How And Reason Why Rag Day Come To An Existence

The Origin And Meaning Of Rag
Day In Nigerian Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges of Education



The origin of the word “Rag” according to the Oxford English Dictionary is “an act of ragging; especially, an extensive display of noisy disorderly conduct, carried on in defiance of authority or
discipline”.

Much more recently, monetary donations have been integrated into this activity. Rag Day displays
have seen passers-by “ragged” until they made a donation.

In the United Kingdom, Rag
Day is an activity carried out
by students run charity organisations and are widespread in the Britain.

Most universities in the UK and Ireland, as well as some in the Netherlands and South Africa observe the Rag Day.

The first tertiary institution to
introduce the Rag Day in South Africa was the University of Pretoria in 1925. It is referred to as “The
Procession” and is still carried
out today.

In some universities, Rag
Activities are known as Charities Campaigns, Charity Appeals, Charity Committees, or Carnivals, but they all share many attributes.

But what does “Rag Day”
mean to the Nigerian student
community?

‘Ragging’, as students like to call it in Nigeria, is usually part of the Student Union week when students, especially the newly admitted ones, adorn rags or dress in a less sensible manner and
storm the streets in a bid to raise funds for charity.

Over time, the concept of “charity” has been erased from the exercise as “rag day” has now become a day in which Nigerian students are “permitted” officially to extort money from the general public. Monies realized are not submitted to appropriate authorities as there are no laid out structure of ensuring that the students are
accountable for the donations
they have received.

But how did we come to this point?
Students who go out for ragging don’t do so with charity in mind anymore. Rather, they do so in a bid to enrich themselves. Even
persons who are not students “join the queue” because it's purpose has been defeated. It is now deemed to be a highly “lucrative” venture. That is why you see a final year
student who is supposed to be in school concentrating on his academic work, out there on the streets in the name of ragging.

What is the true meaning of Rag Day? Has its original meaning been lost? Do you think its time to “take off the rags” from our tertiary
institutions?

Drop your comment below.

Happy Rag Day Mapaites, Remember to be a good Ambassadors of the Polytechnic even while you rag, do not go to the street without your Id card.

© D_Best