By Oluwagbenga Kolawole
Physical scuffles and brutish exchange of insults is becoming a frequent sight in Nnamdi Azikiwe hall. Most of these verbal exchanges stem from the lack of regard with which some of the occupants of the upper floors pour water and other refuse downstairs. Even though pouring water is an act frowned upon by the hall management, many residents of the hall still engage in it regardless. The act of pouring water from the top floors on innocent passersby, which for the purpose of this article will be referred to as raining has become a concern.
In the past, the bants exchanged between the Rainers and the persons who get showered, mostly the latter, used to be something interesting. There are reoccurring phrases like:
"Ma daa o, GP e lo n da yen" - (Keep pouring it, you're pouring your GP)
"Ma daa o, nnkan to fe da lo ti da yen" - (Keep pouring it, you're pouring away your destiny)
But, these days, the culprits now boldly return the bants:
"Gbori kuro mo fe dami!" - (Leave that place, I want to pour water)
"Je komi mi kan le o!" - (Let my water reach the ground (literally))
And in some instances, they pour it on persons who are not so willing to let it slide, which then causes disputes.
This reporter went out to gather the opinions of various Zikites on this issue.
For Ustaz, a 200 level English student, "Some people do it by mistake, but it is impolite..." Peter (not real name) and Prosper of the departments of Adult Education and Physiology, respectively, also resonated Ustaz's position that most zikites don't deliberately pour water on others. Speaking from the perspective of the occupants of the top floors, Peter revealed that the distance between the rooms and some of these kitchenettes is always too far and that most kitchenettes do not look appealing and hence the reason why most of them pour the water from their rooms.
However, whether the act is deliberate or not is not a tenable excuse because all the floors (even the group floors) have their own kitchenettes. This kitchenettes are there for cooking and proper pouring of dirty water. But for their own personal convenience, some zikites tend to just wash their plates in front of their rooms and then they subconsciously pour the water downstairs. Some people even take this daring act even further by doing their laundry in front of their rooms and then hanging their wet clothes on the railings.
When a member of the defense team whose name is withheld was contacted, he revealed that it is not the job of the defense team to apprehend the Rainers. According to him, the primary purpose of the defense team is the safety and security if the hall, apprehending and punishing those who pour water is the responsibility of the porters. And truly, the porters have in the past caught and punished some people in the past, but it doesn't seem to serve as enough deterrent for future reoccurrence.
In an interview with the speaker of the Zik Legislative council, Rt. Hon. Igbaoreto Samuel, he revealed that the members of the council, the floor reps, are often advised to educate their floor members on proper disposal of dirt and water. But how effective this is remains to be seen as even some of these floor reps themselves, most box room occupants especially the ones above B-block basement frequently despite the high number of people who usually gather there.
Way forward
For Bola (not real name) 300 level nursing, a proper preventive measure will be to install drainage pipes. But how effective this will be in the face of stagnant waters in Zik gutters also remains to be seen. More over, most places where this measure has worked do not have kitchenettes like Zik Hall does.
When the Health minister, Elisha Ajiboye was interviewed on this issue, he said that people caught in the act by hall executives are often verbally advised against continuance of such act. And this is where more could be done- the punitive measures could be made more stringent, like fines and other punishment.
Also, there is need for proper and persistent education of Zikites on how raining water can negatively affect the environment, how it negatively affects the hall's aesthetics, and how it causes stagnant waters which serves as breeding ground for mosquitoes and other pests and parasites that cause diseases; and also on the pains that have to be endured to maintain a healthy environment and proper etiquette.
