Anjolaoluwa Odebiyi
They say the end of a thing is better than the beginning, and in truth, the wisdom of this saying is undeniable. However, before the end can be assumed and defined, the beginning must be in sight, and in the case of the administration of the Obafemi Awolowo Hall’s 2022/2023 Executive Council, their beginning is off to a commendable start.
The 2022/2023 executives started the new semester proactive and effective in their approach to their roles as leaders. Even before the commencement of this new session, the Executive Council could be seen moving through various Awo-curated WhatsApp groups, bringing students up to date with the happenings of the hall and, to the best of their ability, serving in their capacity. Although these executives are off to a good start, the session is only three weeks in; hence, one cannot fully conclude or predict the eventual outcome of their administration.
Indeed, Obafemi Awolowo Hall, as a hall, has its own fair share of problems that previous administrations have attempted, failed, or succeeded in correcting. However, there’s a long-standing issue that has existed in the hall for quite a while that is in need of immediate attention, and that is the absence of the Hall Representative Council.
THE IMPORTANCE OF A REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL
In most governmental structures in the world, there are three power structures that enable the smooth working of any political entity: the legislature, executive, and judiciary. These structures, when put together, ensure that people are seen, heard, and attended to. The concept of three arms of government goes to the root of any country; when one or all of the three become inefficient, the resultant effect is imbalance and, subsequently, chaos.
School governance serves as a mirror image of what persists in the outside world, both in terms of the good and the bad. Imagine a country, Nigeria in this instance, without the National Assembly (the legislative body); there would be an absence of law and order. With no law to adhere to, no one can be held accountable for what they do, and the popular saying ‘anything goes’ becomes the order of the day.
The students’ legislative body, also known as the Students Representative Council, is comprised of people elected by fellow students to act as advocates for the students’ body and to represent all of the students’ views on academic and experience-related issues to the school. This not only allows students to express themselves and act as a check on all other bodies, but it also provides the school with crucial feedback when planning for the future.
The HRC acts in the interest of the students and is expected to engage the management on the priorities of the students while remaining faithful to the cause of protecting their interests for improved welfare and a peaceful atmosphere on campus. However, without the formation of an HRC, none of these functions are carried out, and Awoites are left to the whims and caprices of any person having authority or power.
This writer is well aware that Obafemi Awolowo Hall currently has its members serving in the Student Representative Council of the Student Union and seeks to make it clear that members of the SU SRC don’t constitute members of the HRC of Awo Hall. Furthermore, the representatives for Awo Hall do not delegate on internal matters concerning Awo, such as the amendment of our constitution.
THE NEED FOR A COMPETENT HRC
A thorough read through Obafemi Awolowo Hall’s constitution immediately portrays why the Hall’s Representative Council should be immediately constituted. Overlooking the poor state of the constitution, which is a scanned copy of the frayed, worn-out hardcopy, the very first page of the constitution reveals its archaic nature.
The motto of the hall reads, Struggle and Progress. This motto would come as a shock to the present occupants of the hall because they are well acquainted with ‘strength and virtue’ as the hall’s motto. Although the motto embedded in Awo’s constitution may seem strange, in hindsight, it falls in line with the previous identity of the hall as a unisex postgraduate hall.
Section 9 provides, among other things, that the Hall Representative Council shall be part of the organs of the Hall. Section 11 follows by stating that the HRC “shall be composed of 18 members made up of representatives from each block,” and in Sections 16 and 23, the responsibilities of the HRC are outlined to include upholding and defending the constitution of the Hall and acting as a check on the executive council with regards to budget approval and the activities of the Hall.
Without a functioning HRC, these functions that ensure the transparency of any student body would not be carried out, and certainly the Executive Council, which is off to a good start, would have no one checking their activities in line with the constitution.
Equally, there’s no way the constitution can be amended without the HRC, and even though students may be given a voice and even heard, the absence of the HRC may eventually hinder the implementation of their needs.
This writer hence blows the clarion call for the Hall Representative Council, not one that would use the position as an avenue for tyranny, nepotism, and favoritism, but rather one that would champion the needs of the students, create laws that hold both the students and its leadership accountable, and live true to Awo’s motto: strength and virtue.
OBAFEMI AWOLOWO HALL PRESS 
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