The positive changes initiated by the present management of the Federal University of Technology Owerri, may have greeted the students with surprise, hence the outcry over school fees payment deadline as set by FUTO Senate. Below is an open letter written to the Vice Chancellor, Prof. C. C Asiabaka, requesting for a return to the way things were done in the past. (Reacting to this, the Director of FUTO ICT, Dr. Aloy C. Onyeka gave some useful guidelines that could help students avoid falling victims of deadlines in fees and course registrations. You will find that under this letter).
AN OPEN LETTER TO THE VICE – CHANCELLOR OF FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY.
Dear VC
Good morning sir. I know you’re in good health and business is going as planned. I wish you don’t get this letter but on a second thought, I really hope you do. I’m sure you don’t remember me but I’ll try to help you do Sir.
There’s this young man that met you at last year’s annual football competition organized in your name. I led my departmental team to the finals and was opportune to share a handshake with you. You even promised 50 thousand naira for my team as runners-up of the competition but quite predictably sir,that is all I heard about the cash. I know you’re a man of your words. (Hopefully I’ll get it before I graduate.) Do you remember me now sir?
There’s this young man that met you at last year’s annual football competition organized in your name. I led my departmental team to the finals and was opportune to share a handshake with you. You even promised 50 thousand naira for my team as runners-up of the competition but quite predictably sir,that is all I heard about the cash. I know you’re a man of your words. (Hopefully I’ll get it before I graduate.) Do you remember me now sir?
Thank you for attempting to remember sir but this letter is not about that money.
I have a lot of appeals to make but I’ll try to be clear and concise.
I have a lot of appeals to make but I’ll try to be clear and concise.
Sir, we all got the memo passed to all the students informing that there will be no academic activities from Monday to Wednesday this week; to enable students pay up their school fees and failure to so within this stipulated period would mean the defaulters would miss the already looming harmattan semester examinations.
Permit me to say before I continue that I’m writing this letter from an Engineering lecture going on somewhere inside school. I guess our bald-pated, hoarse- voiced lecturer didn’t hear about that memo.
You and I know Sir that FUTO is a very gruesome place to be but I realize its not all your fault. I realize quite doubtably too that you’re doing everything within your powers to make this place a little less frustrating. It would be ungrateful of me if I don’t commend you for all that and more.
I want to make a confession Sir. I was sent my school fees by my parents some time ago but I didn’t pay it. I used it to solve some other pertinent problems at that time. A lot of us do this here but we have no justifiable excuse for it. No worries Sir, I’ve gotten it back by myself and before Wednesday, I will pay it. I swear.
But Sir, this letter is not about me. I’m writing to you about the female student whose parents have honestly not sent her school fees because they haven’t come up with it yet. There’s this other male student who relies on the goodwill of some relatives to survive here in school. My point Sir, is that there is a reasonable amount of students who are yet to pay their school fees because they are victims of some real circumstances beyond their control.
It would be pointless to start reminding you Sir of the grueling economic terrain in this country even though it is us students who have a first hand experience of its injustices.
I ask Sir, that we’ll be given a little grace; help us tell the lecturers to allow every one write the exam. This is only the first semester and second semester is not so far off. This law can be enacted then but we would have been given ample time to come up with the school fees.
I ask Sir, that we’ll be given a little grace; help us tell the lecturers to allow every one write the exam. This is only the first semester and second semester is not so far off. This law can be enacted then but we would have been given ample time to come up with the school fees.
I understand, quite honestly too that even then, some students won’t still come up with the school fees but then you must have sated your conscience and that of every other well meaning Nigerian student.
Though I honestly don’t understand the bureaucracy behind alloting albeit high school fees figures in a federal university of technology, I still wonder why we don’t ever get the numerous utilities we pay for in the school fees each year but I guess that’s none of my business.
I won’t fail to thank you sir for the SUG. We love them for all they are in situations like this – the SUG.
I revere you a lot Sir and I would further tell every one who cares to listen how good a man you are if you give an ear to my pleas.
Ndeewo Sir in earnest anticipation. Concerned Nigerian Student.
Now read what the ICT Director wrote in reply to the letter you just read.
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