Initiatives everywhere, Results pending: A journey of unfinished innovations

In a bid to assess the performance of a current executive of the Nigerian Sociological and Anthropological Students’ Association (NSASA), a representative of the press team sat down with Adesewa Ikumoluyi, the Vice President of the association and also a 400lvl student (finalist), for a reflective interview of her journey in office. The discussion touched on her achievements, challenges, and future aspirations for NSASA.

A Rewarding but Challenging Journey

When asked how her time as Vice President has been, Adesewa described the experience as both challenging and fulfilling.

> “My time as the VP has been quite great, although very tasking which I love because life itself is full of challenges,” she said with a smile. “However, I understand it’s all for a cause, the need to serve my fellow NSASAITES. It’s been great doing that!”

The Mentorship Program: A Success Story

One of the major highlights of the VP manifesto was the Mentorship Program, designed to guide freshmen through their academic journey. When asked she said

> “The program was successful,” she noted. “Students who signed up were paired with senior colleagues who served as mentors. This structure provided a clear path for guidance, especially for first-year students who often find it difficult navigating the university system.” She also noted that not everything came easy because when the form was pushed out a lot of people didn't apply, especially the freshmen whom it was meant to serve a much greater purpose as the usefulness of being part of the program was explained to the freshmen.

‘When we first pushed out the form, many students didn’t apply, especially the freshmen, who didn’t fully understand its purpose. My team and I had to keep sharing it across groups and explaining its importance.’

When asked how the program could be improved for the next administration, she suggested,

“Making it compulsory for first-year students would go a long way. That stage is characterized by a lot of confusion, so it’s the perfect time for mentorship

Academic Support and Tutorials

Discussing the tutorials and provision of learning materials, Adesewa praised her team’s commitment. As she said:

“It was a collaborative effort between the NSASA Academic Committee and myself, in partnership with other VPs in the faculty. We held tutorials bi-weekly to cover all courses. Towards exams, we organized a ‘crash course’ tutorial for 100–300 level students to aid revision.”

She added that her team members were each assigned specific courses to source relevant materials, past questions, and key study resources.

“This teamwork and proper planning made it easier for us to meet students’ academic needs,” she said.

Her efforts didn't go unnoticed by students as an 100lvl student said: “she tried as much as she could to reach out to students especially freshmen and organized tutorials” he also added that she thought she was in charge of even the faculty organized tutorials for the last semester.

On the question of inclusion and participation, she explained that her Edu-Hub initiative was designed to ensure that every student could learn in their preferred style.

“The Edu-Hub was created to provide a shared academic space where everyone could learn in a way that suited them,” she explained. “For the freshmen, we grouped them into tens for better engagement, while for the higher levels, we focused on tutorials, materials, and exam crash courses.”

When asked if she would improve anything about it, she replied,

“If I had another term, I’d expand it beyond first-year students and collaborate more closely with the department to ensure its sustainability beyond our administration.”

The Opportunity Hub Initiative

Another innovative project from her manifesto was the Opportunity Hub, a platform designed to connect students with internships, scholarships, and career development resources.

“I’m really excited about this initiative,” she said. “The sessions are already live. The Opportunity Hub was created to keep NSASAITES informed, prepared, and connected to professional and internship opportunities. We’ve shared updates on scholarships, CV writing, LinkedIn setup, and career guidance.”

She added that the team is currently in the “How to Write a CV” stage, which will soon launch into internship application training.

Another NSASAite also attested that she is holding sessions on job opportunities in sociology and is currently on the phase of how to prepare a CV and résumé.

On the Exam Refuel Package which was the most empathetic idea

The Exam Refuel Package, another of her ideas, was not fully implemented last semester due to time constraints. As she said,“The previous semester moved by quickly, and as a new administration, I was still adjusting to the operations of departmental activities,” she explained. “However, it served as a learning experience. Now, I’m better positioned to roll it out more effectively, ensuring students get both academic and welfare support during exams.”

Students, when asked what they thought of the this initiative, however expressed optimism about this initiative as a student who attended the manifesto night said “she was aware about it but the semester which the initiative would take place was not mentioned,she also mentioned having sponsors ready for the initiative”. A 400lvl student also said it was something realistic as it would relive student who struggle with feeding during exam period. This feedback reflects the recognition and impactfulness.

As the session came to an end, when asked what she would change if given another chance to serve, Adesewa paused thoughtfully before saying,

“Hmm… This is quite tricky. Serving NSASAITES has been greatly fun, and it has given me the opportunity to understand leadership.”

With that, she thanked the Press team for the opportunity to reflect on her journey and reaffirmed her commitment to the growth and welfare of the association.

Final Thoughts

The conversation with Adesewa Ikumoluyi offered more than an assessment, it was a glimpse into the dedication, creativity, and resilience that define student leadership within NSASA. From academic mentorship to professional development initiatives,she definitely and clearly wants to leave a mark on the department's culture and growth during her tenure as the VP of the prestigious department.