ABH DECIDES 2025: “I plan to take ABH to a new level through my NEW agenda” Ayomide Makanjuola, Hall Secretary Aspirant

With campaign season in full swing and tensions running high in Alexander Brown Hall, Brownites must hear directly from the aspirants, getting answers to key questions and insight into the minds of those seeking to lead.

In an effort to ensure that Brownites make informed decisions about their preferred candidate for the position of House Secretary, the ABH press had an interview with Mr. Ayomide Makanjuola, one of the aspirants for the post of Hall Secretary. In this exclusive interview, Ayomide Olatunde Makanjuola, a 400-level MBBS student vying for the position of Hall Secretary, shares his vision, experiences and aspirations for the Hall if elected into the position.

Can you introduce yourself?

Mr Makanjuola: My name is Ayomide Olatunde Makanjuola, popularly known as Newton. I am a 400-level medical student of this school and a proud resident of this great hall of residence. Some days ago, I declared my candidacy to run for the office of the Hall Secretary of the hall- Alexander Brown Hall.

Why are you running for the post of the Hall Secretary and what makes you think you are the best candidate for this role?

Mr. Makanjuola: I’m excited to run for the post of Hall Secretary because I’m passionate about creating a more organised and efficient environment for our community and to foster a sense of community, transparency, accountability and inclusivity within the hall. With the strong communication, leadership and organisational skills I have acquired, I am confident in my ability to excel in this position. With my unique blend of skills, experience, and passion for community service, I am confident that I can make a positive impact as the Hall secretary.

Could you tell us more about the constitutional roles assigned to the post you are going for?

Mr. Makanjuola: According to Article III, Section 3, the Hall Secretary shall be in charge of the Hall Secretariat, he shall coordinate all correspondences of the hall, shall ensure that all correspondences going out shall be triplicate, shall record and keep minutes of all the HEC meetings, shall be the Head of the ABH Academic committee, shall perform other duties assigned to him/her by the Hall organs and provisions of this constitution.

Thank you very much, sir. Can you share your plans if elected into the position of the Hall Secretary?

Mr. Makanjuola: Apart from my constitutional roles, I have plans to elevate the hall secretariat and the hall in general. A lot of people think that the hall secretary’s duties are only directed towards the hall executives, but I can contribute to the development of the hall through my plans. I plan to take ABH to a new level through my plans that I call the NEW AGENDA. This agenda involves creating newsletters in collaboration with the information minister, which focus on the recap of events in each office to foster transparency and accountability. It would also include periodic updates of the hall’s activities, policies, achievements, students’ spotlights and so on. My NEW agenda also entails a quiz competition which I call the “Elite Green Battle”. I discovered that each department has its quiz competition, but this quiz competition is going to encompass all departments. This is different from the Prof. Salako Inter-block, and it is going to happen in the middle of the tenure.

I believe you are familiar with the infestation of bedbugs in our reading room. Considering the role of the Hall Secretary as the head of the ABH Academic Committee, how do you intend to solve this problem if elected?

Mr. Makanjuola: As I said earlier, my primary duties are to the hall secretariat, but as regards the ABH reading room, we cannot control the people coming to read in the reading rooms who might bring in bedbugs. Despite the fumigation in December, there are still bed bugs. It is not something that the hall secretary can control. But I would try to discuss with the health and sanitation minister increasing the number of fumigation sessions to two or three times a year, especially in the reading room.

I believe you are the president of the Federation of Ekiti State Students Union- UI (FESSU-UI) and also have some activities you are involved in at your church. How do you plan to manage the responsibilities of hall secretary alongside these other commitments?

Mr. Makanjuola: I am a person of discipline, and I can assure you that if elected, I will do my best.

That’s good. What is the motivation behind you running for this position?

Mr. Makanjuola: The motivation behind my aspiration is not something I developed just yesterday. It is something that has been there since 200 Level in Zik Hall. Although I could not contest then due to personal situations, but I am now ready to serve Alexander Brown Hall and my community at large. I also want to change the narrative about the fact that people think that the hall secretary’s duties are only directed towards the hall

Can you go ahead and share your experiences that make you fit for this role?

Mr. Makanjuola: I have had several experiences that make me fit for this role. In 100 Level, I was a member of the UIMSA secretariat; in 200 Level, I was the assistant general secretary of FESSU-UI for two tenures. I was also the regional director, monitoring and evaluation, Nigerian Medical Student Association- Southwest (NIMSA-SW). I was a participant in a research and proposal writing project in 2022. I was given an award for superior leadership by KECTIL. I have also been a delegate for NIMSA and FAMSA. Recently, I was made the president of FESSU-UI.

You have shared so many experiences outside ABH; can you share some of your contributions to the progress of ABH?

Mr. Makanjuola: I believe UIMSA is a core association within ABH, and I have been an active member of the UIMSA sports committee. During that period, I was put in charge of the UIMSA virtual chess league. I was also a member of the UIMSA finance and research committee. I do not hold any position in ABH as this is the first election I am participating in since I crossed over, but I am currently a member of the ABH sport committee, Academic committee, Maintenance and TV room committee.

Lastly, what are your remarks as regards the current hall secretary’s performance in carrying out his duties?

Mr. Makanjuola: the current hall secretary, Mr. Fort, has certainly tried in carrying out his duties to the best of his capabilities but as always there is always room for improvement. He told me about a particular project which was handed over to him by his predecessor, the ABH library project. The project aimed to stock the shelves of the reading room with hard copies of medical textbooks, which would be of immense benefit, especially during periods of blackouts. One major challenge towards achieving this is the unavailability of books. I plan to facilitate the completion of this project by donating books to the library and looking for how we can get more books. Also, he mentioned that the secretariat lacks some materials like computers, which are needed for the Hall secretary to perform his role efficiently.

Thank you for having this interview.