Quite recently, ‘resumption’ has been a relatively hot subject, even in the University of Ibadan. While it generally denotes recommencing activities that were prohibited due to the pandemic, for a large part of great Nigerian students, it means returning from a rattling lockdown period elongated by the now suspended ASUU strike.
While it is no news that resumption is complimented with restrictions in compliance with COVID-19 safeguards, the overwhelming effects are quite stark. The revamp to virtual class systems, non-accommodation of students on campus and the drastically reduced student population within the school premises are some of the apparent results of adaptation into the COVID-19 era.
However, what is probably most observed as few crop of students peep around the streets of UI is the unusual silence in SUB. Now, the SUB area is a stranger to being a cynosure of all form of sport and recreational activities engaged in by students, staff members and other recreation or sport motivated individuals. Perhaps, this is not a sad tale as it is reasonably understood that to comply with the health realities of the times certain sacrifices must be made.
Indeed, the University management while making efforts to kick start the new session and simultaneously successfully end the old one, will certainly not have resuming sporting activities among the top agenda on its to-do list.
Frankly, it will be thoughtless on many levels to write this piece as a clamour for the resumption of sporting activities on campus, and not just because the management has enough on its table, the absence of the greater student population on campus makes pushing for resumption of sports a vain venture. Yet, the impacts are bugging.
It must be noted that the social life of students in UI thrives to appreciable extents on sports. Take football competitions for example, at least each level, Department, Faculty and Hall of Residence have a football team and actively participate in competitions of various categories. Given that many of these competitions take place in the second semester, the first semester is usually dedicated to team integrations, trainings and other related team build-ups. In normal circumstances, organising the inter-hall football competition should be in the works for the second semester, and the first semester should see the rallying, preparation and development of players. Unfortunately, the possibility of hosting such event is not a certain eventuality.
More to it is the fact that the first semester gives the privilege of discovering new talents among freshmen. Missing out on the opportunity to develop fresh legs into formidable team players might turn out to be hitches in team play, development and success in the very near future. Moreover, sport has been realized as an integration tool for freshmen, which is why ‘freshers’ versus ‘stalites’ matches remain a core part of freshmen orientation programmes in Departments, Halls and even Fellowships. What sport pleasures freshmen will be missing can only be related by stale students!
Equally, spectators and supporters are not left out in the aftereffects. The frenzy of the crowd, the ululating shouts of supporters, the hubble-bubble of rival groups and the general game excitements are fondly remembered with hopes of a soon return to the stands. Other sports apart from football do not escape the impacts. Many enthusiasts of contact sports as; volleyball, tennis, basketball have had to settle for locations other than the school premises or take a break from their sport interests.
By and large, the compulsory break from sporting on campus creates a vacuum in the extra-curricular interests of UI students. Interestingly, the narrative could change. It is not ill-conceived to desire the resumption of sport activities on campus. Where a well-managed system is implemented, sporting flair can be reignited on campus without the risk of triggering health crisis. Perhaps, certain policies will be reconsidered subsequently as relevant stakeholders thoughtfully make efforts for a return to the pitch.
