5 THINGS PECULIAR TO OAU YOU WONT SEE IN OTHER UNIVERSITIES

Lawal Shereef

It is a well known and accepted fact that different Universities in the world have their peculiarities i.e things normal to them but abnormal somewhere else.

This peculiarities could vary from common greetings or gestures to more profound institutions like traditions and cultures and could contain the look of it's physical environment,the lecture approach,the way the university is governed and several other features we can witness in our normal world outside the school walls. This time,we are bringing you the peculiarities of Obafemi Awolowo University you will find strange in other higher citadels of learning; do have a nice time reading;

1. BATS

The flying mammals are one indismissable feature of the Obafemi Awolowo University landscape or airspace as you please. There have been myths that these unusual birds population corresponds with the exact population of students on campus,this I don't know though but anyone who has been to OAU can well testify to this.

Recently,there was an uproar on social media outlet,Twitter when a Babcock student saw a flock of bats in their school compound and called it 'a strange happening',the student posted a picture of a flock of bats and captioned it with 'strange things are now happening in Babcock,bats flying in daylight'. This immediately prompted an uproar within the OAU Twitter community who thought it's normal afterall and have been able to co-habit with the birds notorious for dropping poos on their favourite clothes.

2. ARCHITECTURAL MASTERPIECES

 While most tertiary institutions in Nigeria boast of functional buildings,OAU boasts of architectural masterpieces. The University landscape,designed by renowned architects Arieh and Edgar Sharon is one of the most beautiful in Africa,this beauty was recently projected in the Netflix movie, Citation directed by Kunle Afolayan and shot within it's premises.

The school's students are fond of pointing this out while in any debate or altercations with students of other schools. If you have visited many campuses in the country,you will no doubt believe the school is well above it's peers in terms of beauty and architecture.

3. 'SHANAS'

While basking in the euphoria of the overwhelming structure of the University,you shouldn't  forget so easily that the University is one of the best in the country and notoriously responsible for churning out many of the exceptional citizens Nigeria has today.

The term 'Shana' isn't just peculiar to the University students but they also leave up to this appellation. Despite the sports and struggles on Africa's most beautiful campus,the students have still kept to being conscious,vigilant and progressive,amidst their Aluta,they have always been able to move forward and never backward whilst holding pride in their learnings and culture. Their alumni and current students alike have gone forth to become powerful ambassadors of the University,making it proud and showing it love,this indeed is a peculiarity for the University,not all Universities get to be proud of their products.

READ ALSO!!: 10 categories of students and how they react to news of schools reopening

4. VIBRANT STUDENTSHIP/ZERO CULTISM

 Many schools will boast of a vibrant student population but most won't boast of a motivated student body. The Great Ife students otherwise known as the Intellectual Fighters of Emancipation are vibrant and draw their motivation from the July 10,1999 incident,where a prominent student,George Iwilade(Afrika) was killed alongside some other students of the University.

The then students took to the streets of OAU and uprooted all forms of cultism in the school and ever since,successive sets of students have taken pride in keeping up with this tradition while other schools draw inspiration from the OAU story. The Student Union was proscribed recently but the vibrancy of the student body is untampered with.

5. SECURITY

A 100 level student of the University staying at Angola/Mozambique or ETF hostel can just decide to have a stroll to such a distance as the Faculty of EDM or the computer centre in the wee hours of the night without being afraid of being intimidated or attacked. This is the level of security on campus.With a responsible student population,functioning security department and well lit streets,OAU campus is one of the safest places in Nigeria,what makes this absurd is it's contrast irony when compared to other campuses in the country where evil actions are perpetuated in broad daylight talkless of under the cover of darkness.

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6. THE ARO CULTURE

Unarguably the richest and most peculiar culture the university has instilled on its students. Headquartered at the resilient Awolowo hall of residence in the University,the Aro culture has found it's roots in several places in the world as the school's product keep traversing the Earth. No student who passed through the university will deny also having a degree in Aro,otherwise known as whining. While this happens to be the prominent feature of Aro,there are other underlying characteristics like resilience,determination,will-power,clowny(funny)behaviours,brotherhood and many more embedded in the student populace through this Aro.

No one will want to miss a communion with the Awo boys doing Aro but please desperately avoid to be on the wrong side so you won't cry home.

These are only a few prominent peculiarities of the great citadel of learning in Ife,if you feel there is any left out,feel free to comment,share and add yours.

Amigos.