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Tuesday 7 October 2014

[OPINION] DO AWARDS DETERMINE THE QUALITY OF A UNIVERSITY RESTAURANT?



When you go to eateries and restaurants especially on campuses these days, your eyes would surely behold awards of various sorts.

These awards were attestations given to restaurants based on their quality services, and hygienic environment. This would have been wonderful, only if they really deserve such awards. What baffles me mostly is that all of these restaurants have an award which says ''best eatery of the zone.''

If they can struggle to keep the tenets of hygiene and quality service, as much as they fake what is not, just to get the award, health issues relating to the intake of food will be curbed. 

My favourite restaurant  is ''Iya Moria" as it is popularly called. This is not because her daughter is in my department o! but because of the quality of her food. It is an eatery located in the Distance Learning Institute (DLI) area of University of Lagos. Her Patronisers ranges from UNILAG/DLI students to lecturers, and also occupants of Honours hall of residence even Yaba College of Technology (Yabatech).

The clean environment of the restaurant is laudable. Chairs are well arranged, with serviettes and toothpicks on each table. Of course they have enough awards to their credits, there are still some things that needs attention.The environment is hygienic, but not the people serving the food. You see the ladies with unkempt hair, serving with their bare hands without gloves. Though this is common to all restaurants on campus.

Another serious issue is the kitchen. I am not exaggerating, but you need to see the kitchens of highly rated eateries on campus like Salado, Olaiya, Red bricks, Jesus Embassy and the likes. They are so rough and dirty that the sight alone can discourage one from eating, irrespective of the fact that the main eatery is clean. When the genesis of the meal is not clean, what is the point of designing and decorating the main eatery? It is synonymous with a lady with dirty underwear and clean clothes. 
   
That restaurants are honoured with awards is a good idea, but if they are working hard to meet up with required standards is an issue that must be addressed. I think UNILAG Medical Centre should try and inspect these restaurants without notifying them and should suspend any restaurant that does not meet the required standards set for them. This will not only make them take care of these restaurants, it will also create a very presentable and healthy environment for not only students but also for visitors to boast of.
 
ADEYEMO ESTHER TEMITOPE
200 level, MASS COMMUNICATION DEPARTMENT.


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