“PEOPLE DO NOT KNOW A LOT OF THINGS BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT INFORMED.” - AN INTERVIEW WITH THE QUEEN ELIZABETH II HALL HEALTH MINISTER

On November 8, 2022, QEHP interviewed the Queens Hall Health Minister, Deborah Mafolayomi Durojaye on her experiences since assuming office, her challenges, progress, and the impact she intends to leave as an office holder.

QEHP: Good evening, can you please introduce yourself?

Deborah: My name is Deborah Mafolayomi Durojaye, a 400-level student of the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ibadan. I am also Queen Elizabeth II Hall’s health minister.

QEHP: What are your plans for the state of the blocks this session?

Deborah: Major renovations are not going on in the University for now even though the hostel has made all requests known to the school management. In the meantime, we are working with the cleaners to get the best from them and regularly educating Queens Hall ladies on proper personal hygiene. That cuts it for now.

QEHP: How were the events you organized and what other ones do you plan to organize?

Deborah: The health committee recently partnered with “Project Better Life” (an NGO sponsored by millennium fellowship) on a breast cancer awareness walk to the women of Bodija market and it was enlightening and fun. We had about 16 volunteers from Queens Hall, and it was good. The main objective of the health committee for this tenure is Health Education and there are several articles in the works that we’ll be publishing soon.

QEHP: What is your relationship with other executives? 

Deborah: Good. Some of them are not people I knew before assuming office. There has been a lot of learning to do but I must say, they are great women.

QEHP: What are the challenges you are facing as the health minister?

Deborah: Now, most of these challenges are personal because I have been trying to balance schoolwork and my work as the health minister. I am sure God’s ability in me to will and to do, I’ll be fine.

QEHP: What do you intend to do to maintain cleanliness in the hall?

Deborah: I think something I have been doing and to quite some extent I have been seeing results is supervising the cleaners and ensuring that they observe their duties diligently. This is a major step to maintain cleanliness in the hall. Also, I always say that people don’t know a lot of things because they are not informed. Alongside my health committee members, we plan to do a lot of Health Education to enlighten the ladies of Queens Hall on the hazards and risks associated with bad hygiene, some of which we have started already.

QEHP: Are there any special plans to monitor the personal health welfare of the special case students in A block? 

Deborah: Yes. But I would rather not disclose that here.

QEHP: Any parting words?

Deborah: I acknowledge this great honour to be interviewed by the Queens Hall Press. You all are doing an amazing job and you should keep up your good work. Thank you and God bless you.