ABH DECIDES 2025: An Interview with OKAFOR NDIDIAMAKA, Aspirant for ABH Finance Minister

Okafor Ndidiamaka, a 400-level MBBS student, finance enthusiast, and entrepreneur who is committed to making impact and driving excellence speaks to the Alexander Brown Hall Press on her intention to be the next ABH Finance Minister.

Good evening. Please can you introduce yourself.

Good evening. My name is Okafor Ndidiamaka. I am a 400-level student, and I’m running for the position of Alexander Brown Hall Finance Minister. It’s a pleasure to be here.

Thank you very much. I realized that from your shared fliers to your WhatsApp bio you seem to have a burning passion for finance. Could you tell us about it?

Okay. I’ve always had a thing for finance. I really enjoy finance; it’s really intriguing being able to explore the world of equities, balance sheets, being able to balance things, and monitor how money comes in, and knowing how you can help people financially as well. So yes, the world of finance has really been intriguing for me, and I really enjoy it. Plus, the aspect of being an entrepreneur, it’s  like packing everything in one folder.

Awesome! If you were to rate your financial knowledge on a scale of one to ten, what would it be?

If I were to rate it, I’ll give it a solid 6.5, because I’m still learning, and I’m always open towards that.

So, what inspired you to run for ABH Finance Minister?

I actually wanted to try out what it feels like to be able to lead, and work with the finances of a hostel. It’s one thing to be able to volunteer in organizations, see how they work, and it’s another to be able to work with a body of students. It’s really more than just a simple thing. Seeing how you can be able to balance your leadership skills and utilize some of the lessons and knowledge in finance, and seeing how these things can work.

Thank you. What qualities do you think are essential for a successful tenure as Finance Minister?

One quality I really exemplify is integrity. It’s part of my agenda, the FINE agenda. Finance being the Fore, Integrity, then Next-level Excellence. The first thing is integrity. Then we can speak about transparency, accountability, and a listening ear. These are the things that really qualify a successful tenure, because you can have integrity, be very transparent and accountable but without the listening ear of a leader, people are going to be talking and complaining without any commensurate feedback or change.

Have you served in the Hall Assembly or the finance committee, and how was your experience?

No, I have not served in ABH Assembly before, but I was a member of the Finance Committee. The experience was totally enlightening. It was different from what I expected.

Can you say you know how ABH finances are run?

I can say yes, a bit of it, but I know that with time, I’ll be able to dig deep.

The finance minister is in charge of the business ventures of ABH. You are familiar with these business ventures?

Yes, I can say I’m familiar with a few of them.

How do you see the office of the finance minister impacting ABH in the coming year, and what are your plans to get us there?

For one, the Alexander Brown Hall has always been known for standard and excellence, even before now; five years ago, six years ago, ten years ago, there’s always been this known standard that ABH has. The position of the finance minister plays a very important role in smooth running major actives within the hall. My role as an aspiring Finance Minister is to ensure that the standard is met and sustained.

The goal is to take it up a notch and ensure that activities are maintained for the interest of Brownites. What are my plans to get us there? I have very transformative and innovative plans. I plan to ensure that I explore all the possible opportunities that will build strong relationships with important stakeholders and members of the hall. I plan to ensure that the financial system of our beautiful hall progresses.

In a few points, my plans can be stated summarily as follows: ABH Finance Watch: Transparency and Accountability of funds, exploring of ABH Ventures and revenue generation, financial empowerment program, fundraising and ABH Finance Newsletter. All these would be talked about in-depth at the manifesto night.

What lessons have you learned so far that you think would be helpful to you in this role?

The first one would be the power of communication. I think one thing I learned from the incumbent Finance Minister is his ability to communicate with people both current Brownites and alumni. I feel he has this strong communication sense. Another thing is openness to new ideas, not sticking to the old ways all the time, or feeling your idea is the better one all the time.

If you haven’t had an experience already, imagine you had to form a partnership with a really difficult person that is beneficial and you can’t pass it up, how would you work around that?

First, I’ll try to understand this person because you are going to need to know their goals, what they’re looking for, and why this person is hesitant to partner with you. When you get to understand this, you’ll arrive at a common goal- a compromise. The goal is to meet halfway and not push this person further away. You achieve this with communication, partnership, and futuristic discussions- being open to ideas.

I have also learned that when someone is being very difficult, never fail to reach out for help. When you’ve tried every possible thing; speaking to them or writing letters, I’ll reach out to someone who can intercede on my behalf. There is nothing ever wrong with seeking help at points where you know you have tried your very best, and you just know it’s time for somebody more advanced or experienced to take over.

Based on your plans, barring the lack of an opposition, how confident are you about the forthcoming elections?

I’ll give it a solid A. I’m about 75-80% confident about the forthcoming elections.

Thank you very much for granting us this interview. We wish you the best at the polls.

Thank you. Thank you so much.