By Akinfenwa Olaitan
There's this popular notion that majority of OAU students have about some departments and Faculties. It's quite funny actually. Have you ever wondered why some departments and Faculties in OAU, for example, the Department of English and by implication, the Faculty of Arts, and probably the Faculty of Law, have a reputation for being quite socially loud and quite morally indecent, compared to other departments? Surely, there must be a reason why these departments are highly rated as the home of party goers and 'baddest guys'. Actually it's no news to most of us that when we want to talk about the most interesting parties and events on campus, such departments are usually in charge. Of course, having a reputation for being socially popular is not bad, but when it crosses the line to indecency, that can be quite demeaning.
Despite being a proud student of the Faculty of Arts, I cannot totally deny the allegations, because there is actually some truth in them. I can say without any bias that indeed, the Faculty of Arts, being a very large and outgoing Faculty, has a wide variety of intriguing stories at every point in time. I, personally, have seen quite a lot of ridiculously dressed students in my beloved department that left me aghast. I suppose I can safely say that many students like to make loud statements in their fashion by simply going out of the norm. As a result, many tend to go overboard by dressing outrightly indecently. We see girls wear unbelievably skimpy clothes to attend lectures, and we are hardly surprised, because it's so common. Eccentric hairstyles and makeup are very common. I once saw a lady in my department with bright red hair, and I could see that she enjoyed the attention it brought her. All these contribute to the sizzling stories that endlessly trail the departments I stated earlier.
There is also this notion that students of the above named faculties and departments are mostly unserious and lackadaisical towards academic activities. Other students in the seemingly 'tedious' departments have the opinion that students in the Arts are usually lazy and unserious. I vividly remember when an older friend once asked me what course I was studying. On hearing my response, he looked at me with surprise and asked why I chose such an irresponsible department. I tried to defend my department but my concerned friend couldn't see any value in my chosen course, because of the stories he had heard . I began to wonder why the stigma of recklessness stuck to my Faculty like flies around ripe mangoes.
As a result, I feel the need to say that it is wrong to assume that all students in the department of English or other departments in the Faculty of Arts or Law are indecent or unserious. Such assumptions are highly fallacious. Just as well, it is false to assume that other students in other departments are all morally decent and academically sound. Despite the rumours and allegations, and even though we might be more socially inclined, I can assert that there are quite a lot of responsible, calm and serious students in the Faculty of Arts, just as there are in other faculties.
So, I would conclude by saying that as intellectuals, we shouldn't form wrong opinions based on hasty generalisation. Also, students who find themselves in the infamous departments should rather choose to be pace setters of decency amidst the dark stigma of partly truthful allegations. You know, it is actually better to stand out, rather than blend in and flow in the wrong direction.
Finally let's all endeavour to be confident in our decency, even as we are decent in our confidence.
There's this popular notion that majority of OAU students have about some departments and Faculties. It's quite funny actually. Have you ever wondered why some departments and Faculties in OAU, for example, the Department of English and by implication, the Faculty of Arts, and probably the Faculty of Law, have a reputation for being quite socially loud and quite morally indecent, compared to other departments? Surely, there must be a reason why these departments are highly rated as the home of party goers and 'baddest guys'. Actually it's no news to most of us that when we want to talk about the most interesting parties and events on campus, such departments are usually in charge. Of course, having a reputation for being socially popular is not bad, but when it crosses the line to indecency, that can be quite demeaning.
Despite being a proud student of the Faculty of Arts, I cannot totally deny the allegations, because there is actually some truth in them. I can say without any bias that indeed, the Faculty of Arts, being a very large and outgoing Faculty, has a wide variety of intriguing stories at every point in time. I, personally, have seen quite a lot of ridiculously dressed students in my beloved department that left me aghast. I suppose I can safely say that many students like to make loud statements in their fashion by simply going out of the norm. As a result, many tend to go overboard by dressing outrightly indecently. We see girls wear unbelievably skimpy clothes to attend lectures, and we are hardly surprised, because it's so common. Eccentric hairstyles and makeup are very common. I once saw a lady in my department with bright red hair, and I could see that she enjoyed the attention it brought her. All these contribute to the sizzling stories that endlessly trail the departments I stated earlier.
There is also this notion that students of the above named faculties and departments are mostly unserious and lackadaisical towards academic activities. Other students in the seemingly 'tedious' departments have the opinion that students in the Arts are usually lazy and unserious. I vividly remember when an older friend once asked me what course I was studying. On hearing my response, he looked at me with surprise and asked why I chose such an irresponsible department. I tried to defend my department but my concerned friend couldn't see any value in my chosen course, because of the stories he had heard . I began to wonder why the stigma of recklessness stuck to my Faculty like flies around ripe mangoes.
As a result, I feel the need to say that it is wrong to assume that all students in the department of English or other departments in the Faculty of Arts or Law are indecent or unserious. Such assumptions are highly fallacious. Just as well, it is false to assume that other students in other departments are all morally decent and academically sound. Despite the rumours and allegations, and even though we might be more socially inclined, I can assert that there are quite a lot of responsible, calm and serious students in the Faculty of Arts, just as there are in other faculties.
So, I would conclude by saying that as intellectuals, we shouldn't form wrong opinions based on hasty generalisation. Also, students who find themselves in the infamous departments should rather choose to be pace setters of decency amidst the dark stigma of partly truthful allegations. You know, it is actually better to stand out, rather than blend in and flow in the wrong direction.
Finally let's all endeavour to be confident in our decency, even as we are decent in our confidence.
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ReplyDeleteNice one dia Olaitan
ReplyDeleteKip it up