Village Beauty: "Women Should Be Given Access To The Same Opportunities As Men"—JCIN UI EVP Internal, Susan Olalusi

In this week's edition of Village Beauty, we have Miss Susan Olalusi, a final year student of the department of History. She is the Executive Vice President Internal of JCI UI and also the president of Awo Hall LnD society. She is an outspoken advocate for gender equality and also a 2024 Millennium Fellow. In this exclusive interview with Zik Press correspondent, Oloyede David Oyewale, Miss Olalusi goes into her experience with leadership, her take on feminism as well as her view of Nnamdi Azikiwe Hall.

Zik Press: Can we meet you?

Miss Susan: Hi. My name is Olalusi Susan Ikeoluwaposi. I am a 400 level student, department of history, faculty of Arts, University of Ibadan. I am the president of the Obafemi Awolowo Hall Literary and Debating Society. I am the executive vice president internal, JCI UI. I am also the Head of Logistics at the UI British Parliamentary Debating Society.

I am an advocate for gender equality, and I am a 2024 Millennium Fellow. I also love to read. I love to take walks, and I love to debate and interact with people, basically.

Zik Press: Alright, Mrs Olalusi, so how have you been balancing between being the president of your hall L&D and, at the same time, the vice president of JCI and your academics?

Miss Susan: Well, how I cope is basically that I prioritise. So a lot of times, the societies are not actually clashing. So now let's say I have something in particular to do at JCI, it most times doesn't clash with the L&D. So what I normally do is that when it is JCI, I prioritise JCI. When it's the L and D, I prioritise L and D. When it is BP, I prioritise BP. But at the end of the day, my academics takes precedence.

You know, I'm working on my project now. So there are times when maybe my supervisor will give me a deadline or something. I lock in. Like, I really focus on it for that moment because I know that at the end of the day, that's what I came to school to do. So I prioritise things according to their importance at that moment.

Zik Press: Thank you very much. So if I got what you just said, you mean there hasn't been a situation where your being the vice president of the JCIN UI or the president of your hall L&D or even your project  clashed with one another, or maybe where pressure from one affected the rest.

Miss Susan: No, no, no, no, no. That's not absolutely what I'm saying. Okay, now, on *September 6th*, JCI had this event, he Ibrahim Ahmed Oratory Contest, the 6th edition, and I was the one that was in charge of the event. And at that time too, we were also preparing for the Jaw War. And almost at the same time too, we had this competition in BP, which I also went for.

 And basically, I just feel like what helped me at that time is that, number one, for the event in JCI, what I mostly had to do was just make people work and delegate responsibilities—pick people, keep people in my team that are very, very active, give them tasks and all of that. Then for the L&D, I have my executive members. And before I even went anywhere, I already made sure that everything was in order. So, like, we’re already doing most things  together.

 So what I just do is to finalise everything as a result of having capable people in my executive, so even when there is a clash, the fact that I have a team I am working with, which is filled with people who are very active and up to the task, makes everything very easy.

Zik Press : Okay, now I understand. So moving on, what made you join the JCI and the L and D? 

Miss Susan: Okay, so for JCI, I joined JCI 100 level, and the main reason I joined JCI was because as a history student, it has always been my goal to do something, international relations, and all of that. You know JCI is an international organisation, and I just felt like it would help me, you know, develop diplomacy skills, public speaking skills and all of that. And so, yes, I picked the form, and I joined, and I've gotten more than that since I joined.

Then, for the L&D, I just love the society, I love the sisterhood, I love the bond, I love the bond in the L&D, and all of that. And also, I love debating too, so that’s like a plus.

 Zik Press: That's nice. You said you got more than what you intended to benefit from JCI. Can you tell us more about it?

Miss Susan: Okay, you know, I said that the main reason I joined was because I wanted to do international stuff, international opportunities, diplomacy, and public speaking. So, the things that I got aside from that are that: Number one, I learnt people's management and how to work with different teams of people and how to manage people. I learnt leadership too; I took on a lot of leadership opportunities in JCI, and that really shaped me. 

And aside from that, volunteering experience— like, I got a lot of volunteering experience. Even my Millennium Fellowship stuff, you know, I said I am a 2024 Millennium Fellow— the opportunity, like, I got the information about it from JCI, so that’s how much JCI has really impacted me.

Zik Press: Alright, thank you. Has there ever been a moment when you have been made to want to give up or even regret ever taking on the positions of responsibility you are in?

Miss Susan: There have been a lot of times that I wanted to give up or regretted. Yes, a lot, a lot, a lot. Because personally, when I envisioned my final year, I envisioned it to be something that is soft, so all I have to do is just project, and then I'm enjoying myself.

 But at the end of the day, I took on all these positions, and it has not been easy. Like sometimes I didn’t even have time for myself. It’s like I’m coming from one meeting to another meeting to another meeting for an entire day. 

So a lot of times it gets very, very overwhelming. Really, it does. But then once I take on something, I really do not regret it because I always tell myself that you knew before you took it. So just do it to the end and be fine. So yeah, maybe the only regret I just have is that I’m not enjoying my final year the way I wanted to enjoy it.because I have so many responsibilities.

Zik Press: Alright, thank you. If the hand of time could be shifted back and you were a fresher again, would you still take on the responsibilities that you are in presently? I mean, will you still want to be the vice president of JCI? Will you still be interested in being the president of your hall L and D?

Miss Susan: No, no, no, no, I won't. (Laugh) No, I really won't. I definitely would not. Or at least, I will take one but not take the other one.So, if I'm to choose one, I'll definitely pick being president of my L&D over being executive vice president in JCI.And also, I might take on some positions, but it's not just the major position. 

So, maybe in JCI, rather than just being an Executive Vice President, I would have rather taken up the position of a Director in the organisation, rather than just being EVP.

Zik Press: Oh wow, that's interesting. Earlier while introducing yourself, you said you are an advocate for gender equality. Can you please tell us your take on feminism?

Miss Susan: Alright, so concerning feminism, my take is very simple. It's just that women should be given access to the same opportunities as men. So an example is that if a woman is going for a political position, she should be assessed the same way a man is assessed.

She should not be assessed based on the fact that she's a woman but based on the fact that she's a person, and, you know, she should be weighed based on her capabilities, what she has done or what she can do, rather than just saying, 'Oh, she's a woman; automatically she's incompetent,' or something like that. Yes.

Zik Press: So should we conclude that you are a supporter of the phrase "Whatever a man can do, a woman can do better"?

Miss Susan : No, that's not what I said. What I said is when there is an opportunity and both male and female genders are going for it, both of them should be assessed as human beings, not on the basis of gender. It's simple like that. Because at the end of the day, forget the gender divide; we're all human beings with different intellectual capacities, different backgrounds, and different strengths really. 

So when you now say that just because maybe you think that a particular gender seems like the weaker one, then because of that, they cannot take on certain positions, it now becomes an affront to people.I'm just saying that being a human being is not a one-size-fits-all. Everybody has different capabilities and different capacities, and people should be weighed on that rather than on gender.

Zik Press: Hmmm... People should weigh in on capabilities, not gender.

Miss Susan: Yes. People should be weighed on capabilities, not gender.

Zik Press: Alright, thank you for that. So onto the next question: when you hear the name "Zikites", what comes to your mind?

Miss Susan: Ohhh God of mercy (laughs), you are putting me on the spot, really. This is a very tricky question. Well, I will be honest; what comes to my mind when I hear the name "Zikites" is "Animal Kingdom" (laughs).

Zik Press: Animal kingdom? Why?

Miss Susan: Okay, Animal Kingdom, because when I was in 100 level, they used to do this aro stuff; when you are passing, they'll be shouting, they'll be catcalling and all of that, and for me then, it was not really funny. I was not very comfortable with the aroism, so that is why we just call it Animal Kingdom and all of that, but thankfully, the Aroism stuff has stopped, or it has reduced, because when I pass these days, there's nobody shouting and all of that.

Zik Press: Okay, thanks for that. In the last student union election, Zik Hall had 3 candidates that represented the hall, and of all the candidates, only the one that went unopposed won; the remaining two were defeated. 

Also, in the last CBN election, none of the candidates that represented Zik Hall won any post.Can you please tell us what you think might have caused the politically inclined Zik Hall to be defeated in such a way? And do you think Zik Hall are not as politically inclined as they think?

Miss Susan: Okay, so when it comes to UI elections, there are too many hall permutations, so for me, I think the last election was an eye-opener for Zikites because they have become too confident that no matter what, they are going to win, so the last election was just an eye-opener that other halls too have strategies that can defeat Zik Hall, and also, I don't think they are as politically inclined as they claim to be.

 I just think that it was the political atmosphere that shifted in the sense that other halls have been doing better in their political games.

Zik Press: So the Students' Union election is drawing close, and we all know that Zikites will have candidates that will be representing them, although we don't know them yet, so do you see Zik Hall winning any political post in the SU or any election that they will be participating in?

Miss Susan: Well, I do not know the position that any Zikites will be going for in the coming election, so I cannot really speak to that because these days election is based on the strength of the candidate and the strength of the hall, and I don't know what Zik Hall has done to restrategise. 

Whether they are coming back stronger or not, basically I cannot say if they will win or not.

Zik Press: Alright then, what is your general advice for Zikites? 

Miss Susan: Okay, my general advice for Zikites is the same advice I will give all UI students basically: you know, our studies are the first thing that we are in school for. We should really focus on them and it is also very important that we gain experience while in school. And how do we gain experience? 

We do so by joining organisations and volunteering for events that align with our interests because once you are out of school, it is the kind of connection and network that you have gotten from school that will give you an edge out there.So it is important that as we are building our academics, we should also build our careers.

Zik Press: Okay, thank you. What advice do you have for anyone out there who will be interested in what you do? What are those things that you did which helped you in all your activities that you believe will help anyone out there?

Miss Susan: Okay, so um, my advice for anyone who will be interested in what I do basically is that, in my life, the mantra that I live by is “Doing unto others what you want them to do to you.” And in my leadership positions, it has helped me because I understand that it's not easy to show up. But then, when you—as a leader—keep showing up, when you have that discipline to show up, then people in your team will not hesitate to also show up.

 And also as a leader, you have to lead by example. You shouldn't say, “Oh well, I can be late to a meeting,” and expect other people not to be late. You have to be punctual. All those values you want your team members to exemplify—you have to embody them yourself. That's basically it. And you also have to be consistent. 

Also, life is not a bed of roses. At the end of the day, of course things are going to get hard sometimes. Sometimes, you'll regret the decisions that you've made and all of that but then, you must never give up. You must stay true to yourself and just keep pushing.

Zik Press: Alright, thank you very much for your time, Miss Olalusi. It's a pleasure to have you speak to us.

Miss Susan: Thank you very much too.

On Manifestos and Campaign Promises

 It is thick in the air. We can all feel it. The election season is once again upon us, the time for brown-nosing and eerie cajoling. We have seen it all, and we will see it again. We have come once again into the period where the average innocent-looking and smooth-talking “candidate” will begin to fawn over his prey. This is also the period where the average ignorant student falls heads over heels for a particular candidate and becomes deaf to every song of logic and reasoning.

 Strangely enough, this scene, as stated earlier, is extremely familiar. It is connate with the popular Nollywood trope in which the boy chases after the girl and does everything he can in order to cajole her, even if it means buying random gifts, showing up to her house randomly and escorting her everywhere. Only this time, the boy is the ambitious student politician, and the girl is, well, the girl is the average electorate in UI.

 In democratic contexts all over the world, governance is about the people. It is not just for the sake of having a good rhyme that Abraham Lincoln called democracy a government of the people, for the people and by the people. It is an expression that equally represents how prominent the citizens are in how their government is run. The citizens choose their leaders, are privy to how the decisions are made and also get to reject whichever administration or administrative decision they detest. 

Election periods are one of those periods where political participation is especially popular, even in apathetic contexts. They are the periods when the politicians remember that the people actually matter. And so, they come bearing promises of a beautiful land yonder and beg their constituents to bestow on them the responsibility of steering their community, state or country towards this glorious utopia. As a matter of fact, we don't even have to use phantasmal instances; Nigeria's political history and current affairs bear strong witness to this fact. But we digress.

The fact remains that the prospective political candidate gets the random vote of the electorate based on the quality and attractiveness of his plans to the people. He wins them over with what he intends to do, his plan of action—a manifesto. As the Merriam-Webster dictionary defines it, it is a written statement declaring publicly the intentions, motives, or views of its issuer. It indicates what the candidate intends to do and what the electorate should expect from him/her.

Unfortunately, this is real life; their beautifully unrealistic plans don't pan out. So after failing to do what they promised, they sigh, wring their hands and claim they did their best. The UISU example is there for all to see. During elections, these student politicians invest so much effort in sharing their manifestos to convince everyone that they are legit. While there is the problem of “Man proposes, God disposes,” this is also a problem of “Man proposes, God is amused.”

The problem starts with their weak and vaguely written manifestos. There are instances where some plans presented during press nights and manifesto nights bear evidence of being hastily scribbled as a way of satisfying custom rather than actual convictions in these plans to bring real development to our union. 

There are other instances in which the plans are clearly AI-written. Manifestos in UI have been entered into the AI checker and returned with a match above 70%. And this begs the question: if the candidates are too lazy to sit down to draft out a comprehensive plan for the offices they are contesting for, how will they perform well in that office? If indeed leadership demands in-depth and critical thinking, is the future of our student union safe?

But the nightmare is not over. While some clearly do not put effort into writing their manifestos, others put great effort into overselling themselves and their plans. Most times, it is as though these candidates think of what would sell well among UI students and then proceed to include those in their manifestos. Instead of thinking of the appropriate solutions to the problems around, they find a way to build their brand around solving these problems.

 So rather than actually solving issues, they make a show of seeming to solve those issues. These are the manifestoes that are not grounded in reality. Moreover, the part of due diligence in plan execution cannot be overstated. It is one thing to promise; it is another thing to walk the talk. Even in instances where the plans are clearly feasible, the laziness on the part of these student politicians is what ends up killing these beautiful ideas. 

Let's say a candidate plans to distribute 100 oranges to his constituents; that candidate could eventually end up distributing just 12, claiming that oranges are out of season. A candidate who ran for financial secretary will all of a sudden become too busy to perform his constitutionally mandated duties due to “academic workload” or “unforeseen circumstances”. This is a conundrum that further speaks to the lack of foresight on the part of most of these student leaders. They fail to plan and anticipate, and as the saying goes, he who fails to plan, plans to fail.But then, we must not forget the populace who have enabled this trend. 

In the context of Nigeria as a whole, it is very obvious. In UI specifically, it is even more obvious. Due to factors like partisanship (in our case, fellowship membership or hall of residence allegiances), sentiment, fear or just pure laziness, as a society, we have completely foregone the important factors for our own development. We do not even demand better from our representatives; we ask meekly. Instead of carefully scrutinising their plans, most of us vote based on our own personal beliefs and the kind of “vibe” that the candidate has. There are some who even vote for whoever is more good-looking.

Had it been the system of democracy we are practising provides specific clauses for political officeholders to lose their seats if they don't hit certain targets in their plans at a predetermined time, things would have been much different. But what we have is just there. The SRC and the various legislative councils we have on campus do not do much in getting excos to deliver their promises. Alas, even the UISRC has become an organ that the UI'SU excos can choose to obey or ignore at whim.

And having realised the kind of people that elected them into office and the kind of people meant to keep them in check, these student executives grow impetuous. They feel relaxed and do as they please. In the end, this has birthed a system, a structure that allows the bare minimum, a system in which mediocrity thrives. 

Be that as it may, we all have to recognise the need for real vision in leadership. We need to start quizzing the people seeking political offices on their plans, ensuring that they are kept on their toes even after elections. After all, a candidate can only deliver in line with what he actually promised. This is the only way real progress can come. 

Don’t Let Them Fool Us Again!

By: Asefon Stephen Abdulganeey

Knocking on closed doors, 

Peeping from opened windows,

Spilling words that steal our hearts

To bend our thumbs to their names,

At the podium, they vow to suture the scars,

Stretching their sleeves to clean our tears

Have you all buried it in the soil?

The years of inflation and turmoil?

Don’t let them fool us again!

They are liars!

Wingless, yet claim to fly us!

Bartimaeus, yet claim to lead us

Legal sons of delilah!

Ohhh, sons and daughters of sculptor

Carve out Regal seats for Lions,

Not for sheep that dart at mere cock crow!

Or slumber before moon falls.

Don’t let them fool Us again?

Zik Hall League announces partnership with Football Kit supplier, Soccer outfit

 _Kehinde Fafure

In a public announcement released on Wednesday, 24th September, 2025, Zik Hall League announced to the public, a sponsorship agreement with Football Kit supplier, Soccer Outfit. 

 According to the announcement, the collaboration is aimed at developing the future of football across the University of Ibadan community. Also, through the partnership, the Zik Hall League Player of the Week awardees will be rewarded with Football kits from Soccer Outfit. 

“Through this collaboration, we aim to benefit our footballers, clubs, the university community, and the sport as a whole as we reward the Player of the Week awardee with football kits from Soccer Outfit”, the announcement stated.

FACT CHECK: Alleged UI'SU Executive Committee Members Have NOT Been Cleared of Financial Misconducts

Background 

On September 13, 2025, the 12th SRC Assembly adopted Audit and Disciplinary Committee reports highlighting multiple financial misconduct allegations against SU executives, including the President, General Secretary, Treasurer, and AGS.

Following the Congress held on September 20th, 2025, chaired by the President, who is among those accused, circulated public stunts have inaccurately stated that members of the Students' Union (SU) Executive Committee at the University of Ibadan have been cleared of financial misconduct allegations.

Fact-Checking Recent Claims

Claim 1: “While we await their response, we are confident over the fact that no one is guilty of the charges” - President, Covenant Odedele

During the Student Union Congress, the President, Covenant Odedele addressed allegations of financial misconduct involving himself and other executive members.

He stated that he was confident that members of the Union's executive committee accused of financial misconducts were innocent.

He, along with the Treasurer, Joshua Bioku, presented their justification for why they consider the accused executives to be innocent.

They cited a UCJ news report stating that the alleged ₦2 million loan from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) was, “in fact”, union dues paid by students into the TSA account and held in the CBN vault because of the university’s federal status.

The treasurer also defended his action of moving a reported sum of ₦5.1 million to his personal account, claiming that it was constitutionally permissible.

Mr Odedele said, “There was a recent report of financial misconduct that went out as touching certain members of the student union executive council and the summary of this is primarily because of a communication gap between these members of the executive council and the working committees of the SRC.”

He added, “The matters are still at the house at the disciplinary committee, and while we await their response, we are confident over the fact that no one is guilty of the charges. And when the disciplinary committee sits on the case, there will be a proper report to ensure that the case is well spelt out as it is.”

Claim 2: “Allegations against UI'SU treasurer, cleared✅” - Theonesky, D_Engineer_Of_UI

A few hours after the Congress ended, a broadcast message originated from a Whatsapp channel “Students Media Academic and Scholarship Updates”, and was e-signed by an individual identified as D_Engineer_Of_UI.

The broadcast boldly claimed that the UI’SU Treasurer had been cleared of the allegations against him during the Congress.

But the same message further suggested that the Assistant General Secretary (AGS), Emmanuel Olawoye, would be cleared soon.

Claim 3: “The Union did not borrow any loan. We only received our dues from the school management, sourced from the CBN vault they operate with.” - The Auspicious Team

Also, hours after the Congress had ended, the Auspicious team or UI'SU executive committee, through the UI'SU channel, issued a brief statement, which could be misinterpreted by the public.

The announcement, made by the Public Relations Officer, Adekanmbi Ezekiel, stated that the union did not borrow any money from the CBN.

Mr Adekanmbi explained that the union only received its dues from the school management, sourced from the CBN vault.

“The Union did not borrow any loan. We only received our dues from the school management, sourced from the CBN vault they operate with. Funds approved by the SRC were collected by the Treasurer into his personal account, as constitutionally mandated, since he is in charge of disbursement. These and other matters were clarified at today’s Congress,” Mr Adekanmbi stated.

While the message above did not explicitly state that the alleged UI’SU executive committee members accused of financial misconduct had been cleared, its assertive tone may be misconstrued, under the assumption that the matter has been fully verified and resolved.

Facts: What You Should Know

At the Congress, both the President and the Treasurer, addressed the allegations brought against them by the SRC Audit Committee report.

The Congress, however, did not absolve them of these accusations.

Last Saturday's Congress, as a public opportunity, was rather used by the President and Treasurer, as an avenue to present their defense or explanations.

The Congress, neither resolved the allegations nor issued a binding decision clearing any of the executives of wrongdoing. 

The Congress did not also officially validate their claims of innocence.

Hinged on the above, the speeches at the Congress did not constitute any formal adjudication or exoneration process.

The authoritative body empowered to determine absolute innocence is the Student Representative Council, after all claims and evidence must have been thoroughly reviewed and verified.

ARTICLE XXV of the University of Ibadan Students' Union constitution, titled “Powers of Council” states that “(ii) The Council shall take cognizance of any report which may be brought before it involving the conduct of any member of the Union which affects the reputation of the Union, and refer such matters to a Committee set up for that purpose.”

ARTICLE XXVII of the same constitution, titled ‘Committees’ stated that the Disciplinary Committee “shall be solely responsible for disciplinary actions against members and any erring officers of the Union,” while adding that “decision of the Committee shall be final and binding on any erring member except reviewed by the Council.”

Speaking to Honourable Olanrenwaju Basit, Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee of the 12th SRC Assembly, on whether the alleged members of the UI’SU executive committee had been cleared, he responded in the negative.

“I do not know where the claims originated that members of the Executive Council referred to the Disciplinary Committee have been cleared of the alleged offences. The matter is still pending,” Mr Olanrewaju said.

“All the officers concerned have been duly served with a letter titled “Notification of Alleged Offence and Request for Statement of Defence,” with an appropriate timeframe given in the interest of fairness and justice. Other necessary steps to ensure that justice is not only served but also manifestly seen to be served will follow in due course,” he said.

“On your second question, the only body empowered by the Union Constitution to clear the affected officers aside the disciplinary committee is the Students’ Representative Council itself, or as otherwise provided under any relevant clause of the Senate regulations,” he noted.

“Lastly, with respect to whether they have already been cleared, the Council cannot validly do so without the report of the Disciplinary Committee,” he emphasized.

Conclusion 

The members of the Students’ Union Executive Committee accused of financial misconduct have neither been cleared by the Disciplinary Committee nor the Council.

The claim that the alleged executive members did not borrow money from the Central Bank remains unverified, and the Treasurer’s explanation that he was constitutionally authorized to disburse the Union’s funds remains a defense for transferring the funds into his account.

All the cases are still pending, and will only be conclusively resolved once the 12th Assembly reaches a final determination.

This accountability (fact-checking)report was jointly produced by IndyPress, AfasPress, ZikPress, History Press, in affiliation with the Union of Campus Journalists, University of Ibadan

UCJ’UI Denounces Press Misrepresentation, Demands Accountability and Institutional Checks

By William Olaleye 

The Union of Campus Journalists, University of Ibadan, on Tuesday, reaffirmed its commitment to truthful and unbiased reporting, noting that it remains unwavering in its non-negotiable principles of truth, objectivity, accountability, and service to the student community.

The union’s reaffirmation was conveyed in a release signed by its President, Olanshile Ogunrinu, and General Secretary, Adediran Faith.

UCJ referenced its recent coverage of the allegations of financial misconduct among some UI'SU executives, noting that the published reports were sourced directly from the official findings of the Audit and Disciplinary Committees of the 12th Students’ Representative Council Assembly. 

The union affirmed that it stands by every line published, stressing that the revealed allegations remain in vogue until formally rebutted by the relevant statutory committee(s) and the Council.

The statement also addressed the Student Union Executives’ response at the recent Students’ Congress, describing it as a use of the platform for public relations rather than accountability, given the way press reports were smeared and misrepresented.

UCJ stated, "It is unfortunate that the Congress, which should serve as a democratic organ of enlightenment and deliberation, was misused as a platform to smear the press. Public relations stunts should not and cannot replace or conceal the need for constitutional checks and balances of the Union."

UCJ clarified that the accused parties have not been officially cleared of the misconduct allegations levelled against them by the UI’SRC Audit and Disciplinary Committees, adding that any defense must be properly submitted to the same statutory committees that raised the allegations.

"Whatever explanations the executives presented during the occasion (Congress), no matter how appealing, must be properly submitted before the statutory committees that originally investigated the faults," UCJ noted.

UCJ further advised students to "see through this (press repression and denigration) pattern of intimidation", and instead demand accountability from student leaders.

Credit: UCJ UI 

Let Us Blame The Staylites

The Muffin Man

 It is often said that experience is the best teacher, but in the context of our beloved UI'SU, it is obvious experience has not taught us anything. This is not shocking. As a generation of intellectual unionists, we obviously prefer to identify the root causes of our problems and then proceed to repeat them. Not to cast aspersions, but in our case having a sense of sight has not automatically guaranteed having insight or foresight.

Last semester, we blamed the freshers for being naive and gullible, lacking the knowledge of the proper order of things on campus and being a strong factor influencing the various inadequacies affecting the general student body, whether consciously or unconsciously. This time around, we will be pointing the guns at those who have been here for a while and still choose of their own free will to be uninvolved. In our staylites, we have a crop of individuals who are guilty of being unrepentant, of repeating the same mistakes their predecessors made.

Ordinarily, freshmen constitute the bulk of active voters among the UI'SU populace. They are the ones who largely determine who wins an election. However, even then, the major decision-makers and office holders are all returning students. So while we can blame the freshmen for voting in the wrong choice during elections, we can also blame these returning students for being the wrong choice during elections. This would not have been the case had it not been for the fact that some of these stalwarts have chosen, rather foolishly, to sit out every critical political decision-making process affecting the student body. These ones leave the fate of the union to others, leaving others to decide even their own futures on their behalf.

By extension, they become impediments to effective decision-making. This is because when things later go sideways, they are the ones who groan the loudest. Their brilliant and supposedly better ideas are not contributed when the situation is still developing; they only criticise when the situation has matured, when the concrete has been set. This is what happens every election cycle. These supposedly “experienced” minds do not run for offices, attend congresses, engage the leadership of their student body or even vote during elections. Rather, they offer up several different excuses ranging from class to exams to tests or just plain lack of time. These are the kind of individuals who are integrated into the Nigerian society, contributing to the rather large number of apathetic masses.

 As for the staylites who chose to remain active in politics, these ones are guilty of employing the same counterproductive techniques the ones before them used. They become puppet masters, tweaking the feelings and ambitions of the freshmen and, by extension, the rest of their constituents to suit their own desires and ambitions. They become godfathers, the ones who decide what gives and takes. 

You hear them talk, saying things like, “We got that candidate into the office.” “We secured that hall for him.” And these are assertions that raise the questions of what the candidate managed to accomplish in that office and whether or not he/she was even able to sustain the goodwill that got him into that office. It is at this point that the conversation then becomes a difficult one to have. This is because apart from mobilisation and influencer efforts, it's just vibes and inshallah for most of these “godfathers”. They never utilise the proper mechanisms to get these candidates that they supposedly secured these offices for to be more accountable to their fellow students. There is never a case where they have openly offered constructive criticism. All they offer after elections is silence all round.

In the midst of all these, most staylites are guilty of one more sin. And this is the sin of being arse-lickers. For the average freshman, the terrain is still new, and it is difficult to know who is who. So while the average freshman is still formulating whose ass to kiss, these stalwarts have already perfected the formula. Rather than use their years of experience as students to figure out new ways to make lives better for their fellow students, they would rather use that experience to advance their own personal and career interests. This is further proven by the kind of allegations that float around during election periods in which certain candidates get accused of only running in order to have their CV look good. In order to make their own person look good, they grovel at the feet of their fellow students, promising them heaven and earth just to get elected, only for them to become haughty, cold and distant when they are eventually elected.

Overall, the diagnosis is still the same. The bulk of our student populace is constituted of students who do not know to be involved and do not bother to be or those who just choose to sacrifice the interest of the general for their own personal objectives. Either way, the cycle of irresponsibility and relative lack of concern for actual student oriented unionism continues. In the end, these issues are still on us all.

Zik Hall Holds First Edition Of ASA

 ‎‎Asefon Abdulganeey Stephen.

 ‎‎Nnamdi Azikiwe Hall organised and presented its first edition of the ASA Event in Zik Hall Cafeteria on Sunday, 21st of September, 2025. ‎Attended by a considerable number of students from different halls of residence, it resonated with the party tagline , "We are all Uites. That's what matters." 

Attendees appeared in their best attire, sipped free drinks, danced to sweet lyrics and ate spicy suya, portraying Zik Hall's awareness of togetherness, culture and traditions. ‎The event is said to have been organised to showcase UI cultures through Zik Hall, making it an instrumental culture agency. 

In an interview with the social minister of the hall, he said that "there are some cultures that we didn't have any idea of until we came to the University of Ibadan. Zik Hall is also following that route, that is, being the custodian of cultures and traditions.

 ‎"I can say this is the best event so far ever since I came into this institution. Though the dressing of many of the attendees might be contradicting the event tag, it still remains a very exciting moment no one would afford to miss," proclaimed one of the attendees. ‎

The event was also graced with the presence of some influential figures in the University of Ibadan. The Independence Hall Chairman appeared in the event in his gorgeous attire, and Casablanca, one of the popular content creators on campus, also added importance and value to the event with his presence. ‎

After appreciating his co-executive members, the social minister made an assertion of the continuity of the event in subsequent administration, earmarking Zik Hall's commitment and sensitivity to vibes and unity.‎ The Social Minister, during an interview, stated that "I give all thanks to my ever-energetic Hall Chair and ever-supportive executives for their immense contribution to the success of this event."

 ‎"And trust me, this is a legacy that the coming administration would not only continue but also refine, advance and take to the highest peak. Wait for ASA 2.0," added the Social Minister. 

Team Auspicious Denies Misappropriation Allegations, Restates Accomplishments In Office As UI'SU Holds Congres

 By Oloyede David 

The UI student union held a congress on Saturday, 20th of September, 2025. The congress was held to discuss some major issues that affect the university as a whole.

The meeting started around some minutes past ten with the roll call of all hostels present at the Congress by the students' union president, Odedele Covenant, after which he proceeded to give reports on past projects which his administration has achieved so far, and some of the projects include the freshers' week, creation of a help desk for freshers, tutorials and mock exams for freshers. 

He then spoke about the efforts of his administration in the extension of the school fee deadline. He also spoke about how his administration assisted in the payment of some students' school fees with a sum of 2 million naira, which was obtained from the students' union dues.

Clarifying how the money was obtained, he stated that all the money students pay through remittance goes to the TSA account and that the Central Bank of Nigeria has a vault into which each federal institution pays into the TSA, and this is where the remittance of funds and dues came from.He also mentioned that when the money was to be disbursed, it was disbursed from the funds in the TSA account, which was domiciled in the CBN, through the union dues, which were obtained from the school management.

After the president had read out the past projects, questions about some pressing issues were asked by some students, which include: to what extent is the press allowed to release news about the union, and what are those measures put in place to see to it that the news is verified?The president went ahead to answer that the press is the fourth estate of the government, so it is left to them to see to it that whatever they publish is verified.

Another student asked a question about the students that were assisted with their fees, saying that The numbers quoted about the students differ on different occasions from the president; he said the president during an interview quoted that 35 students were helped, while it was quoted during the audit that 40 students were assisted, and at the Congress the president is saying that 37 students were assisted.

To this the president gave the answer that the recorded number was 37, but students later came in late, and they had to help them. Also, a question was raised about whether there can be an extension in the time of movement of transportation services on the campus from 9pm. The president answered by stating that the reason for that time of stoppage movement is for security reasons; however, there are measures put in place to test run the extension to about 10:30pm.

Also, some students came out to make claims that there are times that press releases carry mistakes, to which a press member responds that if there are mistakes with publications from the press, then people have the right to contact the editor-in-chief of the press organisation for the mistakes to be corrected; after all, the press are answerable to the public.There was also a call for the treasurer to defend himself against an allegation against him about money he received into his personal account. 

The treasurer came out to say that there are provisions under the constitution that authorise him to receive money into his account under some conditions. After questions had been asked and answered, the president went ahead to read out things to expect from the union including the union week, which will commence on the 11th of October; minor and major renovations of plumbing facilities in all hostels; continuation of the light-up UI project; support and welfare initiatives for students; and the renovations of the students' union building.

The president later adjourned the Congress till further notice.

ASA: "This Party Will Shape The Social Atmosphere Of Zik Hall"—Sotomi Daniel

With the Zik Hall event, ASA a few hours away, Zik Press correspondent, Fafure Kehinde had a brief chat with the hall chairman of Nnamdi Azikiwe hall, Sotomi Daniel. Here, Sotomi speaks about his intentions and expectations for the event.

Can you tell us the inspiration behind the event? 

Well, because Zik does not usually do all these kinds of parties. What we mostly do are gyrations… So, most of our freshers came to me when they were going to parties from other halls. And then they came to me and said, are we not going to have our own party in Zik because of what they've been seeing around? And I was like, okay, we'll see what we can do about it. But we cannot allow ourselves to be pressured into doing parties.

So, we finally decided that if we are going to do the party, it must tell our story as Zikites. Because everything that we do in Zik, boils down to our tradition, Zikism.

 So, we were like, okay, what can we tag this event? So, we tagged it ASA. And the idea behind ASA is to celebrate Zikites, and Uites. So, that's what the event is about, celebrating the UI culture and the Zik culture.

What will the event be all about? 

The Asa event will be an after-party to Zik hall's 62nd anniversary which is coming up tomorrow, 20th September, 2025. 

Does the event have any sponsors? Who are the sponsors? 

Yes, we have sponsors. Our major sponsor prefers to be anonymous. Our major sponsor was supposed to be Cydex but some issues came up in their company so, for now, they said they cannot sponsor any event. 

But luckily for us, we were able to reach out to alumni of the hall like the former chairman of the hall and the former vice-chairman, former Elders’ council chairman, former faculty president of social science, and one main sponsor who wants to remain anonymous for his own sake because he's not a really loud person.

Mainly, we don't really have a brand sponsor. Just former Zikites and people that love the Hall.

Can you tell us what Zikites and Uites should look forward to in the event? 

Having fun, celebration of their culture, and just having a nice time. 

How do you think the event could shape the social atmosphere in UI and Zik hall? 

It's been long that we have had events tagged with this theme. Most events are just done for "let us do" events. This event has a structure. Before we came up that we are going to do an event, we sat down and thought of how we could make it so that if you even hear of it, you will know that, this is a Zik party. This is what it's about. Because we took our time to explain it in all our publicity. 

To explain that, okay, all we are doing is celebration of UI culture, and then down to the Zik hall culture. Come and party like a Zikite. That's the motto of the event. Also, Since my stay in this school, Zik has never organized a party except for maybe the variety night during the hall week. So, this party, for sure, will shape the social atmosphere of Zik hall.

It will change the narrative that Zik is only known for drums and gyration. Though this event does not take away the fact that we are still going to do our normal gyration and all. But we can also accommodate other people from other places and celebrate together in Nnamdi Azikiwe Hall.

To the final question, what are your expectations of the event? 

My expectation is, the main purpose of the event is for people to come and enjoy themselves. So, what is on my own end, and I believe will happen is, we have Zikites from every corner of the University of Ibadan coming into the hall and witnessing the biggest Hall event in the University of Ibadan this year.

Exclusive: UISU Treasurer Faces Disciplinary Probe Over Alleged ₦5.1 Million Unexplained Transfers

Editors’ Note: This publication, detailing allegations of financial misconduct by Mr Bioku Joshua, the University of Ibadan Students’ Union Treasurer, is based on the findings and reports of the Audit Committee and Disciplinary Committee of the Students’ Representative Council (UI’SRC), 12th Assembly.

The Students' Representative Council, in a letter dated August 29, 2025, and signed by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Shoge Quadri Olaoluwa, alongside the Clerk, Hon. Adedeji Praise, accused the Students’ Union Treasurer, Joshua Bioku, of financial misappropriation, breach of fiduciary duty, fiscal irresponsibility, and violation of constitutional provisions amounting to gross misconduct.

The letter, titled “Notice of Referral of Certain Members of the Executive Committee of the University of Ibadan Students’ Union for Appropriate Disciplinary Action,” was addressed to the Disciplinary Committee for investigation and possible sanctions, as revealed in a recent report by the committee.

Indicting Mr Bioku, the Disciplinary Committee Chairman, Olanrewaju Basit Olatunde cited the SRC’s referral and the Audit Committee’s findings, stating that “suspicious disbursements of ₦500,000 (27th June 2025) and ₦1,500,000 (1st July 2025) were made into the Treasurer’s personal account.”

It added, “The President, General Secretary, and Treasurer unconstitutionally authorised a ₦2,000,000 loan without SRC or Congress ratification.”

“As co-signatories, the General Secretary and Treasurer are jointly and severally liable.”

Following the receipt of the letter by the SRC leadership, the Disciplinary Committee, on September 5, issued letters titled “Notification of Alleged Offences and Request for Statement of Defence” to the President, General Secretary, and Treasurer, all of whom have since responded.

A List of Allegations

“From the statement of account review, the Audit Committee noticed several large transfers made into the Treasurer’s personal account,” the Audit Committee revealed.

The transactions included ₦2,001,000 on May 12, ₦1,820,000 on May 16, ₦300,000 on May 26, ₦500,000 on June 27, and ₦1,500,000 on July 1.

The Audit Committee discovered that between May 12 and July 1, 2025, a total of ₦5,121,000 was transferred without supporting documentation or clear authorization. 

The Audit Committee stated that on June 27, 2025, the Union executives secured a ₦2,000,000 loan from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) without informing or obtaining approval from the SRC.

“On that same day, ₦500,000 from the loan went into the Treasurer’s account, followed by another ₦1,500,000 on 1st July 2025,” the Audit Committee added.

“The Committee considers this a serious breach of accountability and transparency. The unexplained transfer of Union funds into a personal account, combined with failure to honor summons, raises strong concerns of financial misconduct,” the Audit Committee report stated.

What Awaits in the Disciplinary Committee’s Hands

The Disciplinary Committee stated that investigations are ongoing and that all written defences will be carefully reviewed.

The committee stated, “A date shall be fixed for a physical disciplinary hearing where all respondents will be interrogated and the referrals will be give room to prove facts in issues and facts relevant to facts in issues.”

“Following deliberations, the Committee will determine appropriate sanctions where necessary, guided by the provisions of the Constitution of the Students’ Union, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, 2001, spirit of fairness and justice,” it added.

This accountability report was jointly produced by IndyPress, AfasPress, Zik Press, History Press, in affiliation with the Union of Campus Journalists, University of Ibadan.

Satire: "We're working on it" and five other catchphrases that UI student politicians use

The Muffin Man 

“Democracy is the pathetic belief in the collective wisdom of individual ignorance” ?? 

(Source: You're just gonna have to trust me on this one)

As the ancient Ibibio proverb goes, what you know shouldn't scare you. I am not here to argue about whether it should scare you or not. Rather, you should see this writeup as a language guide of sorts. The election season is upon us. So a lot of new (not entirely though) terms are seeping into everyday conversations and vocabulary of UI students. And as the ever watchful guardian and Lord protector of the fourth estate, it has become pertinent for us to sensitise you and what gives and what takes in this critical season.

There are cases where some people have expressed shock and bewilderment in contexts where they should have totally grasped what was going on. And this is why I have taken the liberty of carefully selecting the more popular choice words for you. As soon as you see them in official releases, you should be able to correctly infer what is being said. No be everything dem go tell you. So instead of acting like that is the end of the world, just shrug and move on with your life. Na normal thing. 

The more interesting thing is you can even apply it to a broad range of contexts, not just UISU.

“We’re working on it”

This is the first excuse or better still communication strategy that our student leaders use. It's the go-to catchphrase, the most common one. They also use its siblings in “we’re collaborating” and “we’re reaching out” among many others. This is mainly to get you off their backs and to project the semblance that something is being done. 

Oh, your portal has issues? We're working on it. Your hostel doesn't have light? We are working on it. Oh, thieves entered your hall? We're reaching out. We can't do it alone. We are seeking for sponsorships. We will reach out to alumni.

On the one hand, you can't help but feel sorry for them, because at the end of the day, almost everything is beyond them, so they collaborate and reach out. But that does not prevent them from assuring you of their assiduousness, and I am sure they are working on it, just like the tortoise is working on smoothening its shell. So, as soon as you hear this, try to as much as possible, get your issues resolved by you. If you go and relax, brothers and sisters, you are on your own.

Stone cold silence

Well, in this case, no one can accuse you of not working if they are unable to reach you. Afterall, there is a Yoruba saying that says you cant get mad at who you can't see. So that's what student leaders over here do, they become unavailable and unreachable. You'd be astounded when even the PRO becomes unavailable.

But there are contexts in which they do this that can be so confounding to the ordinary mind. The union could be falling into utter ruins and the leadership would stay silent. So don't be surprised when this happens. Just suck it up and move on with your life.

“My opponents are trying to sabotage me”

This is one of the oldest tricks in the book. They don't always use this in official communication. They mostly spread it through informal channels. Even Gobbels is learning from these guys. They create the sense that whatever is going wrong is the fault of a foe with hidden agenda somehwere. 

In fact, anyone who doesnt give in to their whims is actively trying to sabotage them— and they will make you believe that! Their budget is not approved? The legislative council is their enemy. The press is reporting on their failed promises? The press does not report good things. 

On occasion, and in the rare instance where they put it in formal writing, the same press is usually their target. That's when you will see rebuttals and rejoinders. One would think that in a school as demanding as UI, everyone is barely hanging on for dear life, but not this guys. They are busy fighting imaginary opponents. 

“We can't have it all”

They mainly do this when they are out of their depth. After making several promises that they are consequently unable to fulfill, they resort to gaslighting their constituents. During campaigns, they promise us sumptuous three course meals but when they resume, they start sharing cups of garri. Before you know it, one sycophant somewhere has started praising them, even preaching on the health benefits of drinking garri. 

By the time they are done with you, guilt will be eating hard at you for asking for too much. You would want to apologize for asking for what you are owed.

“That's how we met it”

This iconic (lie) line is one that every Nigerian kid is familiar with. You know, as kids, we avoided being punished for being careless with stuff and breaking stuff by just claiming that was how we met it. You remember that right? It is the same here. Only in this case, you get to feel how your parents probably felt when you lie that it wasn't you. 

For your average politician, they get to use this to pat themselves on the back for doing the bare minimum. And apparently, our student leaders often use that as a blame deflection tactic. They can blame the former hall Chair, faculty president or secretary. Afterall that one won't be able to come and deny it.

“We need to follow due process”

This is the final one we will be discussing today. Normally, due process has to be followed. There has to be order in everything. But over here, due process has become a stall tactic. They sometimes do it to buy time. I mean, what else can you call it when you have to send an invitation letter to DSS, to the Nigerian police and the military in order to have a student union congress. These ones are appealing to the Alale and Onile of the land. One would think it was a congress of the ruling party of the country. 

Conclusion 

At this point, I'm concerned this article is probably not following the due process stipulated somewhere in an obscure instruction code somewhere, so I will be stopping here for now. To learn more about due process and the other communication tactics that some of our student leaders use, you just have to pay them a visit at the Kunle Adepeju building. There, you will learn a thing or two.

EXPLAINER: Multiple Allegations of Financial Misconduct, Event Falsification, and Fund Diversion Trail Students’ Union Assistant General Secretary Emmanuel Olawoye

Editors' Note: This publication, detailing allegations of financial misconduct by Mr Emmanuel Olawoye, the University of Ibadan Students' Union Assistant General Secretary, is based on the findings and reports of the Audit Committee of the Students' Representative Council (UI'SRC), 12th Assembly.

A 24-page analysis by the Audit Committee of the University of Ibadan Students’ Representative Council (UI'SRC) 12th Assembly, has revealed multiple allegations of financial misconduct against the Students’ Union Assistant General Secretary, Emmanuel Olawoye.

A copy of the report obtained by the Union of Campus Journalists, signed by Honorable Azeezat Omotayo Awodele (Chairman) and Honorable Omojola Tomiloba David (Secretary) of the Audit Committee, was presented to the 12th Assembly during its third ordinary sitting on Saturday, September 13, 2025.

The report disclosed alarming details surrounding the Students’ Union Freshers’ Week, which was held between May 11 and 17, 2025. At the time of this report, the UI'SRC Audit Committee’s findings had been forwarded to the Disciplinary Committee of the 12th Assembly for further investigation and possible sanctions.

A step-by-step review of the Audit  Committee report, analysed below, highlights grim discrepancies between the approved or authorised budget by the 12th Assembly for the Freshers’ Week event, the Project and Event Monitoring Committee’s findings during the occasion of the held events, and the AGS’s expenditure claims.

Stating the conflicting observations, the Audit Committee discovered inflated cost, ghost expenditures, possible diversion of funds, fabrication of events and suspicious cover-ups by the Assistant General Secretary, Mr Olawoye.

For easy comprehension, the report was divided into UI'SRC finance committee approved amount, project and event monitoring committee discovered actual expenditure, and acclaimed used-cost by the Assistant General Secretary.

Day 1: Awareness Rally and Movie Night -  Financial Figures Dancing in Deception's Attire 

For the first-day event, while ₦523,500 was approved, the Project and Event Monitoring Committee confirmed only ₦239,500 as spent, whereas Mr Olawoye claimed an expenditure of ₦490,000 was used for the event.

A study of the report revealed that Mr Olawoye claimed he spent N40,000 for the service of a hypeman, whereas the project and event monitoring committee reaching the bearer of the rendered service, confirmed that only a half of the claimed amount was truly spent.

Another item, mats used during the occasion, was also poorly accounted for, as Mr Olawoye claimed to have spent ₦30,000 for an unspecified number of mats, whereas the Project and Event Monitoring Committee, after confirming with the provider, reported the cost as only ₦12,000.

Mr Olawoye also tampered with and exhausted the miscellaneous sum of ₦10,000, usually set aside for unpredictable expenses that do not fall into a specific budget category. When questioned, he claimed to have spent only ₦5,000, contrary to the Project and Event Monitoring Committee’s findings.

When Mr Olawoye’s listed expenses in the final report were totaled, they amounted to ₦557,500, exceeding the misguiding ₦490,000 he had reported as the incurred expenses for the first day of the events.

This figure exceeds the finance-approved budget by ₦34,000. Additionally, the difference between the AGS’s claimed expenditure and the Monitoring Committee's findings is a difference of the sum of ₦318,000. 

The Audit Committee flagged these "as a serious case of financial inconsistencies and possible financial misappropriation and misrepresentation".

Day 2: Orientation day one - Cooked Claims of Expenditure 

For the second-day event, tagged “Orientation Day 1,” the UI'SRC approved ₦1,154,200, of which the Project and Event Monitoring Committee confirmed only ₦1,026,200 as spent, while Mr Olawoye insisted he spent the entire approved amount.

Meanwhile, the Project and Event Monitoring Committee uncovered several contradictions, including an item listed as DJ and Sound, which the Assistant General Secretary claimed cost ₦100,000 as approved, but was found to have actually cost ₦50,000.

Another item, graphics, which Mr Olawoye claimed cost ₦30,000 as approved, was found to have actually cost only ₦10,000; notably, while the authorized rate was ₦5,000 per unit, the Monitoring Committee confirmed only two graphics, contrary to the AGS’s false claim of ₦30,000.

"There is a difference of ₦128,000 between the AGS report and the project and event monitoring report. This further adds to the case of financial inconsistency, financial misappropriation and misrepresentation," the Audit Committee noted.

Day 3 Orientation day 2 - A Day SU President and Oratory -  More Doctored Figures 

On the third day, the item listed as “DJ and Sound,” which the Assistant General Secretary claimed cost ₦100,000 as approved, was found to have actually cost only ₦50,000. Similarly, refreshments for attendees, approved at ₦585,200, were discovered to have cost only ₦507,250.

For an unspecified number of graphics, the AGS reported spending ₦25,000 as approved, but the Project and Event Monitoring Committee confirmed that only ₦10,000 was actually spent.

The Audit Committee stated, "There is a difference of  ₦213,550 between the AGS report and monitoring report. The Audit Committee also noticed that the sum of ₦150,000, which was approved and budgeted for prizes was not utilized as stated."

"Instead, the actual items purchased were plaques worth ₦40,000 with no clear explanation provided for the ₦110,000. This also raises concern about budget mismanagement and lack of transparency in utilisation of funds," it added.

Day 4 Freebies Arena - Ghostly Figures 

Six canopies were approved at a cost of ₦36,000, but the Project and Event Monitoring Committee confirmed only two canopies, valued at ₦12,000, while the AGS claimed he used four canopies at ₦24,000.

"There is a difference of ₦21000 between the AGS report and the project and event monitoring committee report. The Audit Committee also noticed that the number of canopies were inconsistent across the three reports (2 vs 4 vs 6)."

"Also, the project and event monitoring committee did not report graphics and the food for logistics was less by ₦4,000. This indicates a strong likelihood of ghost expenditures," the Audit Committee stated.

Day 5: Sports and Treasure Hunt - AGS Puffed-Up Expenditure Figures 

The finance-approved budget for the day was ₦266,750, with the Monitoring Committee confirming ₦221,250 as spent, but the AGS insisted he spent the full ₦266,750 as approved. A discrepancy of ₦45,500 when compared with the Monitoring Committee’s report was discovered.

"The monitoring committee showed a leaner cost than the AGS, particularly on medals and logistics. This continues the trend of financial inconsistencies and further strengthens the case of financial misappropriation," the Audit Committee noted.

Day 6: Gyration - Sponsored Items Reborn as Expenditures

There were no corresponding items across the reports for Day 6. While the finance-approved budget was ₦194,500, the Monitoring Committee reported actual spending of only ₦5,000. The AGS, however, claimed ₦190,000 was spent.

Upon investigation, the Audit Committee discovered that the event was fully sponsored by Campus Rave, and the only expense incurred by the Union was ₦5,000 for graphics. This leaves ₦189,500 currently unaccounted for, directly contradicting the AGS’s claim.

Day 7: Variety Night and Pageantry - Bloated Figures and Sloppy Records

For generator, lighting, and decoration, ₦80,000 was approved and confirmed as fully spent by the Monitoring Committee, yet the AGS claimed he spent ₦170,000, more than twice the approved sum.

For the services of the host and co-host, ₦40,000 was approved and reported by the AGS as expended, but the Project and Event Monitoring Committee found that only ₦20,000 was actually spent.

Two crowns were approved at a total cost of ₦20,000 and reported by the AGS as expended, but the Project and Event Monitoring Committee confirmed that only one crown, costing ₦10,000, was procured.

Security was approved at ₦20,000, the AGS claimed to have spent ₦40,000, the Project and Event Monitoring Committee confirmed that only ₦10,000 was actually spent.

For general logistics, ₦268,000 was approved. The AGS claimed to have spent the full amount, the Monitoring Committee reported an actual spending of only ₦175,000.

"There is a difference of ₦403,000 between the AGS report and the Monitoring report. This shows funds were either overstated or poorly accounted for," the Audit Committee said.

General Overview of the Allegations 

In total, the finance-approved budget for the entire Freshers’ Week was ₦4,666,460. The Project and Monitoring Committee reported an actual spending of ₦2,856,810. But the AGS claimed an unsubstantiated total expenditure of ₦4,376,360 was spent. 

There was a discrepancy of ₦290,100 between the Finance Committee’s approval and the AGS report, and another discrepancy of ₦1,519,550 between the Project and Event Monitoring Committee’s findings and the AGS report.

The Audit Committee also noted that Mr Emmanuel Olawoye displayed behavioral misconduct during the investigation, deliberately withholding documents and maintaining silence that could have otherwise assisted the financial inquiry.

‎

Reacting, the Finance Committee Head, Honourable Adeleke Oluwajuwonlo, confirmed that the committee diligently reviewed and reduced earlier inflated items in the first budget, which was presented to it before the Freshers' Welcome week held. 

Honourable Oluwajuwonlo denounced how funds were often disbursed late, which hindered the smooth and timely execution of activities for which the funds were intended.

The Chairman of the Project and Event Monitoring Committee, Honourable Ajayi Akinkunmi, reportedly observed that some items were reported at  higher costs in the AGS’s expenditure report than what was actually expended. 

Honourable Akinkunmi stated that the AGS, on several occasions, equally failed to cooperate with the committee, stating that he was "under pressure." 

According to the Audit Committee report, Mr Olawoye insisted that his expenditure report was both accurate and correct, dismissing the Project and Event Monitoring Committee’s findings 'as inaccurate'. He maintained this despite his inability to provide convincing evidence for his said expenses.

Mr Olawoye claimed the committee did not properly verify the expenses and therefore lacked the real picture of the spending, adding that there was still a shortage of funds for some events, despite that the Students’ Union levy had been raised from ₦200 to ₦1,000 by the Professor Kayode Adebowale-led University of Ibadan management.

The Committee noted and faulted possible third-party interference during a virtual summon, as inconsistencies in Mr Olawoye’s answers and a background voice suggested he was being coached.

The Audit Committee has referred the Union AGS, Emmanuel Olawoye, to the Disciplinary Committee to face charges bordering on financial misappropriation, falsification, dishonesty, willful negligence of duty, and obstruction of oversight.

This accountability report was jointly produced by IndyPress, AfasPress, ZikPress, History Press, in affiliation with the Union of Campus Journalists, University of Ibadan.

EXCLUSIVE: Covenant Odedele-led UI'SU Battles Financial Misconduct Allegations Following ₦2 Million Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Loan, Others

 

Covenant Odedele 

On September 13, 2025, Honourable Olanrewaju Basit Olatunde, Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee of the University of Ibadan Students’ Representative Council (UI'SRC), presented a report detailing allegations of financial misconduct against some members of the Covenant Odedele-led Students’ Union Executive Committee.

The report highlighted allegations of “financial misappropriation, breach of fiduciary duty, fiscal irresponsibility, and violation of constitutional provisions, constituting gross misconduct, committed separately by Covenant Odedele (President), Segun Olowu (General Secretary), and Joshua Bioku (Treasurer).

Also, the Assistant General Secretary was uniquely accused of falsification, financial misappropriation, and violating constitutional provisions on accountability and financial management.

The Students’ Union House Secretary, Adeyemi Oluwaseun, was accused of financial misconduct involving the unauthorized handling of union funds, diverting monies meant for official purposes into his personal account, including income from UI'SU bus rentals and SUB tenants, and making unapproved disbursements and expenditures without authorization.

While the allegations are yet to be disproven, they point to concerns that members of the Union’s executive committee, entrusted with safeguarding students’ interests, may have engaged in self-enrichment and constitutional breaches.

The Background

A letter jointly signed by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Shoge Quadri and Clerk Adedeji Praise, on August 29th, referred certain officers of the Executive Committee to the Disciplinary Committee for investigation and disciplinary measures.

The letter was titled, "Notice of Referral of Certain Members of the Executive Committee of the University of Ibadan Students' Union for Appropriate Disciplinary Action".

Revelation 1: ‘Team Auspicious' Unauthorized Central Bank of Nigeria Loan, Treasurer's Personal Account Breach, Other Questionable Funds 

 

Based on the SRC's referral and Audit Committee's findings, "the President, General Secretary and Treasurer unconstitutionally authorised a ₦2,000,000 (two million) loan without SRC or Congress ratification."

"Suspicious disbursements of ₦500,000 (27th June 2025) and ₦1,500,000 (1st July 2025) were made into the Treasurer's personal account," the Disciplinary Committee report stated.

More revealing, the Audit Committee, in a separate report, revealed that five large transfers were received by the Treasurer, Joshua Bioku, into his personal account.

They are as follows: ₦2,001,000 on 12th May, ₦1,820,000 on 16th May, ₦300,000 on 26th May, ₦500,000 on 27th June, and ₦1,500,000 on 1st July, without supporting records or clear approvals for the received credit transfers.

The Audit Committee stated, "We also found that on 27th June 2025, a loan of ₦2,000,000 was collected from the CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA (CBN) by the Union Executives without informing or seeking the approval of the SRC."

"On that same day, ₦500,000 from the loan went into the Treasurer's account, followed by another ₦1,500,000 on 1st July 2025," it added.

The Disciplinary Committee also noted that the bursary scheme claimed to have benefited "about 40 students" could not be verified.

Resulting from the aforementioned, the General Secretary and Treasurer, as co-signatories, were found jointly and severally liable.

The Disciplinary report stated that Mr Bioku was summoned by the Audit Committee on two occasions, first on July 11 and again on August 8. He used an excuse such as an impromptu class to evade interrogation at the first invitation.

However, he did not appear before the committee to address the concerns or clear the executives of any allegations of financial misrepresentation.

The Union executives’ failure to comply has been described as a blatant disregard for the constitution, a serious breach of accountability and transparency, and a severe case of financial misconduct.

A Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) loan secured without consent or approval, with no clear explanation of its purpose, casts serious suspicion on the Covenant Odedele-led UISU administration.

Team Auspicious 

Revelation 2: AGS Freshers’ Week Financial Report - Where is ₦1,519,550?

Article V (4a) of the UI’SU Constitution states that the Assistant General Secretary is responsible for coordinating the Welcome Week activities for fresh students. 

However, the Audit Committee’s investigation has raised serious concerns, with Mr Olawoye facing allegations of financial inconsistency, possible misappropriation, ghost expenditures, and falsification of records, charges that remain pressed against him and are yet to be disproved.

Across these records, glaring discrepancies emerged, as the UI'SRC Finance Committee approved ₦4,666,460 for the Freshers’ Week event, the Project and Events Monitoring Committee confirmed only ₦2,856,810 as actual expenditure, yet the AGS’s account claimed a total of ₦4,376,360 had been spent.

The AGS’s financial figures tell a troubling story, revealing a shortfall of ₦290,100 between what the Finance Committee approved and what he reported, and an even more disturbing gap of ₦1,519,550 between his report and the Monitoring Committee’s findings, raising serious questions and demanding clear answers.

To address these concerns, the Finance and Monitoring Committees' chairmen and the AGS were invited to a meeting on July 11, 2025, where all claimed to have done their duties, but when asked to provide receipts, pictures, banners, and other proof, the AGS only submitted 30 graphics on August 9, unable to provide other essential financial evidence.

By September 14, almost four months after the Freshers’ Week held between May 11 and May 17, the AGS, Mr Olawoye, had still failed to provide the outstanding documents or the “corrected report” he had earlier promised.

The Audit Committee concluded that the AGS’s conduct showed a clear pattern of failing to account for funds, giving contradictory reports through unaligned documents, obstructing the Monitoring Committee’s oversight, and deliberately neglecting established rules and processes.

Financial Justice Delayed Can Be Justice Denied

Investigations into all allegations are ongoing, with the uniformly implicated executive committee members having submitted formal responses to the Disciplinary Committee, while the House Secretary and Assistant General Secretary’s defenses are awaited, after which the responses will be reviewed and a physical disciplinary hearing will take place.

However, given the Audit Committee’s revelations, the SRC should have immediately suspended the indicted executives, as constitutionally required under “ARTICLE VIII: Termination of Membership of the Executive Committee.”

“(ii) A member of the Executive Committee shall be suspended from office after a prima facie case of misconduct has been established by a Committee of the SRC (Council), a resolution passed by 2/3 majority of the members voting at an ordinary meeting of Council. (iii) The Council shall sit after 21 days to review its earlier decision on such a suspended officer,” the UI'SU constitution stated.

The term ‘prima facie’ means “based on first impression or presumed correct until proven otherwise,” and despite the Audit committee establishing actions and inactions constituting allegations of misconduct, the concerned executives still hold office as of press time.

Equally troubling is the consistently vague resolution of the Rt. Hon. Shoge Quadri-led SRC, which fail to provide explanatory details on the subject above and circulate same to the entire student community, raising concerns about the Council's duty to keep students informed of its operations.

This accountability report was jointly produced by IndyPress, AfasPress, ZikPress, History Press, in affiliation with the Union of Campus Journalists, University of Ibadan.

Deodorants, Perfumes, and Body Sprays

By Adebeshin Idris Olamilekan

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It was a hot Wednesday afternoon, and Kunle, a 200-level student, rushed into a lecture. His shirt clung to his back, the result of a sprinted walk from Zik Hall. Upon taking his seat, the  pungent smell that pervaded the room was unprecedented . Some students around him shifted uneasily. It was later that evening that Kunle admitted before a friend: "I did not have time to bathe, so I used just body spray."

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Kunle's story is not unique. For many undergrads, body sprays, perfumes, and deodorants are fixtures in their everyday lives, which is why some do not actually care about their own natural odour. But how students use these products, and the ways in which they use them, reveal a lot about hygiene culture, peer influence, and even medical risks among University of Ibadan students.

To most Zikites, air fresheners and deodorants are life-savers. Hostels can be stuffy, lectures prolonged, and the sun can merciless. A quick roll-on or spray is the difference between confidence and shame. Deodorants, typically antibacterial, work to reduce sweat smell by targeting bacteria. Body sprays and perfumes, on the other hand, essentially mask smells with pleasant fragrances. They provide social confidence in combination, such that students can socialise freely in lecture theatres, religious gatherings, or parties. "I feel naked without spraying something before going out," one student admitted.

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The psychological pick-me-up is equally vital. Research has indicated that good smells can boost confidence and influence people's perception of us. For many students who are getting ready for presentations, dates, or debates, fragrance is as vital as looking neat and confident.

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But also with the use of fragrance by students comes a challenge in its wake. The first is excessive dependence when there is poor hygiene.Kunle, like any other student, utilises body spray as a substitute for bathing. Although sprays might mask odour for the moment, they will never replace water and soap in clearing sweat, grime, and bacteria. As the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has repeatedly emphasised, proper hygiene begins with regular bathing and clean clothing, not with sprays (NMA, 2025).

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Overuse is also a problem. Lecture halls inside or hostel rooms become a nightmare within seconds with a few students spraying too much. The National Institute of Health informs that perfumes and sprays, if used in excess, can irritate the respiratory tract and trigger allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. It is not only a matter of etiquette but also health.

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And there is also the issue of unregistered products. Nigerian stores are saturated with affordable, unlabelled perfumes and repackaged oils. NAFDAC has issued a number of public alerts and deodorant and body spray recalls with poisonous chemicals or without proper registration numbers (NAFDAC, 2024). Students buying from street vendors may unknowingly expose themselves to skin irritations or toxic chemicals.

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The answer is not to discontinue the use of deodorants or sprays but to utilise them responsibly.

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1. Always inspect for NAFDAC registration numbers prior to purchase. This guarantees that the product has cleared minimum safety examinations.

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2. Utilise sprays in moderation; more does not equate to better.

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3. Never replace sprays with bathing. Everyday hygiene using soap and water is the key to freshness.

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4. Refrain from sharing roll-ons or sticks, as this can transfer bacteria.

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5. Buy from authorised stores, not street stalls or roadside vendors.

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Zik Hall is not just a hostel; it is a community built on camaraderie, and identity. How Zikites conduct themselves is a part of that collective pride known as Zikism. To smell nice is not only for personal comfort; it affects roommates, classmates, and the rest of the individuals one encounters in the course of each day.

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Kunle has learnt better, though. He now jokingly remarks that "spray without bath is like perfume on a dirty rag — it fools no one." To Zikites, smelling good isn't just about it; it is living well with hygiene, moderation, and safety at the centre.

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