A MIDDLE MAN OR THE FUEL TO THE FIRE; AN INTERVIEW WITH HONOURABLE JOY OHIME BANKS

 

 

 

 

By Oluwadarasimi Otunla

 

Following the interview with the speaker on the 25th of November 2023, we, the press, have decided to bring you an interview with the honorable amidst this issue.

 

FATSSSA PRESS: Good afternoon. Can you please introduce yourself?

 

Honorable Joy: My name is Umakhihe Joy Ohime Banks.

I'm a member of FHR representing 200 Level Psychology Constituency

 

FATSSSA PRESS: Well, it is safe to say that you interviewed the social director following the sitting. With the tension still at its peak, could you please share why you conducted the interview or what might have led to this interview?

 

Honorable Joy: I run a channel on YouTube where we discuss trending issues and social, political, and economic issues on campus and beyond.

 

I felt it was a subject of interest to some people, and I wanted them to hear his side of the story

 

FATSSSA PRESS: You stated that you run a channel concerned with issues like that politics, social and economic problems, and you felt the issue that happened was a subject of interest to some people, so you approached the social director after the sitting had commenced and explained your intentions of having an interview with him?

 

Honorable Joy: No, I did not approach him that day. I reached out to him a few days later.

 

FATSSSA PRESS: During your interview with the social director, you stated that the following situation "was unfair." can you explain what you meant by that?

 

Honorable Joy: First, I said, 'In my opinion, I don't think it is fair.'

 

I'm a member of parliament, and I was not sent there to be neutral or to echo what everyone else is saying.

 

I stated clearly in the House that paying back the loan should not be the responsibility of one person since if he sold excess, he would not have been asked to pay back the money. During FATSSA Got Talent, I suppose there was a surplus; the money was returned to the FATSSSA account. For a position you are not getting paid for, now you have suffered a deficit; I also think the same logic should apply.

 

However, I stated that to recover the money, it should be deducted from further executive budgets, and they will have no option but to work hard to get sponsorship to cover up.

 

I said it was not fair in the House, and I moved a motion in that direction; the motion was lost during voting. Am I supposed to come out and say it's fair? To me, it remains unfair even though the decision is binding on the SD

 

FATSSSA PRESS: In the speaker's interview, she stated, "..And this person in question [The honorary member who interviewed the Social Director] was at that sitting…"

"...He was present when the resolution of the house was passed, and then, even at the sitting, he acknowledged that the loan ought to be returned to the association and even moved a motion regarding that….". Can you clarify such contradicting statements?

 

Honorable Joy: I was in the sitting, and I moved a motion for the money to be paid by subsequent deduction from the executive budget.

 

Anything else aside, this could have been a mix-up.

I did acknowledge the money ought to be returned, not in the way the motion that later won.

 

I wanted the money returned by subsequent deduction from the executive budget, while the winning motion wanted the money returned by the SD paying it himself.

 

I don't know if that is clarified now.

 

FATSSSA PRESS: From the interview with the speaker, she stated that the house had thought it to be a loan, and that was the motion raised, but Mr. Ashcroft and the other executives, like the FATSSSA president, have stated otherwise that they asked for the house to give them the money.

 

"...He asked the house to borrow him the sum of 200,000 naira to kick start the project. He ASKED that the house BORROWS him.."

"...Motions were raised for BORROW. He walked out of that sitting, knowing that a loan was granted to him. So, if he denies that loan, I don't know where that denial comes from…"

 

Since you were present at the sitting, the social director did account for all he spent as he said he would, but as it goes, he still needs to return the money to the house. What do you think about the "miscommunication" between these two parties? We would like to know what happened from your point of view.

 

Honorable Joy: In my opinion, the House thought he was getting a loan while he thought he was getting the money.

 

However, both parties agreed the money would be returned from sales of tickets for the events.

 

FATSSSA PRESS: Some beg to differ, and some say otherwise; even the speaker commented on it as you being a "private individual.” As a reputable representative of the FHR, what do you have to say to be referred to as a ‘private individual’ by your people?

 

Honorable Joy: As much as I'm a member of the FHR, I'm also an interviewer to some, a friend to some, and a boyfriend to some.

 

I'm Umakhihe Joy Ohime Banks, functioning in other capacities simultaneously.

 

When Madam Speaker referred to me as a 'private individual,' I'm sure she was talking about the interviewer part of me that runs a private channel.

 

FATSSSA PRESS: Does this mean you are to be recognized as different personalities depending on where you are?

 

As an honourable in and out of the house, other things people know you as?

 

But if this is the case, for example, should the president of the Faculty do something that the people are not happy with, maybe something of relatedness with this, should it be handled with the notion of him being a "private individual" or as the president, as he is also representing the people that you as an honorable is also representing?

 

Honorable Joy: As a Parliament member, I must be reputable outside.

 

What I said in Parliament is what I would say outside. They are statements made from my core values.

I cannot insult someone in my interview and then say that, at that time, I was not an Honourable.

 

However, how we dress, talk, and act in the House is different outside.

A police officer can be ordered by his superior in the barak, but that does not mean the same superior at home would order him.

So the Speaker must have used 'private individual' for me because, at that time, I was acting privately and not professionally as an Honourable.

 

FATSSSA PRESS: Do you think the FHR is taking less responsibility for everything and should do better, including the fact that they seem to make you take the fall for the whole incident, painting you as the black sheep of the House?

 

 

Honorable Joy: I think the FHR is doing a great job, and we have a lot of passionate people there in leadership and membership. What they are simply doing is protecting all that concerns FATSSSAites.

 

However, I don't have to agree with everything people representing their constituency say. My constituency sent me, and I should represent them.

 

I'm not a staff of the FHR. I'm a part of it.

 

Only the fact that I don't know where the idea comes from is that members of FHR should be saying the same thing all the time to show we are united.

 

Most decisions are arrived at by voting, and then the majority wins. It does not mean the minority must change their position. While the decision is binding, it is within my right to see it the way I saw it when I voted

 

FATSSSA PRESS: Do you believe that decisions made by the members of the FHR are based only on their opinions and moral values or on the benefit of its people?

 

Honorable Joy: There can be no perfect decision. Even God, at some point, regretted making man.

 

And decisions are a combination of opinions, moral values, and people-oriented.

 

FATSSSA PRESS: Do you have anything else to clarify from whatever was being said by the Social Director and the Speaker of the FHR? Considering you must have seen the speaker's interview?

 

Honorable Joy: I think they can clarify it themselves.

 

The speaker said I went outside the House to resolve. That must have been a mix-up. I stated my opinion outside the house like I stated it inside the house.

 

A resolution is made by majority votes in the House.

 

FATSSSA PRESS: Well, we are here to seek your clarification and not theirs.

 

Honorable Joy: I don't think I'm the best person to ask. They can best explain their statements and perspectives.

 

FATSSSA PRESS: Do you have anything else to FATSSSAites?

 

Honorable Joy: My message to them is that there is no organization without challenges or issues. We learned from the Scriptures that there was even a war in Heaven.

However, how we resolve these issues defines our maturity and readiness for progress and future challenges.

 

The Executives and FHR are working tirelessly to ensure accountability and transparency. In doing this, my principle is that we don't have to be at loggerheads. We must also be more humane and put ourselves in other people's shoes.

 

My approach to progress for the Association is that it should be all-inclusive, and we should address the core reasons why things happened instead of using the scapegoat approach.

 

FATSSSA PRESS: Thank you for having this interview with us.

 

Honourable Joy: Thanks