The Life of a Nigerian Lakchara
By Hashim Muhammad Suleiman
A student once tactifully begged for marks from me which I instantly declined with even warning her not to ever do that again. Unknown to me, she came with her friends but they stayed outside my office.
As she left and joined her friends, without even moving far away from our office building, I clearly heard her telling them “ba shi da tausayi, lokacin su ba irin alfarmar da ba a yi musu ba. Amma yanzu, ya na Musulmi ɗan arewa, amma ya ƙi taimakon mu.” That I lack sympathy, that during our time, we were helped to pass courses but now, even though I am a Muslim and a northerner, I’m refusing to help them.
As academics, we see things.
There was this guy that demanded, yes demanded to score an A for the course I took them that year. According to him, an A in my course would make him escape a pass degree. I told him to study hard, if he scores A, he would certainly have an A. At the end of the semester, he scored a very low grade from that course. There was no where from barbing salons to social media that he hasn’t gone to insult not only my personality but also my parents. Till date, I’ve never responded to his tantrums.
Another student, a diploma student with around nine carry overs, was following each of us “a share mashi carry overs ɗin.” He failed and resorted to blackmail. In disjointed sentences, he sent threatening messages to many of my colleagues. He promised that he’d go ahead to finish his diploma, degree, masters and PhD with the sole aim of coming back to fight us all.
We are still waiting for him.
There was this student that came to my office in the evening. She told me all the stories of her life, that of her great, great grandparents from Bermuda to Timbuktu. When all narrative failed to convince me to change her grade, she hesitantly stood up to take her leave. Towards the door of the office, she turned and said “sir, ka gani?” I raised my eyes (initially, all through my eyes were on my laptop) and asked her what na gani? She was wearing a see through jallabiya, she quickly flashed me and asked “ka gani?” I said yes, na gani. “Me ka gani?” Na ga HIV, was my response. That’s the last time she ever entered my office till she was withdrawn based on poor academic performance.
The distractions are much, from gifts of clothing, promises of money and even cars to trying to visit our families to “greet them.” We see them all. It is not by our power that we resist such things but by the grace of Allah. Yet, whenever some students see the consequences of their actions and inactions, the lecturers are the culprits.
While in the university, many students have given us names like “mugun malami, mara mutumci up to mara daraja.” Yet, after graduation, many of our students write flowing pieces about us. Some even call us to seek for forgiveness of what they’ve said against us while still in the university. Wallahi, my typical response has been and will always be, may Allah forgive our transgressions.
As a Nigerian academic, we carry lots of burdens. Poor pay, over burdening workloads, unappreciative students (some) and big expectations from the society. That’s why many of us have developed immature grey hair, depressive ailments and emptied pockets. That’s why academics are leaving the profession en mass.
As for now, continue insulting your knowledge givers, it is one of the many sacrifices that come with the job that saps all our energy.
An gaishe Ku, masu zagin malaman ku.
Suleiman, PhD
