LETTER TO NIGERIAN UNDERGRADUATES BY EZENWATU PHILIP CHUKWUMA

Dear brothers and sisters, "Nigerian Undergraduates", 

I know you people are quite surprised at receiving this tendentious letter from me; I am surprised sitting down to articulate it too. What could actually be my moral justification for writing down these proponent lines to you my brethren?
I am neither your lecturer nor a better student, but kindly browse through this page to the end. It is a letter of someone struggling to another struggling person urging his brothers and sisters not to give up. Congratulations for making it to the higher institution another citadel of learning. Forget the jokes, you people are matured now. Having spent at least few months in the higher institution, you must have been transformed in many aspects.

I want to help you recall few things about last year. I keenly watched you people *"In parenthesis"* right from the very first day of your stay in the higher institution till the end of the academic year. Last year, I saw in you all and enthusiastic scholars with zeal and agility; ready to explore, make a name, show your talents in music, football, academics etc. You fought very hard to register your names in the archive of the great institutes where you are learning. I noticed your gladness at your matriculation day; your dreams and right ambitions took another step altogether. It encouraged some of you to relentlessly to fight the first semester examinations. It was more like the classes was stratified, "everyone now knew where he or she belongs".  Some continued to strive, others became walking academic ghosts (Yahoo boys, runs girls, political thugs, cultists or brutal enmities etc). Do you still remember the resolutions you made at your matriculation day which is similar to the one you made prior to your coming to the higher institution? The resolutions to read everyday, to explore, to finish all your text books before your final exams, to buy all the departmental relevant text books series, to become a wonderful writer and have your articles published at the online journals or magazines and news papers. Have you forgotten so soon how much you loved to quote the authorities in your area of specialization, example Plato and Socrates in almost every argument you made even when you quoted them wrongly. I no longer see that enthusiasm in you all; what happened? Smiles, kindly read this to the end.

Higher institution is a stage where *you either become better or you become bitter*. Find the area you are good at and develop yourselves. There's a danger of joining the band wagon of mediocrity, avoid it. I know I am unworthy to write these few lines because I am struggling too but understand my burning quest to help bring out the best in you. Find reasons to be inspired again, try new things, develop the habit of writing, read wide, join the band, develop a skill in art, learn few things about journalism, undergo a language course, join the members of the English diet, write articles for boards or for educative purposes, *BE CREATIVE, EXPLORE*.

I want you all to adopt the philosophy of of *CANI*. CANI means *Constant and Never-ending Improvement*. It is the idea that nothing is perfect; there is always a room for improvement. This improvement must not be massive and spontaneous; it is a gradual increment which is constant and ad infinitum. Success is a product of consistent of efforts.

Just remember this; the difference between ordinary persons and extraordinary persons is just "EXTRA" and you will become exceptional.

Finally, set daily goals for yourselves. Do not underestimate the power of small beginnings. Every great thing starts small; the guru you know today was once a neophyte. Take time to build yourselves. In the very words of Joel Osteen, "Become a better you". Do not settle for the good when the best is available, your best is yet to come. You cannot claim to have attained your greatest height until you must have reached your elastic limit, stretch yourselves the more.

The Lord of host is with us, the God of Jacob is our stronghold.