– Adejola Adeyemi Crown
In a precautionary move aimed at curtailing the spread of the coronavirus (Covid-19) disease in the country which has become a global threat.
The Federal Ministry of Education in March 2020 ordered the immediate closure of all educational institutions which includes, tertiary, secondary and primary schools nationwide.
The directive which was confirmed by the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education, Mr Sonny Echono.
The shutdown which also affected flight restrictions, restrictions of public gatherings like churches and mosques, suspension of sports events, shut down of schools, suspension of orientation and other activities by National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and some others.
Many schools have however embraced online teaching to prepare their students as some government schools have also cued through lessons on radio and television for public primary and secondary schools and online classes and tutorials for varsities and few private primary and secondary Schools.
Lots of students and schools are currently enjoying online classes as they are not too sure when the normal physical class would resume as countries around the globe are still battling with the Corona virus pandemic and ways to get out of the virus that has shut off nations unto others.
Many students have therefore missed physical lectures, lessons and tutorials along with school life such as evening tutorials, hangouts, sporting events among many others.
Some have even missed their continuous relationships with friends in schools such as course mates, walk mate, reading mate, gossip mates, bed mates, room mates and a whole lot of others which makes studying in schools more interactive, interesting, fun and engaging.
While to some, they have missed assignments, lectures, group works, tasks, projects as a result of the school shutdown, while many are clamouring for schools to reopen anytime soon.
But for the students of Federal College of Education, Abeokuta, it was another moment of feelings as most of the students took to their social media platforms to expressed how much they have missed school activities as well as lots of activities that occur at the college’s “Almighty Shokoya Hall” which happened to be the second largest and biggest hall in the college aside from the new theater auditorium named Aduke Maina Hall in Federal College Of Education, Abeokuta, Ogun State.
The Shokoya Hall which was strategically located at the extreme edge of the college adjacent the popular hall two hostel very close to the MKO Abiola Lake, a river which provides a cool environment for fun lovers to hangout in the evening after lectures or a strategic location for lovers of pictures to have nice shots.
The almighty shokoya hall according to history was named after the first governing council chairman of the college, Late PA, J.A.F SHOKOYA which up till today serves as a legacy to protect.
Students of the college who shared their experience on about Shokoya Hall in the school premises, which happened to be one of the most popular hall in the college said the hall contains about 2,500 seats and it’s located at the extreme edge of the college beside the Famous MKO Abiola lake.
According to our correspondents who conducted separate interviews with some of the college students narrated their experiences in and about the hall.
A 100 level student of the college said, “as a fresher, I don’t know anywhere in the college untill my roommate told me that we should go and study in the hall and when we got to the hall I concluded that the hall was conducive for learning at night, mere looking at the outward appearance” she affirmed.
“In a glance at the environment, I noticed that there are lot of lamps in the hall in which I think student use to read due to power outage, but there is a saying that first impression matter most, looking at the aesthetic part of the hall I was very excited that I’ve found a reading kingdom”.
Another student said, “I have missed the moments shared with lecturers and fellow students because the hall gives a kind of calm for the brain to assimilate things maybe because it’s located very close to the river”
Although, some certain things may not be left unseen in a higher citadel of learning due to freedom and will to do certain things. A school of the college however narrated his ugly encounter at Sokoya Hall during light out as horrific and terrific as some uncultured and mannerless students turned the prestigious hall into a cold room to carry out their immoral activities which is gradually defacing the age long legacy of the college hall.
In another interaction with an old student of the college, she narrated that during her stay in the college, the hall served as a center for students convergence after the main hall located in front of the school’s Student’s Union Government Hall. She further said that mere entering into the hall, it would bring back memories about sets who have contested elections and graduated from the college following their scattered plastered handbills, posters and names written on the wall which gives it a touch of arts.
The students however urged the college Management to provide the necessary amenities needed by the students to enjoy their stay in the hall such as conducive auditorium chairs, fans, lights and white boards among other things.
They also charged fellow students to avail themselves with all learning platforms made available during the corona virus lockdown to equip themselves untill school activities resumes as they can also watch tutorial on YouTube, learn new things including vocational skills.
The students however urged the government at all levels to synergies their efforts to combat the Corona virus pandemic in no long time to aid immediate resumption of all activities including reopening of schools.
