I woke early this morning with back and stomach aches reminiscent of the type I used to have those long uncertain days when ‘men where turned into boys and made to leave their homes for a ‘stay or not defend’ camp or jungle if you like. Yet it was not like I slept on top of two hard drawing tables put together to form an emergency bed, neither did I remember taking the then traditional platic bottle of coke with a sachet of gala by 1:30am before sleeping nor did I remember asking any of Emekoma and Ezekute to help me interupt my sleep after an hour so I could return to my drawing table. Yet, this aches were so much that it reminded me so much of not just the physical pains but also the physcological and mental trauma we went through exactly this time last year to get an M.sc degree which had eluded us for more than 3 years after our registration. Which do you want me to forget? ; was it the many timetable of activities?, the uncertainities surrounding the additional courses?, the popular Mr. M.sc series by the Arc Chukwuka?, the cowardice act of one Mr. Okpata who thought his only path to fame was to fail 98percent of his students for an irrelevant one credit load course?, the gaba-alone era?, the jungle life that came with the gaba-alone era, the many prints and printers of one mysterious chief Otikpo who never existed? Or is it the final of finals interim architect fever?.
Time flies, I agree with that popular saying but perhaps, it will take a lot of flying for me to forget those times when many of us accepted to be homeless, hopeless, back-stabbers, disillusioned, and maybe stupid in our selfish bid to get to the ‘highway’. Today, the Umehs, Edafes, and Slows (Nwabueze) of that group are happily married. A decision and bold step which to me should pass a strong message to the oyeisi of that group that those students he then victimized and abused many times were not actually kids. YES!, I accept that then, many times, many of us may have behaved like ‘school boys’ but we’ve always been matured men and ladies who are responsible and independent (atleast in decison making).
I was at Nwabueze’s (slow) wedding a forthnight ago, and I remember many people both physically present and absent (especially Zikora and da’ Cow) asking me about the GaBa-AlonE anthology. My reply was that it was on the ‘pipeline’ even when I knew I had suspended it because of some concerns Ogwu raised one day we were having a chat. It was not like the man popularly known as ‘lecturer 3’ had a problem with the idea of an anthology for Gaba-alone. No! He only argued that the timing was not right especially with our results and files lying on the floor of the HOD’s general office months after we had defended. Perhaps he was right but after the events of the last 3 or 4 weeks, especially with all our files/results attended to and awaiting approval just like Nzewi’s and with the beautiful faces I saw at slow’s wedding, I see no reason while I shouldn’t press the ‘RESUME’ button to the preparation and processing of this anthology that promises to unite us even years after the eventful struggle in the jungle. Afterall, you don’t see Nzewi, Cowboy, Ogwu or even Zammy dress in suit many times without a jury (na only for jury wey dressing be 5percent), you don’t see Rev. Fr Agbonome become HOD of architecture Dept. everytime in unizik (spiritual intervention at last in the dept), you don’t see Arc. Officha in a social gathering (time no dey!), you don’t hear all d time that Dept of architecture, unizik. did a final jury witout a final of finals interim jury for M.sc students (Congrats Echeta, Casper, Prof. Chiemeka, Amaka girl and co) and wait! I don’t get these back and stomach aches all the time. YES! The signs are here so, let the ANTHOLOGY RAIN ON!.
NOTE: Thanks to Nzewi,Ezekute, Emekoma Zikora, Chukwuma, Mmo and others who their contributions so far. You can send your multiple entries in form of notes, poems, short stories or picture message to onyekabeme@yahoo.com
By: Onyekaba N. Charles(zammy)
Editor, the gaba_alone anthology
Charleyrosu 