ZikPress interviews Mr Joshua Ejemeka, the recently inaugurated Zik Hall Chairman as first semester of the 2020/2021 academic session officially reaches third week. He reveals his Council’s plans for the session amongst other topical issues.
There are claims that some Zikites who paid Hall dues have not got their packages for the last session. Besides, a separate amount was set apart for the Magazine which no one seems to have collected. With handover being done, were Hall packages being awaited and copies of the Magazine part of the materials handed over?
Yes, I am aware that some Zikites are yet to receive their package. In fact, that was one of the reasons why we had to delay the handing over, because we wanted the outgone administration to be done with all the necessary activities, but due to the pandemic it didn’t go as planned. However, what I know about the package is that most are in the custody of the Financial Secretary of the outgone administration and not with any member of my Council. I believe that they are making plans as to when to distribute it to the people who paid for it. So, the package including the magazines will be distributed when everyone is settled.
Mr Ejemeka, do you hold the view that the virtual mode first semester of the 2020/2021 academic session is taking as a result of the pandemic has nothing on your administration?
Of course, the virtual mode of running the first semester is affecting my administration in a lot of ways of which most are negative, but then the times have changed and things will never be normal. It is only a fool that will sit down and expect things to be as it were. What we are doing is to look for ways to come out of this whole position and salvage the situation. Even the school management does not know how to go about it, not to talk of Halls of Residence, but we are doing a form of damage control.
What are the spectacular impacts Zikites should be expecting from your tenure as the Hall Chairman?
Before now, we had envisioned that the pandemic was going to affect our dues collection that is why I and my colleagues in the Executive Council started looking towards getting sponsorship for projects. We intend to carry out some projects in the Hall which is expected to be sponsored by some of our Alumni. In due time, we will be telling Zikites about these projects. However, all hands are on deck to meet and talk to sponsors. We have been getting favourable responses.
Dues can be said to be the major source of revenue for Hall administration. For now, dues collection is largely uncertain for the session. Is the vision team set to explore alternatives?
Like I said earlier, we had envisioned the whole situation, we had seen that the pandemic was going to affect us in the area of dues collection. We had resulted in sourcing for sponsorship from corporate companies and individuals alike. So far so good, the responses we have been getting have been good, though nobody has made any monetary commitment yet. They have given us their words and we are working on getting their financial contributions soon.
With freshmen recently allocated to Halls, are there moves towards giving them orientation or hinting them of the greatness in being a Zikite?
I will gladly say that we are the first Hall in UI to create a medium whereby allocated freshmen can reach out to the members of the Executive Council and get added to an official WhatsApp group, not just a normal group created by a political enthusiast looking to vie for a position later and then trying to gather data. This group is just for freshmen. We intend to hold our virtual orientation programme on the group. The Orientation program will be a three-day programme. It is expected to hold later in the month of March.
Zik Hall Constitution provides that the Attorney-General shall be appointed by the Executive Council within two weeks of inauguration. Ignoring that two weeks have lapsed already, is there a name waiting to be announced?
The possible candidate for Attorney-General has been contacted a long time ago, the only problem we have now is the situation of things in the Hall. We really have not worked out a plan towards doing it either virtually or physically, but I want to assure you that as this has been raised up, it should be sorted out before the end of this week.
The Executive and Legislative Councils are set for the 2020/2021 tenure. What about the Judicial Council, Mr Chairman?
I admire your enthusiasm. You trying to hold on to the trend of things, making sure that the ZikPress moves on, but then I would want to point out that because of the situation of things in the Hall most people have lost vibes for everything in the Hall. What we are trying to do now is first get people settled down, because as we speak a lot of people are still hanging around. They do not have a place to stay yet and then, the supposed members of the Judiciary Council are having issues right now. So, we are looking at giving them some time to settle down. When we know that people have settled down probably before the end of the fourth week, we would have sorted the issue of the Judiciary Council.
Considering the fact that students still claim to have some properties in the Hall and even Hall properties and amenities are domiciled in the Hall, what is the state of security in the Hall as students won’t be generally available in the Hall?
I know that some students have properties in the Hall of which they should not be having anything in the Hall. Students were advised to take out their things before they left due to the school fumigating and all. What I met on ground when I was handed over to, I can give you full assurance that we have been on our toes working and ensuring there is security in the Hall. I am also working to see to it that the school reverses the directive not to allow any student on campus, at least for the Executive Council. I am the President of Council of Hall Chairpersons and I have been meeting with the University management. I have also been taking people loitering in the Hall aimlessly to the Security unit. Though, we cannot give you full assurance of your belongings remaining in the Hall, but then we are working tirelessly to ensure that what you have in the Hall are secured and safe pending the time students will be allowed to come back to pick up their things.
Mr Chairman, we felicitate with you on your new office, is there anything else you would like to say to fellow Zikites?
My parting words to Zikites are that things might not be the way we have planned but then this condition should not dapple our spirit. We have been working with the university management to ensure that at least some people are returned back to the Hall in second semester. The Executive Council is hoping to work with Zikities. It is heart-breaking to see that the ever vibrating hall is just calm and nothing is happening. Zik hall has never been this dry in an academic session. We want to assure everybody that we are working towards the interest of every Zikitie, at any point in time when a Zikite needs help, they should not hesitate to reach out. We are going to open platforms whereby Zikites can interact so that when we resume we would not be strangers. We were elected to serve the people but it is so disheartening that we do not even have people physically to serve. Nevertheless, we are committed to delivering our promises. The pandemic is not strong enough to take away Baluba, that is, Oneness, Togetherness and Brotherhood.
