By Fawaz Balogun

Political aspiration begins with promises, but what truly matters is how well those promises are kept. The Great Independence Hall election, held on December 20, 2025, produced Usman Mubarak Olamilekan, popularly known as HEMKAY, a 300 level student of the Department of Special Education, Faculty of Education, University of Ibadan, as the Hall’s Social and Buttery Commissioner.

According to Article VI, Section VII of the Great Independence Hall Constitution, the commissioner’s duties include chairing the Hall Week Organising Committee, overseeing the Hall’s social affairs, ensuring the efficient management of the buttery and kiosks, serving as chairman of the Social Committee, and overseeing the smooth running of the Junior Chamber Room (JCR).

Beyond these constitutional responsibilities, HEMKAY outlined plans to organise social events, improve recreational activities, manage the buttery and kiosks, rebuild the Indy Hall Supporters’ Club, and secure sponsorships and funding.

Energising Hall Spirit Through Events

HEMKAY promised to sustain regular football match screenings while introducing activities such as karaoke nights, movie nights and games.

“We will continue to enjoy consistent football match screenings, bringing Katangites together to cheer, celebrate, and bond over our love for the game. Alongside this, SBJ karaoke nights and movie nights with a mini cinema experience will create relaxed, fun filled moments where everyone can unwind and express themselves,” he said.

He also promised to introduce themed events, including game nights, karaoke sessions and talent shows, to give Katangites opportunities to showcase their skills and connect with one another.

“One of the things that truly makes Independence Hall special is how games unite us. From table tennis to snooker, these activities break barriers and bring people together. Our tennis board then, already attracted not just Katangites, but students from other hostels as well, including females showing how welcoming and inclusive Indy truly is. I plan to strengthen this culture of unity through more organized and engaging game sessions,” HEMKAY said.

However, observations by IndyPress and responses from the commissioner indicate that some of these plans have not been fully implemented.

On the proposed karaoke night, HEMKAY said he intended to partner with SBJ to organise the event. However, he acknowledged that the event was not held in Great Independence Hall. Instead, SBJ hosted it at Iyalode Taofeekat Hall, where Katangites were invited.

He clarified that it was an SBJ event rather than an Indy Hall event, meaning the proposed collaboration did not result in a karaoke night hosted by the Hall as envisaged in his manifesto.

Regarding the movie night, HEMKAY said he had organised one in the Hall and planned to hold another during the semester. Information gathered by IndyPress confirmed that a movie night had been held once.

On the proposed snooker activities, HEMKAY explained that residents continued to play informally, but problems with the snooker table had affected its use.

“At times we don’t feel the depth of some of things until we get to the office, on the JCR snooker, we still play it, Katangites still play it because I don’t know how to play it, but it has some issues. If we continue to play it, it will damage the snooker board and it is very expensive,” he said.

He explained that the balls sometimes fall into parts of the table from which they cannot easily be retrieved, requiring the table to be shaken.

“That is why I thought they should stop playing it,” he added.

HEMKAY said he had reported the problem to Hall management, which was aware of the situation. However, IndyPress could not establish whether repairs or replacement arrangements had commenced.

Management of the Buttery and Kiosks

Beyond his constitutional responsibility to ensure the smooth operation of the Hall’s buttery and kiosks, HEMKAY promised to introduce a Price Monitoring and Transparency Board to address concerns about the cost of goods sold within the Hall.

According to him, the initiative would discourage sudden and unexplained price changes by vendors. He also promised to display an approved price list of common items and update it regularly to enable Katangites to know the expected prices of goods sold in the Hall.

However, observations by IndyPress showed that the promised price list had not been created as of the time of publication.

Although HEMKAY claimed to have monitored cafeteria and kiosk vendors, addressed complaints about rising prices and ensured proper management of the cafeteria, IndyPress could not independently verify the extent of these activities.

He cited an instance in which a kiosk sold a bag of cold sachet water for ₦700, saying he intervened and the price was subsequently reduced to ₦600.

HEMKAY also said he circulated a Google Form during the semester to allow Katangites to submit observations and suggestions concerning the shops, kiosks and cafeteria. He said he subsequently contacted some of the affected vendors and discussed the complaints with them.

However, when IndyPress requested evidence of the survey and its responses, HEMKAY declined to provide them, describing the responses as confidential. Consequently, IndyPress could not independently assess the survey findings or establish how the feedback informed his interventions.

“You don’t expect me to lie because I won’t say what I didn’t do, that is another problem for me. I released a graphic about it, I released a Google Form, so I did it,” he said.

On the management of the JCR, HEMKAY said he had fumigated the room twice, once during the first semester and again during the second semester.

He added that the room was cleaned regularly and supplied with air freshener. According to him, he had also prevented the kind of quarrels experienced under the previous administration and ensured that freshers were allowed to use the room.

Rebuilding the Indy Hall Supporters’ Club

In his manifesto, HEMKAY promised to rebuild the Indy Hall Supporters’ Club to mobilise student residents for events in which the Hall participates.

He also promised incentives and certificates for the most active supporters as part of efforts to revitalise the club.

Speaking with IndyPress, HEMKAY said his administration had recorded the highest number of supporters, citing the large turnout of Katangites who supported Indy Hall delegates during JAW WAR.

However, the turnout at JAW WAR alone does not establish whether the Supporters’ Club has been fully revitalised or whether a structured mobilisation system has been sustained.

He acknowledged that incentives had not been distributed as of the time of the interview but said they would be provided during Hall Week.

Common Pot

Speaking on the Hall’s Common Pot, HEMKAY said he personally supervised food distribution to ensure that everyone received a portion.

According to him, he remained at the venue for about 30 minutes after the queue had ended. He added that he later received a call from someone around midnight requesting food, which he provided.

He described the exercise as successful, arguing that most attendees received food and that those who did not get any had failed to arrive early enough.

HEMKAY further claimed that his administration organised the first Common Pot in which the queue ended while food was still available. He also said soft drinks were distributed to active participants during the event.

However, questions remain about the distribution of meat during the exercise. When asked about the goat reportedly killed for the Common Pot, HEMKAY could not clarify whether it was a stray animal or had been purchased with association funds.

He said the food was provided through contributions from Katangites and financial support from individuals who helped provide additional food.

He acknowledged that the goat meat did not reach everyone, adding that freshers and some other Katangites received portions.

However, interviews conducted by IndyPress with some students who attended the event produced conflicting accounts. Some students identified as beneficiaries said they did not receive the meat described by the commissioner.

The conflicting accounts raise questions about the distribution of food during the Common Pot and the need for greater transparency in accounting for contributions and expenditure.

Sponsorship and Funding Plans

In his manifesto, HEMKAY promised to partner with major brands and smaller businesses to secure sponsorships and establish collaborations that aligned with the Hall’s objectives.

According to him, his administration secured sponsorship from Indomie for a World Cup final watch party. He claimed that more than 500 Katangites benefited from the event.

He also mentioned a Food Bank initiative secured in collaboration with God First and said he was working to secure additional sponsors for Hall Week.

Efforts by IndyPress to obtain clarification from HEMKAY on the implementation of other manifesto promises, including game nights, talent shows, inter block competitions and the introduction of new dishes, were unsuccessful as of the time of publication.

Overall, HEMKAY’s record as Social and Buttery Commissioner presents a mixed picture. While he cited activities such as the movie night, vendor engagement, Common Pot and football watch party, several other campaign promises remain undelivered, partially fulfilled or difficult to independently verify.

With Hall Week still ahead, some outstanding commitments, particularly the promised incentives and additional social activities, may yet be fulfilled. For now, however, IndyPress could not establish that HEMKAY has fully delivered on the commitments contained in his manifesto.