If elected, I will do everything differently — Olaniyi Esther Ayanfeoluwa, AFAS Presidential Aspirant

Tijani Abdulkabeer

In this interview with Tijani Abdulkabeer, AFAS PRESS Deputy Editor-In-Chief, one of the Association of Faculty of Arts Students (AFAS)’ presidential aspirants, Olaniyi Ayanfeoluwa Esther (Ayanfe), spoke about her plans for AFASITES.

AFAS PRESS: Could you introduce yourself, please?

AYANFE: I’m Olaniyi Esther Oluwatoyosi popularly known as Ayanfeoluwa. I’m a 300-level student of the Linguistics and African Languages Department, Faculty of Arts. I’m a writer and a tech virtual assistant. I’m into tech, writing, and social media management services. I’m a passion-driven individual and I aim to prove ease and productivity in all I do.

AFAS PRESS: Why do you think you’re the best person to become the next custodian of the AFAS Secretariat?

AYANFE: Thanks for the question, however, I don’t just think because thinking is still a probability. I ‘know’ for certain and I’m sure I’m the best person to become the next custodian of the AFAS secretariat because I seek to illuminate AFAS, that’s by pioneering events that resonate and create a vibrant and holistic community that supersedes the normal, and builds us in and beyond the academia.

AFAS PRESS: Since you declared your interest in the top seat in AFAS, there have been side talks that you don’t have the required experience to steer the affairs of the faculty. This, as many Afasites say, is because you have not held any position at the faculty level before. What do you have to say about this?

AYANFE: I’ve heard those side-talks as well and one thing I say is that those that have the experience and capacity, what legacy have they made? And what innovation have they created that has had a lasting impact? I might have not served at the faculty level, yet I’m confident in my abilities as a leader, given other positions within and beyond the academia I’ve been privileged to serve in. With my little knowledge gathered over the past few years on student serving, I’ve come to know that as much as experience is required, what you do with that experience is what matters. I’ll say experience without innovation or relevance is invalid.

However, I don’t dispute the fact that experience is a prerequisite, but you can actually glean from afar and learn from the deeds of others. I don’t have to fall into a pit to know how it feels, after seeing someone fall into it and come out with pain, I won’t say because I want to experience it, I should fall into it as well. You can have the experience by learning from others and seeing how you can work on yourself to become better and avoid what they fell for.

AFAS PRESS: If you’re elected, what are you going to do differently?

AYANFE: If elected as AFAS President, I’ll do everything differently because I believe in the saying, “you can’t expect to keep doing the same thing and expect a different result”. When I mean doing everything differently, it boils down to my vision for AFAS, and that is to illuminate AFAS by pioneering events and activities that resonate and create a vibrant and holistic community that supersedes the normal and builds us in and beyond academia.

If elected as AFAS president, I’ll pioneer activities and events that might have never been fully emphasized in the history of AFAS administration, and that entails building the student community to get equipped with necessary life hacks that will help them sustain in the world outside the academia. While maintaining great standards in academics, social life, sporting activities, extra-curricular activities, and several other aspects, my vision is to see that every AFASITE, thrives and is geared to maximize their full potential in all areas.

AFAS PRESS: As the female aspirant in the race, what message are you passing with your candidacy in the coming election?

AYANFE: As the female aspirant in this race, well, the message I’m passing across is that once you can dream it, you can achieve it! No matter how impossible something looks, as long as you can dream and dare it, you can achieve it. A dream is an illusion of what you desire, and it takes persistence, dedication, focus, and strong belief in yourself to make it a reality.

One important message I want people to get is, nothing is impossible, only if you don’t want to do it. Desire is a driving force to actualization, if you desire it, you can achieve it. This is to both males and females, I believe in equal representation irrespective of gender.

AFAS PRESS: AFAS is a student body with a lot of drama. What specific things are you going to do to ensure that the association makes the news for the right reasons always if elected?

AYANFE: First and foremost, change is in stages, no one becomes a different person overnight. Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day. And for the faculty to change from what it is today to what it’s meant to be as the premier faculty, it takes a lot of deliberate effort which will run over time. If elected as president, what I will do first and foremost, is to observe and identify the source of the contention. A problem that’s not identified can never be resolved. Identifying the problem is the biggest ticket to resolving the issues. And another thing is how you relay your intentions to the body matters. Misunderstanding and misinterpretation are largely one of the issues we’re facing, and if elected as president, I’ll ensure that’s properly worked on.

Most importantly, open-mindedness and inclusivity, I would say AFAS is in this state because a large percentage of persons feel they’re not being carried along. No one likes to be considered irrelevant or left out. So having an all-inclusive administration is a sure way to set things right. You might not take in what some people bring to the table but you don’t have to show it or make them feel low or unappreciated, a little spark of this can cause a lot of volcanic eruptions.

Finally, a leader must be a reflection of what he wants to see in others. Life can be assimilative, once those you’re leading can see you’re properly representing the faculty, home and abroad, subconsciously, you rob off that on the people you lead and it becomes a style. That is to say, if I want to see the Faculty of Arts at its peak, it begins with me.

AFAS PRESS: On a scale of 1—10, rate the current administration.

AYANFE: To give a scale, that would be dependent on the achievement of the administration across all areas. And frankly speaking, I understand what it takes to be a leader and the enormous amount of tasks that fall on your shoulders, so with that, I can’t rule out the fact that the current administration has tried in its best capacity.

However, things can always be done better, no matter how beautiful an administration is, there would still be something to work on. I’ll give it a 5/10.

AFAS PRESS: Any final words?

AYANFE: I’ll end on this note. My decision to serve as AFAS president is because I’ve seen a vacuum that needs to be filled and my desire is to leave a lasting legacy that will thrive even in administrations to come.

Dear Afasites, don’t just vote because of familiarity, desire to know the content and validity of every contestant. Vote for a leader whom you know will be responsible for their actions in the long run, and one you’ll be proud of, come rain, come shine.

This report is the first in a series of interviews for top aspirants in the AFAS forthcoming elections.