By: Favour Samson
The highly anticipated JCIN UI Week officially wrapped up on June 21st, 2025 and our Local Organization (LO) buzzed with excitement!
In the build-up, expectations ran high. With a week full of leadership sessions, bonding moments, and a themed party to top it off, But here’s the real question: Did it live up to the hype? We hit the ground, microphones in hand, to ask our fellow JCIN UI members if what they expected truly matched what they experienced. Get ready for some honest, unfiltered takes!
First is our ever-vibrant Executive Vice President (EVP) Internal, Susan Ikeoluwaposi Olalusi. A 400 level student of the department of History, Faculty of Arts.
Looking back at JCIN UI Week, How was JCIN UI Week for you? How did your actual experience compare to what you initially expected? JCIN UI week was beautiful, I loved every part of it. Well, I expected it to bang but it banged more than I expected, it was all round fun.
Which moment or activity during the week stood out the most for you? Was there any speaker, panel, or session that really inspired or impacted you? The Y2K party was the best for me and the family general assembly, listening to JCI SEN. Olawale Wahab’s speech was inspiring and priceless.
How would you describe the impact of JCIN UI Week on your personal or professional growth? The impact is significant in that it brought into focus the true meaning of sustainability and how an organisation of over 42 years has survived and is still standing strong.
What did you enjoy the most and what do you think could have been better? Did JCIN UI Week help you connect with new people or make new friends? The turn up could have been better, a lot of members didn’t show up and that in a way undermined the efforts of the chairperson and her team, however, they ensured that everyone who came was well satisfied. Yes, I connected with new people most especially, Marcus Andrea, The chairperson of the week, and my mentee, Oluwanifemi Oladimeji
Describe JCIN UI week in a sentence.
Superb
Next is Olutayo Samson, a 300 Level Law Student representing the Smith Waheed Gbolahan family.
Looking back at JCIN UI Week, How was JCIN UI Week for you? How did your actual experience compare to what you initially expected? JCIN week was really awesome, for me. It was what I expected and more.
Which moment or activity during the week stood out the most for you? Was there any speaker, panel, or session that really inspired or impacted you? I didn’t attend any of the virtual training sessions, unfortunately, due to personal engagements. But I followed the “commentaries” on the CNH group. It was obvious they were very impactful. The highlight of the week would be the movie night. It was the best one I’ve been to so far in UI, and the Punch was fantastic.
How would you describe the impact of JCIN UI Week on your personal or professional growth? I would describe the impact as very positive. There was a lot to be learnt, and every single thing that I caught will undoubtedly be invaluable in my subsequent professional and personal pursuits.
What did you enjoy the most and what do you think could have been better? Did JCIN UI Week help you connect with new people or make new friends? I enjoyed the movie night the most, and honestly the only regret was that I didn’t get to taste more of that punch. The movie night helped me reconnect with members that I already know, and it was able to achieve the familial feeling I was looking forward to.
Describe JCIN UI week in a sentence.
A week to remember, and certainly one I’d love to relive all over again.
Then, we heard from Sunday Tolulope Hezekiah, a final year student of Microbiology and the Family head of the Kunle Oyesanya Family.
Looking back at JCIN UI Week, How was JCIN UI Week for you? How did your actual experience compare to what you initially expected? Well being the first JCIN UI week I would witness, I didn’t really have any expectations but I have always known JCIN UI will deliver.
Which moment or activity during the week stood out the most for you? Was there any speaker, panel, or session that really inspired or impacted you? John Obisesan’s session on Benjamin Franklin’ s thirteen virtue was life changing for me
How would you describe the impact of JCIN UI Week on your personal or professional growth? Starting off with the panel session during the opening ceremony was a blockbuster for me, the panelists addressed certain areas that interest me followed by the two days of intensive training. I must say the Chairperson outdid herself. The speakers were top quality and they passed across wealth of knowledge with such ease that made me do further research on the 13 virtues of Benjamin Franklin and much more.The movie night was the perfect escape for me, I had had a very long day but I was able to cool off and relax while watching the movie which turned out to be one the best I have seen this month.
What did you enjoy the most and what do you think could have been better? Did JCIN UI Week help you connect with new people or make new friends? Well, I enjoyed every bit of all the events. Members participation could be better. Maybe adding JCIN UI week as part of the grading metrics for family members might yunno increase their participation.While I didn’t make new friends I was able to connect with people on a deeper level.
Describe JCIN UI week in a sentence.
It was relieving and pleasurable.
After that, we heard from Kabirat Ojo, a 300-level student from the department of Educational Management, privileged to be among the best family in the LO year, the Taiwo Ande family.
Looking back at JCIN UI Week, How was JCIN UI Week for you? How did your actual experience compare to what you initially expected? Being the first JCIN UI Week I attended, it was amazing . The actual experience was better than what I initially expected, and I always thought JCIN UI was not fun, but attending this, JCIN UI is fun and entertaining.
Which moment or activity during the week stood out the most for you? Was there any speaker, panelist, or session that really inspired or impacted you? Like I said in the first phase of this interview, the activity during the week that I look forward to and that stood out most for me is leadership training and personal development (Day one and Day two). The three speakers really inspired me a lot, but the best speaker for me is Mr Damilola David Olunuga, the founder of Let’s Talk Finance, on the topic “Smart Money Moves: Financial Planning and Goal Setting”. He said the formula is to gain financial intelligence, establish a financial plan, then have the financial discipline to see it through.
How would you describe the impact of JCIN UI Week on your personal or professional growth? The impact of the JCIN UI week on my personal and professional growth cannot be underestimated. It was top-notch, and the session really impacted me a lot.
What did you enjoy the most and what do you think could have been better? Did JCIN UI Week help you connect with new people or make new friends? I enjoyed all the events from Day one to Day seven. I think what could have been better is for JCIN UI members to be active by turning up because some JCIN UI members attended some of the events which they were not supposed to. JCIN UI week helped me to connect with new people and make new friends.
Describe JCIN UI week in a sentence.
JCIN week was really worth my time, and I never regret attending all the events.
Next is Oloruntola Ogooluwa Funto, a 500-level student of Environmental Health Science, and a proud member of the Smith Waheed Family.
Looking back at JCIN UI Week, how was JCIN UI Week for you? How did your actual experience compare to what you initially expected? To be honest, I expected a larger turnout and more vibrant participation, so I was a bit disappointed. However, I still appreciate the effort that went into planning the week.
Which moment or activity during the week stood out the most for you? Was there any speaker, panel, or session that really inspired or impacted you? The panel session at the General Assembly stood out for me. Each panelist spoke with clarity and touched on different aspects of life that truly resonated with areas I need to grow in.
How would you describe the impact of JCIN UI Week on your personal or professional growth? Although I couldn’t attend most of the events due to academic commitments, the insights I gained from the GA panel session have had a positive impact on both my personal development and business perspective.
What did you enjoy the most and what do you think could have been better? Did JCIN UI Week help you connect with new people or make new friends? I was only able to attend the General Assembly and the Y2K party and I enjoyed the party. JCIN UI Week also gave me the opportunity to meet and connect with new people, especially within my family circle. Also I would have preferred a different timing, I think the fact that it was during test week made it difficult to be committed to the activities.
Describe JCIN UI Week in a sentence.
It was a valuable experience overall, though it didn’t fully meet my expectations in terms of turnout and engagement.
We also heard from Olaniyi Opeyemi Michael, a 400 level student of Urban and Regional Planning representing the Hadiza Omatshola Family.
Looking back at JCIN UI Week, How was JCIN UI Week for you? How did your actual experience compare to what you initially expected? JCIN UI week was a great one for me because I enjoyed it right from day one till the last. The actual experience which I expected was totally different from the one I eventually experienced. From the start, I had thought it was just like every normal week, however It was fully packed with amazing events, which I discovered were well structured and organized.
Which moment or activity during the week stood out the most for you? Was there any speaker, panelist, or session that really inspired or impacted you? The moment that stood out for me most was the aspect of the training sessions we had on Monday and Tueday. It stood out for me because I learnt a lot from the trainers and I was able to jot important points too.
How would you describe the impact of JCIN UI Week on your personal or professional growth? The impact of JCIN UI week on my growth has been quite evident in the aspect of my team-work skill.
What did you enjoy the most and what do you think could have been better? Did JCIN UI Week help you connect with new people or make new friends? JCIN UI week helped me to connect with a lot of people right from day one, especially the Movie night and the Games day. I was able to meet and connect with the alumni who came on the Games day.
Describe JCIN UI week in a sentence.
It was a fantastic one.
Next is Leigh Oluwakanyinsola Prisca, 300 Level Law student representing the Taiwo Ande Family.
Looking back at JCIN UI Week, How was JCIN UI Week for you? How did your actual experience compare to what you initially expected? The week was actually fun.
Which moment or activity during the week stood out the most for you? Was there any speaker, panelist, or session that really inspired or impacted you? The Games Night stood out for me the most. It was so competitive and fun.
How would you describe the impact of JCIN UI Week on your personal or professional growth? On a personal level, I was able to meet new people and associate with them.
What did you enjoy the most and what do you think could have been better? Did JCIN UI Week help you connect with new people or make new friends? If more people showed up for the events. Yes, as I mentioned earlier I was able to connect with people.
Describe JCIN UI week in a sentence.
Wonderful.
Then, we heard from Ayomide A. Awofeso, a 300 Level Law student and a member of the Lanre Bello Family.
Looking back at JCIN UI Week, How was JCIN UI Week for you? How did your actual experience compare to what you initially expected? As always, JCIN UI week was a remarkable one.
Which moment or activity during the week stood out the most for you? Was there any speaker, panelist, or session that really inspired or impacted you? The panelist session on Day 1 was very insightful, every single panelist delivered on a top-notch level. The leadership training sessions too were packed. All 3 speakers across the two days outdid themselves even.
How would you describe the impact of JCIN UI Week on your personal or professional growth? JCIN UI week is one that reminds me and every other member, the beauty of bonding.
What did you enjoy the most and what do you think could have been better? Did JCIN UI Week help you connect with new people or make new friends? The movie night was awesome and that’s been my most enjoyable event.
Describe JCIN UI week in a sentence.
It was worth the hype.
Next is Leshi Kehinde Oluwadamilola, a 400 level student of the faculty of law and a member of The Utho Erurore Family.
Looking back at JCIN UI Week, How was JCIN UI Week for you? How did your actual experience compare to what you initially expected? JCIN UI Week was awesome. My expectations were met, and even surpassed.
Which moment or activity during the week stood out the most for you? Was there any speaker, panel, or session that really inspired or impacted you? The session that stood out to me was the Movie Night. The movie, The Gorge, is a 10/10 movie. Would definitely rewatch.
How would you describe the impact of JCIN UI Week on your personal or professional growth? Personally, I was able to connect with more members, make more friends, and generally vibe with others more. Professionally, the 2nd Day was the highlight for me. His statement on procrastination, and just starting on whatever you’re meant to do, especially resonated with me.
What did you enjoy the most and what do you think could have been better? Did JCIN UI Week help you connect with new people or make new friends? I enjoyed the Movie Night the most. However, I also feel the Alumni match could have been executed better.
Describe JCIN UI week in a sentence.
Amazing.
Thereafter, we heard from Egbinola Oluwapelumi Rhoda, a 200 Level student of the department of Wildlife and Ecotourism Management representing the Seun Omotayo family.
Looking back at JCIN UI Week, How was JCIN UI Week for you? How did your actual experience compare to what you initially expected? Wow! JCIN UI week was more than a week, it was a whole lot of experience for me, I almost wanted it to continue on. Comparing it with what I expected, it was a whole lot more. The week was fun, it was inspiring, it was like a different kind of lecture week for me – I learnt a whole lot, from the GA, to the online training, even throughout the week. I had also thought networking would either be limited as each event would be packed but reverse was the case. The high turnout of people made networking more fun and widespread.
Which moment or activity during the week stood out the most for you? Was there any speaker, panelist, or session that really inspired or impacted you? Yes! While I loved every other event, the General Assembly stood out for me the most. It had every single thing there was to offer, practical examples we could use in the real world. The theme speaker, JCI Sen Olawale Wahab was quite packed, and so were the panelists. They didn’t hesitate to share their knowledge with us and that made the Family GA my stand out event.
How would you describe the impact of JCIN UI Week on your personal or professional growth? I would describe it as eye opening. It impacted but just my personal life, but my business and my attitude to work also. It taught me discipline and the right kind of people to move with. Words just can’t express it enough!
What did you enjoy the most and what do you think could have been better? Did JCIN UI Week help you connect with new people or make new friends? I enjoyed the Family Games night very much, it’s also one of the events that stood out for me. Seeing people from different walks of life who follow different career paths defend their families in games was very relaxing to see. It was a bonding moment for everyone and it helped me connect with a lot of people. The week was perfect as we had a little blend of everything – life lessons, training, sport and games, party and even movie night. I won’t change anything about it
Describe JCIN UI week in a sentence.
“JCIN UI week was more than a week, it was an unforgettable experience!”
Finally, we heard from Joyce Banjo, a 500L Nursing student representing the Smith Waheed Gbolahan Family.
Looking back at JCIN UI Week, How was JCIN UI Week for you? How did your actual experience compare to what you initially expected? JCIN UI Week has been amazing. I wasn’t expecting anything short of that. And I got all that I expected. It was wonderful and basking in the moment, creating memories, and just having time to unwind was amazing.
Which moment or activity during the week stood out the most for you? Was there any speaker, panel, or session that really inspired or impacted you? The General Assembly stood out for me. The theme speaker session was amazing. JCI Sen. Samuel Olawale Wahab took us through the past (where we have comek, the present (where we are) and the future (looking forward to where we are going). I also enjoyed the movie night. I mean, in the last few weeks, I have not had adequate time to just sit, relax and enjoy a movie. So, it felt really great having like 2 hours of my time dedicated to seeing a movie.
How would you describe the impact of JCIN UI Week on your personal or professional growth? JCIN UI Week helped me see beyond my skills. I mean, as Director of Content and Publicity, I had to come up with good content for the week alongside a team of other creative members, and it was amazing.
What did you enjoy the most and what do you think could have been better? Did JCIN UI Week help you connect with new people or make new friends? I met new people. We laughed like we had known each other for a long time. It was wonderful.
Describe JCIN UI week in a sentence.
JCIN UI Week was amazing.
From pleasant surprises to missed expectations, JCIN UI Week was clearly a mixed bag of experiences, each unique, yet connected by a shared sense of growth and community. Whether it met their expectations or challenged them in new ways, one thing is clear: the week left a mark. And for many, that’s what JCIN UI is all about —showing up, learning, and improving together.