By Abhulimen Jonathan 400lvl Mass Comm
In the academic terrain of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, there's a concerning issue that many students often brush aside amidst the social and educational experience, which is cleanliness. This topic may seem mundane but its significance cannot be overstated.
You wake up in the morning, step into the bathroom hoping to have a refreshing bath, only to be greeted by the overpowering stench of urine. And as you cautiously attempt to have a bath, you're met with the unsettling realisation that what splashes onto your skin isn't just water but someone else's urine. It is a sad reality that unfortunately plays out too often in our hostels and you begin to wonder how we got to a point where basic hygiene became so disregarded.
You go to the toilet to have a piss, only to discover someone else's mess. Oh, what an unpleasant ordeal! And guess what? You never know who the culprit is. You begin to wonder why some of our peers lack the courtesy to maintain hygiene in shared spaces. You can't shake off the image of someone using an infinitesimal amount of water to clean up after themselves.
Even our living spaces become unkempt all too often. The most basic tasks, like keeping our rooms clean and proper disposal of trash, seem to elude many of us. This shows our culture of maintenance is sorely lacking, in which we treat our surroundings with indifference. We can no longer turn a blind eye to the disregard for cleanliness. It's not just about the beauty of our environment but the respect we have for ourselves and our community.
I can still recall a particularly appalling incident during my stay at Shehu Idris hostel, Phase 2 of the Samaru Campus 3 years ago. A student (unknown), with a shocking disregard for cleanliness, committed the unthinkable and audacious act of defecating in the bathroom instead of the toilet. I then thought about the people who might know this person in public but were oblivious to his hidden actions. Even the Holy Scriptures remind us that the heart of man is deceitful and desperately wicked and that only God knows the heart and ways of man.
Let's take a moment to show gratitude to the unsung heroes – the women who tirelessly ensure that the environment is clean. Yet, it is sad to acknowledge that their efforts alone could not remedy the lack of cleanliness as some individuals with no remorse, still persist in their unclean habits despite knowing better.
But there's hope, my fellow students. As members of this academic community, we have the power to bring social change. If our acts of uncleanliness are both unhygienic and morally reprehensible, then surely, even our Creator would frown upon such behavior. My fellow students, it is not too late to embrace cleanliness, for it is indeed next to Godliness. If we believe in the sanctity of our environment, then cleanliness should require solemn devotion.
My fellow students, it is time to heed the timeless wisdom. Let us strive to be the change we wish to see. Do not wait for others to take the lead; the responsibility rests squarely on our shoulders. By embracing cleanliness, we not only show respect for ourselves and the collective well-being of our environment but also to God who bestowed upon us the gift of stewardship.
Selah.
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