By Zainab Musa
(Dept. of English, University of Abuja.)
FLOWERBUDNEWS: To be an English undergraduate at the University of Abuja is to live in two worlds at once. One world is full of excitement: new books, new ideas, and the thrill of discovering language. The other world is full of worries: assignments, job prospects, and the pressure to “make sense” of a degree many people do not understand.
This essay explores both sides.
The Excitements:
The Love for Language and Literature is the first excitement. It is intellectual. In ENG 101 we read Shakespeare, in ENG 204 , we analyze Chinua Achebe, and in ENG 304, we debate Semantics with Bloomfield and Wittgenstein. For the first time, language is not just “speaking”. It is a structure, meaning, power, and culture. Every lecture feels like unlocking a secret code.
We experience Self-Expression and Voice, English teaches us to write, argue, and tell stories. As a student, I can now craft essays, poems, and lesson plans like the Teacher Zainab series. There is joy in knowing your words can teach, persuade, or heal.
UniAbuja’s English Department brings together students from Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba, and minority backgrounds. We argue about literature under the Faculty of Arts mango trees, we perform drama.The diversity is exciting.
English is a global language. As an undergraduate, I feel connected to the world. I can access research, apply for scholarships, and communicate across borders. That possibility is powerful.
Despite the excitements, worries about English as a course are unique!
The “What Will You Do With English? Question. This is the most common worry. Relatives, friends, and even some lecturers ask, “After school, will you teach only?” Many Nigerians still see English as a degree without direct jobs. The fear of unemployment is real.
Academic Pressure is another worry, ENG courses are reading-heavy. A 50-item ToS, a 20-page seminar paper, and a test in the same week are normal. Add GST courses, and the workload becomes overwhelming. Sleep is often the first casualty.
Financial Constraints is a challenge many of us face. Many of us buy handouts, photocopy novels, subscribe for data, and still struggle with school fees. In Port Harcourt and Abuja, cost of living makes studying harder. Sometimes we read PDFs on a small phone screen at midnight.
Some students worry that English is “foreign”. We study British and American literature more than Nigerian literature. The fear is: Am I losing my culture while learning another’s language?
Undergraduate life in English at the University of Abuja is both a celebration and a test. The excitement is the love of language, ideas, and community. (FLOWERBUDNEWS)
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Established by Hon. Biola Lawal, a former Acting Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), FLOWERBUDNEWS is a consortium of active veteran journalists, experienced Multimedia broadcast experts and image makers.
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Lawal, on his part, is also a former Honourable Commissioner for Information,Youth, Sports and Culture of Osun state, his home state.
Biola Lawal had also successfully served two tenures as Press Secretary to the ECOMOG Force Commander in Liberia during the Liberian and Sierra Leone Civil wars. He was an outstanding NAN Defence and War Correspondent for many years.
The retired NAN Acting Boss holds the honour of being the only journalist that served two terms on the ECOMOG international assignment due to his high professionalism and decency.
He is a Co-Author of the book; ECOMOG, A BOLD ATTEMPT AT REGIONAL PEACEKEEPING! Edited Mrs Magaret Voght. The book remains the most. factual, detailed and authentic book on the ECOWAS sponsored ECOMOG Military operation.
