Zik Hall Endorses Deboye Ahead of the Upcoming December 13 UI'SU Elections

The stakeholders council of Nnamdi Azikiwe hall have on Monday, 1st of December, 2025 endorsed the candidacy of Adeboye Temidayo, a 300 level student of the department of European Studies for the post of the SU president.

The endorsement comes after weeks of deliberation as well as scrutinization of his profile and manifesto.

The final decision was made using a secret ballot in which out of the forty delegates present, twenty-five delegates voted for while the remaining fifteen voted against his endorsement.

Speaking after the vote, the hall chairman, Sotomi Daniel enjoined all Zikites to come together to give the Hall's candidate all the support he needs.

In his words, "the stakeholders endorsement is the sign many Zikites are looking forward to in order to know how to vote in the upcoming elections. They believe so much in this decision because they believe that they [the stakeholders] are more experienced on the affairs of students. So from now it is no longer Deboye's election, it is Zik Hall's election."

He further stated that an official announcement is set to be released in the coming hours following which the endorsed candidate would be formally presented during the Zik Hall congress.

The UI'SU election is set to hold on Saturday, 13th of December, 2025. The voters accreditation process is scheduled to end today.

1561 FC Dominant As Zik Hall League Rounds Off 2024/2025 Season In Style

 Kehinde Fafure

The final Match day of the Zik Hall League 2024/2025 Season held, yesterday, Saturday, 22 November, 2025 with a closing ceremony match at the Zik Maracana between Club Managers and Zik Hall FA. The closing match ended in a 2 - 1 win in favor of the Zik Hall FA.

As the league drew to a close, Akandu's last minute brace against Vanguard FC ensured that the spoils are shared between 1561 FC and Vanguard FC. Also, Blaze FC stunned their opponents, Bluelock FC with 4 unanswered goals.

The undefeated league winners, 1561 FC, having won 14 and tied 2 out of the 16 games played, finished the season as the table toppers with an impressive 44 points out of 48 possible points.   

The next in line Vanguard FC finished as runners up with 33 points while Eme of Masterclass FC clinched the golden boot having scored the highest number of goals (27) in the 2024/2025 Season of the Zik Hall League.

Clinical Sciences, Sultan Bello Hall Win Jaw War 2025

Emmanuel Adebiyi 

On Saturday, 15th November 2025, at the International Conference Center, Ibadan Faculty Of Clinical Sciences and Sultan Bello Hall clinched the Jaw War 2025 trophy by beating the Faculty of Education and Queen Idia Hall, respectively. 

In the hall category, Sultan Bello Hall was represented by Mojoyinola Okikiola Daniel and Muiz Opeyemi Ajayi, while Queen Idia Hall was represented by Favour Kayode and Adeji Praise. Sultan Bello scored an aggregate of 81.85 points as opposed to Queen Idia Hall’s 75.8 points.

 For the Faculty category, the Faculty of Clinical Sciences represented by Eriomala John and Ogunleye Moboluwarin scored an aggregate of 80.8 points as opposed to the Faculty of Education’s 79.7 points, the speakers for the Faculty Of Education were Israel Bolarinwa and Bartholomew Samuel. The best speaker for the day was Muiz Opeyemi, who was the second speaker for Sultan Bello Hall. 

Other awards include:

Most Outstanding Speaker: Akinlawon Goodluck

Overall Best Rebuttal: Babatimehin Asiwaju

Overall Best Speech: Opeyemi Muiz

Best finalist speaker: Mong Victor

Overall Best Speaker: Filade Michael

Audience Choice: Mayowa Adekola, Peculiar

The University of Ibadan, represented by Mong Victor, also won the National Oratory competition with 78.8%, closely followed by Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, which was represented by Ayomide Adekunle and scored 76.4%, and in third place is Lead City University, represented by Adeniyi Abraham Oluwatoyin, with a score of 62%. 

For the rookies category, the rookies’ oratory competition with the topic “The struggles of women’s rights in Africa: Past, Present and Future” was won by Oyedeji Peter. The finals which started at around 3:00 pm, 3 hours after the scheduled time ended around 8:30pm

News: Zik Hall Management Unveils New Signage

The management of the Nnamdi Azikwe Hall, University of Ibadan, on Tuesday, 4th November, 2025, unveiled a new signage right at the entrance of the hall. The new signage bears the University of Ibadan and Nnamdi Azikiwe Hall logos on a white background with the words "BALUBA KINGDOM" written in smaller print.

While speaking with the Hall Chairman, Mr Sotomi Daniel, he noted that the signage is an age-long project which previous administrations have attempted to execute but have failed despite several efforts made to the alumni body and the management.

In his words, "This is a project that the administration from 2 to 3 years ago had in their manifestoes and have pitched to the Hall management and alumni. And from administration to administration, we have continued to work on it."

He also expressed gratitude to the Hall Management for executing the project and was happy it came during the administration he is leading.

"But we thank God that the Hall management has done it, and fortunately it was done in the Team Effulgence administration"

“When Zik Hall sneezes, UI catches cold,” Or So They Say

One look at the logo of Nnamdi Azikiwe Hall, as a Zikite, and it is difficult not to get sentimental. For a design that bears so much intensity and weight, the design is simple, elegant and yet quite innovative. Given the sect of people the logo represents (Zikites), the phrase that comes to mind is “just right”. Indeed, we would be triggering a false consensus by assuming that what we as an organisation in Nnamdi Azikiwe Hall believe about an issue is what the rest of the students also  believe. The fact remains that whoever designed the logo deserves all the flowers for the foundation of thought and the lithe manner in which the emblem managed to communicate the principles of the hall as simply as possible.

Faced with the same task, other halls of residence and student associations in the University of Ibadan community have leaned into their own creative sides in carving out their own emblems, some leaned a little too far while others did not even lean in. There are logos so basic, it could be the logo of a government-owned primary school; ones so over the top, it could be the emblem of a nightclub; and others that would fit just right as the badge of a South American football club. Talking about the Nnamdi Azikiwe Hall emblem, the image the hall adopted has at its centre the University of Ibadan's own crest shrunk in scale; surrounding that crest is a bold circular navy blue border inscribed with the words NNAMDI AZIKIWE HALL at the top and UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN at the bottom. On either side of the emblem is a laurel wreath, and at the base area is a banner ribbon with the words “QUALITY OF GREATNESS”. This has been the logo that Zik Hall has been using for as long as we can confirm, although it was recently reedited to lean more into the navy blue feel, but that's beside the point.

Say what you will about the hall and the peculiarities of its occupants, you can't deny the fact that their attitude correlates directly with the deep-lying and not-so-subtle message their logo is passing across. The laurel wreath in most contexts is used to symbolise excellence and distinction. In ancient Greco-Roman cultures, it was used to honour outstanding and eminent personalities. Consequently, it makes it difficult to argue against the logic that the people whom this logo represents view themselves as an eminent community in the University of Ibadan. If anything, for an organisation to confer this wreath on itself is a confirmation of the fact that this organisation views itself as the pride of the University of Ibadan, the prime community, and the de facto head and trailblazer among other communities of its calibre in the school.

This stance might be perceived as arrogant, but indeed history, both the ones written down and the ones passed down by word of mouth, has established this fact. We have heard stories of how Zikites and Zik Hall were at the forefront of various student movements, how the hall was the hub of innovation, intellectualism and political consciousness, and how the hall used to be a community where one brother's success existed for the pride of the collective, and the victory of the collective was a source of pride to each individual. We have heard history alright. We have heard stories of the kind of feelings the mention of Zik Hall strikes in different contexts in the University of Ibadan. But nowadays it seems time has watered down these stories, including all that eminence and feelings of authority. They have been seemingly reduced to mere echoes.

If one were to ask a current 100-level Zikite what it means to be a Zikite, he would probably respond with a quip about living in darkness, enduring declining facilities and catching thieves every other week. A 200-level Zikite would probably speak of how he has not witnessed any of the huge political strength that Zik Hall is acclaimed to have. Three hundred level Zikites will probably have more dramatic stories, but their experiences will not be anywhere close to those of the guys before then. The only ones who probably would have a relatively richer testimony, as eyewitnesses themselves, are the current 400-level Zikites. This is a testament to how vastly things have changed.

 It is very difficult to proceed with this article without mentioning several of the articles we have published over time on the issue of the decline that Zik Hall and the Zik spirit have suffered. Ordinarily, Nnamdi Azikiwe Hall is a kind of hall in which slacking and any kind of ineptitude are not acceptable. However, over the years everything that can slack has slacked. Anyone with an observant eye can see how far things have fallen off, from our social life to our often-spoken-about political strength. And today, we would like to bring attention to this issue, this time relative to the broader University of Ibadan context.

A good place to start is perhaps the state of our facilities. At the beginning of the semester, it was a very underwhelming factor for some of the freshmen Zik Press spoke to. Although, over the last three or so sessions, the hall has seen renovations on several different levels. The porter's lodge was rebuilt, toilet doors were repaired, window nets were replaced, and the SCR and JCR were renovated. Some of these changes still feel like plastering over a big flesh wound without proper stitches, like the government's miserly treatment of the education sector or the seeming abandonment of the hall by the management in renovations that other parts of the school have seen. It's so perspicuous, it's difficult to say one is imagining it. There are rooms currently dealing with electricity issues, rooms dealing with stench issues, and rooms dealing with broken windows. Even the hall itself is dealing with light and water issues. It would appear that for every issue every other Uite in every other hall of residence can dream to complain about, Zikites get to sigh and say, “First time?”

Apart from that, the recent woes of the hall in the political space are a further indication of how far we have declined. As easy as it would be to point fingers and apportion blame, it is an issue that starts from the bottom up. First we have apathetic citizens, individuals who have consistently failed to know more about the sociopolitical clime in the hall and who would rather not pull their weight in making things better. Then we have officeholders who occupy positions out of the delusional conviction that the office belongs to them, and with a lukewarm consensus saying, “He is next.” These are the kinds of people contributing to key decisions in our hall. It then comes as no shock when they fail to live up to their constitutionally apportioned duties or even the promises they themselves bring forward (N.B. – Over the course of the next few weeks, the reviews of each of these offices will be released). All these, combined with several other issues, have contributed to the issues the hall is having even at the SU level.

According to medical professionals, sneezing is a reflex action by the body. It is a kind of protective mechanism that the body employs to defend itself from irritants and allergens. It can also be a sign of further health problems. In the context of what we are currently discussing, the situation in the hall has persisted for so long. It is a situation that a lot of Zikites have groaned and moaned about, following which they have adjusted and readjusted. This is an urgent cry for help to the relevant stakeholders: the school management, the hall management, the student union, alumni and every well-meaning individual or authority, even the ordinary Zikites themselves. The poster boy for excellence has become the poster boy for everything that is wrong in the school community.

The Baluba giant has been sneezing for so long; it appears only this time the issues are not appearing in other parts of the school. Or better still, the issues are being attended to in other areas, just not in Nnamdi Azikiwe. The sternutations have carried on for so long; the only one who actually looks remotely sick is still Baluba Kingdom, while the other areas have, thus far, managed to look perfectly healthy. The appropriate stakeholders can help in addressing all the issues that the hall is currently facing to bring succour to its residents. Even the ordinary Zikites themselves need to look inward to figure out a way to reignite the spark that will bring the hall back into the pride of place in which it belongs.

Azikiwe in the Dark: Zikites Lament The Hall That Light —and Power— Forgot

By Oloyede David Oyewale

When we talk about basic social amenities, what often comes to mind are good roads, potable water, healthcare facilities, electricity, and so on. However, with the current state of electricity in the country, stable and regular power supply has become a lucid dream for most Nigerians. This, nonetheless, does not change the fact that providing stable electricity would go a long way in improving the lives of citizens. The same can be said of the recent solar installations seen across many halls of residence on the University of Ibadan campus.

In the final weeks of the 2023/2024 academic session, Blocks A and B of the Great Independence Hall, University of Ibadan, were illuminated with a solar-powered electrical system. This initiative has helped to mitigate the problem of epileptic power supply that the school has long struggled with. Shortly after, Blocks C and D also received similar installations. Just last week, the same was done in their Junior Common Room (JCR). Now, Katangites can watch whatever shows they please or engage in other activities without worrying about darkness. Meanwhile, the neighbouring Zik Hall has seen nothing— not even a single solar streetlamp.

Other hostels such as Kuti, Bello, and Idia Halls have also been powered with solar energy. Even parts of Obafemi Awolowo Hall and Queen Elizabeth II Hall have been fitted with solar lighting systems. Although there are differences in implementation across these halls, one fact remains clear — Zik Hall has been left out. As it stands, the hall seems to be the only hall yet to enjoy the benefits of solar illumination. At least, the likes of Tedder and Mellanby Halls have solar-powered streetlamps in their open spaces.

But then, the darkness in Zik Hall is not merely inconvenient; it is dangerous. For many residents, navigating their surroundings at night has become a daily struggle.

Zikites Lament

For a hall that prides itself as the energy nerve of the University of Ibadan, Nnamdi Azikiwe Hall has been left behind. The mantra, “When Zik Hall sneezes, UI catches cold,” no longer seems to apply. While most halls on campus have embraced the radiance of solar technology, Nnamdi Azikiwe Hall remains suspended in the dark ages — a fact that does not sit well with many of its residents.

“I think the darkness issue is not good at all. It’s very bad, especially for people who don’t have a torchlight or a power bank to support them during the night,” said Aniekan Marvelous, a 100-level student of Urban and Regional Planning. “For example, I don’t have a power bank or any torch to help with light at night. Last night, I had to borrow one just to get some light. I feel like Zik Hall needs to work on solar power as a solution to help Zikites deal with this lighting issue,” he added.

Beyond discomfort, the absence of light has also worsened insecurity in the hall. Darkness provides cover for theft and other crimes. “If someone tries to steal and there’s light, at least the person can be identified. But now, with no light in Zik, if someone steals or commits a crime, it’s hard to describe or identify them because they escape using the cover of darkness,” Marvelous explained.

A 100-level student from the Department of Petroleum Engineering, who asked to remain anonymous, described the situation as “a major one.” He said, “When there’s no light, you can’t really see. It affects me in the sense that I can’t read. Sometimes, whenever I want to fetch water, I can barely see. There was even a time I almost fell down because of the darkness.”

Another student from the Department of Mathematics, who also preferred anonymity, echoed similar concerns: “I feel like this is a very concerning issue. Most times, the place is usually dark if there’s no light. Someone can fall — like from the staircase — due to the darkness. It actually happened last semester. So, it can happen again to another person.”

When asked for a possible solution, he suggested, “I feel like the best option would be a solar system — at least the corridors should be lit.”

Ojedele John, an occupant of B Block, also expressed disappointment. “When there’s no power, it’s a big problem. We have epileptic power supply, especially at night, and there’s no backup lighting like solar. Other hostels in UI have solar systems installed, but Zik Hall doesn’t have anything like that,” he lamented. He went on to appeal to the hall management and Zik Hall alumni to help by providing solar-powered lights, noting that it would greatly improve visibility and safety at night.

This same sentiment was shared by Feranmi, a finalist in the Faculty of Education. “It is a really concerning issue. As I am now, I’m about to go off-campus to charge. It would be better if we [Zikites] could network with prominent alumni to support or even sponsor a solar project for Zik Hall,” he said.

The Flickering Lamp at Zik Quadrangle

At the centre of Zik Hall quadrangle stands a lone yellow lamp, its wiring stretching into the cafeteria. This lamp was installed this session to address the various security concerns that have arisen from the hall’s chronic darkness — in what is arguably one of the liveliest areas of the hall.

According to the Defence Minister, Emiola Waliu, the lamp was erected through the efforts of the executive council, floor representatives, and other members of the hall, in cooperation with the owners of New Flava, one of the vendors in Zik Hall cafeteria. He revealed that they spent roughly ₦15,000 of their own money to get the light installed.

As dull as the lamp may seem, it stands as a symbol, a testament to how little students themselves can do to confront this paradoxically overwhelming and underwhelming darkness. It highlights the reality that Zikites, on their own, cannot do much to fix this problem.

When pressed about the efforts of the executive council, Waliu explained that the hall excos have consistently reached out to the hall management, who have assured them that Zik Hall would soon get its own solar system — though even he doesn’t know how soon that will be. 

In his words, "when we went to meet them, they assured us they were working on it. And one thing about UI is that if they say they're working on it, it could be next two sessions or next session. No one knows."

Call for Urgent Intervention

The persistent darkness in the Baluba Kingdom has dragged on for far too long, and it demands urgent intervention. The hall executives, hall management, school authorities, alumni, and even the University of Ibadan Students’ Union need to expedite whatever process it takes to bring solar installations to Zik Hall.

As it stands, no other hall in the University of Ibadan faces as many security challenges as Zik Hall. Leaving it in darkness is like leaving the gates open for thieves — a risk that could worsen if the situation persists. Administrative processes may be a stumbling block, but if nothing is done soon, it may be the reason Zik Hall’s security situation deteriorates even further.