“We are the best in sports, there is no doubt about that but in academics too I want us to have that lead so that when they are rating first class students in UI, the first 100 would be Zikites. By that we would be living up to our name. How can a Zikite be in a class and one Tedder rat or Katangite will be the first class students? It is unheard of… our Alumni have been wonderful… Staying in D-block is a privilege and it would be too inconsiderate for just 57 D-block residents to have the borehole to themselves alone when they can share it with the over 900 others… I have said it and I am saying it again, if any squatter is caught, I am ejecting…”
Find more details in the following insightful, reflective and admonitory interview with Nnamdi Azikiwe Hall Warden.
Zik Hall Warden, Dr. Olufemi Adebukola Adebiyi, is an Associate Professor at the University of Ibadan’s Department of Animal Science.
Sir, you have notably demonstrated strong support for the Hall’s activities and endeavours. What motivates your strive for Zik Hall’s greatness?
Thank you for having me again. Well, that question has always been on and on. The spirit of Zikism is my motivating factor that is, “brotherliness”
Zik Hall recently won the Inter-Hall Football Competition, the Hall of the year award and the award for Hall Chairperson of the Year went to the Hall’s Chairman, how does it feel to be Hall Warden of such an illustrious Hall?
Another thing that motivates me is wherever I am, I always want to leave an impact. When I leave, what will people say about me? Has he been there to do good, or has he been there to do bad? That has always been my push for everything I do. Whatever we are doing is not about now, it’s about what people will say when you are no longer in power. That has been my motivating factor.
Well, I’m not surprised, we are just living up to our name. Zik Hall, terror of the field, we claimed all the medals. I am not surprised at all, in fact, if we had performed below, that would have given me serious concern, that means Zik Hall is not living up to its name, Even our anthem is testament to our greatness. We lead in everything and it is not now, it is not new, it is just that we cannot allow that glory to come down, we must keep flying. Don’t forget if Zik Hall sneezes, UI catches cold. So, I am not surprised by our outstanding performances.
Sir, as a former resident of the Hall, how would you compare Zik Hall in your days with the present time?
In those years, we had more mature men. They were adults unlike now that we have children, babies (chuckles). Yes, then we had men of 30, 40 as students, unlike now that we have 17s, 18s, so we behaved more maturely. However, the aroism was alive, but we did it with dignity. But now, the spirit of Zikism, the spirit that moves Zik Hall has really gone down. I expect people to be more vibrant. Then, there was no Saturday, Sunday, even on Monday mornings while students are going to class aro would still be going on. But those Zikites were still the ones topping their classes. We had a lot of first class then; first class was just like child’s play in Zik Hall and the question was, “how were they being doing it?” Honestly, it is my hope and drive that we return to those glory days that in as much as socializing is at its peak Zikites would still maintain top performances in their respective departments. First-class students then were number one in aroisim, they were the kegites, they participated in virtually everything social. This is why I gave the academic unit all the support they need, financially and otherwise, because I want that academic spirit to be back. How can a Zikite be in a class and one Tedder rat or one Kantangite will be the first class students? It is unheard of. So, for now we should play down on socials and revive our academic spirit of excellence. That is the difference between then and now.
Speaking of past Zikites, have there been contributions by the Hall’s Alumni to the Hall’s development?
I must say, they have been very wonderful. I am still very much in contact with them. They provided the borehole in front of D block and also renovated major parts of the block. Even part of C block was renovated by them, especially the bathrooms. Were it not for the water problems Zik Hall has been facing, all of C block should get easy water access in the bathrooms. They also supplied tiles which are in stock and materials for renovation. All these were done by the Hall’s Alumni. So, we are very much in contact with them. And, let me say we are still expecting more because we have already put some things forward to them which we hope will be very beneficial to the Hall. So, our Alumni are doing very good.
Were these projects carried out by a union of the Hall’s Alumni or was it individual-based?
The developments were made by the Alumni body. Actually, I facilitated the construction of the borehole because I was asked how they could help develop the Hall. I gave them a list of things but also suggested the construction of the borehole as very important. That is why they gave us the borehole in D block. It was during that discussion that an individual contacted me privately concerning the renovation of D-block.
It came to our attention that the borehole constructed in front of D-block is for residents of the block alone. How true is this sir?
Like I said, I facilitated the construction of the borehole in D-block, and it was made specifically for D-block. However, because the capacity of that borehole would be too excessive for D-block alone. I channeled it to the tanks in C-block. Moreover, a Zikite is a Zikite, either from A-block, B-block, C-block or D-block. Staying in D-block is a privilege and it would be too inconsiderate for just 57 D-block residents to have the borehole to themselves alone when they can share it with the over 900 others. That is why you see once they pump the water, it goes up into the reserve and so they have enough water. Why then can they not share? I always tell them that, yes, it is meant for D-block but do they know how it came to be? There is no ambiguity, it was for D-block but D-block alone cannot use it. We are in a democratic world, if we are to vote, 900 students will take the bore-hole and 57 will not have anything since the majority carries the vote. But we shouldn’t forget the reason for the borehole. It is very easy for people in C-block, A-block, B-block to get water in their blocks because they already have boreholes, but D-block had nothing. That is why I said it must be in D-block.
How would you rate the compliance of Zikites to covid-19 protocols?
I put the question back to you. Have you been using the facilities provided? You see, ours is to provide, yours is to use, that is why we locked the Zik-river gate so that anybody entering through the main gate will access the facilities. But now we have to open it because of traffic. Still the question is, are they using it? Yes, we try to put pressure on them to use it but many at times we know that they are not used. These things are there, go and use them. Wear your mask, wash your hands at the sink, use the sanitizers provided. We can only provide; we can only put the little pressure we can put but it is now left to you. The issue of the pandemic is like security. The University cannot do it alone. We all have to comply. Look at the issue of squatting, do you know the number of times I have put notices out? No squatting! but you still harbour your friends. Several times we raid at night to enforce the rule against squatting. I have to sleep in my house too. And who are those squatting? they are Zikites like you. You encourage your friends to come over when the University mandates only two occupants in a room so that this pandemic will not spread but then you bring your friends over and you are 4 or 5 in a room what do you expect us to do? You know we can’t do it all alone, we need you. With the rating, I will leave you to rate yourself.
What is your advice to Zikites and stakeholders involved in the security of the Hall against rife occurrences of theft?
My advice to Zikites is that they should eject all squatters. It will be very difficult for any third person to come over if you both agree on not taking anybody. But if one person compromises definitely you are giving room for thieves. I am not saying those people that are coming from outside are thieves but they are potential ones. Two of you are staying in your room, the two of you have a key to your room, your things are safe because you know it is exclusively for the two of you but by the time you bring your friends, he brings his friends, you don’t know his friend and he doesn’t know yours, before you know it there will be a crowd and there will be security lapses. If you bring one million policemen into this Hall, and Zikites are still encouraging squatters and floaters, theft will still continue. There is little pressure we can put on the defense and vigilante groups if we are not ready to change. The change has to start with everyone. They are also students, they are also human beings and can only work for particular hours. They have their studies to face too. I have said it and I am going to say it again, if any squatter is caught, I am ejecting. I am no longer accepting fines. Fine as penalty is easily taken for granted. Also, once I find a squatter in any room, that will lead to automatic ejection of the culprit and his roommate because the roommate didn’t make any complaint. I’m no longer collecting fine as penalty. It is ejection now. It is not about money; it is about doing the right thing. And once you are ejected, you will never be accommodated in Zik Hall again, whether they are in final year or whatever.
In conclusion, what is your fatherly advice to Zikites?
I want to thank everybody for giving the support that we have been enjoying so far. Sincerely, if not that I gained the support from the students too, what can I do? If I am putting it up and they are putting it down, what can I do? I also thank the staff, my supervisors, my porters and everybody that have been working with me in the last 7 years. I was Assistant-Hall Warden for two terms, that is 4 years. I have completed a three year term as Hall Warden, making 7 years. This is my second term and eighth year in this Hall. It is a privilege to be a Zikite, it is a privilege to be on this side of the bench. My advice now to Zikites is; in as much as we believe in brotherliness and aroism, we should do it with dignity, of course, you know I also join them to do aro but we should do it with dignity. We cannot be harassing females in the name of aroism, that is not acceptable, that is not our way. Whosoever is complained of as harassing females, I will help such person to face SDC, because that is not our way. We wouldn’t want anybody to give us that name, we do our aroism but we don’t harass. I am also pleading with Zikites that they should see their academics as priority in everything. Yes, we are the best in sports, there is no doubt about that but in academics too I want us to have that lead so that when they are rating first class students in UI, the first 100 would be Zikites. By that we would be living up to our name. Take your academics very important and keep up the social life too. You know all work without play makes Jack a stupid boy. They should balance everything, academics and social life.
©ZikPress 2021
