EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH PRESIDENTIAL ASPIRANT, TESA-UI: MICHAEL OPARA
In preparation for the preparation for the 2023 TESA General Elections, TESA Press took out time to meet and interview Okpara Michael, who is a forerunner for the much-coveted post of the TESA president. Here’s how it went:
TESA Press: Good afternoon, I am Favourite from TESA UI press. Can I meet you?
Opara: Good afternoon, my name is Michael Okpara, popularly known as MICHAEL STORM, 400 level, Industrial and Production Engineering department’s Class Representative.
TESA Press: You are one of the aspiring candidates for the position of TESA president. What actually inspired you to go for this position?
Opara: Yes, ever since I was in 100L, I’ve been involved in leadership. I like selfless leadership and I like making things and people around me feel better. There are some issues in our faculty that I have concerns with, issues that I think we can do better on. I have always been in communication with the previous TESA presidents Faduro when I was 100 level, Ire when I was in 200 level, Tegbe in 300 level, and Dafe now in 400 level. There are some ideas and concerns I have raised with them; there are some questions I have asked and I know that there are some plans I have that if we want to actually do something, doing it yourself might be a good way to do it and there are some plans that you have that if you are not the originator of the plans, other people might not take it with the same enthusiasm.
Right now in 400 level, I see a very good opportunity for me to make an impact. Like I’ve said before, I’ve not been involved in mainstream politics before now, but I believe that the position of TESA president will afford me the right platform to bring my ideas and the change I want to see on a grander scale.
TESA Press: Great! Yeah, you mentioned that you’ve been in touch with previous TESA Presidents, so what are the plans or observations you’ve noted in the faculty during this time and you wish to change in the faculty?
Opara: When I was in 100L, students had to contribute money to buy petrol to fuel the generator in Technology Large Theatre for our classes. It came as a contrast to me because at CBN, we had classes but we did not contribute money or buy petrol or anything like that. But in TLT, we had to do that. There was also no projector or sound system for a class of over 300 people, so only those seated at the front would be able to hear a lecturer teaching.
I had such concerns as to why there are no other solutions than students’ contributions. Even now, it is more of an issue considering the fact the price of fuel is now on the high side. If we have challenges like that in the faculty, we should be looking for solutions and I can tell Techites that I have found a lasting solution to that problem.
TESA Press: OK. Have you ever held any leadership positions before, especially in the faculty?
Opara: In my department, just to mention a few, I have been chairman of the Freshers committee and I am the lead for the IESA Alumni and External Relations. In Mellanby Hall, I have been the Health and Security representative of my constituency. I have been the logistics head for the Hall Week planning committee and currently, I just finished my tenure as the Secretary of the UI-SU Bursary committee. Other team members and I organized the first UI-VC Marathon that happened last year, which I also hosted.
TESA Press: Ok. You must have been following the current administration, so how do you rate them over 10?
Opara: I believe that this current administration has started on a good note, considering the fact that they’ve been met with a hike in school fees at commencement of their tenure. So, I believe they have done really well to respond to those issues, but you know there is always room for improvement. Techloween was very good and also the Freshers' Welcome. I think they are doing very well. I don’t think that there can be a specific number rating to be placed on leadership positions because there is still a part of what is going on in the administration that is not open to the public. But from what I’ve seen, they are doing well. It is not really about quantitative measurement but more about quality.
TESA Press: So far from what you’ve seen during this tenure of administration, do you think there is any improvement? Have they handled current situations (hike in school fees, introduction of laboratory fees, etc) well or they could have handled it better?
Opara: That’s a good question. You know everyone has a different approach to leadership and solving issues. I cannot specifically say that the way they handled the issue would be the way that I would also have handled the issue. But I believe that they have done pretty well.
TESA Press: Thank you. What are the things you have noticed in this current administration that you would like to bring a positive change?
Opara: OK. At the beginning of the session, there has been calls for volunteers to join the various committees like the Publicity Team, or any committee at the UI-SU level. I think it is open to all UItes. If I am elected as TESA president, I would encourage all members of the executive council to create committees for their offices that can assist them in carrying out some of their tasks. In selecting, there would also be Techites that are willing to serve and contribute so that they can feel like a part of the faculty. It will end the situation that the same people would appear in multiple committees and so on. This is why some people can stack up achievements.
There are over 1500 Techites and if volunteering is open to Techites, any Techite can easily show interest, fill the forms and maybe after one or two questions, the person is allowed to join the committee and contribute to TESA. I feel like it will further strengthen our bond as Techites and it will make Techites feel more involved in the whole process.
TESA Press: Yes, thank you. I heard that you were once a pressman. Is that true?
Opara: Yes, it is.
TESA Press: OK, from when and did you get inducted to Union Of Campus Journalists (UCJ)?
Opara: I’ve been in Industrial Engineering Press Organization since 100 level and I resigned at the beginning of this session. I was not inducted to UCJ.
TESA Press: So, my last question. What should Techites expect from you if you are elected?
Opara: Thank you very much. One thing Techites should expect is a firm leadership system, a leadership system that they can be proud of, a leadership system that knows what they want, that is, the actual things they are facing. A leadership system that includes and involves all departments because most people say they will carry all departments along, but that is not what we have been seeing. So, they can expect that Techites across all departments are involved in the faculty leadership and in the events that will be planned as a result of my committee and volunteering policy.
They should expect that they can have somebody they can trust to represent their interest across all levels in the university. TESA does not need another politician, TESA needs a leader and Techites can expect that they can have a very good leader in Michael Storm.
TESA Press: Thank you for your time, Michael Okpara.
Opara: Thank you for this privilege.
By: Adewoyin Favourite and Awozele Rachael
