I think ABUAD has great food, yes, I occasionally complain just like everyone about how the fried rice is just yellow rice, and how the beef is cut like it’s about to be shared amongst a small village of ants, but deep inside of me, I’m grateful for the “measly food” given.
Come to think about it, every night you can go out and find a variety of things to buy, there’s yam, plantain, shawarma , fish, asun, nkwobi, there’s grilled chicken, suya, grilled beef, French toast, in the day time, the wonderful cafeterias are open, and sell rice, all Nigerian types of it, swallow, and other common Nigerian dishes. I know you’ll complain that we spend about 10 months with the same taste of food and you’re bound to get tired, it’s also normal to complain about the servers in the cafeteria, but if you understand food like I do, you’ll figure that ABUAD food has more to it that we can see or taste.
Now, to our teaching hospital cafeteria, the food there is just amazing, and servers treat you like an actual human being, apart from the fact that my parents pay a whole lot of money, and I want to become a doctor, hospital cafeteria, as I call it, is a great motivation to me; to be next to the food I love, is a great goal, #abuadmedicalstudentgoals. You probably think I’m crazy for writing about ABUAD food, and the reason you’ve kept on reading till now is either because you are curious to see how this ends or its your job and you have no choice, either way, read on.
When I thought about my life as an ABUAD student, I realized that when my parents first brought me within the four walls of ABUAD, they took me to the then “new cafeteria” which is now referred to as caf 2, and I had a plate of white rice with chicken (which I did not finish and regret till today, as I didn’t realize the more time I spent in ABUAD, the less I would want to indulge in frivolities such as chicken), as my parents walked me to the hostel, with the taste of the chicken in my mouth, I shed a few tears, because I was leaving the only people I’d learned to trust in my life, and to me, my life was just beginning, and I was alone, until God reminded me He’d always be with me, even until the end of the world.
I met my best friend for four years now, right in front of that same cafeteria, before I ate a beautiful meal of fried rice, and drank a bottle of fanta, oh, the taste of a new friendship that would last for years, that was the taste of that meal that day. Most of my 100 level memories are in that cafeteria and how my friends and I would sit in there and order rolls of eba and semolina and shamelessly gulp them without caring who saw, I don’t do that so much anymore, and I still don’t care who sees but sometimes, you realize you’re getting close to marriage, and you don’t want to spoil your own market.
The funny tasting ice cream in that same cafeteria was a relief to me on many a sad day, when I failed a test or felt bad about something, I’d stroll to the place of my comfort, in case you still don’t understand where that is by now, I mean cafeteria 2, I’d buy a cup, and hope it melts along with my sorrows as I would lick the sugary substance, but it never was enough to take away my sorrows, just like a cafeteria pack cannot carry the weight of a pregnant polar bear, weird analogy I know, I just can’t think of another, so it was a reminder to go to my Father in heaven who’d make me feel all types of good, that Ice cream you see, is a reminder of my problems being carried away, just like a hurricane sweeps away everything in its way.
The streets of ABUAD, which now has like 3 suya spots was not always like that, before, there was only one suya vendor, which my best friend and I would patronize, and I’d use my little
The cakes, the small chops, for every celebration I’ve had with my friends, the Bible study unit in the Chapel, the Christmas celebrations, the birthday parties, the picnics, just tell of how now is the best place for you to be, and how happy you get when you let all walls down, accept God’s love, and you love other people. I could go on and on telling you how ABUAD food is more than just food to me, I could tell you how my brother buys indomie for me when I’m hungry and broke, or how my friends and I would collectively go to a cafeteria buying food for one another while laughing and talking loudly, but that will make this essay too long, and we don’t want that, do we?
My point is, for every thing given to us, for each and every part of our lives, like food, there’s a big testimony, only if you choose to see it, I’m grateful for every meal I’ve eaten in ABUAD, they are a constant reminder of how awesome my life is, and even though the food in cafeteria can be bad and taste miserable , it constantly reminds me that though bad things that happen, there is beauty in life, and in being free, it is a reminder that there is love all around, and that when you starve yourself of love, you die. So every time I have a chance to eat, I do, because, friendship, love and laughter comes when you feed.
Written by Sharon Akinola
08061199651
4th place
The Freshman
The pristine gates seemed to glow
The organized movement in a beautiful flow
That strange place I was about to call home
That strange place, so far away from home
The well-kept environment was intimidating
The big kids, intriguing
The colleges, amusing
And I was about to be a part of the symphony
Part of the hustle and bustle of ‘uni life’
I was going to be an undergraduate!
As I went through the labyrinth of registration protocols
As I moved, baggage and all, into my hostel
As I settled into the unusual room, soon to be a common sight
As I waved my parents goodbye,
Not a sliver of regret could be found in my heart
The vast field of opportunities
The start of an academic journey
The dawn of a new life, a new era
It was a breath of fresh air
Like turning over a new leaf
I was giddy, bubbling with excitement
The realization dawned with an assuring certainty;
I was ready!
Eze Laura
300l
Medicine and surgery
5th place
LIFE AS AN ABUAD STUDENT
MY FIRST CRUSH IN ABUAD
It started with just a glance
My head had to turn to that direction by chance
The rhythm of my heart turned into a dance
And then in my head was the beginning of my romance
I sought through all the colleges for his name
Details, anything that my heart could acclaim
The anguish, the rage, pulses skipped for that flame
The hustle for just another glance did I reclaim
Finally that day came by
The joy in my soul had no standby
As I was watched him by the stand in caf one
Oh my was I so damn turned on.
That was when I knew it had only begun.
Wait! What? I pondered
He’s approaching my seat? I wondered
The sweat on my face I covered
He was coming to meet me, I discovered
Give up! I said to myself as I surrendered.
‘Please call her for me’ he said
Surprised as I turned to the direction his eyes led
“The girl with the Abuad bread” he added
I tapped her as my heart bled
She was only but my crushes’ girl… I realized as I laid dead
Emmanuella Emmanuel
100l
Medicine and surgery
6th place
Life as an Abuad student
Abuad,
A miniature world on its own
Where the student is the school
And the school is the student
Great influence is made permanent on character and in learning
Change meets resilience
Adaptation is mastered and tested
The art of diplomacy is wisdom
And patience is endless
Phased from being a teenager
Through adolescence
To the young adult I am now
Met and got separated
From lifelong friends
Got healed from wounds
But with hypertrophic scarring
The perceived end
That my mind’s eye can’t definitely see
Is nearer than the beginning
It soon would come to pass.
Life as an abuad student
Would definitely form a historic presence in my future.
Oguntoye ‘Timilehin D
Medicine & surgery 500L
09069204164
7th place.
All these write ups are amazing and they all deserve awards. I also like ABUAD ice-cream too,and growing up is my favourite experience in ABUAD.
