All Fingers Are Not Equal:

The report that school fees portal for last session has been closed has sent fear into the minds of many students and parents alike. I am not left out. The report since last week has made me unsteady and unable to perform optimally in my recent examinations.
VC sir, we understand that it is stated in the student’s handbook and as you expounded on radio that within two weeks of resumption, students are to pay their fees and do all necessary registrations.

Sir, we also understand that another grace of two weeks is added to enable students pay up their fees, making it a one month period to pay up all accruing fees and after which late payment charge of 4,000 for freshers and N2,000 for returning students commence as you stated.

You also stated that after this grace period, students who are unable to meet up should apply for deferment of studies for the next academic session. All these provisions of the law are well articulated and appreciated sir and we thank management for such thoughtfulness.

Nevertheless, we should understand that all fingers are not equal, hence, meeting up with this deadline by all students may not be possible and shutting them off their strivings is only meant to kill their spirit to study.

Sir, most of our parents receives salaries of less than a 100,000 monthly, thus, months of savings are needed to pay the high school fees that we are now paying.

Sir, my colleagues (students) are crying out bitterly that most of their parents are farmers, fishermen and some are even jobless (probably engaging in low paying wages work). “Our parents took the pains to send us here because they do not want us to suffer what they are experiencing”. What now will become of our parents and their efforts? In vain? God forbids!


Sir, most of us are students paying our own fees. What is your encouragement to let us keep going? Are you willing to let our efforts go down the drain? Never will my able VC do so.

Sir, as a student friendly VC, this school fees policy and consequent deferment of studies goes against your personality. I still nurture the disbelief that you approve and implemented such policy.

Sir, some of our parents have about eight children and some even more. Two or more are in the universities and we all know how difficult it is to take care of students then add home responsibilities. Please sir, don’t make it harder.

Sir, how can a parent who is a farmer or fisherman pay school fees of two children amounting to 300,000 and above which is excluding accommodation and other major and minor expenses within such a short time? Has the poor been excluded from the Nigerian educational scheme?


Sir, even most parents who are civil servants like teachers, security an/or clerks, their salaries are not enough to take care of two or more children in the university and also take care of the family back home.

Whereas, our parents have been indebted because of our academics and still trying harder to pay up emerging fees.
Sir, because of the close of school fees and course registration portal, some are having sleepless nights (crying all through the night). I heard a final year student threatening to commit suicide because of the news of forfeiting one session.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise to you that some students, because of family difficulties, they only eat once a day. Some students don’t even have where to stay… “they are just roaming about” like you said, scouting from one friend to the other in search of where to spend the night.


Sir, you have always been like a father to us whom we in turn admire so much because of your hardwork which is “visible to the blind and audible to the deaf”. . We sincerely hope you will revert this policy and extend the time to let us all pay.

With deepest sense of regard,
Ozubide Wonderful

Long live The VC!
Long live NDU!
Long live Bayelsa State