Oluwagbenga Kolawole
“Oloriburuku lawon Omo yen o!”
“Ko de ni daa fun omo to n yagbe oran sile nbeyen o!”
Anyone who has been an occupant of Zik Hall for at least the past two sessions will be familiar with these curses and the particular contexts in which the hall cleaners let them fly. It often happens very early in the morning, and in some cases, Mondays. Imagine being hit with or listening to the curses of an Ibadan woman on a Monday morning. But as the saying goes, nothing happens without cause. The whole stream of early morning screams and curses stems from the inhumane way Zikites and some unidentified individuals use Zik Hall toilets.
This issue is one that has been a persistent cause of concern on several different levels. And the reason for these outbursts is no other than the issue of the deplorable conditions of Zik hall toilets and the overly repulsive manner in which Zikites use them. It is so deplorable that no matter how accustomed one gets to it or even tries to ignore it, there's always a new disturbing and disgusting twist. At least this is the opinion of Nifemi, a three-hundred-level student of the faculty of education. For Taiwo, another 300-level Zikite, “The cleaners can’t be blamed at all for their outbursts, since they're the ones who still have to clean it. They have no choice. But in a university setting such as ours, it's appalling to hear that grown-up humans will mess up a toilet in that manner for their fellow humans to clean it up.”
Tales of Gross Misuse
Smelly. Stinky. Foetid. Repulsive. Putrid. All these and many more are among the choice words people often use in describing the state of Zik Hall restrooms. It can't even be called a restroom in any sense of the word because nothing is at ease in there. In fact, many other people, most of whom are Zikites themselves, often get creative in describing the filth there. The issue of poor toilet usage in the Baluba kingdom is one that is critically acclaimed; it has even been the butt of punchlines during Jawwar.
Michael, a 400 level Zikite is of the opinion that the issue of toilet misuse is as a result of a “Lack of personal hygiene. It is a carryover of what they do at home.” On most days, if one were to step into any Zik hall toilet, of the five stalls, at least one of those stalls would be stained with faeces or not even flushed. In other cases, one would find pieces of tissue or even ordinary paper lying around in those toilet bowls, and these are the normal cases.
Taiwo further narrates that in the extreme cases, one can find faeces splashed all over the side of the toilet. “There are times when faeces can be found splashed all over the walls and on the floor of the toilet. Some unscrupulous individuals even take the liberty of putting their dump in a nylon and disposing of it in the waste bins. Other people shit around outside the toilet and even in the gutters.”
The root cause of this pattern of behaviour is not far-fetched. The most popular reason, in some quarters, is the water situation. For Nifemi, the water scarcity causes some people to use the toilets inappropriately. Most days there is no water with which to flush when they are done. This is sometimes brought about by the irregular schedule in which Awba dam water is pumped. However, Taiwo was quick to point out that some individuals fail to flush even when there is water. There are cases when, with the water rushing and overspilling in the tanks, the Zik Hall toilets will be heavily filled with waste.
For Ola, another Zikite, it might be an issue of mental health. According to him, as humans we know certain things, such as where to put food when we are eating (in our mouths); in the same vein, we are also supposed to know where we are supposed to defecate. Deviating from the norm pertaining to where we are supposed to be passing waste is indicating an underlying mental health condition.”
“You guys are using the toilets well. You are all good kids” – Zik Hall Cleaners
Whether the perpetrators are sane or not, their actions have definitely added to the workload of the cleaners who have been employed to do the job. While speaking to Zik press, Iya Ola, one of the cleaners, began by praying fervently for Zikites.
“Omo ola omo alalubarika ni gbogbo yin o,” she said repaeatedly. When asked if Zikites were using the toilets, she gave a quick you-are-doing-well to all the questions, same as Mrs. Olufemi, another cleaner.
However, when she was probed further, Iya Ola simply revealed that: “You are all not the same. Some people are just not mindful of their environments. Some people just go to the toilet, do their business, and leave without doing the proper things (flushing).
This sentiment was also shared by Mrs. Olufemi. According to her, “Zikites use the toilets well; it's just that our pattern of behaviours as humans is very different. Some people use it well while others don't. But the hall management and the Zikites are doing their best in this regard.”
Another cleaner, Iya Ibeji, was more direct with her criticism of how people use the toilets. According to her, people misuse the toilets. “Some people shit on the floor, some people stain the tiles with faeces, some people shit in the bathroom, while some people even shit in the kitchen.”
When asked for their recommendations, Mrs. Olufemi suggested that the toilets be locked so that the messes would be reduced. Iya Ibeji was of the opinion that the issue still lies in the hands of Zikites to take proper steps in discouraging this behaviour amongst themselves. She also suggested that water be provided in the toilets from downstairs to the topmost floor in order to make the job of cleaning the toilets on the upper floors easier.
“Lets maintain a healthier Zik Hall for everyone ”– Zik Health Minister
When this reporter reached out to the Zik Hall health minister, Oladimeji Muheez, in December, he revealed that the health committee had taken “significant steps” by collaborating with floor representatives to allocate toilets and bathrooms for shared use among a maximum of three rooms, ensuring these facilities are properly managed and padlocked when necessary.
He continued by appealing to Zikites to take proper care of the facilities. He said, “We kindly appeal to all Zikites to uphold the standards of cleanliness and responsibility expected in our hall. It is only through collective effort and consideration that we can maintain a healthier Zik Hall for everyone.”
Unfortunately, these efforts have, despite the glimpses of innovation shown, not been completely successful due to various factors, including suspected sabotage. This fact can be attributed to the fact that the toilet structure in each block and the type of people using them are not entirely similar. For instance, the padlocks of the toilets on some of the blocks eventually get broken or simply lost. In the ground floors, most especially, passersby and other people who are not Zikites often get into the mix, and the doors could be broken.
The futility of this situation is further underscored by the fact that the lightbulbs which the health minister claims were installed have been stolen. According to the health minister, “We (the health committee) have taken adequate measures to ensure the illumination of the toilets, but some [sic] have decided to steal those bulbs. Although some are still in Block C1, 2, and 4, some of Block A also.” As of the time of this publication, the only light bulb was seen in C3.
Dangers of Poor Toilet Use
According to WHO, 1.4 million people die each year as a result of "inadequate drinking-water, sanitation and hygiene", and unsafe sanitation accounts for 564 000 of these deaths.
An unhealthy toilet environment can serve as breeding ground for various kinds of diseases including but not limited to malaria and typhoid. Apart from that, people stand a high risk of getting exposed to various STDs including HIV/AIDS and gonorrhea. This is still not excluding the numerous pests that will turn the toilet facilities into a breeding space, making the larger hall environment unhealthy.
Apart from the infections and diseases, prolonged misues of the toilet facilities can cause these facilities to deteriorate at a much faster speed. There is also the problem of the stigma that comes from having and not properly using the toilet facilities.
