By Abdulrasheed Olokoto & Rauf Mujeeb

Dirty water, food remnants, mosquitoes, and foul smells have become part of daily life for many residents of the Great Independence Hall, University of Ibadan, as the persistent practice of pouring waste from upper floors continues despite repeated warnings and fines.

Environmental experts warn that stagnant water and decaying waste around residential areas create breeding grounds for disease carrying pests, compromise hygiene, and expose residents to health risks.

Although the practice has long been prohibited in the university halls of residence, many students describe it as common practice, especially in Independence Hall.

The book of ethics governing halls of residence states that residents should:

“Keep the Hall clean and tidy at all times. No students should throw water from the rooms to the grass or corridors. Litters should also be properly disposed of into dustbins.”

It also states that:

“Washing of cooking utensils on the balcony is prohibited.”

“Washing of clothes in the bathroom, utility rooms and balcony is prohibited.”

“Teeth brushing and plate washing should be done in the bathroom and kitchenettes respectively.”

Despite these regulations, many students say enforcement has not stopped the practice.

Recall that Indy Press reported last session that fifty six B Block residents of the Great Independence Hall of Residence were fined ₦1,000 each for allegedly making their corridors untidy. Despite the sanctions, residents say the problem persists.

A Daily Experience for Ground Floor Residents

Since moving into the Great Independence Hall four sessions ago, Adekola described water pouring from upstairs as his worst experience in the hall.

Adekola, a 400 level student of the Department of Arts and Social Science Education who resides in Block C, recalled a day he was standing on the veranda when someone from an upper floor poured water on him.

“And it is not only about water, they pour remnants too,” he said.

“If you go outside now, you can just shine a torchlight, you will see food remnants in front of there. It’s a hub for mosquitoes and other insects,” he stated.

Although Adekola has never reported the issue to hall authorities, he admitted the repeated incidents have left him angry.

“One day, one day, I will perform madness in this hall. I will take a belt and go upstairs…,” he noted.

Unlike Block C’s ground floor, which houses staylites or final year students, the ground floors of Blocks A and B are occupied mostly by 100 level students. Many freshmen often have less influence and cannot confront seniors upstairs regardless of how the situation affects them.

Daniel from the Department of Physics, who stays in Block A, noted that water pouring remains one of the biggest challenges in the hall.

“Sometimes, when you want to go out, they will just pour water on your head unexpectedly. If they dump the water, and you look up, you won’t see anybody,” he said.

He added that the water is often dirty and residents rarely know who is responsible.

Samuel, a Law student residing in Block B, explained that the situation occurs almost daily.

“Maybe they are boiling rice now and want to pour the water away, they’ll just pour it. Virtually every day,” he stated.

Although Samuel admitted it is not his worst experience in the hall, he said it has significantly affected his daily life.

“I am very affected. Just the other day, they poured dirty water on me.”

Joshua from the Department of Guidance and Counselling, who also stays in Block A, recounted being soaked while preparing to leave for class.

“There was a day I was going to class, I had already dressed up, and someone just poured water. I did not see the face,” he recalled.

He added that students often dispose dirty water and spoiled food from upstairs, noting that he has not been able to confront anyone.

“I have not really seen the faces of the people that pour the water, so I haven’t approached anyone,” he responded.

Ifeoluwa from the Department of Philosophy, who also resides in Block B, lamented that the practice is constant and disruptive.

“They pour it intermittently. You know they don’t stop. All the time. They don’t even sweep properly or pack the dirt. They’ll just sweep from up, and they will sweep dirt and dust onto the mango I am eating in front here. I will just look up and say, ‘God will judge you.’”

Mosquitoes, Smells, and Health Concerns

Many residents noted that the environmental consequences of the practice are becoming difficult to ignore.

Recently, Daniel and his roommates observed an increase in mosquitoes around their room. According to him, one of his roommates developed malaria.

Samuel complained that the smells and insects have become unbearable.

“Those waters are unpleasant. Sometimes they cause smells because my room is very close to the area. So if they pour it, the odor will come to our level sometimes. I have noticed many insects such as houseflies, mosquitoes.”

Joshua also highlighted the worsening conditions.

“It has caused some unpleasant smells that I don’t even know how to describe. It has led to the breeding of mosquitoes. Mosquitoes have been entering the room,” he noted.

Emmanuel from the Department of Religious Studies, who also lives in Block B, said the situation has made living conditions uncomfortable despite the hall’s security.

“We have to kill them, get insecticide, everything, just to stop it, but it all feels abortive because the waters are being poured regularly. So there is no means to just stop it fully. And the smells are bad, very bad to perceive. Perceiving it can cause sickness, it can just cause you to feel abnormal throughout the day,” he explained.

Although Emmanuel described clothes theft as his worst experience in the hall, he stressed that water pouring remains a serious sanitation challenge.

“The security is good, but I don’t feel comfortable just because of the water and the insects,” he stated.

Students Demand Structural Solutions

While many students condemned the practice, several also acknowledged the difficulty of carrying wastewater downstairs from upper floors.

Daniel suggested that the Hall Management provide disposal pipes connected to gutters.

“The Hall Management should provide pipes to channel water from upstairs to the gutters. It’s not entirely their fault. They have to pour water, and it’s not easy to carry waste water downstairs. The stress would be too much. So they should find a solution for them,” he suggested.

Samuel argued that a structural solution would be more effective than punishment.

“I think they should stop it. But just thinking about it, if they stop it, how will they pour water? Like, I’m not trying to be bad, I just think that if I were also upstairs, wouldn’t I be pouring water on the ground? So I think a facility should be made so that pouring water will be stress free, not that they will just have to come down to pour it,” he explained.

Emmanuel emphasised the need for improved waste management infrastructure.

“I would say there should be a means for them to pour their water… Also, if we can get better bins, the ones we have here can’t hold much. We have a lot of students here, over a hundred students in this hostel, or more. So, just providing 5 or 10 bins can’t help. We should get bigger bins like the ones we have in the faculties,” he suggested.

Management Responses

Although several residents said they had reported the issue to hall authorities over time, many noted that the complaints have produced little visible improvement, as the practice continues almost daily across the hall.

Emmanuel said he and his roommates had previously raised the issue during environmental sanitation exercises.

“We reported to the Hall Warden during our environmental sanitation. And he said there will be a solution in weeks. But the weeks have passed, there is no solution,” he noted.

However, Ifeoluwa argued that the issue is already visible to authorities.

“Every day they see them. Sometimes they catch them. It’s not something that needs to be reported, it’s something that is quite visible to everyone,” he said.

Recall that during discussions at the Indy Hall Congress held on May 9, 2026, concerns over the persistent pouring of wastewater from upper floors were again brought before hall authorities by a Katangite.

Responding to the complaint, the Hall Health Commissioner, Simon Oladeji, acknowledged the challenge, noting that students on upper floors cannot realistically be expected to come downstairs every time they need to dispose wastewater.

“I think it’s important to tell Katangites to reduce the way they pour water. Although it is not inevitable. There is no way I can tell you not to pour water, because the kitchenettes are not feasible, and you can’t be pouring water where we are brushing our teeth. That’s not hygienic,” he said.

“The UI Management will see how the kitchenettes should work. Although it’s not in my office to repair the kitchenette,” he added.

Speaking in an interview with IndyPress, Indy Hall Supervisory General Secretary, Mrs Ogunyemi, argued that claims about faulty kitchenette disposals are often exaggerated, adding that some students avoid using available facilities.

“Students often make excuses for their wrongdoings and shift the blame to the management,” she said.

Despite repeated complaints, fines, and warnings, residents say the practice continues daily. As concerns over sanitation and health grow, questions remain about whether existing facilities and enforcement are enough to address a habit that has become deeply normalised within hall life.

Editor’s Note: Some names were changed to protect the identities of sources who requested anonymity.