Living in Nigeria – if you can get past the government annoying you – is pure vibes. But you know what’s even better?Living in a Nigerian university campus.Nigerian campus lifestyle is one of the best experiences of a Nigerian life. Many of the quirks and habits that now form our adult lives were picked from our schools.I remember how much everyone loved hall week puff puff during my time. It was like the best ingredients were saved for hall weeks back then in school.Everybody, no matter who they were or who their daddies were, would always seek out puff puff during hall weeks. It was a lifestyle.I was reminiscing with some of my friends about school life and it inspired me to write this article on Nigerian campus lifestyle. I went around and asked the question, “What is/was peculiar to campus lifestyle in your university regardless of students’ social status?”Here are some of the answers I got:
Lucifer-
Ebonyi State University
Graduated in 2014.
During my uni days, the in-vogue style was having your pencil jeans or ‘Chinos’. Anything you wore had to be penciled. If you don’t understand, then, this gist has flown over your head.Another was the ‘big headset’ era especially “Beats by Dre”. If you had one, you be boss and you had your pick of ladies. Let’s not forget the BlackBerry smartphones.It was an Ebonyi State University thing. You could tell that a student was from my school just by seeing a young man donning these things. I wonder how they’re doing now.
Swag level – 100. Where dem babes at? Lmao.
Ozioma-
University of Benin
Graduated in 2017.
Well, back then, in my school we had a place called the Orchard. If the Orchard was a person, he or she would be crying blood😂😂😂It’s a normal orchard as it is in the dictionary o but…It was also the home for prayers.It was also home for smooching lovers to ravage themselves.It was also a toilet for the utterly disgusting night class attendees to urinate and drop their poo everywhere.It was also every department’s hall as all departments used it for meetings.It was also home for students studying theatre arts and all other students who had art-related extra-curricular activities to use for rehearsals.Orchard sef don tire for school😂😂.
I feel sad for the poor Orchard. Love and light to Uniben’s silent hero.
Mamalawo.
Covenant University.
Graduated in 2008.
One thing that was peculiar to everyone in my uni was the fact that nobody could own jeans of any form. Your father could’ve been the owner of Levi’s or GAP but you still couldn’t own a denim in school.
Private school in Nigeria is very interesting sha. So many funny stories coming out of that space. But I can’t imagine not wearing jeans.
Just leave me alone, please.
Tiwatade-
Lagos State University
Graduated 2019.
There was this lecturer that would always speak in incorrect English grammar and it was really hilarious because I studied English. I mean, we are students of the English department so, how can a lecturer in that department speak in poor English grammar? It was really crazy, to be honest.The funny part was how he pronounced some words. It was plain ridiculous.At a point, we had a class book where one person would jot down all his ibon (we called improper English constructions ibon and it means gun). He was scattering the whole place with nonsense grammar.That’s one memory from school that my course mates and I still share till date. The lecturer’s wrong English grammar and the ibon book was definitely a lifestyle for me and my course mates 😂😂😂.
Mr. Lecturer!And if you know how Nigerian universities operate, you can probably guess how this man would grade his students.I also got some responses to the question from Nigerians who schooled outside Nigeria.
Kitan-
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana.
Graduated in 2019.
In my school, writing your name in the attendance list without being in class was literally a lifestyle. Everyone did it including the best students.People would call their friends in class to help them do it, or find a way to sneak their names into the attendance lists after the class.It was like a rite of passage for all KNUST students. Lmao.
Nigerian university students right now:
Ifeey-
University of Abomey-Calavi, Benin Republic
Graduated in 2019.
It’s definitely Tonti and Bisappe. Tonti is a sandwich made with bread, butter or mayonnaise, eggs, and sometimes, sausages. Regardless of your class, financial status or whatever, everybody ate Tonti.Like, before class, it was commonplace to see everybody with Tonti. The place where they sold it was always packed. They could get fresh bread in the morning, open their stores at 8:00 am and by 8:20 am, bread has finished.Sometimes, you may not even want to cook. Just go and get Tonti. Everybody ate Tonti.
Garri and noodles looking at Tonti right now:
What is/was peculiar to campus lifestyle in your university regardless of students’ social status? Hit me up on @originaltalkutalku on Instagram and @ogtalkutalku on Twitter, let’s chat!
