Zamfara
(Original)

Adzua Peter Terseer
(Age 21, Nigeria)
University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Benue State

I gained admission into the University of Agriculture Makurdi in 2002. But because of the high cost, I had no choice but to stay at the neglected hostel block D (Zamfara). Zamfara was neglected because of its social exclusion, dull nature and lack of the female gender in the environment.

Having spent time in this environment and seen there was nothing to write home about I developed the mentality to make a change that could make Zamfara a better home.

The students regarded Zamfara as a home without life because it lacked basic amenities like electricity, water, and sporting grounds. Zamfara was regarded as a block for the “Book- worms”, those without social desires. Even worst, it was named after Zamfara state in Nigeria where ladies are isolated from men. For these or more, Zamfara was not considered as an ideal campus.

My idea to shape Zamfara into a city of my dreams began by bringing a football into the hostel. Twenty of the book-worms came out that evening to play with at least thirty spectators. All who were there that evening left quite warm and impressed. It took just a football to bring life and union in to Zamfara. Relationship among occupants improved greatly that we could come together to share the news I pasted on the notice board from my world receiver. We then realized the importance of our common room and henceforth, kept it clean. I used my relationship with the hostel administrator so we got a television set that helped us keep updates with the events of the world. I wrote to the Dean of students affairs about electricity supply to the hostel so we were hooked to the electric generating plant at the engineering complex. Henceforth we had light during working hours and at night. With these, many began to fancy Zamfara so the hostel population rose significantly.

By the second year, I wrote an article “The essence of unionism in Zamfara”. This was followed by invitation of hostel members for the first block D meeting ever. In the meeting, we constituted a hall executive that made sure Zamfara had a bus stop, commercial shops were established and above all, the block was included in the next Students Union Government (SUG) elections.

Football was no longer our only source of entertainment but we had the television and other sports including basketball and badminton since our sports complex was properly constructed to standard. The rapid transformation of Zamfara to a better level was the reason for the so many shops that began to open. This made students realize the inconveniences they felt in the south-core hostels so they began to move to this fast growing campus. Another point of attraction to Zamfara was its crime free and peaceful nature coupled with the fact that even those without food could be responsibilities of others.

As an elected senator representing Zamfara, I continued with my project to foster development in this campus. Working alongside the union president, we had a Digital Satellite Television (DSTV) installed in Zamfara. This was accompanied by the building of a club house and SUG lodge. This improved the social life of the campus as more ladies moved in and events like partying, sports, and shopping became more frequent.

With the hall executive, we organized the first all zamfara games and awards night but funded it entirely from the campus treasury. By the second attempt, we invited ‘Tito Gate’, a food processing company for sponsorship. They gladly answered and the event this time attracted the state at large. The Benue state commissioner for sports, the vice-chancellor of the university and so many other dignitaries witnessed the final events and were so impressed. Artistic displays were not omitted this time. Those who painted or danced did the campus a wonderful favour. This was just the beginning of good things to come to Zamfara as just months after the event all roads linking the campus were properly constructed. Zamfara now has an Information Technology Centre (ITC), pipe borne water and the campus is now linked to public power supply.

Apart from the school and the students, the tremendous transformation of Zamfara has shown positive effects on the neighbouring villagers as they share the campus’ amenities and social life, roads linking the village with the campus are properly tarred and many of the villagers are now employed as university workers. They no longer rely on peasant farming but move in to school to trade. Their access to town is now easy as buses frequently move in and out of Zamfara.