By Okereke Loveleen Ijeoma
Unijos our Unijos
Founded in the lord’s glory
Fountain of knowledge
Discipline and dedication
Over ten years ago, it was composed. Before it, none existed. After it, none existed. It was neither birthed out of commission nor omission, but inspiration without expiration.
Hummed in the heart of one man, documented for the institution at large and sang by many today, the Unijos Anthem is an epitome and quintessential of a mastermind, the pride of the University community.
Since the University of Jos carved out of the University of Ibadan in 1971, it had had no anthem to distinguish it amongst other institutions. Ten years ago, it was impeccably evident that an anthem was needed especially as this citadel of learning was beginning to make waves in the educational arena. Hence, a lecturer from the Music Department, formerly under Department of Theatre and Film Arts, Dr. Amodu Musa Makhu, shouldered the responsibility of composing one for the school.
According to Dr. Makhu, the lyrics came naturally; he was inspired by God because it took him less than an hour to produce it. The words, born out appreciation sang:
Building leaders in earnest
Lighting up the nation’s path
With knowledge genuine and pure
But then, these Ancient words have been struggling to win the hearts of most staff and students of which it was spoken for. The school management is yet to hammer on the fact that learning the anthem is an integral part of knowledge acquisition and that it is an obligation on the students to know it.
In character and in learning
Unijos our Unijos
Recently, a survey was carried out in over ten departments within the institution to ascertain the level of students’ familiarity with the anthem and it was discovered that 90% of the students could not recite the anthem.
In the 400 level class of Accounting Department, none could sing the anthem. In Sociology Department, more than half of the students in a class of over hundred, claimed not to have heard of it while fourteen of them were positive. In addition, those who had heard it said to have to come across the Anthem at matriculations, convocations and at inaugural/public lectures organized by the University. Three students said they were given the Unijos student’s handbook during their diploma days and registration at Centre for Continuing Education (CCE), while the rest of the class unanimously affirmed to this. The handbook contains the Anthem as well as the Rights and Entitlements of students, Rules and Regulation and other vital information about the University.
In spite of this backdrop, over 70% of students from Departments of Theatre and Film Art and Music were able to recite the Anthem. Prince Ifeanyi Sylvester, a 200 level student in Theatre Arts, said that they were taught how to sing the Anthem from 100 level as it forms part of their assessment. He said, “We also sing the Anthem during productions at Open Air Theatre in Main Campus, some of us are even members of the school choir”.
The former Vice Chancellor, now Deputy Governor of Plateau state, preempted and necessitated the birth of the Anthem. According to Dr. Makhu, the then-VC walked up to him and shared the idea. He however buttressed on the fact that he was neither mandated nor instructed to compose one, but volunteered to do it.
Setting the pace in leadership and in learning
To the service of God and man
To a nation’s delight and development
What then is the way forward? What methods should the school management adopt to address, and possibly, correct this downward trend?
It is noteworthy that only a cross section of the students is in possession of the Unijos handbook, inherited from their predecessors or acquired from CCE.
The first step to be implemented according to Dr. Makhu, is to make sure that each student is given the handbook from the point of registration or at the matriculation venue. All departmental constitutions and library prospectus should contain this four-stanza piece at the rear pages. This way, students who were unable to get copies of the handbook from matriculation venues would fall back to the latter.
Furthermore, the Anthem should form part of the General Studies (GST) courses, mainly offered by 100 and 200 students. This would invariably compel students to put the stanzas of the Anthem into memory.
The students should also realize that it is their responsibility to know the anthem, either within or outside the school because one day, the need for it may arise. Ability to sing the Anthem shows one’s level of commitment to the school; it tells an outsider that the student is proud to be a member of the institution.
According to former Dean, Students Affairs, Professor Rotgak Gofwen, students pay donkey attention to the handbook, let alone, the Anthem. He said “if a graduate from this institution goes for a job interview, and coincidentally, is asked to recite the Anthem, he would automatically be deprived of that job. In national competitions and scholarships, the Anthem may also be needed”.
The clarion call to action has been made. No knowledge, they say is a waste. The importance of the University of Jos Anthem to students is already a fait accompli.
God is our strength, growth and excellence is our goal
In all that is fair and upright
God bless our Unijos.
Full Anthem
Unijos our Unijos
Founded in the lord’s glory
Fountain of knowledge
Discipline and dedication
Building leaders in earnest
Lighting up the nation’s path
With knowledge genuine and pure
In character and in learning
Unijos our Unijos
Setting the pace in leadership and in learning
To the service of God and man
To a nation’s delight and development
God is our strength, growth and excellence is our goal
In all that is fair and upright
God bless our Unijos
NB: AS a result of the awareness the study on this feature created, Unijos now publishes its anthem in its inaugural lecture series booklet for use by all and sundry. This is really a QED, Eureka!
