Opinion: Effect Of Cohabitation In Tertiary Institution By Raymond Ejikemeuwa

The increase in the number of undergraduate students and the inability of the school authorities to provide adequate hostel accommodation has led to cohabitation among undergraduate students of some public universities.

In university campuses across Nigeria,it is a common phenomenon for male and female students to rent off-campus apartments just  for  comfort and for  ‘privacy’ as one of my friends would say.

Living in those houses alone is now a thing of the past as some students want to experience marital life before leaving campus and to get married proper.

This led to the ‘undergraduate Di naNwanyi’ which means a male and female student living in their rented apartment .This ‘couple life’ makes the male student assume the role of the husband and the female-wife.

It is expected for students in tertiary institutions to know their left from their right.To this end,they have the freedom to make self-decisions that has to do with their feelings and emotions,and maybe their lives in general.

About 15% of some students in Nigerian tertiary institutions sponsor themselves,while about 85% are sponsored by parents or guardians.These parents should mount surveillance to monitor and check their ward’s exuberant actions and decisions.

Cohabitation seems to be a very popular but worrisome concept in our institutions today.The male and female students renting and residing in the same apartment as though they were married.They do all sort of domestic activities together such as bathing,cooking,taking joint decisions,sleeping and in most cases operate a joint account.

Some have given a smattering justification for this couple’s life on campus expressing that it helps to pool resources such as food stuffs and money together from the wealthy partners  to enable them make ends meet in school. Others said that cohabitation helps them gain experience on how to handle marital life,check infidelity,aid intimacy and cement the relationship subject to formal approval by their parents.

The argument above may not in any way stand to verify cohabiting by campus lovers.In Nigeria,such practice is culturally and religiously unacceptable as it is contrary to the concept of marital rites and blessings.

Cohabitation is mostly practiced by premature and ineligible persons and in some cases,are unprepared for long-lasting union.Common deception!Without incertitude,cohabitation is a lead-way to sexual interaction of premarital sex which can lead to early or unwanted pregnancy.

Sure enough is the fact that,not needed pregnancy is the staircase to abortion domain.Abortion is the sliding route to death or organ damages which may in many cases result to barrenness.

According to Miss Tricia Igbe,a student of the Delta State Polytechnic,Ozoro,”It is biblically and morally wrong.It leads to unwanted pregnancy,abortion,infections and emotional trauma especially for ladies who may suddenly be jilted by the man involved.”She further opined that ladies are always the worst hit whenever such relationship hits the rock”.

Cohabitation on campus also affects the academic performance of those involved.The campus girl who has been saddled with the burden of cooking for his campus husband, washing all his clothes and other unwanted matrimonial functions may not be at her best in academics.

It is alarming that most students spend their school fees to carter for their so-called school husband or wife,and end up spending extra year in school.

Our society is really sick courtesy of those living in it.These students collect house rents from unsuspecting (and sometimes,struggling) parents and end up cohabiting.

In summary, before you agree to move in and live with a guy on campus,consider the reason why you are in school in the first place.What image would you be creating about yourself?Can this guy marry you in case he impregnates you or would you resort to series of abortions like many other girls before you?What advice will you give your children in future concerning this kind of things?After school what next?Will the relationship lead you anywhere?

Yes,this part is now referring to the females.I didn’t plan it that way.Maybe it is because they are the worst hit by the grave consequences of illicit sexual relationships.They are the ones that turn out to be the sore losers in the end.They call it school life but they don’t realize how idiotic they have been till it is too late.

It is a pure ‘misplacement of purpose’ if you think that the reason why you are in school is to get the husband-and-wife experience,to see what it feels like for the guy to provide the money for food and for the girl to go to the market for food stuffs and cook.

It is true that your admission has given you unlimited freedom.It is true that your parents are not there to caution you.But what about giving your womanhood respect and protecting your dignity?What about living in such a way as to have a positive story to tell the next generation(including your children)without a prick of conscience?

In conclusion,for parents who shake their heads to pity those who cohabit whenever they read articles like this,a smart surveillance may reveal to them that their own innocent and sober looking wards also engage in this practice.Hence,there is an urgent need for parents,stakeholders et alia to mount a campaign against campus lover’s cohabitation.It is really doing more harm than good to the lives of those involved.

This practice must be admonished.