Rebecca Akinsola

The National Association of English and Literary Studies, University of Ibadan (NASELS UI), held its second virtual congress for the academic session on Tuesday, 11th June 2024 which was proposed by Team Innovation and Evolution a week ago to seek interested members to occupy the vacant executive positions and discuss other matters arising in the department. 

The congress, which was presided by Babatunde Adamson (‘Bomi), the president of the association, was held on Google Meet with members of the association from 100-400 level in attendance. Due to low turn up of the members and inability to get four members from each level to form a quorum to open the congress, the president then formed a quorum using the simple majority of the members in attendance; eight members out of 14 present supported that the congress should continue.

Following the opening of the Congress,the General Secretary,Doris Okoh, read the minutes of the previous congress. The President addressed the vacant political posts within the association with which interested members from 200-400 level were provided the opportunity to express their ambition in filling the positions of the assistant general secretary, financial secretary director of sports and financial secretary which Ajibade Haleemah from 300-level, Lolade Olabiyi from 200-level and Korede Adeleye from 400-level indicated interest respectively. Only the position of the treasurer remained vacant. 

In addition, the President moved a motion to decide the date of the bye-election. Shokunmbi Evangelen,a 300 level student, proposed that it should be held on Tuesday 18th, 2024 while the Vice President ,Hamzat Yetunde, stated the infeasibility of the date because of the Id-El-Kabir celebration suggesting the week after with which some members also supported. The President stated that the Press will work hand in hand with the executives to ensure transparency for the bye-election. “The candidates are to send their transcript and basic due receipt in a document to the Electoral Council who will forward it to the Press for review. After three working days, the Press is expected to either approve or reject and if there is a valid reason for rejecting any candidate provided there is a valid reason, another congress will be called to address it”,the President added.

The President also spoke about WESTCOSELS’24 and urged all members of the association to turn up for the programme, which will be held in the south-western region of the country, when the date and venue are released. 

Having discussed the agenda for the day, Adebanjo Feyisayo a 300-level member asked about the payment of basic due, if there is an increment in the fee? In response to this, the President spoke about the meeting with UI SRC to deliberate on the price and that the old price (3000 naira) still stands. He urged the members to start paying up their dues. 

In absence of questions and suggestions, Adebanjo Feyisayo moved the motion to adjourn the congress, which was seconded by another member of the association. With this, the Congress was adjourned by 10:31pm.