AN APOCALYPSE OF TEAM PARAGONS’ INNER CHAMBER (3): An Interview With The Former Vice President.

 

By Aanuoluwapo Akande

FATSSSA Press: Good evening Mr Toluwaleke I'm from FATSSSA press.  

[I have reached out to you] to [schedule] an interview with you in regards to your holding the position of VP last administration . 

 

Toluwaleke : Good evening. Let’s shoot! 

 

FATSSSA Press: How was working as the VP for you during the last administration? 

 

Toluwaleke: It was a good experience. I learned so much on the job. I was able to hone my communication skills in writing, public speaking, and active listening in the process of attending to one issue or the other each day.

I also learned how to prioritize tasks. First semester in 300 level was a lot for us Sociology students. We had to meet lots of deadlines in class and I also had to fulfill official assignments. I learned time management. 

 

FATSSSA Press: What about working with the other executives? 

[What] was your experience like working with them? 

 

Toluwaleke: I am a budding sociologist. In sociology, we learn Emotional Intelligence (SOC 208 and SOC 358). We understand that people see things from different perspectives. We know how one’s background, upbringing, and relationships can color their emotional response. We know how to deal with people.

My relationship with all executives is still tight till now. Whenever I saw anything wrong, I made the house know.

They corrected me on some issues too. There were frictions, which I think is inevitable when you have more than one person gather together to achieve a goal. I learned a lot from each of the executives. 

 

FATSSSA Press: Alright. From Olumi’s post on his WhatsApp status, he praised you for doing your job well. 

However, you are not always involved in planning activities that were not related to your office, what would you say about this? 

 

Toluwaleke: That’s not true. His status reads ‘he is cunning’. I understand him well and I agree with him. He just didn’t communicate it well with the right choice of words.

I presume what he meant to say was ‘he is wise’. I understand boundaries. I know when to come in and go out. Let’s start from the Faculty Picnic. I was in charge of serving drinks at the event. I served everybody in that gathering who took any liquid-like substance.

I can serve and do other jobs but you don’t expect me to interfere in how much money you want to spend or how much money you have spent as a social director. A day before that day was our Academic Writing and Scholarship workshop from the office of the Vice President.

A representative of the press was there. Which of the executives did he see there? I have advised the president on many matters that didn’t have to do with my office. I served food at the faculty dinner. Is it part of my office as EDC chairman?

Me, Bodé , Olumi, and Ashcroft with three executives from BAMSSA were together in the meeting that marked our alliance for the cultural night.

I suggested the theme for the cultural night in English before it was translated to ‘We gather dey’ in pidgin by Bodé Thomas. Like I said earlier, I understand where Olumi is coming from. I know how to pull out when I should. It takes wisdom. 

 

FATSSSA Press: Alright. In an interview with the treasurer, she claimed that there was disunity amongst the Executives and this disunity was in fact led by the president. 

Would you agree with her? 

 

Toluwaleke: Not exactly. The president is friends with the social director. They are brothers. They did things in common. Even in operations at the FHR level, the president answered more of the things that were directed to the social director. He supported the social director more. 

 

FATSSSA Press: Would you say he supported the General Secretary as well in carrying out her duty? 

To you, what was their relationship like working together as executives? 

 

Toluwaleke: The president supported Ashcroft more. 

 

FATSSSA Press: Alright. [We have come to the end of this interview] Thank you for your time.