University Students Should Wake Up From Rowdy Mentality

This week, the city of Nairobi welcomed back rowdy university students who until this latest stony incursion had been on self-imposed hiatus as far as throwing stones is concerned. When they were away, pundits were enthused about the much peace engulfing Nairobi streets, more so University Way, and even argued that the students could have finally realised what brought them to the higher institution of learning.

When that peace was beginning to noticeably set in, students broke their hell and let eternal fires invade the streets, once again. This time round, their stone throwing hobby was started by a reported killing of their colleague at a club in Westlands. The flaming students had their fires stoked by a revelation that the ones who could have been behind the killing were mere guards whose education extended as far as guard’s school or none at all. This, believably, could not go down well with them: the 'high scholar's, the 'academicians' whose academic walking styles are never directly proportional to their brilliance otherwise they would have known stones are meant to reduce friction on a slippery path or for building but never part of a (mere student's) armoury.

Incensed and thinking everyone was culpable for the murder, the students whose acts could be only described as foolish, bratty, ancient and unschooled went about the streets directing their anger at everyone they met on their way. They flexed their hands, which otherwise could have been beneficially used in writing down dictated notes or perform practical exercises in the labs, and let them smash wind screens of expensive vehicles and destroyed other valuables.  They then opened their mouths, shouted, screamed at everyone in a manner suggesting that they had stored energies which undoubtedly had not been used in asking their lecturers questions or contributing to a constructive class discussion.

Idle students behave that way-the way those UoN students did- and it wouldn’t be strange if those who screamed most never say a word in class let alone asking a question; that’s why they ever have reserved energies to dispense when it comes to the ‘road lecturing to the public’ which normally entails stone throwing and engaging in other silly activities.

Those university students should be reminded of the respect society has for them. Or maybe they should be asked to style up and wake up to the realities of the modern society where things are dealt with in a ‘gentleman’s way’ not in such a brutish manner known only to those misled students.

University students should just let go of this mentality that violence is the sole cure to their anger or that comradeship will forever protect them from facing the consequences of their ill manners.