THIS SPECIAL DAY IN HISTORY

Six years later, still moving on

12/07/2010 – Oh! What a day

Today, the 12th day of July in 2010 will forever be a special day in history. I wouldn't be sharing the events from my book of history today, but from a chapter of my own autobiography - "The Compendium of a Loquacious Introvert" (you may watch out for that).

It was the unforgettable event that lead to my admission into the University of Lagos – the post UTME struggle!
Several events have added unleachable color to the pages of my memoir prior to this time. Worthy of mentioning is my journey to Enugu in 2009 where I was duped in my naive search for University admission. Another is the bitterness I had with my SSCE whole level results being cancelled on two different occasions (Nov/Dec 2007 and Nov/Dec 2008) after I had failed (with D7) in English and Further-maths in WAEC May/June 2007. Yet another is my final trial in 2010 (where I made it all) that qualified me for the 2010 UNILAG post UTME. All these are however events that made up the episodes of other chapters of my diary.

The 2010 UNILAG post UTME was initially scheduled to hold between Monday 5th of July and Thursday 8th of July 2010 and was meant to be computer based. My exam was scheduled to hold on the second day – Tuesday 06/07/2010 (the date that marked my first day in UNILAG!) according the course I chose – Chemical Engineering.

On arriving at the multipurpose hall C, the supposed venue of my exam at about 8:00 am on Tuesday 6th of July 2010, the entrance was locked and a note at one corner of the building (which was distributed around other places) read something like

“Important Notice!
The University Management is sorry to announce that the 2010 post UTME scheduled to hold from 5th of July to 8th of July 2010 has been postponed to the following week -12th of July to 15th July 2010. Candidates are advised to check the university website (www.unilag.edu.ng) for update of the new timetable.”

Students dashed forward in tens and scores to read the note and disappointedly diverged to their respective locations. We later heard that the postponement was due to technical faults with the computer system while conducting the test on Monday, the previous day.

Back to my father’s house at Ikotun, Lagos. I had a non internet enabled phone (Nokia 1100) then so I would frequently check on my mum’s Samsung X1 to browse simple sites like Google, mygamma.com, yahoo, and the likes. It was with this phone that I checked for update on the new timetable from Wednesday to Friday, but I did not find any. I didn’t bother check on Saturday and Sunday; perhaps I forgot to do so or I just ignored it since it wasn’t updated during the week, why would it be done in the weekends?
I asumed since the postponement is just for a week, maybe the exam would be promoted linearly. That is those that are meant to have theirs on Monday would have it the next Monday, those for Tuesday would have it the next Tuesday and so on.So, I already concluded mine would be next Tuesday.

Although I tried to relieve myself of unnecessary pressure about the exam, but the anxiety to know the exact date from the new timetable still remain.

On the d day, Monday 12th of July 2010, I was woken up for the Fajr (early morning) prayer at about 5:30 am just as every other day and continued the daily routine.
After the Fajr prayer, I would have a nap, and then work with my dad at his poultry. While doing all these, I was still anxious of the release of the new time table, I was not comfortable with myself. At about 10:45 am, I couldn’t bear it any longer; I just have to check for the new timetable, something just whispered in my mind to do so. I sneaked out of the poultry without finishing the job; I managed to access my mum’s phone so as to check the timetable. The phone slowly loaded UNILAG website after several trials as if was going to explode if loaded too fast; and here comes the site “Welcome to University of Lagos”. The good news – the timetable has been released, but it wouldn’t open on my mum’s phone it’s a pdf file. The tension in me rose geometrically to a higher height, and so I immediately raced with myself to a cyber café down the street. Thank God it has just open for the day, I gave the attendant ₦200 and bought 30 min to check the timetable. Behold, the file has just opened right in front of me, I zoomed my eye to the five column table on the screen and I saw at the second column under Monday 12th of July 2010,
Chemical Engineering, 12:30 am, Sport Centre, indoor sport hall!
Hoo laa la! It was already 11:00 am. The atmosphere around me became intense, I cancelled the page immediately. I had just spent barely five mins of the time. I never care to collect my balance (I haven’t done that up till now. In case you are that attendant, better return my ₦150 change now. The café no longer exist). I ran home with the speed of light and entered the bathroom like a flash. In less than five minutes, I was already dressed. I managed to check and take necessary documents and enough money with me and set for the race. My mum, my brother and everyone around could only wish me all the best as I was acting the drama in front of them.
The only rout to UNILAG on my head then was from Ikotun to Iyana-Ipaja to Yaba and to UNILAG. I board a bike (Okada) from the junction of my house to Ikotun garage. I immediately jumped off and in to a bus going to Iyana-Ipaja. If only I could move the bus with my hand and leg, I would have done that. As I fiddled with them, I felt like hijacking the bus from the driver so that I can fly to UNILAG immediately. I felt like closing my eyes and opening them to find myself in UNILAG. All of these I couldn’t do, I could only pray silently, murmur and fondle.

At Egbeda (about 2/3 of the journey from Ikotun), the holdup became highly intense and unbearable. I jumped off at a point and searched for Okada. While I was looking around, I tried to check my documents again to confirm they are complete as if I knew something would happen. I searched hastily through my bag. Surprisingly, I couldn’t find my passport! I searched again and again, yet I couldn't find it. My heartbeat increased in manifolds, sweat descended on me like heavy rain. While I was still loading on what to do next, I flashed my eyes across the top floor of a building with a boldly written advert that read
5
MINS
Passport photo here

yeeeeeeh! Opeoooooooooooo!

I rushed to the building immediately and didn’t waste time negotiating the price (I can’t remember the exact amount). I got the passport and ran down stairs to get an Okada as if it was already there waiting for me. All that was on my mind was to get an Okada to Iyana-Ipaja and board another bus going to Yaba from there so as to avoid the holdup at Egbeda.

We got to Iyana-Ipaja within a twinkle of an eye. I was about giving the Okada man ₦150 when the thought of boarding the Okada to UNILAG straight came to my mind. I discussed with the man to take me down to UNILAG gate, I explained my case to him. He charged me ₦1500, but after several begging and prayer, we agreed on ₦1000. I told him to pass as many short cut as he knows and move at the top of his speed. Meanwhile, I never border to check the time for that would have given me an added pressure. I just remained courageous, focused and determined.

At a particular point on the road, perhaps the Okada man wasn’t using a helmet, or he was passing the wrong way (I can’t really remember, but it was around Maryland). Some policemen waved to the Okada man to stop. Bull Shit! I exclaimed, I reminded the man of my mission and made it clear, “if you stop, I no go pay you kobo, I go just enter another Okada”. The man accelerated the bike and raced forward. He entered through Herbert Macaulay way and managed to squeeze between the grid block at UNILAG junction and straight to University road. He boycotted the one way road sign at car wash where vehicles entering the University road to link to the entrance of the school or Bariga are to pass through Barikisu Iyede Street and come out at Lawani road. We finally arrived at UNILAG gate. I jumped down quickly, gave the Okada man his money and drove off with my legs. (The Okada man nodded his head and wished me all the best).

There was no time to look around at the thick forest of people at the gate; they were all busy with each other just like I am. The hold up of people and vehicular movement outside and within the school premises confirmed to me that UNILAG is truly the University of First Choice as thousands of rookies like me filled every molecule of space around the school in search of their examination venue. I never knew where the sport center is and just as I was wandering around, I sported a blue shirt uniformed man seated at a corner. I approached him and showed him my photo card; he pointed his finger to a direction. Behold the train of human centipede! No sooner had I joined than chemical engineering candidates were matched into the indoor sport hall.

Hmm, very close, very, very close! They had been waiting long before I arrived. I was panting like a dog as I moved into the exam hall.
Perhaps to complement for my “rush hours”, we were delayed for some time in the hall before starting the exam. While waiting for the start of the exam, several dramas went on in the hall. Students scrambled for chairs and sitting position, invigilators frequently made funny and ridiculous announcements, students made unnecessary call for attention and the likes. The exam finally started at about 2:30 pm. The exam was fair indeed, 40 objective questions (consisting of 10 each from mathematics, use of English, Chemistry and Physics) for 45 mins. I started with the use of English, then Chemistry. These two were quite easy, and so I didn’t waste much time on them. Next was mathematics, quite involved; I did those I could and moved to Physics which was much more involved. Well, I attempted all but did not answered all question; and then time up!

I already calculated my score from the exam venue; I knew it would be nothing less 70%. I submitted my paper and filled myself with gratefulness for Allah’s mercy.

This day was a day that my belief in Qadar (preordainment) was sealed. It was then I knew that:
“Whatever would be and whatever would not be, has already been with the Ultimate Being before the being of any being” (Yussuf Ayodele, 2010)

Confirming the words of a scholar
“Whatever hit you couldn’t have missed you, and whatever missed you couldn’t have hit you”

On my way back home, I was acting more like the man on the street, I felt so much relieved and would frequently talk to myself, recalling the whole of the event (as if I had a flashback camera with me), wondering what would have happened if certain things `had not happened.

What if there was no credit on my mum’s phone to browse? What if the cafe hadn’t opened as at the time I got there? What if I didn’t think of checking the time table as at the time i did? Or what if I was even sick and couldn’t do anything?

What if I didn’t check my documents at Egbeda? Or what if I reached the school to find that I didn’t have my photo card with me? What if my department had been called in long before I got to sport center? What if they had not been delayed outside before moving in?

Hmm, the Okada man! What if he had been stopped by the policemen at Maryland? What if he didn’t have enough fuel in his tank and had to branch at a filling station for just few minutes? What if I didn’t have enough money to pay him? Or what if Okadas were on strike on that day? What if there was a total blockage at UNILAG junction? He had to go down to turn at Montgomery junction. What if my exam had been scheduled to hold by 8:00 am like some candidates? Many unanswered questions flashed across my mind and all I could say is Alhamdulillah!

There were many students who missed that post UTME, especially those who were scheduled to have theirs by 8:00 am. Many were not as lucky as I was; many came from as far as Imo state. My feelings on my way back home were of joy, fulfillment, and relieve.
I never bordered much on the result of the exam, all I was just happy at is that I was able to write the exam; Alhamdulillah!