By Oyindamola Kadri
“The end of a matter is better than the beginning thereof”; this best captures the feelings of final year student of Faculty of Communication and Information Sciences, University of Ilorin as they celebrate their final year week 2023.
The programme which usually last a period of one week kicked off on Monday 11th September, 2023 with the “Back to school” an event in which the finalists put on their last secondary school uniforms to remind them of how it was in those days. The “Back to school” is a concept developed to reflect gratitude, encourage reflection on academic year and personal growth as well as create an enjoyable and memorable experience for the participants. This is usually done in a way and manner that has some semblance with a secondary School setting; students dressed in school uniform with shirt well tucked-in and white socks with shoes, sandal or snickers.
Some of the students who participated in the event said it is a way of easing out the years of stress during their academic pursuit and also a way of showing gratitude to God that they were not counted among those who died before graduation.
Those on the other side who didn’t participate gave reasons as being too big to fit into dresses of those days wile some said they cannot locate those dresses again and doesn’t have money to buy a new uniform and dress for a days event but express happiness to be part of the event which was why they came to grace it with their colleagues.
Series of events which characterized the day were the welcome address on the assembly ground by the school principal, worship and prayer session, National anthem, school anthem and national pledge recitation likewise a health inspection on nails and hairstyles were carried out.
Thereafter, the assembly was dismissed and students march round the school with singing, dancing and joyous expressions as drummers, singers and trumpeters accompanied the celebrants on the marching exercise. The highlight of the day is the group photograph sessions which brought the days activity to a halt.
