigerian university system. It is a system that knows a way that can make things easier, better, and easily accessible for those in the system, especially the students, but will rather choose the long way, one that is more rigid and not at all flexible than an actually flexible way.
I just gained admission into one of the Nigerian universities, and I had been hearing stories of how stressful the system is, and I did not take it to heart, but my first few weeks in the system drained me mentally, emotionally, physically, and, most of all, financially. I have seen schools in movies where you don't even need to do anything before your identity card is made available for you; as long as you are a student and your name is on the students list, you get all that you need and deserve effortlessly. Down here, whether you deserve them or not, you must struggle and fight for everything, both the ones that are actually yours and the ones that are not.
I have been going to the school portal for at least 6 days straight just to get a school identity card, but each day I reach there, the crowd there is really worrisome, and even after waiting hours, it never gets to my turn, and I am forced to go back home.
"Hi, please, how are you people always here in large numbers even when I come an hour before work starts?" I asked one of the girls on the front line of the queue.
"I was here at around 5am today, and that is why I am in front; if you want the same, then you have to starve yourself of sleep and be here as early as possible." She responded while struggling to stay in the queue.
I left that day with the plan of showing up as early as I can too the next day so I can get my school identity card. I went to my hostel and went to bed as early as I could to enable me to wake up as early as possible so I could meet up. The following morning I was in front of the school portal where identity cards are being issued as early as 5am, and like she said, there were a few people there before me, and I was not surprised at all.
"Hi, good morning, bro," I greeted one of the guys there before me.
"Good morning, Chief." He responded, stretching his hands for a handshake.
"Please, who is the last person here?" I asked as I accepted his handshake.
"I am the last person; you can just stay behind me." He responded.
"Thank you." I responded as I joined the queue and waited for 8am, when work starts and staff will start coming to the office.
It was a really long wait, but it was worth it because I was one of the first 10 people to be attended to when work started. The long-awaited time came and work started, but it was taking longer than expected to get to my turn, and I had to leave the queue to get snacks, as I was already fidgeting, only to get back and find someone else was standing in my position.
"Bro, I was here; please leave and let me take back my position," I said politely.
"You are not serious; you must be joking. I have been here since," the dark-looking guy responded.
Immediately I did not even realize how I grabbed him and dragged him out of the spot and immediately took over; he wanted to retaliate but was shouted at by the guy I exchanged pleasantries with in the morning, letting him know I was here and he should stop the drama.
"Just pray our paths don't cross again." The dark threatened to snap his finger.
"You can do nothing; we will meet outside here, and I will wait for your action." I responded by watching him walk away.
I was able to achieve my goal for the day by getting my school identity card, went home, and life moved on like nothing happened, and about two weeks later I went to my department to open a file only to meet that dark guy at the entrance of my department.
"You are an agricultural and bioresources engineering student too?" He asked
"Yes, I am," I responded with tone since the last time we met, we parted ways on bad terms.
"I am sorry about the other day; I was just frustrated and wanted to get my identity card by all means." He said, "By the way, I am Murphy." He added, extending his right hand for a handshake.
"I am Kachi; I am also sorry for how I dragged you out of the line too," I responded as we both shook hands.
Since that day Murphy became one of my best buddies in school and in my department; he paved the way for me in every way he could. He became a connection I never knew could exist from how we started off, but rather, how we started brought us really close and made our bond quite unbreakable.
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