By Gbayesola Samuel

“I promise to serve with transparency, dedication, and an unwavering focus on concrete results. Let us transform our hall into a model of efficiency and excellence for all.”- Obinelo Chisom Folorunsho.

These were the very words of the House Secretary as contained in his manifesto. Obinelo Chisom Folorunsho, a 300-level History student, was elected as House Secretary of the Great Independence Hall of Residence, University of Ibadan, on February 27, 2025. Running on the campaign theme ‘Efficiency ’25, he secured a decisive victory with 322 votes against his opponent, Akingbela Oluwadamilare, who garnered 164.

As the House Secretary of the 64-year old hall of residence, his primary duty is to ensure proper maintenance and general safety of the hall property, including the hall’s furniture, equipment, and other facilities. Article III, Section (4) of the constitution of the Great Independence Hall clearly outlines the functions of the House Secretary:

1)He shall be the custodian of all Hall properties.

2) He shall see to the proper maintenance and be responsible for the general safety of the Hall properties.

3) He shall be responsible for the maintenance of all Hall furniture, equipment and other instruments.

4) He shall be co-responsible for the affairs of the gym house of the Hall.

5) He shall perform other function(s) as may be assigned to him by the provision(s) of this constitution.

6) He shall be the Chairman of the Estate Committee.

7) He shall perform other function(s) as may be delegated to him by the provision(s) of this constitution and by the Administrator General.

The constitution, however, doesn’t go much further than this. His manifesto plan, titled “The Four Pillars of Efficiency,” outlines plans to upgrade reading rooms, enhance communication, integrate an estate committee, and improve maintenance of hall facilities.

Reading Room Upgrades

Obinelo promised a comprehensive upgrade of the hall reading rooms, with particular emphasis on Block A. He, according to his manifesto, planned to build on assessments conducted by previous administrations and conduct a new evaluation of damaged chairs in the reading spaces within his first two weeks in office, with repairs or replacements to follow within a month. This timeline, however, was not met.

According to him, the renovation of A-Block was initially planned but temporarily put on hold as attention was shited  to the renovation of Eldersthe C Block top-floor reading, an initiative of the Elders (final-year student residents) within the hall.

As of the time of this review, IndyPress observed that the only upgrade which has been carried out in the Block A reading is  the proper cleanup and installation of new chairs to replace broken ones.

IndyPress observation also confirmed that in the Block- B reading room, the fan remains non-functional, contradicting his promise of routine checks. The central reading room was also locked at the time of this review, though he assured that it would be reopened this month before the commencement of the second semester examinations.

Communication With Katangites 

Another point in his manifesto was intended to improve the flow of information to Katangites. “As House Secretary, I will ensure prompt communication through weekly updates to keep everyone informed on the state of facilities and projects in the hall,” Obinelo stated in his manifesto.

Obinelo had promised to utilize the public address system, social media, and floor representatives to share updates. Although this has not been done consistently, he has provided occasional updates, especially regarding electricity issues. On matters involving the university maintenance unit, particularly light and water outages, he has maintained relatively prompt communication.

Obinelo’s manifesto also highlighted the creation of an Estate Committee, a team responsible for weekly inspection of water and electrical systems. Although he promised an open call for recruitment, none was observed. When interviewed, he claimed that the committee had long been constituted.

Kitchenettes and Plumbing Issues

His manifesto further acknowledged that most kitchenettes in Blocks A, B, and C were faulty due to plumbing issues, causing frequent clogs. He linked this issue to residents pouring wastewater from upper floors, a practice he said negatively affects the hall community. Notably, 56 students were fined for this by the hall supervisor. When asked about it, he said the hall management had maintained its stance.

He had promised to conduct a full plumbing assessment of the kitchenettes within his first two weeks in office, though the manifesto did not specify when repairs would be completed. However, IndyPress observed that some kitchenettes had been converted into residential spaces due to high accommodation demand. According to him, this made repairs difficult.

He mentioned that the inner chamber in the brushing area was intended to serve as an alternative kitchenette. However, no concrete effort has been made to make that space usable, as the area remains cluttered and not in functional condition.

Reporting Channels

To improve accountability, Obinelo promised to introduce a new reporting channel, including a physical suggestion box and an online form for residents to report issues or give feedback. As of the time of filling this report, no online form has been observed circulating for this purpose.

Through the lens of the Constitutional Duties of the House Secretary 

Having examined the content of his manifesto plans and their delivery, it is equally important to consider how well the House Secretary has administered his constitutional duties. One of his constitutional duties which we shall look at states that it shall be responsible for the maintenance of the hall facilities. In reality, It is safe to say that Obinelo, just like his predecessors, falls short in this area as many of the hall facilities are left in deplorable conditions without revamp.

For example, in various rooms in the hall, some electrical appliances, including wall sockets are faulty, causing the student residents to incur expenses for their repair. As the House Secretary, the effective way he could have addressed this concern is to call the attention of the University’ Maintenance Unit to the situation, but the reverse has been the case, although in some cases, the House Secretary had called the attention of the maintenance, especially in situation where electrical appliances needed to be fixed.

As the session draws to a close, the central question remains: what has he delivered on his promises? Has the vision of Efficiency ’25 translated into tangible results?

From promising to address kitchenette issues to establishing an estate committee, the coming weeks will determine whether his administration can move from paper plans to practical improvements that directly affect student welfare of the hall. Ultimately, his ability to follow through will shape whether Independence Hall is a model of efficiency.