J*NOW, WE CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!*
One thing every student of this grand institution must know is that the school in which we are is highly subsidized by the Federal Government...
In spite of this, we pay school fees, pay hostel fees, application fees and a host of other "pay-pay". It might interest you to know there are over 20,000 students in the University of Benin as we speak, cutting across 13 Faculties. And out of this figure, tutored by the need to stay safe from the dangers that lurk in wait outside the school environment, the desire to save some money and fired by the blazing flames of current economic realities, many more students than the usual number applied for spaces this year. As a matter of fact, not less than 10,000 students paid the said #1,450 with the hope of getting a space in the school hostels since it was opened to all. From this figure, we have this:
*10,000 X 1,450 = 14,500,000 (fourteen million, five hundred thousand naira)!*

This current practice was no doubt a process calculated by the university to defraud students of their already very thin means of survival, students whose gullibility they knew would be escalated by the harshness of economic realities. There remain very many folks who did not have any prior need for the school hostel due to its regrettable conditions, but who eventually were driven by lack of funds to seek this unappealing space (when the desirable is not available, the available becomes desirable, abi my pipo nor be so?).

But it is evident that this process was orchestrated for the advancement of the fraudulent tendencies of those in authority. I say this with no iota of reservations whatsoever! This is because they (the authorities) knew that there would never be enough space for all the students (how mani hostels we get sef? Is this not the reason behind the statements we often hear from the porters when they mention that "hostel space is not a right, but a privilege". This, they anchor on the fact that the available spaces is not enough to go round. And we have never really had issues with this: once they allocate spaces to a good number of students, those who didn't get would usually find alternative accommodations. But not this time! If they should ever claim that this is not the case (which I doubt vehemently, since their intentions are manifestly expressed by their actions), then can they explain why they jettisoned the old method of allocation, where spaces were given before any payment, but rather quickly followed by clearance? By this, surely, only those who are allocated spaces will pay any money at all. But they wanted more! They wanted to enrich themselves at our further expense! "Still, we nor complain..."

In spite of the money taken from students, the amount of time they had to spend in both application (some had to journey to school from far away homes just for the cumbersome manual process in an age driven by eccentric technology) and the endless wait for the school to release paltry names that when eventually released had all the hallmarks of favouritism and nepotism. After all, it had already become a norm that "some animals are more equal than the rest". So, we waited. Not complaining but waiting, in silence, hoping that the elements involved would receive the required wisdom to act... Though, long it was, much more than we bargained for, yet we tarried.

Alas! After waiting for a whole semester (within which we have had to be chased like criminals from our temporary accommodation without proper arrangements befitting human beings let alone the leaders of the nearest future of this country, to the streets of the university where we spent whole 24hrs begging to be allowed a place wherein to keep our luggage meanwhile the hostels were grossly unoccupied...), we have had to raise our hopes again only for them to come crashing very fast! Yes, the recent list failed to reflect the yearnings of the students, as only very few names were released: out of the more than 10,000 who paid the application fees, only about 1,500 people can boast of a place in the school!

Mind you, lecturers have already started conducting Continuous Assessments in different departments across all levels; the students in their Final Years in all the Faculties have been assigned Project Supervisors with a deadline for binding and submission set; examination date has adamantly remained 9th January, 2017, meanwhile the 100level students are yet to even apply for the spaces since the Health clearance required for their application takes too long a reasonable time because they are jostling for a place in the queue in the one and only Health Center in the school...

*FINALLY: D MATA DON CAST, AH DEY TELL U!!!*
The long and short of this is that we will continue to get similar results unless we take a very sound affirmative action: we must make it clear to the school authorities (whoever it is that is responsible for this mess) that we will no longer swallow these bitter pills simply because we want peace to reign - that should be the headache of the authorities, not ours. Every student, whether directly affected or not, must take a stand and help purge the system of this stench that has enveloped the entire atmosphere, that has left us unhealthy financially, psychologically, academically, emotionally and otherwise. We must make it clear that;

1. The current SUG has failed the students in proportions beyond measures. And, as a consequence, are not representing the students anymore. For deciding to take the side of the school to our utter detriment they are totally on a frolic of their own. For all their innumerable failures, we denounce them!

2. The Dean of Students has not only displayed disproportionate level of incompetence in managing the affairs of the students of this university in this time and clime but has also shown himself to be biased and compromised to listen to the agonising lamentations of the students.

3. The VC must show that he is on the side of the students (where he ought to be) by doing whatever is within his wide power (and discretion) to remedy the situation of hostel allocation without further delay. This is a matter of importance that has reached the proverbial "boiling point"!

4. The school should, without conditions, reconsider the school calendar, taking good measure into the fact that even as we speak, students are yet to settle down. And since this is not totally without their making, they have to share in it by shifting the date slated for the commencement of the examinations.

It is hoped, and strongly believed, that the school will pay desired attention to this clarion yet very amicable plea from the students and do the needful. This is because the students are so frustrated that no action will be considered too much to drive home their point, should the school refuse to act appropriately. It is, thus, in the very interest of the already volatile system that we make these salient and expedient expression of our manifest exasperation, a fallout of our deep-rooted frustration.

We also use this medium to beckon on the students of this great institution to brace up for any actions: We must make sure to register our grievances to the appropriate quarters. And this time we will not take "no" for an answer - our entitlements will no longer be up for cheap roundtable negotiations. This culture of impunity wherewith the authorities treat us like lesser humans while their children enjoy lives of opulence and luxury abroad must come to an end. And it won't until we say so! So, brace up!

Remember, the people together cannot be defeated...

Signed:
Members,
*Democratic Vanguard for Dividends*

Pls rebc. to[truncated by WhatsApp]