If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart. – Nelson Mandela
All lovers of peace have spoken to the warring factions in the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) in their languages, yet there is no respite. These interventions have lasted for as long as the face-off has lasted.
We can proudly state that, no maritime media platform in Nigeria has devoted as much of its space to finding peace among the factionalised and now arms-bearing members of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA). We do this as a social responsibility.
On this page, about two years ago, this newspaper pleaded with ANLCA’s National President; Tony Nwabunike to rise above all partisanship and considerations in the larger interest of the association. He threw this advice away!
As recent as September 5, 2022, that is barely six weeks ago, on this page, wrote an Editorial with the title: “Our final recipe for peace in the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents”.
In that piece, we wrote that, “were it not for the controversial tenure elongation via an equally-controversial Annual General Meeting in Owerri, Imo state sometime in December, 2020, the tenure of Tony Nwabunike as President along with his executives ought to have expired”
Kayode Farinto, whose authority has now been challenged leading to the invasion (for the second time) of the association’s national secretariat in Lagos by a faction loyal to another Board of Trustees; that is, the one led by Mr Taiwo Mustapha.
The Taiwo Mustapha-led factional Board stormed the secretariat and inaugurated an interim administration for the association after they claimed to have sacked its National President, Tony Iju Nwabunike and other members of his executive.
The interim executive members appointed are: Pius Ujubuonu (President), Jamiu Adeyinka (Vice President), Joe Sanni (Secretary), Francis Itua (Publicity Secretary), Waheed Funso Gbadamosi (Financial Secretary) and Usman Baba Lungu.
A few days later, the Acting National President of the association, Dr. Kayode Farinto described the activities that took place at the national secretariat as the handwork of expelled members who refused to leave after being expelled by the National Executive Committee (NEC).
As it stands now, the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanism which was activated sometime ago has broken down. So also are the various interventions by the Police at different levels. We take note of the belated attempt by the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) to mediate. Even as the industry awaits the outcome of this intervention, it is obvious that the warring factions have no interest in this initiative. If they do, what happened at Tin Can port recently would never have happened.
In our September 5, 2022 advise, we had posited that all those who are currently serving in the polarized board should step down, even if there is an election tomorrow, they should honourably recluse themselves.
We had also advised that, in like manner and for the love of the association, the entire executive council of ANLCA should do the needful. The fact is that, the constitution review that took place in Owerri, Imo state is controversial and unpopular and fell short of morally and constitutionally acceptable standards.
Sadly, on October 6, 2022, that is about two weeks ago, hoodlums invaded the Tin Can Island port. Their port of call was the zonal meeting that was called by one of the factions to the crisis that is currently rocking the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents.
At the end of the volatile attack, a member of the association; Mr Wale Cole was macheted; his skull was almost ripped-open. There are reports that many others were also injured.
The recent attack is the second since the internal wrangling started. The first was the forceful entrance into the association’s secretariat by one of the factions. In that incident, dangerous weapons were also used. freely
From all indications, ANLCA may have dragged itself into an abyss that is difficult to extricate from.
In getting to this abysmal level of apparently irreconcilable differences, the association had lost its relevance, respect and honour in the nation’s maritime and allied industry. It currently has two parallel executives led by two Presidents. It also has two Boards led by two Chairmen. It also has parallel executives in some chapters.
Sadly, when the battle is over, the grounds that have been lost, the respect and honour that have eluded ANLCA for about five years, may require a much longer time to be regained. That is if there is still an ANLCA.
Unknown to the gladiators, in the almost five years that they have refused to listen to calls to embrace peace, the association has derailed from the objectives of its founding fathers,
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Most importantly, ANLCA, by the recent fracas at Tin Can Island port has made itself a threat to peace in the port, it is thus an economic saboteur.
How dare its members carry arms and dangerous weapons into a security zone like the port? Already, in an immediate reaction to the fracas and the attack which almost claimed a life, the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria led by its President General; Comrade Adewale Adeyanju were at the port.
The body, disclosed that the ANLCA member who was violently attacked is also a member of the MWUN. So they warned and threatened to deal with any such attack if it ever occurred again.
The above is indeed a clear recipe for imminent chaos in the port. The nation’s seaports must not be turned into a battlefield by a trade association. No
Since it has taken so long and the battle for the soul of ANLCA has taken a frightening dimension of threat to peace in an economic zone; that is the port, it may not be a bad idea to consider deregistering and proscribing ANLCA. Perhaps, this is what is needed to ensure final peace.
We heard that the Police have declared ANLCA a persona non grata in the seaports. This is a starting point to its proscription!
The challenge to do the needful however rests on the shoulders of the CRFFN, which is the registering agency. They may need the backing and political support from the supervisory Ministry of Transportation.
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