UIViewController UIBarButtonItem title and add to left/right bar buttons array.

RecentRequestsViewController.m

#import "RecentRequestsViewController.h"
#import "AppDelegate.h"

@interface RecentRequestsViewController ()

@end

@implementation RecentRequestsViewController

#pragma mark - 
#pragma mark Class initializers.
-(id) initWithNibName:(NSString *)nibNameOrNil bundle:(NSBundle *)nibBundleOrNil
{
    self = [super initWithNibName:nibNameOrNil bundle:nibBundleOrNil];
    
    if(self)
    {
        // Custom initialization.
        self.title = @"Recent Requests";
        UIBarButtonItem *recentRequestsButton = [[UIBarButtonItem alloc] initWithTitle:@"Recent Requests"
                                                                                 style:UIBarButtonItemStylePlain
                                                                                target:self
                                                                                action:@selector(recentRequestsButtonPressed)];
                                                                                
        NSArray *navButtons = [[NSArray alloc] initWithObjects:recentRequestsButton, nil];
        self.navigationItem.leftBarButtonItems = navButtons;
    }
    return self;
}

- (void)viewDidLoad
{
    [super viewDidLoad];
    // Do any additional setup after loading the view, typically from a nib.
}

- (void)didReceiveMemoryWarning
{
    [super didReceiveMemoryWarning];
    // Dispose of any resources that can be recreated.
}

- (void)dealloc
{
    // Dealloc any resources.
}

#pragma mark - 
#pragma mark Class methods

-(void)recentRequestsButtonPressed
{
    // Handle SEL here such as transferring to another view controller.
}

@end