On the Present State of the Faculty of Arts Male Toilet

Oluwadamilola Azeez

For some time now since the resumption from the ASUU strike break, the state of the Faculty of Arts males’ toilet has been a source of air pollution due to the unpleasant smell that comes from the toilet. It is so terrible that being in the lecture rooms around the toilet means having to hold one’s breath or pinch one’s nose together. Anyone who decides to relax in the Nescafe garden which is opposite the toilet bears the most brunt.

As the male students of the Faculty of Arts go in to use the toilet, so are the faculty cleaners often being seen going in and outside the toilet too, presumably, cleaning the toilet and maintaining its general hygiene. As the situation of the unpleasant odor is beginning to get out of hand, there are many questions about the state of the toilet and what the possible causes are.

Speaking to AFAS Press, Dapo, a student in the Faculty of Arts expresses his displeasure and dissatisfaction with the present state of the toilet, talking about one of the reasons why the toilet has been smelling bad.

“The toilet hardly has a water supply,” he laments. “One of the objectives of good toilet condition is to minimize the spread of bacteria. Washing of hands ensures this. The availability of water also helps reduce odor in the toilet. I think this issue should be addressed so the toilet can be usable and be in better condition.”

Femi, another student, explains that the last time he frequented the toilet was when it was in a good state. “Now, to urinate there alone, you will almost get choked with the disgusting smell emitting from the inside. You will discover the smell is now getting to the outside, in fact, far-reaching to the Nescafé stands.”

Many other male students also expressed dissatisfaction about how bad the toilet smells, regardless of whether it is in a good condition or not.

The female students, who are not users of the toilet but have suffered bad odors from the toilet, also spoke with AFAS Press.

“A few weeks ago, I had my fair share of the experience too. I was sitting in the Nescafe trying to wait for a class. Three other girls joined me at the table and we all got down to our business, trying to flip through our notes. But a few minutes later, we could no longer sit there because of the smell from the male toilet. At first, we tried to cover our noses with handkerchiefs, but this did not help. We had to leave the garden,” recounted Damilola, a female student of the Faculty of Arts.

The male toilet of the Faculty of Arts has been in this state since resumption. From the complaints of students, it is obvious that the major problem is the lack of water to ensure proper flushing after use. Before the strike, there was a constant water supply in the toilet but this is not the case anymore, as the eight months not only had an impact on the lectures and students but also on infrastructures.