EDITORIAL

Though the University of Ibadan is celebrated as Nigeria’s premier university, popularly addressed as first and best, a silent crisis is unfolding across its campus. It is a crisis so normalised that students have internalised it, treating it as just another part of their daily life. A brief walk through the campus and you cannot miss it: the overflowing refuse dumps, the pungent smell of decomposing waste, and the stagnant green waters in clogged gutters. Yet we cover our noses, hurry past, and forget the danger waiting in plain sight. This is not merely unpleasant; it is a genuine health hazard, threatening the wellbeing of everyone who studies, works, and lives here on campus.  What makes this situation even more troubling is its persistence despite awareness. This is not a hidden problem. Students complain about it openly, discussions surface repeatedly on social platforms, and yet meaningful, lasting action remains scarce. Waste disposal systems are irregular, drainage channel...

  Being a student today is no longer about just getting an education or passing in flying colours; it is about survival. Behind every lecture hall filled with students, from the seemingly outgoing students to even the most studious ones, are silent battles of exhaustion, anxiety and the constant struggle to stay afloat. It is no longer just about the courses and studying, it is in the everyday life we all live. The scramble for even basic necessities such as food, light, transport and accommodation forces any average student to think less about academic excellence and more about how to survive each day. For many students of the University of Ibadan, this reality is getting all too familiar. A place that should be a platform for learning and self-development is slowly becoming a test of endurance as there is the rising cost of living which has made even the simplest of routines difficult. Balanced feeding is no longer guaranteed or has completely left the equation, and what used to ...