The Three Set of Graduate in Tertiary Institutions By Segun Adejumo

The Three Set of Graduate in Tertiary institutions By Segun Adejumo

Glimpse at scenes of celebration by students after their final paper on campus makes me worries me, and I begin to ask the need for such inordinate merriment. I have come to understand, with reality, that people love to be free; not knowing freedom is never free. The journey of life has no other destination than the grave through death. Life ends when death comes. Philosophically, every stage in one’s life come with a sense of reorganization and critical assessment. Supporting this assertion, Socrates said…….”men examine themselves unexamined life is not worth living.”

It is worthless to think graduation; a very early stage in life is the end of life. What many graduating students celebrate ought to be what they should reflect and pounder on. Some of the students came to the school full, but they will return empty and perforated. How do I mean? What should be said of a lady who came to school with her virginity intact; but the free life syndrome on campus confused her and exposed her to the so called ‘socialization and campus life’. Before she regained her senses, the mirage freedom and campus life had taken away her dignity, morals, spirituality and vision.

Three set of people graduate from school: The first people are those I called “the outsiders”. This set of graduates is with glorious countenance. They are perfection of nature and embodiments of beauty. All this in their lives is wrapped up in excellent presentation. But, when you critically look at them, they have no substance. They are not real! Truly, they are attractive and appealing to sight, but they are morally, academically and intellectually empty. The surface structure of life is a ruse, the deep structure of life is real.

The second set of graduates is those I called “the beautiful papers”. These are the graduates who did all they could to get certificate (of attendance). How I wish this people know what certificate really means! Certificate means be ‘certified. Are these graduates truly certified intellectually? They are the graduates that maneuver their ways to have grades; they cannot defend the certificate they obtained. Life is all about what you know, not the paper you hold. While I hold those that worked excellently to earn their well-deserved certificate in high esteem, permit me to say that certificate without a fulfilled life is useless.

The last category of graduates is the ‘conqueror’. These graduates came, saw and conquered! Many things on campus almost got them wrapped around fingers but, they never lost their guard. They knew campus life is vanity and graduation is not the end of life. These set of graduates are certified intellectually and they obtained certificate that qualified them to be called graduates. They are the conquerors! Crown of glory awaits them in the next facet of life.

On the final note, the students should always examine themselves; unexamined life is not worth living. Graduation is a means to an end, not the end in itself. Having what it takes to face the challenges in life, particularly the labour market makes you a graduate.

Segun Adejumo is a student of Mass Communication, Federal Polytechnic, Offa.