IT was midday and as usual in the North, the sun was smiling wickedly and emitting dehydrating heat. This, however, didn’t stop me from attending the afternoon lecture. Almost approaching the Mass Communication department, I caught up with two friends heading towards the same direction and discussing their poor academic performances.

They laid the blames for their woes on the lecturers. To my utter dismay, they were met by some students on the way and with a great gusto chanted “Great Nigerian students!” The reply was thunderous: “Great ever conscious Nigerian students.”

Sadly, most students who brag about the so-called greatness are those whose brains are slow to boot up in class and their Grade Points (GP) are constantly kissing the withdrawal line; yet, they chant this slogan with such a frenzy depicting that of a cult group in procession.

During election campaigns in departments and students associations, one is treated to an avalanche of grammatical verbosity in the guise of distorted and disjointed speeches to a bemused audience. But this is not reflected in their primary assignment, which is academics.

But one cannot blame these students who misplace the real essence of greatness. What would one expect from students when the nation’s education sector is nose-diving and there is no proactive measures to address the situation. Students, therefore, have to bask in the veiled illusion that they are great.

For instance, polytechnic students are currently idling away time at home no thanks to the ongoing indefinite strike action by the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP). The level of infrastructural decay in most of the polytechnics is better told than witnessed while remuneration of lecturers is below par.

However, there is the need to review this slogan of greatness for students to know when and how to apply it. This will help students conform to a lifestyle suitable for vigorous learning and excellent academic performance comparable to what is obtainable in other countries.

Nigerian students must stop claiming greatness when the system managing their education is compromising every single thing that could enhance proper learning. They must begin to think differently to merit the symbolical meaning of the ‘Great’ slogan; else, the slogan will continue to reverberate with emptiness.

Enang is a student of Bida Polytechnic, Minna