How the north abandoned me in period of need

How the north abandoned me in period of need

A northern medical student (name withheld) has expressed his disappointment over the refusal of his people to provide financial aid to pay his education registration.

According to him, he said he got admission to study medicine at Bayero University in Kano and tried to secure financial aid to no avail until his father’s friend who is a Yoruba man came to his help.

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He vowed not to return to the north except to see members of his family.

He said: “I'm a newly 100level admitted student at Bayero University Kano (known as BUK) to study MBBS (Medicine and Surgery). I'll like to share my sad stories to Nigerians in order to know what the poor brilliant masses are passing through in Northern Nigeria.

“As we all know, the most competitive course in Nigeria Universities is Medicine. But that hasn’t weakened my ambition to become a Medical Doctor in future even when I knew I would face financial problems. I struggled day and night to study very hard to see I passed my UTME with flying colours. Fortunately, my UTME was good as I got 264. We went for another screening test in BUK which I passed.

“But the sad news was that after given admission, I couldn't afford forty thousand naira for the registration due to my (financial) status. I need to seek assistance from my LGA and State. But it was really shocking when I when to the Chairman of Bichi LGA in Kano, that he can't do anything about that. But it was really unfortunate that during the weekend the Chairman shared expensive cotton yards to those politicians and money to them. I went to Kano state Scholarship board for assistance but I was not allowed to see the Executive Secretary of the board known as Prof Fatima for assistance.

“That's how I have been struggling helpless to see the little time left for me to get the money to pay for the registration. Someone luckily helped me with the phone number of Hon. Kawu Somaila a special adviser to Mr President on House of Reps. After texting him about my stories several times, he didn't reply. I decided to call him but he kept on rejecting my call to even listen to me.

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“If not because of a Yoruba man I knew as my father's friend that later assisted me, I would have lost my admission to study MBBS. I regret being a Northerner, Insha Allah if I successfully graduate from the University, I'll leave North forever and find a place in Southwest to spend the rest of my life there. What will only bring me to North is to visit my parents and my relatives.

Because the North didn't values me in life, if today those people I seek their assistance share my pains with them I would have known that they wish they have the means to help. But the way they reacted to my situation let me to think if becoming a Doctor is useless in society.”

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Khadijah Thabit avatar

Khadijah Thabit (Copyeditor) Khadijah Thabit is an editor with over 3 years of experience editing and managing contents such as articles, blogs, newsletters and social leads. She has a BA in English and Literary Studies from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Khadijah joined Legit.ng in September 2020 as a copyeditor and proofreader for the Human Interest, Current Affairs, Business, Sports and PR desks. As a grammar police, she develops her skills by reading novels and dictionaries. Email: khadeeejathabit@gmail.com