In this interview with UCJUI correspondents, held on Sunday, June 11, Samson Tobiloba Host, one of the Presidential aspirants, discusses his plans for the union.
Can we meet you?
I am Samuel Samson Tobiloba, a student of Dentistry and Dental Surgery. I am equally a project manager, social innovator and an aspirant for the position of President of our Great Union. The University of Ibadan Students’ Union.
Why do you think you are the best man to become the next landlord of Kunle Adepeju Building
Alright, thank you. I am not vying for the position of landlord of Kunle Adepeju Building, I am vying for the position of President of the Students’ Union and that, I can argue to some extent but let me just answer the question: Why do I think I’m the best man for the job? I feel I’m that candidate that can say okay, over subsequent administration(s) I have taken my time to work with various administrations. I have taken my time to learn from these administrations, from Akeju administration to the incumbent administration and of course, from the Management side too. I have worked at the Management side and I have seen things in and out. I have also observed some gaps which I feel that my experience would help the Union.
Outside the University, I have taken my time to try things out. I have built the needed network that I feel will be critical to building a stronger Union. My campaign is all about building a stronger union and I believe these skills are very critical today. So, when I look around, I feel I am that candidate that can do all of that.
If elected, what do you intend to do differently?
If elected or when elected I should say. I want to ensure that our union is stronger and if I say our union is stronger, first, I look at what will make the union stronger. One for me is the word “Unionism” in itself. Are we all together? How do we bring everybody together? And if we are bringing everybody together, it is about ensuring everybody has their interest protected and projected by the Union and that is the major thing for me as a candidate.
Tell us about the “Best Agenda”
The best agenda is an acronym that I came up with to describe what I believe should be the next face of our Union. For the last two sessions, subsequent administrations have been able to attain a certain level of stability but I believe we have to be able to move on from the managerial stage of Unionism. How do we move forward?
Let us start having value for membership of the union such that we are all able to optimize the student experience pre, during and after. And it is this optimization of experience that I believe would project people to say oh, even as an alumni of the university, I will be able to say I benefited this, this, this and this from the Union and I will be willing to give back to the Union. I think that is the major gap the Union currently lacks as compared to some Faculties. College of Medicine for example, you see that the Alumni body keeps coming back, giving back to those organizations. Even the renovation at the Alexandra Brown Hall has been done severally by the Alumni body. Why? Because they had fantastic experiences while on campus.
So, the people’s experience while in the system influences giving back to the system. Then two, aside from all of those value additions, I believe we have to build a union that is sustainable and when I say sustainable, we have a union that has a budget of over 15 to 20 million and what percentage of this money is coming from the Management at least from our dues? What percentage of this do we get from moving from one politician to the other. The union has resources that can be converted and ensure they have optimum output and the union will be able to generate resources and of-course provide services that will also help students and maybe provide employment for students too.
Many believe because you are a medical student, if elected you won’t be available infact, many people no longer call you Host, they say you are a “Ghost”. What do you think?
Alright, thank you very much. I think the first thing I will say is that I am not the first Medical student that will be contesting for the position of the President of the union. 2012/2013 we had a President of the union, Dr. Endosa and when you go to the union, in the president’s office, you will find a documented file of his administration pointing to his efficiency. You can find out from people how efficient he was as the union president.
So, taking me to what I personally think. One is since my crossing to the clinical side, I have held several positions and have I at any point flopped because I held that position? No.
Infact, when I served as the committee chairman of the students’ union, I know a number of students that resigned from the committee because they said they have more academic work and all. They said they prefer for them to go back and face their academics and all. But it is something I am passionate about, it is something I want to do except if we are saying the position of Students’ union President is something that you do at leisure time, that is when we project this type of thing. The position of the President of the union is a serious business, it is something that you must be willing to make the needed sacrifices. I have worked with at least two union presidents, I know the demands of the office. I know what is required and I am willing to make the sacrifices and at the small levels, I have held positions, I have not just held positions and I have performed.
I tell people that ABH to UI is around 20 to 25 minutes drive. Akeju as Students’ Union President stayed at Ajibode, where he stayed is around 20 to 30 minutes drive to UI. Mascot as Union President at some point stayed in Ajibode, can people point at instances when that affected their performance? This is just a narrative that some people are trying to push because they obviously have no other things to push.
Quick one, regarding your studentship, there are allegations that you do not have the academic qualification in terms of CGPA requirement to run for the Presidency?
I have served as the chairman of the Logistics Committee of the Students’ Union Electoral Commission. I know the requirements for running. Do you think that if I am not qualified to run, I will be stressing myself? There are claims that I have not passed my exam, I am a repeat student, I am a failure, I’m this and that. The interesting part of it is that whoever wrote that didn’t put his name. At least, if you have something that is that tangible, the best thing you will have done is put your name and say I said this, this, this, this and of-course, honestly it is not just about that, I have heard several other things been written.
Believe me, I feel like it is from a group of people, and I’m not known to respond to rumors. Like I said, I don’t like unnecessary attention. That is why I have not really taken time to respond to most of those things. But if I don’t have the requirement why would I be running at all?
How do you intend to work the thin line between the management and students’ demands, if elected as the Students’ Union President?
I feel like we assume a lot of things when it comes to management and student interaction. It is good for me to say the management is this, this, this. But me as a person, I will first look inward. Sincerely, there is no management that the union would be bringing value to the table that would say no we don’t want to hear about you. What values we are bringing to the table as a union is key. If we ensure that we are bringing values to the table. Then, the next thing is, as a person that is trained in conflict management, I know that one of the ways to go about things is through stakeholders mapping. We want to know one, two, three, four.
In the university system, we have a Vice-Chancellor, Chairman of the Governing Council… I will create relationships with them even when there are no problems such that when there are problems I can easily go to them.
Then, another important thing is the importance of early engagement. I cannot sit back if I hear that something is likely to happen. I cannot sit back and wait till it happens before I respond. For example, if I hear that there is likely going to be increment in fee, the best thing for me is to reach out to relevant quarters and ask I heard this, is it true? Because it is my responsibility to even inform students, but if I stay back and wait for things to happen I have almost lost the war already and that’s just you trying to reverse what has been done. But then if I’m proactive enough to have acted before things happen, I think that solves a lot of the challenges. We could do things differently when it comes to Student and management relationships.
On a scale of one to ten, can you rate the current Students’ Union administration?
I am one person who believes that when a teacher sets questions there should be a marking scheme. My marking scheme and rating would be based on at least the manifesto of some of the members of the current administration. Or do you want me to speak specifically on the current president, or the administration as a whole?
The administration.
It is a difficult thing to do. Of course, highs and lows are normal for life. Let’s say 6.5
Why?
That is because like I said, there are a lot of things. We have different things we have to consider. It is not just one person. There are times we have had things at the high, and there are times we’ve had things at the low. There are times we see the union do some things that are really encouraging and we feel so proud to be members of the union. And of course, there are times things happen and we feel like, oh! Those are the things I will factor in my assessment.
In this election, are you running as a resident of Nnamdi Azikiwe Hall or a resident of Alexander Brown Hall?
I am one of those people that is privileged to have two homes. I have my traditional home and my professional home. So, I’m running on the grounds of two homes: Nmandi Azikiwe Hall and Alexander Brown Hall.
Why do you think Uites should vote for you ahead of other candidates in the race?
UITES should vote for me because I am a candidate that is not just coming on a ground of promises. I am coming to say that I have done one, two, three, and now I am ready to do thirty. I’m coming to tell Uites that I have been the Chairman of the Bursary Committee before, we raised #850,000 within the space of five weeks and I’m looking at making the Bursary program of the students’ union bigger.
I am coming to say that I have been the Chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee of the Union and the Union’s Tenancy, and I feel like there should be a review of the way the union resources and assets are being managed. I have a record of not just holding positions but performance in those roles.
And that is what stands me out among other candidates. It is about the promises of the things that I want to do and of course, the institutional understanding is one thing that also sets me apart and the fact that I have built a network within and outside the University which I think is critical to us in repositioning our union as the father of intellectual Unionism that we are.
Any final words?
Yes, I strongly believe that elections have consequences and it is easy for me to say Host for UISU President because I am a Zikite, or someone for UISU President because he is a Katangite. But when it comes to the basic needs of life, when you have a challenge paying your due, your school fee, when you have a challenge finding accomodation, you are on your own and the best decision is who would be there for you, who has shown he would be there for you. That is my parting words for Uites. And I believe Uites are intellectuals, we always do our best to ensure the the best candidate emerges .
