Getting To Know The President NAPS, UI Chapter better.

INTERVIEW: BY Caleb Inioluwa Faniyan

Good afternoon sir, I'm a Psychlens press correspondent. Can I meet you? Kindly give a short autobiography if possible.

My name is Idoko Adoyi. I'm from Benue State and Idoma by tribe. I'm from and do reside in Benue State. I didn't exactly grow there though, I spent the major part of my secondary school days as a boarder in Port Harcourt. Talking about family, I'm from a family of six, five children and a parent....my mom's late. I'm a 300 level student of the psychology department and currently privileged to be serving as the president of the department's students association. In my leisure time, I like watching movies and reading, sometimes, especially within the school, I take walks.

Oh. I'm sorry about that. You are the current NAPS president, is that correct?

I'm not NAPS president per se, NAPS is a national body of which what we have here in UI is a chapter. I'm the president of NAPS UI.

Yes sir. That's what I mean. I'm sorry for the mix-up. How can you describe your tenure so far as the NAPS, UI chapter President?

It's okay. If I were to use one word to describe it, it would be FOUNDATION. Basically, what we've done in this administration is laying the foundations for what NAPS UI could become. But, as expected, foundations hardly contribute to the aesthetics of any building. So, except for those paying close attention, it seems much isn't being done.

Hmm. You talked about Foundation. I take it that your administration is not the first NAPS, UI administration. Is it?

Far from it, no.

So, could you please expatiate on what you mean by laying the foundations, sir?

Your use of the article 'the' here can be interpreted variously, so I'd rather you not use it.

What we're doing is laying foundations and not, laying the foundation.

Back to your questions. I guess you're a 100 level student, you didn't properly introduce yourself up to that. If you've been here for as long as I've been, you'd have seen that NAPS UI had a lot of issues ranging from the improper handover of administration, internal conflicts between the executives and the NPHR, poor relationship with the departmental authorities, etc. These problems are not things upon which we can build a robust association.

On our own part, in this present administration, most of these have been put to rest and for those yet to be, there are plans in place for them.

Also, you'd have noticed the call for constitutional review. What that means is that this administration ( consisting of the NPHR and the executives) is laying a foundation for a more robust NAPS UI.

Thanks for the clarification sir. Moving on, how have you been able to combine your academics with leading the whole students in the department of psychology in the premier university?

Honestly, it's been tough. No, it's been very tough. What I met when I came in as president was entirely different from anything I'd planned for. The most notable was the presence of COVID-19. It meant that we had to meet regularly to plan on what to do and just when we're about to execute, things change. So, in essence, I spend a lot of time on the NAPS UI business.As for studies, I do that early in the morning before I leave my house because when I come to school, more or less NAPS takes over from there.

Do you have any hobbies?

Yeah, definitely. I like watching movies when I can and for creatives, I write. Poems and short stories.

How do you spare time for these hobbies?

Before I became president, it seems like I had all the time in the world to write, but now I have to plan that into my day. As I write my to-do list for the day, I include it too.

So those short time I spend alone before a lecturer comes in or when a class is cancelled, I write.

That is good to hear. Moving on, Do you have any side hustle/ source If income?

No, not yet. Right now, they still give me fish.

Being a leader in the psychology department, a talented writer, and a fine young man. Are you in any romantic relationship?

No, not currently and I'm not searching too. There's someone that I really like and I'm close to, you know, we talk often and I think that's enough for now.

Hmmm, back to politics. Your tenure as the NAPS President ends this year. Is that correct? Do you intend to contest for any political position again or are you are all-academics now?

Yes, you're correct. My tenure as president ends this year. Seeing that I've gained this experience, I think it would be a waste to just go back and live in the library now.

I think it's time to step up a little. I intend to go to the SRC of the students union in this current cycle of UI elections and by next year, to go national and contest for the national president of NAPS.

Wow! I wish you the best of luck in your endeavors sir. Can you say a few words of advice for all psychology students?

Thank you. Maybe I should just share my personal philosophy with everyone. For all that I've done and wish to do, I have the guideline of ''it's not a question of whether I can or can not, it's just a matter of if I will or will not''. So it is true that psychology is quite demanding, at least academically, but we can still do whatever we so choose to do, along with it. It may be demanding, but we can.

Thank you very much for your time, sir. Once again, I wish you good luck in all your endeavors.

Thank you, Caleb. Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

And you too sir.