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| Two Awo rats sharing a piece of apple. |
Rat infestation in African milieu, Nigeria inclusive is a common
phenomenon. In most cases, the rats take over an abode, making them
the original occupant. Such is the life in OAU hostels where the pests
live in convenient landlordship status with the legal occupants. In
this report, olanrewaju Oyedeji projects the partnership between OAU students and rats
phenomenon. In most cases, the rats take over an abode, making them
the original occupant. Such is the life in OAU hostels where the pests
live in convenient landlordship status with the legal occupants. In
this report, olanrewaju Oyedeji projects the partnership between OAU students and rats
 |
| Awolowo Hall, Block 6 |
Excruciating is the danger
and the threat posed by big eye bulging rats who cohabit with OAU students.
The room was well arranged ,at least to the standard of Awoites and this the
reporter was conversing about before some rats were spotted at a fringe
distance in a corner of the iron bed. This is the cause of the
investigation. The rats according to Samuel a 400level student of
Management and Accounting move freely in the day and claim their own
share of whatever students feed on.sometimes they “protest” when there
is no food around
Students of Obafemi Awolowo university have shared their experience on
how the number of rats in each room exceed the number of legal
occupants.
This is coming as Obafemi Awolowo University has resumed for a new session.
The citadel formerly known as the university of Ife has officially 35000 students.
In a hostel like Awolowo hall, the number of legal occupants is six
per room, although it can accommodate as many as 16 persons owing to
activities of squatters.
In Angola hall, for instance, the number of legal occupants is 12 in a
room but this can become 15 or less due to squatters.
It is not unusual to find two persons managing a bed and two rats
playing around, they come in double and in different sizes.
In a visit to rooms in OAU students have shared how rats make life
unbearable for them especially as they are always at the mercy of the
rats.
Some students have blamed it on the environmental situations around
their hostels, while others say toilet facilities lead to rats
infesting the rooms.
A student of Chemistry Education Otaraki was of the view that rats
have become legal occupants instead of students’.
According to a finding by UNICEF Rats feed on the fruits, and are
able to breed and multiply much faster than normal because of the
surplus food.
“Rats destroy our foodstuffs When we sleep rats don't make us
comfortable and the reality is that rats in a room are more than
students’ ”
A student who simply identified himself as Yinka a graduate of
Mechanical engineering shared his experience “Rats are very powerful
on OAU campus,they bite students and we see them in tens,I have
experienced two students been bitten by rats,in fact, one of them had
blood all over his legs,he came for post utme and did not cover his
legs before sleeping he got bitten in the process, rats are too many
in the rooms and sometimes unbearable”
and the threat posed by big eye bulging rats who cohabit with OAU students.
The room was well arranged ,at least to the standard of Awoites and this the
reporter was conversing about before some rats were spotted at a fringe
distance in a corner of the iron bed. This is the cause of the
investigation. The rats according to Samuel a 400level student of
Management and Accounting move freely in the day and claim their own
share of whatever students feed on.sometimes they “protest” when there
is no food around
Students of Obafemi Awolowo university have shared their experience on
how the number of rats in each room exceed the number of legal
occupants.
This is coming as Obafemi Awolowo University has resumed for a new session.
The citadel formerly known as the university of Ife has officially 35000 students.
In a hostel like Awolowo hall, the number of legal occupants is six
per room, although it can accommodate as many as 16 persons owing to
activities of squatters.
In Angola hall, for instance, the number of legal occupants is 12 in a
room but this can become 15 or less due to squatters.
It is not unusual to find two persons managing a bed and two rats
playing around, they come in double and in different sizes.
In a visit to rooms in OAU students have shared how rats make life
unbearable for them especially as they are always at the mercy of the
rats.
Some students have blamed it on the environmental situations around
their hostels, while others say toilet facilities lead to rats
infesting the rooms.
A student of Chemistry Education Otaraki was of the view that rats
have become legal occupants instead of students’.
According to a finding by UNICEF Rats feed on the fruits, and are
able to breed and multiply much faster than normal because of the
surplus food.
“Rats destroy our foodstuffs When we sleep rats don't make us
comfortable and the reality is that rats in a room are more than
students’ ”
A student who simply identified himself as Yinka a graduate of
Mechanical engineering shared his experience “Rats are very powerful
on OAU campus,they bite students and we see them in tens,I have
experienced two students been bitten by rats,in fact, one of them had
blood all over his legs,he came for post utme and did not cover his
legs before sleeping he got bitten in the process, rats are too many
in the rooms and sometimes unbearable”
The headquarters of rats definitely is Moremi in the female hostel,
with rats also there in numbers, a student Tolu who resides in Moremi
shares her experience ” Rats are common in the rooms, it looks like a
day without rats is more like a miracle”
Another student Oluwatosin said “Our clothes are at the mercy of rats
at times and we are usually helpless because they are not controllable
at all, not in one bit”
with rats also there in numbers, a student Tolu who resides in Moremi
shares her experience ” Rats are common in the rooms, it looks like a
day without rats is more like a miracle”
Another student Oluwatosin said “Our clothes are at the mercy of rats
at times and we are usually helpless because they are not controllable
at all, not in one bit”
It would be recalled that there were fears of rats causing Lassa fever
especially as the disease hit Nigeria some months ago.
Another student Ayobami from Philosophy department however said
students cause the high influx of rats “if in a room meant for 6
persons we have 12 in a room,what are we talking about? You definitely
expect rats to be infestive, students also are usually not neat giving
this rats a hiding place”
especially as the disease hit Nigeria some months ago.
Another student Ayobami from Philosophy department however said
students cause the high influx of rats “if in a room meant for 6
persons we have 12 in a room,what are we talking about? You definitely
expect rats to be infestive, students also are usually not neat giving
this rats a hiding place”
Another student Samuel of Computer Engineering from Awolowo hall
shared how rats bite him in his legs while asleep “I have not too
interesting experiences, they bit me and I still have the sign, we
even tried to put a new net but they still found their way in, it is
very bad, they are smarter than we think”
shared how rats bite him in his legs while asleep “I have not too
interesting experiences, they bit me and I still have the sign, we
even tried to put a new net but they still found their way in, it is
very bad, they are smarter than we think”
Another student James from Agric Extension recalled how rats bite his
legs and hands while asleep, another student Oreoluwa recalled a funny
experience he said ” the rats are very unbearable, one “kissed” my
lips one day, I didn't wash my mouth after eating Eba and egusi soup
and the linen of oil was still there, I think that attracted it and i
got kissed only to wakeup to feel the presence of rats on my lips”
Students of Obafemi Awolowo university have complained of inadequate
hostels and that is a reason by some students for “squatting” as
living conditions in the town are expensive compared to that of campus.
A student who preferred anonymity recounted how rats have become
fearless and have become confident “rats don't run away when they
sight humans again, it is more like they are meant to be in the room,
the hugeness of the rats sometimes scares one”
Rats are carriers of diseases and are dangerous especially to human
residential environments.
Rat bites and scratches can result in disease and rat-bite fever. Rat
urine is responsible for the spread of leptospirosis, which can result
in liver and kidney damage. It can also be contracted through handling
or inhalation of scat. Complications include renal and liver failure,
as well as cardiovascular problems.
A look around the hostels reveals bushes around some places in Fajuyi
hall, Awolowo and even Angola hall, this places could possibly harbour
rats.
Lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCMV), a viral infectious disease, is
transmitted through the saliva and urine of rats. Some individuals
experience long-term effects of lymphocytic choriomeningitis, while
others experience only temporary discomfort.
One of the most historically dangerous rat-borne diseases is the
bubonic plague, also called “Black Plague,” and its variants. The transfer
occurs when fleas from the rats bite human beings. Fleas transported
on rats are considered responsible for this plague during the Middle
Ages, which killed millions. Their droppings, dander and shed hair
can cause people to sneeze and experience other allergic reactions.
Diseases transmitted by rats fall into one of two categories: diseases
transmitted directly from exposure to rat-infected faeces, urine or
bites and diseases indirectly transmitted to people by an intermediate
arthropod vector such as fleas, ticks or mites. While the following
list of diseases or medical conditions is all associated with rats.
Diseases Directly Transmitted by Rats
Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome . This is a viral disease that is
transmitted by the rice rat. This disease is spread in one of three
ways: inhaling dust that is contaminated with rat urine or droppings,
direct contact with rat faeces or urine, and infrequently due to the
bite of a rat.
Rat-bite Fever. This disease may be transmitted through a bite,
scratch or contact with a dead rat.
legs and hands while asleep, another student Oreoluwa recalled a funny
experience he said ” the rats are very unbearable, one “kissed” my
lips one day, I didn't wash my mouth after eating Eba and egusi soup
and the linen of oil was still there, I think that attracted it and i
got kissed only to wakeup to feel the presence of rats on my lips”
Students of Obafemi Awolowo university have complained of inadequate
hostels and that is a reason by some students for “squatting” as
living conditions in the town are expensive compared to that of campus.
A student who preferred anonymity recounted how rats have become
fearless and have become confident “rats don't run away when they
sight humans again, it is more like they are meant to be in the room,
the hugeness of the rats sometimes scares one”
Rats are carriers of diseases and are dangerous especially to human
residential environments.
Rat bites and scratches can result in disease and rat-bite fever. Rat
urine is responsible for the spread of leptospirosis, which can result
in liver and kidney damage. It can also be contracted through handling
or inhalation of scat. Complications include renal and liver failure,
as well as cardiovascular problems.
A look around the hostels reveals bushes around some places in Fajuyi
hall, Awolowo and even Angola hall, this places could possibly harbour
rats.
Lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCMV), a viral infectious disease, is
transmitted through the saliva and urine of rats. Some individuals
experience long-term effects of lymphocytic choriomeningitis, while
others experience only temporary discomfort.
One of the most historically dangerous rat-borne diseases is the
bubonic plague, also called “Black Plague,” and its variants. The transfer
occurs when fleas from the rats bite human beings. Fleas transported
on rats are considered responsible for this plague during the Middle
Ages, which killed millions. Their droppings, dander and shed hair
can cause people to sneeze and experience other allergic reactions.
Diseases transmitted by rats fall into one of two categories: diseases
transmitted directly from exposure to rat-infected faeces, urine or
bites and diseases indirectly transmitted to people by an intermediate
arthropod vector such as fleas, ticks or mites. While the following
list of diseases or medical conditions is all associated with rats.
Diseases Directly Transmitted by Rats
Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome . This is a viral disease that is
transmitted by the rice rat. This disease is spread in one of three
ways: inhaling dust that is contaminated with rat urine or droppings,
direct contact with rat faeces or urine, and infrequently due to the
bite of a rat.
Rat-bite Fever. This disease may be transmitted through a bite,
scratch or contact with a dead rat.
A student of Local government studies simply identified as peter
narrated how he dropped his fish in a bowl for cooking just to turn
back , on facing front again he observed that rats have taken away the
the fresh fish and dragged them under the bed ” I Washed the fish and
ate it afterwards” he said. Researches have however shown that Rats
cause a disease known as Salmonellosis, this can be caused by
Consuming food or water that is contaminated by rat faeces, bacteria
can cause this disease also.
While the university is making efforts to clean the university
environment, visits to toilets in the university has shown that state
of toilets can easily breed rats.
The gutters at the back of hostels is another cause of rats
breeding in the community.
The university has constantly expressed her commitment to students
development and better welfare via her public relations officer Olanrewaju Abiodun.
Further checks revealed that absence of drainage system in the hostels
breed even mosquitoes and cockroaches.
narrated how he dropped his fish in a bowl for cooking just to turn
back , on facing front again he observed that rats have taken away the
the fresh fish and dragged them under the bed ” I Washed the fish and
ate it afterwards” he said. Researches have however shown that Rats
cause a disease known as Salmonellosis, this can be caused by
Consuming food or water that is contaminated by rat faeces, bacteria
can cause this disease also.
While the university is making efforts to clean the university
environment, visits to toilets in the university has shown that state
of toilets can easily breed rats.
The gutters at the back of hostels is another cause of rats
breeding in the community.
The university has constantly expressed her commitment to students
development and better welfare via her public relations officer Olanrewaju Abiodun.
Further checks revealed that absence of drainage system in the hostels
breed even mosquitoes and cockroaches.
IS THE UNIVERSITY MANAGEMENT AWARE OF RATS PRESENCE?
According to the public relations officer of Obafemi Awolowo
university, rats are not present in the institution, he said this
during the Lassa fever infestation and defended the university saying
they are not aware of the presence of rats in the institution
university, rats are not present in the institution, he said this
during the Lassa fever infestation and defended the university saying
they are not aware of the presence of rats in the institution
He said the neatness of the campus made it unattractive to rats.
He said, “There are no rats in OAU. The environment is not conducive
to them. Rats prefer to live in dirty places where they can hide. That
is not the case on our campus. The neatness and cleanliness of the OAU
do not make the campus attractive to rats.”
Porters at Adekunle Fajuyi hall, however, confirmed the rat menace which
they termed as disturbing .
One of the porters Mr Alabi Adeola attributed the so many rats to
bushes around and foodstuffs in the hostels “I have been bitten before
” Alabi said on behalf of the porters present .
He, however, said the management cannot be blamed as rats cannot be
curbed or stopped but they can only be reduced in numbers .
Speaking in same vain a porter from Awolowo hall Mr Adebiyi confirmed
the presence of rats “Rats are naturally everywhere, the more we kill
them, the more they multiply, it is present even in Moremi (a female
hostel)porters’ lodge,some animals just want to stay with humans and
we can’t stop them we can only reduce them” Adebiyi said.
He said, “There are no rats in OAU. The environment is not conducive
to them. Rats prefer to live in dirty places where they can hide. That
is not the case on our campus. The neatness and cleanliness of the OAU
do not make the campus attractive to rats.”
Porters at Adekunle Fajuyi hall, however, confirmed the rat menace which
they termed as disturbing .
One of the porters Mr Alabi Adeola attributed the so many rats to
bushes around and foodstuffs in the hostels “I have been bitten before
” Alabi said on behalf of the porters present .
He, however, said the management cannot be blamed as rats cannot be
curbed or stopped but they can only be reduced in numbers .
Speaking in same vain a porter from Awolowo hall Mr Adebiyi confirmed
the presence of rats “Rats are naturally everywhere, the more we kill
them, the more they multiply, it is present even in Moremi (a female
hostel)porters’ lodge,some animals just want to stay with humans and
we can’t stop them we can only reduce them” Adebiyi said.
AN ENCOUNTER WITH RAT EATING STUDENTS
As bad as the situation may look, some students eat these rats especially the bush rat that often come around.
WAYS FORWARD FROM RAT MENACE
From investigations the environment surrounding the campus needs to be
cleared, the bushes and drainage system needs to be worked on.
Students also need reorientation on how to be neat.
It was noticed that hostels are inadequate, efforts can be made to
build more have hostels to avoid overcrowding as life in the town
according to students and investigation is expensive, getting a place
in Lagere,Mayfair,Sabo area will require a minimum of 40,000naira which
does not include transport fare which ranges from 50naira upwards on a
daily basis.
State of toilets needs to be improved too to ensure rats do not have
breeding space, definitely other universities must have similar issues
like OAU but the federal government can support the university by
launching an operation to ensure environmental sanitation, definitely, the rats can be reduced if not eradicated
**
cleared, the bushes and drainage system needs to be worked on.
Students also need reorientation on how to be neat.
It was noticed that hostels are inadequate, efforts can be made to
build more have hostels to avoid overcrowding as life in the town
according to students and investigation is expensive, getting a place
in Lagere,Mayfair,Sabo area will require a minimum of 40,000naira which
does not include transport fare which ranges from 50naira upwards on a
daily basis.
State of toilets needs to be improved too to ensure rats do not have
breeding space, definitely other universities must have similar issues
like OAU but the federal government can support the university by
launching an operation to ensure environmental sanitation, definitely, the rats can be reduced if not eradicated
**
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