In Nigeria, there are so many absurdities that has transmogrified into the norms. Nigeria; as I always say, is full of objectionable acts which are overlooked simply because it is prevalent and has been termed 'normal'.
Torchlighting our educational system; prevailing are nonchalance, absurdities, nonsensicality, which are being accentuated as normal. But the peak of it all is the extortion of students and aspirants seeking admission. Now is the time of seeking, granting and gaining admission.
From the very onset of seeking admission, aspirants face the stern test and examination of various educational bodies such as JAMB, WAEC, NECO, NABTEB and the likes, exhuming huge sums from aspirants.
After much trouble from the mentioned bodies, then the institutions come with some cockamamie demands which aspirants must delve into if they want to be successful in their quest of gaining admission. My utmost concern has nothing to do with all these factors but one; and that's paying of acceptance fee.

What is acceptance fees all about?
Acceptance fee is the initial fee 'newly admitted' Aspirants pay to the institution one is seeking admission into, after one had been considered for admission. That's the first payment one would pay for the continuation of all necessary procedures before the finalization of admission.
Mind you, paying of acceptance fee doesn't guarantee admission. No, It doesn't! And that, being the last straw that broke the camel's back. How can one pay huge sums for acceptance fee, yet no admission. They bring forward flimsy and preposterous reasons why this is so.
One they bring forward is the wrongful combination of subjects in jamb. Another is results not tallying and failure of uploading of results in some cases. And other blatant excuses which are not weighty.
My question is why give admission to aspirants who fall in this category knowing fully well what their fates unfold in the long run? The Aspirants should be blacklisted from the admission list before they are being churned out. Not after paying the non-refundable  acceptance fee. Or maybe you don't know the acceptance fee is non-refundable. Of course, it is! Part of the so many reasons our educational system is failing.

Secondly, I'd like to pinpoint the acceptance fee itself. How much are we talking about here? Basically, it ranges from one institution to another.
Private institutions for example pay nothing less than fifty thousand naira which could rise to two hundred thousand naira, depending on aspirants courses. And state universities thread the same route. Only some federal institutions ate half a humble pie. Theirs goes for nothing less than twenty thousand naira minimum which could also rise depending on courses. Same as the polytechnics and monotechnics.
These sum are outrageously outrageous. And knowing fully well that paying that huge sum doesn't guarantee admission gives one's stomach a headache.
The institutions should be considerate in every of their dealings cos' not everyone can muster such fees on a go. Not everyone.

Some African countries are now laying the foundation for near zero fees for all their institutions. We are here extorting money from exiguous Aspirants. Because bunch of these Aspirants and students filled in government institutions are hand to mouth and middle class 'pikin', and even considering the dip in form of our economy, then why the overcharge?
The government of Liberia is a case study in this aspect. They have nothing in resources compared to us, yet they are leading us in the education sector. Recently, they proclaimed free education in all their institutions. Isn't that praiseworthy? But back home, we are nothing but empty vessels when it comes to budgeting and investing in our education system. Ghana also lead in that aspect. And we are the self proclaimed giant of Africa with nothing to show for it.

On a lighter note, I was happy this year for the controlling of post Utme fees in all institutions by ths government. The fees were clamped down to a regular and universal attainable fee. The post Utme fees across the country this year was checkered down to nothing less than three thousand naira.
This kind of policy should also be enforced on all institutions concerning the acceptance fee. I'm sure if all goes well without the snitching and backbiting from self centered institutions, I think the policy would be a mechanism for checks and balance for all institutions not billing Aspirants exorbitantly. With this, there would be no cause for unnecessary clamor or outburst concerning the raised issue.

AbooNi'mah (2uchPen)