PRIORITIES

We were sitted with a group of friends in a hall waiting for dinner/supper .

“Ngai!! Siamini Samantha alifukuzwa!!” (Oh my God, I don’t believe Samantha was sent away!!) one girl exclaimed, standing up due to what I assumed was to prepare for the intensity of the discussion that was to begin.

“Imagine alifukuzwa, alienda jana!” (Imagine she was sent away, she left yesterday) another exclaimed.

“haikosi ni indiscipline!” (It must be indiscipline) came a comment from the back.

My God, I really felt sad for the so called Samantha. From what I had been hearing in the past few days, exams were around the corner. It must have been sad for this Samantha, being sent away from school (or so I thought), just a few days to exams, because of indiscipline?! Oh my!!

I decided to listen on. A heated discussion started:

“Nancy alikua na bahati alisaviwa” (Nancy was Lucky to be saved) another added her thoughts.

“I hate Ian, I’m sure he is the one who suggested that afukuzwe!!(sent away)” another said clearly angry.

I was in the audience of a group of university ladies, and this discussion was worrying. I decided to ask the one next to me what had Samantha done.

The answer I got really shocked me! Apparently, these Samantha and Nancy were participants in the Tusker Project Fame 5!! I could not help but laugh at myself!! But then you cannot blame me! With the exams around the corner, I didn’t expect a group of university students to waste time (yes waste time) following some television programs faithfully and forgetting the reason for being in school, BOOKS!!

I will not even start on soaps, soap operas that cause students to skive evening classes to watch or fail to read for cats or do assignments because if they miss, they will not be able to contribute should another “heated” discussion on the said episode start the following day.

We are students, and what should come first is books, these other things like programs we can get later in CD’s in streets for as little as 50 bob or borrow the episodes from our friends. My friends, students, lets get our priorities right.

When the discussion reached a “hot” climax, I heard one girl whisper to another, “By the way, si you will help me with you Company Law book, sijasomea cat ya kesho” (I have not read for tommorow’s cat).

And the other whispered back, “OH! Ata mimi sijasoma!” (no way! I have also not read)

I felt like saying “I told you so!” but I din’t, since I had not. Now I will get  reason to, if they read this.