Transcription by: Motorolani Olufemi

More than three months into his administration, the Administrator General of the Great Independence Hall, Obinelo Folorunsho Chisom, popularly known as Raphael, speaks with IndyPress Correspondence Gbayesola Samuel a mid-term accountability interview. He responds to questions on his administration’s performance, ongoing infrastructure projects, delayed hall T-shirts, the May 6 protest, the state of the San Siro pitch, and what residents should expect in the months ahead.

Editor’s Note: For ease of reading, this interview has been published in two parts. This is Part One.

What makes Team Sustenance different from Team Altruism?

Good afternoon. That question is actually very interesting, given the fact that I’m an offspring, or rather a by-product, of Team Altruism. When it comes to leadership, every executive body presents its plans and manifesto. The real difference lies in execution.

So, the difference between Team Altruism and Team Sustenance, or the Sustenance Team as I like to call it, is in the execution of the projects and plans embedded in our manifesto.

So, what exactly are you trying to sustain? I imagine that’s a question you’ve had to answer quite often.

Yes, I get that question a lot. When we use the word Sustenance, it isn’t entirely about sustaining an administration or leadership. In the Great Independence Hall, from the Evolution Team led by AG PSam, to the Pragmatism Team led by AG Bam-Connect, and then Team Altruism led by AG Peculiar, there has always been one focus: ensuring that the Great Independence Hall continues to uphold its standard of excellence.

AG PSam introduced innovations such as the JCR renovation and strengthened alumni engagement. AG Bam-Connect consolidated our political influence and was instrumental in bringing SBJ (the canteen) to the hall.

AG Peculiar also sustained that political strength and, although opinions may differ, his administration laid the foundation for some of the things we’re enjoying today.

What are some of those things residents are benefiting from today, for those who may not be aware?

During his administration, the alumni became fully invested in the hall.

I worked closely with AG Peculiar, so I know many alumni began returning during that period. It was also during his tenure that Chief Tony Atah became actively involved with the hall, although some may trace that back to the final session of ADA’s administration.

Chief Tony Atah is back this session to support the painting of D-Block, renovations in A-Block, and several other projects currently in the pipeline, which residents will begin to see from the commencement of the second semester.

So, that’s one of the ways AG Peculiar contributed to the hall’s development. What am I trying to sustain? I’m trying to sustain the existing legacy of excellence associated with the Great Independence Hall, not necessarily the legacy of any executive council.

The Great Independence Hall has always been known for excellence politically and intellectually. The current Vice-Chancellor of the University is a Katangaite. We have professors, lecturers, distinguished professionals across the country, and even the Deputy Governor of Oyo State is a Katangaite. That culture of excellence is what I intend to sustain.

If a resident says your administration hasn’t done enough so far, what evidence would you present to convince them otherwise?

There are several reasons why people may feel an administration isn’t performing.

One is when leadership isn’t carrying out its responsibilities effectively. Another is when expectations aren’t being met, and Katangaites naturally have high expectations of their leaders. If someone tells me I haven’t done enough, my first response is, “How do you expect me to serve you better?”

I know we’ve done a lot during this administration, but if someone isn’t experiencing the impact of our work in an area that matters to them, then perhaps we’ve overlooked something important. For example, sports enthusiasts have consistently asked about bringing back the table tennis board. To them, the administration hasn’t done enough because that hasn’t happened yet.

Although plans are already underway to restore it during the second semester, I understand why they feel that way. My responsibility as a leader is to identify those needs and, where possible, meet them.

It’s been over three months since you were inaugurated as Administrator General. Looking back, what would you consider the most notable achievements of your administration so far, both within and beyond your manifesto?

Let me start with one of the first issues I observed after assuming office. During my time as House Secretary, I noticed frequent water outages in the hall. The pressure on our pumping machines was enormous because the Great Independence Hall supplies water not only to residents but also to the quarters and the laundry, which consumes a significant amount of water. One of our earliest interventions was installing a new pumping machine in A-Block.

Since its installation, we’ve observed that even during power outages, the hall can still have water for about two to three days. That’s one achievement I can confidently point to.

Let me clarify that. Is there a special system attached to the new pumping machine that’s responsible for the improved water supply, or is it simply a more efficient pumping machine?

It’s the same water supply, but with much greater efficiency. When I campaigned for House Secretary, one of my core ideas was Efficiency ’25. For me, Efficiency ’25 means doing the same thing with greater precision. We’re pumping water the same way, but now the system is more effective.

Working closely with the supervisors and porters, we changed the pumping schedule and ensured that the four green tanks in A-Block are always filled. Once those tanks are full, they can adequately serve residents.

We’ve also reduced the recurring outages in B-Block and C-Block. Previously, residents from those blocks often depended on A-Block whenever their pumps failed.

Now, we’ve ensured that all three pumping machines are operating at optimal capacity to provide a more reliable water supply throughout the hall.

Another major initiative is the Grand Water Project being championed by the alumni. This is not a project that will be completed within one session because it involves a huge financial commitment.

The Warden and I have already visited the bank to create a dedicated account through which alumni can contribute. We’re talking about a project worth tens of millions of naira. Its objective is straightforward. First, to ensure that the Great Independence Hall has the cleanest and most hygienic water supply in the university.

Second, to significantly improve water availability. Right now, residents can go two or three days without water interruptions. Once this project is completed, we’re looking at a system where water can remain available for over a week without interruption.

We’ve already consulted the University’s Works and Maintenance Department, which is preparing the necessary technical evaluations and schematics because we must follow due process. Although the project is still in the pipeline, substantial groundwork has already begun under this administration.

Another ongoing project is the renovation of D-Block. This goes beyond painting. The project includes replacing door locks, repairing railings, replacing broken louvre blades, improving the toilets, removing defaced walls, and carrying out a general facelift of the entire block. The alumni, led by Chief Tony Atah, have taken responsibility for this first phase. By the time the work is completed, D-Block will look significantly different from what residents currently know.

Another important aspect of the project is creating an independent water outlet for D-Block through its own pumping system, so residents will no longer depend on A-Block for water supply.

You’ve spoken about maintaining existing facilities. More broadly, what’s your assessment of the maintenance culture at the University of Ibadan and, specifically, within the Great Independence Hall?

When it comes to maintenance culture in the University of Ibadan, I believe everyone is trying their best to ensure facilities remain functional. I’ve attended meetings where these issues are discussed extensively. However, one thing I’ve observed is that we often expect management to take responsibility for everything. As students, we also have a role to play.

Professor Demola Lewis often says that if something is placed in your care, you have a responsibility to preserve it. I’m not saying management shouldn’t fulfil its responsibilities whenever necessary. What I’m saying is that students also need to develop a stronger maintenance culture. Take our toilets, for example. Constant defacing of walls and facilities are things students themselves can prevent.

Within the Great Independence Hall, we’ve taken a firm stance against defacing the hall. Since last session, the Executive Council has ensured that anyone caught pasting posters or flyers outside designated notice boards is sanctioned. Whenever we identify organisations or individuals responsible, we contact them and require them to remove the materials.

We’ve also observed that many of the newly installed louvre blades have been damaged because of improper use. That’s one reason the Executive Council recently announced plans to establish an Environmental Task Force. The proposal will first go through the Legislative Council because we don’t want to create an unconstitutional committee.

Once approved, the task force will monitor the hall, discourage practices such as hanging bedsheets on railings, storing heavy items on louvre blades, or keeping rooms and common areas in poor condition. Residents will first receive warnings and guidance. If the behaviour continues, sanctions will follow. Ultimately, this is our way of preserving the infrastructure we’ve inherited.

In the circular your administration recently released, one section caught my attention.

It reads:

“Pouring of water or any other substance from the balcony is strictly prohibited. Defaulters will be sanctioned accordingly. Furthermore, all kitchenettes have been cleaned, cleared and made available for use.”

Could you clarify what you meant by “made available for use”?

Exactly as stated.

The kitchenettes are now available for residents to use for washing and other purposes for which they were originally designed.

Some residents would argue that not all the kitchenettes are fully functional yet. What would you say to that?

During that exercise, the hall management invited university plumbers to carry out repairs across all the kitchenettes.

The repairs were supervised by hall management, and some members of the Executive Council also monitored the work to ensure everything was done properly.

To the best of our knowledge, all the kitchenettes were repaired during that period.

However, if any kitchenette is still experiencing faults, residents should report the issue to their Floor Representative.

The Floor Representative will relay the complaint to us, and we’ll invite the plumbers back to inspect and resolve the problem.

As a student leader involved in discussions with the university management, what’s your assessment of the continued delay in approving the use of gas stoves in the halls of residence?

Residents expected that approval would have come by now. This issue goes beyond the Great Independence Hall.

Our own kitchenettes are ready for use, but approval for gas stoves is a university-wide decision.

Cooking is meant to take place in the designated kitchens, and we’ve done our part by ensuring our facilities are ready.

Once every hall reaches that same standard, I believe the approval process will become much easier.

So, are you saying the delay is because some halls are still working on their kitchen facilities?

Not necessarily. From the information available to me, work is ongoing in virtually all the halls.

However, you can’t compare the scale of work required in the Great Independence Hall with what is required in a hall like Obafemi Awolowo Hall. Some halls simply require more work than others.

I believe we should allow the university a little more time to complete the process. Let’s return to the water supply. Earlier, you mentioned that the laundry contributes significantly to water consumption.

Some time ago, residents particularly those in C-Block complained that the laundry was one of the reasons water finished so quickly in their block.

What steps has your administration taken to address that concern?

Yes, I’m aware of those concerns. When they were raised, we immediately discussed them with the hall management.

I want residents, especially those in C-Block, to know that a permanent solution is already being worked on. The long-term plan is for the laundry to have an independent water supply, just like the cafeteria currently does.Once that happens, the pressure currently placed on the C-Block water tanks will be greatly reduced.