Saturday mornings which were previously famous for 5-a-side football matches and volleyball games have now become a moment of calm reflection and meditation. However, the morning of 18th September witnessed the gentle atmosphere of the COVID-compliant ABH community transform into a beehive of activities. A clean exercise was successfully carried out in conjunction with JCI, Ibadan to commemorate the World Clean Up Day 2021
After a long wait of 25 months which was accented by a global COVID-19 emergency, ASUU strikes -both warning and comprehensive, and the commencement of two new big brother editions, the water tanks of Alexander Brown Hall were giving another chance of salvation. Numerous complaints about the quality of water following out of the bellies of taps in Block A first became a morning cry before a well-orchestrated response arrived on Saturday before noon.
The tank washing exercise is one ABH ritual that has managed to live through generations of residents who call ABH home. This particular tank washing exercise has been debated in corners to be long overdue and this was a recurring theme when questions were fielded to the health minister, Mr Thompson Ebiaku as the current administration marked “Day 150” since assuming office.
The exercise started at 8.30 am immediately after the cleanup exercise. It was carried out by the Hall executives, ABH female affairs ministry, ABH Health ministry in partnership with Red Cross Society, Rotaract club and JCI, Ibadan as well as some well-meaning Brownites. Rotaract club invited her members from University of Ibadan, School of Nursing (SON) and School of Health Information and Management (SHIM) hence plenty hands were on deck for the exercise.
Participants were evenly distributed across every block in ABH including the cafeteria with each team being headed by a member of the health ministry committee. Tanks were washed in every block except G block as the tanks there are currently not in use.
The Program was generously sponsored by the management of the food canteens operating within the hall- Fanawole and Prestige and refreshments were available. Music could be heard blaring from the public address system while a photographer was present to take pictures and videos of the volunteers during the exercise. Some of the participants were seen using this opportunity to place their entry for the #bloodysamaritanchallenge.
According to Mr Ebiaku Thompson “This is the most interesting activity we have had so far in this administration, though the refreshments might have been a source of motivation”
The activity was marked with a large turnout of people and it ended by 11 am.
