At Abia State University, Uturu, there was relief and excitement this week as about 5,000 female students began moving into a newly renovated hostel promised by Governor Alex Otti. For years, the hostels had been left in disrepair, leaving students to cope with poor living conditions. Now, the refurbished building, equipped with new furniture, bunk beds, laundries, kitchens, and fire safety facilities, is being hailed as a turning point for campus life.
The Students’ Union president, Emma Ugoani, described the development as “a welcome one,” adding that the students were grateful for the governor’s intervention. University authorities echoed the sentiment. Vice Chancellor Professor Ndukwe Okeudo called the hostel an “ultra-modern facility that meets international standards,” praising Otti for keeping his word.
The project, which follows Otti’s earlier pledge to tackle the hostel crisis and build a new Faculty of Law, has been cast as part of a broader effort to upgrade ABSU’s infrastructure. Contractors say work on other dilapidated hostels will begin as soon as students move out of them.
For many on campus, the renovated hostel represents more than improved accommodation. It is a symbol of long-awaited government attention to the welfare of students, and a promise of what better investment in higher education could bring.
