Open Parlor Session with The Faculty President

Kingsley Chukwuma

 THIS INTERVIEW WAS DONE ON THE 13TH OF FEBRUARY 2022

FATSSSAPRESS: Good day sir, I am John Jolaoso representing FATSSSAPRESS and I will be interviewing you to let FATSSSA know more about you. I would continue by saying, Welcome to a new session and congratulations for the successful handover ceremony.

FATSSSAPRESS: What is your name in full, state of origin, and what inspired you as a person to Politics? Especially running for the Presidency of the Faculty.

PRESIDENT KINGSLEY: Good evening, John. It’s great doing this interview with you. My name is Kingsley Chukwuma. I come from Ebonyi state. Well, I got interested in campus politics when I was in 200L, and this basically spurred my interest in political leadership here in FATSSSA. Asides from the goal of serving people, I also have the goal of learning more, juggling leadership responsibilities.

FATSSSAPRESS: The session is in play and if I am right, resources are never enough we only make good use of what we have. What strategy asides the basic dues do you have to gather all you need?

PRESIDENT KINGSLEY: Yes, as you have rightly said, Basic dues are not the only funds needed to run an administration. In fact, every administration thrives in direct proportion to the level of funds available to it. As regards sponsorship, my team (The ACE Team) has been at work on this. Of course, this involves reaching out to brands and individuals. Right now, a sponsorship committee is being set up.The main goal of the sponsorship committee is to source for avenues of sponsorship, either in cash or materials.

FATSSSAPRESS: I just want to verify, I heard payment of dues is strictly online. How true is this and if true what are the arrangements on ground for those that may be unable to pay online?

PRESIDENT KINGSLEY: Firstly, payment of FATSSSA dues is via bank transfer. There are a number of reasons we do not want to collect cash payments, which I wouldn't want to mention here. However, we started collecting dues on Monday the 7th of February and have had to collect cash from some freshmen, remitting same to the bank. We just counted these cash payments as exceptions, and going forward from the coming week, payment will strictly be online.

FATSSSAPRESS: At the sitting of the FHR, the sum of the N2,500 was approved as Basic Dues for the session. Between then till now, how has been the compliance rate. How many FATSSSAites have paid the dues, and how many Freshers in particular?

PRESIDENT KINGSLEY: Yes, the amount of 2,500 was approved by the FHR as amount of Basic Dues to be paid. I wouldn't tell you the number of FATSSSAites who have paid, but the number has been impressive so far, from the freshmen in particular. We hope to see more payments come in coming weeks, especially as Faculty registration begins shortly.

FATSSSAPRESS: You are surrounded by other executives who were also elected. You didn't get to choose, so how do you plan to satisfy diverse clash of interest to make a good decision?

PRESIDENT KINGSLEY: Yes. Usually, it is easier to work well with those members of a team you personally chose, but when this is not the case, it is usually difficult. As we know, everyone has different experiences, which have further shaped their personality. We find diverse kinds of people in a team, and the Team I lead is not excluded. To accommodate the diverse clash of interests in my team, I've had to study, within the few months since FATSSSA election, the personality of every member of my team. This is to work better with each of them and as a team. Of course, there are clashes in every team from time to time, but the good thing is to always find the plain of consensus.

FATSSSAPRESS: Asides being the president, you are also a writer if i am correct, can you brief us on Your book "from ideation to execution"?

PRESIDENT KINGSLEY: Yes, I'm a writer. The book is simply about how one can move from having ideas to executing them. I've seen so many young people with beautiful ideas but ideas will remain simply ideas without execution. In the book, I also talked about how I'm growing the largest Fort for leaders in Africa.

FATSSSAPRESS: You wrapped your manifesto on "The Leverage Agenda" as presented at the Press Night in October 20, 2021. And by what you explained then, you were willing to make use of some of the achievements of your predecessor as a base for launching yours. Is that still true?

PRESIDENT KINGSLEY: Yes, it is still true and it has started already. The leverage I mean isn't just building on past achievements, but looking at past errors with the aim of correcting them. Now, its not just my immediate predecessor I'm leveraging, but other predecessors before me.

FATSSSAPRESS: At the sitting of the FHR on 15 December 2021, a Pressmen present asked a question about the net balance in the association's account at that moment. The (then) President replied there was less than N1000, and that generated a sizeable volume of concerned thought line here and there. We ask, how much was the opening balance on the association's purse when your administration legally took over?

PRESIDENT KINGSLEY: I wouldn't want to answer this, do permit me. The Press and everyone will get the concise details of the opening account and amount in the account at the end of this administration.

FATSSSAPRESS: What sort of getogether,/socializing programs should we expect this session? Will there be picnics, fun trips or parties, aside the end of Session dinner?

PRESIDENT KINGSLEY: Of course, there'd be all these you've mentioned actually. Wait for it.

FATSSSAPRESS: Let me go back a little, going by some of the contents on your manifesto, you promised a Data Analysis program for FATSSSAites which will be virtually anchored by a company from Vancouver Canada. When should FATSSSAites be expecting this?

PRESIDENT KINGSLEY: Yes, I did. Before resumption in January I had a meeting with the Company's Head in Canada and talked about the Training. However, I and the VP have this same plan, though hers is a research training with facilitators fully on ground.  We'd have to go with one, and FATSSSAites will know the one we've opted for in due time.

FATSSSAPRESS: Very good sir, it's important the manifesto presented is  achieved.

PRESIDENT KINGSLEY: That's the goal. FATSSSAites must also understand that every item on the manifesto of every executive member at the election time must be suited and synergized to fit the entire goals of the Team. What this means is that some plans will be adjusted, removed or achieved.

FATSSSAPRESS: What is the major legacy your own administration seek to achieve at the end of its term?

PRESIDENT KINGSLEY: ACE. ACE, our Team Name is acronym for ALTRUISM, COLLECTIVISM & EXCELLENCE. We want to make FATSSSAites feel felt. This was why the first thing we did upon assuming office is to send out a form to know what FATSSSAites truly want. The goal of that is so we tailor our administrative plans to suit the needs of the people we lead. Asides this, we want to make FATSSSAites feel loved, to provide self-less leadership and that what ALTRUISM is about. 

We want a collective FATSSSA, irrespective of departmental affiliations. This is also why we are working closely with departmental Heads and executives, as well as course representatives across all levels. We know a collective FATSSSA is difficult but not impossible and we promise to do our bit before our tenure is over. For us, this is COLLECTIVISM. 

Excellence is attractive. It makes others admire you and draws you closer to opportunities. As a Faculty and an Association, we are one that has always been envied. We are an excellent people and this administration plans to keep it that way. Excellence in sports, academics and even in our social life and thereabouts. For all things we do in this administration, we want to exude great excellence. And that's why EXCELLENCE is part of the Team's name. 

The goal is to ACE FATSSSA, this is the legacy we want to leave behind.

FATSSSAPRESS: Sir February 14th, do you have any plans? Or you can allow me come chill.

PRESIDENT KINGSLEY: Well, I'll be in school, working. If that counts, you can come so we work together.

FATSSSAPRESS: Before we end this sir, which club do you support?

PRESIDENT KINGSLEY: "Omo", I'm not a football person "o". But I'm a supporter of any winning club. It used to be Man U, but I think I support Liverpool now.

FATSSSAPRESS: It is no doubt you look fresh sir, , what food do you like the most, so that FATSSSAites may be fresh as well?

PRESIDENT KINGSLEY: I eat mostly rice o. But I think it isn't just food though, I take my  personal hygiene very important as well.

FATSSSAPRESS: With that being said, thank you so much sir for this opportunity. May FATSSSA be greater under your Administration.

PRESIDENT KINGSLEY: I'm honoured bro. Its been an amazing time, and amen!