Crisis in UADS: A Result of Apathy

On the 17th September, 2025, the Unibadan Association of Dental Students (UADS) Senate held its third senate meeting with the following outlined as their agenda:

1) Minutes of the Last Senate Meeting

2) Budget Review Committee Report

3) Provost Award Committee Report

4) Senate Budget Presentation

5) Review of the Executive Council  6)Recommendations for Vacant Executive Positions

7) Constituency Reports

8) Any Other Business

This article covers the events concerning item 5 on the agenda.

The Unibadan Association of Dental Students, UADS, held its general elections for the current executive council on July 26, 2025. No candidate contested for the position of Vice President (VP) of the Association. The Executive Council also faced another issue soon after the results of the general election process; the only candidate running for the position of Assistant General Secretary (AGS) was voted 'No' by a majority of UADS members. According to the UADS constitution Article 29, Section m: "In the case of an unopposed candidate, the candidate stands elected only if he has received two-thirds (2/3) of the total votes cast." He was not eligible for the position of Assistant General Secretary. Further investigations by the Dentatics Press revealed the reason for this was an in-house issue of the 2k26 class.

The UADS executive council is currently missing two key members: the Vice President, and the Assistant General Secretary. According to the Constitution Article 30, Section a: "By-Elections shall be conducted for vacant executive offices by the Senate."

The by-elections would have been held on August 31, 2025, but no candidates had picked up the forms for these positions in the Association. UADS is now left without an Assistant General Secretary and a Vice President. The Senate Committee intervened and asked the Executive Council to make recommendations for the vacant executive positions.

The Executive President of UADS, Mr. Patrick Okelue, presented the Review of the Executive Council Recommendations for Vacant Executive Positions in the Senate meeting. The Executive President, Mr. Patrick Okelue stated that the Executive Council recommended Mr. Taiwo Adeyinka-Omoleye be appointed as Acting Assistant General Secretary. According to Mr. Patrick, it had been difficult to find members interested in the position despite the efforts of the Executive Council Members and Senate in reaching out to the members of the 2k26 class. He emphasized that Mr. Taiwo Adeyinka-Omoleye already ran for the position once and had a manifesto, stating that he probably only lost the elections due to the issues mentioned above. Members of the 2k24 and 2k25 classes were actively being reached out to by members of the Senate and Executive Council to find a willing and capable candidate to fill the Vice President position, he said.

The Senate President then opened the Senate floor for senators to voice their opinions:

Senator Eseoghene Obi-Egbedi and Senator Jomiloju Oyeyemi of the 2k26 class emphasized that the constitution clearly disqualified Mr. Taiwo Adeyinka-Omoleye from being eligible for a by-election and, in general, the position of Assistant General Secretary. Senator Jomiloju Oyeyemi further emphasized that he had been 'rejected' by the association. According to Article 30, Section b, "Any aspirant who had lost at the main election is not eligible for by-elections and co-option into the Senate."

Senator Olumide Adebayo emphasized that this was not a by-election or a co-option into the Senate but an appointment by the executive council. This means there would simply be a motion proposed by the Senate, and it would be supported or rejected. He also mentioned that the electoral committee will be available for the whole year and that any interested member could pick up the form at any time. He emphasized the need for the positions of Assistant General Secretary and Vice President to be filled as quickly as possible, as these are 2 critical roles in the association constitutionally. He encouraged members of the Senate to continue speaking to the relevant constituencies concerning picking up the forms for the position.

Senator Mbam Ndubisi also mentioned that Mr. Taiwo Adeyinka-Omoleye was not a good option as he had already been 'rejected.'

The Executive President was given the floor. According to him, Mr. Taiwo Adeyinka-Omoleye was not rejected, as there were still members of the association who voted ‘yes’ for him. He also clarified that he and other members of the Senate and Executive Council have been reaching out to members of the Association to find willing and suitable members for the positions. According to him, Mr. Taiwo Adeyinka-Omoleye was a unanimous appointment by the Executive Council and not his decision alone. This was to clarify that he was not trying to pick the executives he wanted, as he had been previously accused of. A senate member had reached out to the 2k26 class to encourage the members of the class to serve and pick up the form. He stated that the position of Vice President would best be held by a member of another class other than his to avoid a situation whereby both the President and Vice President of the Association would be absent in case of their official leave of absence during their final MB preparations.

The Executive President warned that, while the previous Executive Council had held Preclinical orientations for the 2k27 and 2k28 classes (meant to be organized by the current Executive Council), the 2k29 orientation would still come up. Also, re-registering UADS as an official organization needs to be done soon and cannot be done without these positions being filled. He urged the Senate to make a decision as soon as possible.

Senate President Charles Fadipe admitted to being the senator who reached out to the 2k26 class concerning the vacant Assistant General Secretary position. He also mentioned that he hoped that his involvement would have encouraged the class. Also, according to him, if after the senate meeting today, a member of the 2k26 class decided to run for the position of Assistant General Secretary, it would serve as a moral question as to whether said member just did not want Mr. Taiwo Adeyinka-Omoleye to hold the position. He mentioned that a leadership position was a call to serve and that he always emphasized this when speaking to possible candidates for the Vice President and Assistant General Secretary roles. He also supported the fact that Mr. Taiwo was not participating in a by-election but was being appointed by the executive council. Hence, the Senate's job currently would be to move a motion, and for the senators to accept or reject the motion. He reiterated his complete neutrality but urged the senate to decide as UADS was still being sanctioned by the Dean of Student Affairs and needed to re-register as soon as possible.

Senator Olumide Adebayo mentioned that he had no problem with a new candidate from the 2k26 class provided that they could:

- Convince the Senate as to why they did not run for the General Elections or the By Elections before the deadline.

- Provide a manifesto and convince the Senate that they were fit for the role.

A senator suggested that the members of the 2k26 class be reached out to and given a deadline to come up with a candidate. Senator Oluwatobi Babalola of the 2k26 class, mentioned that his constituency was willing and eager to serve. According to him, the reason for the current apathy stems from the events of the election period. He advised the Senate to set a deadline for the class to come up with a suitable candidate and ensure they are advised about the relevance of the role of Assistant General Secretary. He felt that would motivate the 2k26 class.

The Executive President was given the floor to speak again, and he further reiterated Senator Adebayo's point. He also revealed that there was a willing member for the position of Vice  President but said the candidate pulled out at the last minute. He emphasized once again: the appointment of Mr. Taiwo Adeyinka-Omoleye was a decision by the Executive Council and not his decision. He had only addressed questions addressed to him and there were other members of the Executive Council at the Senate meeting, he said.

The Senate President asked a member of the Senate to make a motion to either support or reject the appointment of Mr. Taiwo.

Senator Eseoghene Obi-Egbedi moved a motion to reject the appointment, and Senator Alimi Yusuf moved a motion to accept the appointment. The Senate president mentioned that, as there were 2 counter motions, there would be an election. The Senate president did not vote. The election ended in a tie. 

The Senate President decided to extend the By-election period by one week, starting from 12am, 18th September 2025. He hoped this would encourage members of the UADS to pick up the forms for the vacant Vice President and Assistant General Secretary roles.

The meeting came to a close shortly after.

Also addressed in the meeting was the budget review for the Executive Council. The budgets of each council member were passed with the clause that the General Secretary, Miss Daniella Obikunle, adjust her budget as she was advised to in the last Senate Meeting. The Senate President urged the class representatives to submit their Constituency Reports within 24 hours.

Olajide Olamide.