The Haves and the Haves not -By Ibrahim Ruqayyah Ololade

Early morning in the hours of 11:00 , on the 3rd of December 2019 was the day I vividly have the knowledge of what a class society depicts. As a student of Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-ife, the promotion and graduation Rain Semester Examination is in the air for the stalites and final year brethren respectively.

As a freshman in the institution, we were made to write more of multiple choice answers (objective) examinations since they believe we are newbies and to avoid the workload on lecturers too and as a result, the use of Computer Based Test is being imbibed.

While awaiting the turn of my batch to be called into the ICT hall for the examination of the course – Introduction to Critical thinking and Argument, we had to shield ourselves from the unapologetic scorching noon sun by seeking shelter at the corridor of one of the new beautiful blue-painted buildings adjacent to the ICT hall. There we got to know a big program would be holding that day slated for that time, where the invited guests were people of top echelon in the society in the likes of Aree Afe Babalola, founder Afe Babalola University,Ekiti State; Femi Adeshina, Special adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and publicity ; Professor Odunsi-Dean Faculty of law, OAU; Expatriates, to mention but a few; organised by Ife medical sciences themed: Medicine, Law and Ethics.

Witnessing the arrival of these personalities was a privilege as I was seeing them physically, virtually for the first time in history especially Aree Afe Babalola And Femi Adeshina; everyone welcoming these dignitaries with a cleared walk way, standby and highly equipped security men and standing ovation from the organisers and we Students marvelled ‘me’ and at that spot, I wish I could be in the “recognizable class” of the society and that made me started having a real talk with “me”.

Lo and behold! Within a short while upon arrival of these personages, My beautiful imagination and fantasies were disrupted while on sit, after welcoming our guests by two of the organisers, who afterwards chased us all (the students) away like “hen and goats eating spread corn of farmers” back into the sun, with reasons best known to them. Ditto, we were welcomed by the organisers of this program before the arrival of these dignitaries.

It was immediately I realized truly that Social Stratification is inevitable. The Haves class were welcomed right from the door of their respective vehicles full of Air conditioning into a serene, well organized and air conditioned hall while we the Haves not were chased from where we were shielded from sun back into the sun.

And that reminded me the common Yoruba dictum which says “t’owo ẹni o ba tẹ ekù ìdá, o gbọdọ bèrè ikú tó pa baba ẹni”

IBRAHIM Ruqayyah Ololade

is an undergraduate student of Obafemi Awolowo University, ile-ife. She can best be contacted on  Ololaderukayat8@gmail.com