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Interview: "No Balance, Just Priorities" — Haleemat Okunade Reflects on Academics, Service, and Leadership

In this exclusive interview, Haleemat Okunade, a recent graduate of Educational Management and Geography and former Assistant Social and Welfare Secretary of the Muslim Students' Society of Nigeria, University of Ibadan (MSSNUI), shares insights into her academic journey, her involvement in various organisations, and the valuable experiences she gained along the way.

What drew you to study Educational Management/Geography? Was it a passion that developed over time, or did you discover it during your academic journey?

Well, actually, my dad chose the course, and UI gave me Geography as my teaching subject. I later developed a passion in 100 level after we had a session with one of the lecturers in my department.

What aspects of Educational Management/Geography fascinated you the most?

Everything. The more courses I take, the more I love it because each course basically talks about an aspect in an organization. I also love the fact that we were taught everything regarding management.

Walk us through some of the organisations you've been involved with and the volunteering experiences you've had?

I served as the Financial Head of OWC 1444/1445AH, Assistant Banker at Al Huda Bank 1444/1445AH, and finally, as the Assistant Social and Welfare Secretary at MSSNUI 1445/1446 AH. Aside from MSSNUI, I’m also an ambassador of Asido Campus Network UI. I took on various roles such as: Team Lead for Ushering Committee, Matters that Matter 1.0, Team Lead for Blue Bake Sale 3.0, Team Lead for Matters that Matter 2.0, and Committee Member for Paint and Sip 1.0. I didn’t really engage in my department’s activities as I only served as a stakeholder in my 300 level.

What sparked your interest in joining these organisations?

Well, MSSNUI doesn’t actually need a process to become a member; the moment you’re a Muslim student of UI, you’re automatically under MSSNUI. Attending the programs wasn’t actually difficult (A fresher will always be curious to know what’s happening), and my friends also attended. I have a friend who literally threatened to beat me if I missed Spiritual Night and Da'wah Enlightenment. For Asido, the first time I heard about it was when Dr. Abdulmalik (the founder) came as a lecturer for Da'wah Enlightenment. Towards the end of the session, a friend advised me to participate in school activities and also mentioned Asido. So, I decided to join the organization, especially since I didn’t feel like joining L&D.

Share your experiences and lessons learned from participating in events like Matters that Matter 1.0, Blue Bake Sale 3.0, and Paint and Sip 1.0

For Matters that Matter 1.0, it was the first event I fully participated in, so it was new to me. I could only relate to a few people. By the time we organized BBS 3.0, I was already familiar with more people, but planning the event was a lot. I had to work with more people, and more people meant I had to relate to them (which I don’t really like). MTM 2.0 and Paint and Sip were the least tasking, so they were cool. If there’s any lesson I’ve learned, it’s to always identify people who are capable and willing to work, because they’ll be the ones to help when others don’t turn up.

Briefly walk us through your different roles in MSSNUI and how they have shaped you into the person you are today.

The first program I volunteered for was OWC in my 200 level. My friend was the assistant secretary, so she literally dragged me to help throughout the program. After that, I was appointed as Financial Head of OWC 1444AH (in 300 level). That was the real work—it was so tasking and demanding, with days of frustration and unnecessary shouting. After the program, I thought I was free, only to be appointed as the assistant banker of Al Huda Bank. It wasn’t really tasking because the banker was experienced, so I didn’t do much, and just towards the end of the session, I saw my name on the Shuurah list. I was literally panicking because I really wanted my final year to myself. Serving as the Assistant Social and Welfare Secretary had to be what changed my perspective about some things. I had to change from being a shy person to being outspoken because there were a lot of things that needed to be done in a short period of time. I had to try to schedule my time, work on tasks with fellow executives, meet with various sisters, and so on. In all, MSSNUI is that community that has played a role in my life.

What were some of the most significant challenges you faced as an executive member of MSSNUI, and how did you overcome them?

I think the most significant one was at the beginning of the administration when everything was overwhelming. At first, I ran away and avoided every single person for days. But I later realised that ghosting wasn’t going to do any good, so I messaged my predecessor, met up with a few excos, and we had a long chat. Everything was settled after that.

How did you balance your academic responsibilities with your various extracurricular activities and leadership roles?

Balance? There’s no balance. In short, serving as an executive, you can’t predict how your day will be. I always had my mind made up for any emergency outing. So, it wasn’t about balance; it was about prioritising. I always had to remind myself about my grades, so if there was any point where the extracurricular part started to overtake the studentship part, I just slowed down a bit.

What time management strategies or habits did you develop to ensure you met your commitments and deadlines?

Deadline mode. Just kidding. I really don’t have a fixed way of doing things. Most times, when the week is going to be busy, I try to complete any tasks before then, and other times, when I want to be lazy, I wait until the deadline to activate my deadline mode.

Looking back on your time with MSSNUI, are there any moments or decisions that you regret or wish you had handled differently?

I don’t have regrets, though sometimes I reflect on some issues and wish I had handled them differently.

How do you think your experiences with MSSNUI and your academic background will shape your future plans and goals?

MSSNUI is literally a training ground. I learnt different things while serving in different committees, under different leaders. Reflecting on each person’s leadership style and the different thoughts from people has definitely impacted me. I’ve been using those tips and don’t plan on forgetting any.

What advice would you give to your juniors who aspire to achieve similar feats and take on various leadership roles?

MSSNUI is not like any other student organisation. In MSSNUI, once you’re chosen, you literally have to do the work like your life depends on it. In reality, it’s not just your life; the lives of all Muslim students in UI depend on the tasks you’re doing for the society. However, when you hand everything to Allah, He’s definitely going to ease it. You don’t have to be a principal officer to volunteer and help out. Always be involved. Attend the society’s programmes, meet people, and be free with everybody. If, by Allah, you’re chosen to serve in any position under MSSN UI, please fear Allah in everything you do.

Now that you've graduated, what are your future plans?

Future plans? Go for NYSC, get a job, get married, and have amazing children. These are plans, but for now, it’s a step at a time. I’m still recovering from UI stress. After that, I can pick any of these plans.

It was nice speaking to you. Jaza'kumullahu Khayran.