An Open Letter To The Dean Of Law

01/11/15

Dear sir

My name is gafar!

I'm a student of "your" noble faculty of law, in my penultimate year(or at least hopefully so)

Sir, before I proceed any further, I'd like to first and foremost register my admiration for the great things you've accomplished in your brief yet indelible stint as dean of this "great" faculty.

I'm a big (not "very" though) fan or ardent supporter of the discipline and sanity that you've brought into faculty of law since you became the dean (the first autochthonous one for that matter).
They say it's your duty to make this faculty sane, sober and responsible and I dare say you've done so with aplomb sir!
So that  I take a cursory gaze at delinquents, (those with  the moral code of gangsters - my humble self included) and I dare them to trouble try and  see if they'll benefit from their insolence.
So that even now, along with your faculty I.D card, is a disclaimer that says - "the fear of the dean is the beginning of wisdom"

Sir, time would fail and flee me, if I continue to extol your wisdom and virtues.

Plus already, I can imagine you smiling now and saying - "washy" (on a second thought, maybe not!), be that as it may - You sir, you won the award for "best lecturer" of the session just past in my class (I didn't vote for you sha), and that, I believe says it all.

However sir, the obvious question that lingers is- "why I'm I writing you?"

Well sir, if you don't mind (I know you do, buh I'll still write anyways!) there are quite a few "minor" things I'd like to just blab about !

Sir, in the first months of your administration (aka regime), the faculty "underwent" a "face lift" aka chairs and tables were been repaired, windows were been cleaned, sockets were been fixed, FULLSTOP! as in The END!
I know you are expecting more but please don't because that was the exact total of what constituted a facelift (at least for students! - some have even argued that, that much was done, only because  the faculty was under review for accreditation - shaking my head - people can be so ungrateful and pessimistic) and we are grateful sir (it's not like we have a choice tho) but then sir, even these little things have fallen apart, the sockets do not function anymore (that's if they ever did) , the tables and chairs have are broken again, the panes are dirty once more, they say - "half bread is better than none", so sir if we could just have these "facelifts" done on a more routine basis, it ll be greatly appreciated!

Also too sir, there's also the new reported case of your arriving in our Lts in the middle of the night unannounced (during exam season) and chasing away all "non-law students", why I don't know but I believe so that law students can have the opportunity and conducive atmosphere to read for their exams!
Sir I believe this move is laudable (at least the intent), I believe this is a testament to your dedication to duty and your love for your students (I mean, if a married man leaving his wife and family at night just to come and drive away students from Lts is not a show of love - frankly, I wonder what is?) still sir, It's my belief that there are or were other viable, more effective and less dramatic means to that end!
What do I mean? - Take for instance LT3 sir, it's an Lt strictly not juz for law students buh for final year law students exclusively both day and night, and this defacto rule has been strictly adhered to by both law and non students alike without you having to interfere.
I'm also tempted to point out too, that most law students do not even like reading in the faculty buh prefer reading in other faculties but that's beside the point, my point sir, is that while your immense love and dedication is worthy of emulation, it would probably be better appreciated if channeled into other areas - for example, I know for one I'll be way happier if I and my classmates do not have to raise over 70,000 naira of our hard earned (yes, some of us do earn it) money almost every session just to get a public address system or if you could somehow "persuade" law students into paying their dues for the association, or if I didn't have to suddenly suffer from high blood pressure every time I'm pressed, simply because  the faculty restrooms are worse than non existent, etc ( I'm just saying sir, buh then what do I even know self?)

I'd like to mention too, the ban on all religious activities (aka christian) in the faculty but then information reaching me says it's a university directive, so I rather not! But then the fastidious enforcement of this directive here in contrast to other faculties is really.............. but to be honest, who is the faculty to say NO when the school has said YES? (at least that's what I thought until I came across page 93 proviso no 15 of the faculty handbook that provides that all invigilators must wear academic gowns while in the exam hall - and I can't help but wonder why the faculty is yet to enforce this particular directive? Or I could talk about the directive that staffs must have their I.D cards on them? Or the fact that "christian activities" do take place in our neighbor faculty but all these are beside my point)
My case sir, is not against the directive itself as much as it is against the method used in implementing same, I've personally witnessed a situation where over almost thirty students were held (hostages) in Lt 1, while security personnel were summoned and pockets of drama seekers (aka aprokos) had no choice but to "absently" hover over all available openings in the Lt!
Sir, calling to mind all the ethics I've  learnt albeit slowly from my stay ( a long one now) in this faculty , it has dawned on me that the law profession is a peculiar noble one, thus we cannot (at least we should not) be found handling issues the same manner other "jumpology" faculties (#quoteCredit -darracourt) would.
I believe that these things should be handled with  more elegance and Finnesse - and I think, probably If students can learn this very vital lesson from our dean himself, I believe the effect would be indelible!

It is also my belief sir, that you've already created a "larger than death" persona in the minds of these students i dare say staff too , so that dealing with  issues of deviancy and delinquency with love and mildness, I posit will "probably" turn out to be more effective than the status quo!

Sir, I'm cautious (aka afraid) else I would have said too that the now dreaded and infamous threat of "not going to law school" is a card that unfortunately has been overplayed and consequently lost a larger part of its potency (please note that - this has not be scientifically proven) . While I stand to be corrected, it is my belief that law school is something law students should look forward to with enthusiasm and admiration, not a whip to be sampled everytime just to make students fall back in line but like I said - "wisdom is profitable to direct" so I'll rather not go there!

And lastly sir, as you are probably aware of, the student association conducted it's election some months back and somehow, for reasons that neither I nor my fellow course mates know of nor can fathom - the new executives of the association are yet to be sworned into office almost three months after the said election. A situation that I daresay is very alarming and detrimental to the health of the association.
Sir, the world over, it is trite that a lacuna in government of this nature, is dangerous and a threat to the continuity of the government as a whole! ( no, no - not "M.K.O", what I had in mind was - the "shonekan and abdulsalami" era)

It is my belief sir, that matters as trife (subjectively sha) as this do not fall directly under the purview of your exalted office, also too, I'll not pretend to be unaware of the rumors going round that there has been a "change" in the association's staff adviser - these among many other factors could possibly be the reasons for this "slight" slight kor? 3months is almost equivalent to one semester in school GMT, and for executives that have just  two semesters in office? haaa! delay in the transition of power.

Whatever the case or reasons maybe, sir I want to use this medium to please implore you, as the father that you are, to use your good office to peep (looking is a big ask) into the situation, if for nothing else - for the sake of these little children you love so much, so that the appropriate steps can be taken. ( #swear4garrick)

Sir, there are probably quite a few other issues I'm tempted (get behind me Satan, I'm not ignorant of your devices) to "blab" about buh it's my belief that there's a thin line between been bold and been disrespectful, especially in this part of the world, where our tolerance for this kind of "impunity" aka "speaking up" is very low so, in my bid not to over stretch my luck and cross to the "land of no return", I'd rather juz drop my pen here.

Words cannot sufficiently express how grateful I am to you sir, for taking out time from your busy schedule to read this letter and it's my prayer that this letter will in no way affect my chances of going to law school (e never reach like that abeg).

And contrary to what you and others may fink, I'd like to state that "NO, I'm not a cultist"

God bless you sir, keep up the good work, we love you and we are proud!

(I dunno if I am sha buh protocol demands I end by saying)

                                                                                        "Yours faithfully"

                                                                                               iamgafar