by Damilola Jagun
In Nigeria, and sveral other parts of the world for that matter, beauty seems to earn more reward than brains.
It becomes extremely discouraging for youths who are holed up in the library or laboratory studying hard, when someone who probably has little or no brain tend to get a lot more appreciation, simply for being easy on the eye, in essence, being good-looking.
A situation which best describes this scenario has recently occured in the University of Lagos.
At the 2014 Miss UNILAG beauty pageant, a 4th year law student at the institution, Damilare Babajide, was crowned winner, and her winning prizes included cash-gift and a brand new car.
While, earlier, on 10 September, 18-year-old Zainab Olaitan, a 2nd year political science undergraduate at UNILAG, won the university’s arduous debate competition, but her ‘winner’s perks’ was a far cry from that of Babajide, the winner of the beauty pageant.
For her efforts, Olaitan was gifted N100,000 and a laptop computer by the University’s Vice chancellor, Rahman Bello.
In response to the evident disparity, students and lecturers of the institution have criticised the situation where physical and superficial attributes are rewarded more than intellectual capability and accomplishment.
Leave a reply