By: Abdulrasheed Olokoto
The Great Independence Hall election, held on February 27, 2025, saw the emergence of Tifase Oluwatimilehin Mark, a 300-level student of the Department of Archaeology and Anthropology, UI, as the Hall Social and Buttery Commissioner.
According to Article VI, Section VII of the Indy Hall Constitution, the duties of the Social and Buttery Commissioner include chairing the Hall Week Organising Committee, overseeing the hall’s social affairs, ensuring the efficient management of the buttery and kiosks,and serving as chairman of the hall drama group.
While the constitution clearly outlines these responsibilities, Tifase has fulfilled some, partially met others, and left a few undone.
Constitutional Duties
Reacting to his constitutional duty of managing the buttery and kiosks within the hall, Tifase claimed that he effectively discharged this duty by monitoring cafeteria and kiosk vendors, addressing issues around inflation in the prices of common goods, and ensuring proper management of the cafeteria. Despite his claim, IndyPress observed that there is no unified price regulation among the vendors in the hall as some vendors sell at very higher rates than others.
On chairmanship of the Hall Drama Group, Tifase described the constitutional obligation as obsolete, citing that the hall currently has no drama group.
“We do not currently have an active drama group. After conducting my research, I discovered that the drama group has never actually existed, and establishing one now is unlikely to add meaningful value,” he said. Regarding the Hall Week Organisation Committee, the event has not been held. It still remains pending.
Promises
Beyond his constitutional obligation, Tifase made several promises to Katangites during his campaign. These include showcasing hall talents, celebrating hall heritage, organising the Elders’ Party, sustaining gyration culture, boosting hall visibility, revitalising the supporters’ club, and securing sponsorship.
Showcasing the Hall Stars
Tifase introduced Indy Hall Got Talent as a platform to spotlight Katangites.“The show is not just about entertainment, it is about shared pride and discovering hidden talents,” he explained, acknowledging that although the event was held, it was not as expansive as envisioned due to logistical challenges.
To celebrate the hall heritage, Tifase mentioned that he saw to the celebration of Independence Day and organised a “common pot” event featuring diverse dishes to foster unity and brotherhood.
It is, however, worth noting that the Independence Day gyration witnessed an incident involving the disconnection of A-Block electricity. Responding to the incident, he said, “I had no part in it. I only instructed them to switch off the corridor light … so that people won’t have to stay in the corridor to witness the event when they could actually join us in celebration.”
Regarding the promised Elders’ Party plan, which is yet to unfold, Tifase explained that it will take place after second-semester examinations.
Keeping the Gyration Spirit Alive
Tifase pledged to strengthen the gyration culture by organising sessions every two weeks. Commenting on the plan,
he mentioned that he kept to this initially but later reduced the frequency to avoid distracting students during weekends.
Boosting Hall Spirit and Visibility
His manifesto also included activities such as movie nights, themed events, fashion challenges, game nights, karaoke, and talent showcases. However, the delivery of the promises was mixed. He explained that the “Best Dressed Katangite” challenge was dropped to avoid controversy.
“Selecting one best dressed student would have created unnecessary debate. Instead, I focused on activities like the watch party, common pot, and talent show.”
Movie nights were limited due to a faulty projector, though one was held last semester. The projector has now been fixed, he claimed. Game nights, on the other hand, were successfully held, and karaoke sessions were organised in collaboration with SBJ.
Revitalising the Indy Hall Supporters’ Club
Tifase also promised to rebuild a vibrant Supporters’ Club. He, in an interview with IndyPress, presented evidence of a WhatsApp group named “GIH SUPPORTERS CLUB…”, created on March 6, 2025, consisting of 24 members.
He explained that the team consistently represents the hall at events.
Sponsorship and Funding
Tifase stated that he sought sponsorship from SBJ and other donors. When asked about “anonymous brands,” he revealed that they were personal acquaintances who preferred not to be publicly acknowledged.
In summary, Tifase made commendable efforts toward fulfilling his constitutional duties and campaign promises. However, several commitments were either partially executed or left undone, often due to constraints he deemed reasonable.
Nonetheless, the audit reveals a mixed record marked by notable achievements, incomplete projects, and abandoned plans. Indeed, it is safe to say Tifase has fulfilled some but not all righteousness in his social contract with Katangites, the student residents of the hall. It is on this lighter note that the Social and Buttery Commissioner must prioritize the execution of his pending plans and promises to the brim.
