What recently came to the open as a mere protest over preparations for the coming elections into the chapters of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), may be more than meets the eye.
Indeed, it was a culmination of post-reconciliation differences. Two issues have come to the fore in recent weeks. First is the controversial removal of Mr Tope Fatimehin as Secretary of the Electoral Commission of ANLCA, otherwise called ASECO.
Closely connected to this is the arrangement for elections into the various chapters in the association.
Already, Fatimehin’s sack has been attributed to “irreconcilable differences” between him and the ‘powers-that-be’ in ANLCA.
We recall that, the former ASECO Secretary had previously questioned certain ASECO actions, which border on alleged forgery of his signature on certain documents in the election of members of the Board of Trustees.
The twin issues of his removal from office and the timetable for the chapter elections is drawing a backlash, with some claiming it is a strategic maneuver to exert undue influence on the coming elections.
We recall that the board elections were held in September. The new BoT members are: Alhaji Taiwo Mustapha, Chief Kingsley Offor, Alhaji Mohammed Sani Utai, Chief Ernest Elochukwu, Adeola Mummuney, Chief Sunday Momoh, Chief Dayo Azeez, Tunde Awonuga, and Chief Dennis Okafor. They all campaigned under the umbrella of Group of 9, and they all won.
Instructively, a former Vice Chairman of the ANLCA BoT, Chief Ozor Chukwura, a former Acting President; Dr. Kayode Farinto and Mr. Eniola Igbarola, also a former BoT member, all lost the election. In like manner, Otunba Babatunde Mukaila, a prominent aspirant and former National Secretary, was disqualified, just hours before the election.
In a manner suggestive of a grand design to wipe out any traces of opposition, albeit in a legit manner, which is permissible under a democratic dispensation, these top ANLCA members all lost out in the power play.
Yes, with the conduct of elections into the BoT concluded, one can affirm that the constitutional organs of the association are now in place at the national level.
Arguably, electing members of the BoT is the best thing to have happened to ANLCA since about 2018, when the immediate past NECOM took over.
The circle would need to be completed. And this can only happen if and when a free and fair elections are conducted at the chapters in the association’s three zones of West, East and North.
Sadly, feelers from the leadership of ANLCA indicate a clandestine move to either truncate the process or manipulate it for a purpose.
No doubt, ANLCA has had serious problems in the past. The first sign that all was not well was brought to the fore by this newspaper, in our Editorial Opinion on April 29, 2019; that was about one year after the leadership of the association was handed over to Mr Tony Nwabubunike as its National President.
In that Editorial which we aptly titled: “ANLCA’s one year of Tony Nwabunike’s ineffective leadership”, we recounted the genesis of the crisis, that was just brewing as at that time. We stated clearly that it pre-dated Tony Nwabunike’s emergence.
We can proudly state that, no maritime media organisation in Nigeria has devoted as much of its space to finding peace among the then- deeply-factionalised members of ANLCA. We did this as a corporate social responsibility.
About four years ago, this newspaper again pleaded with Mr Tony Nwabunike to rise above all partisanship and considerations in the larger interest of the association. He threw this advice away!
Again, on September 5, 2022, we wrote yet another Editorial with the title: “Our final recipe for peace in the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents”.
At a point, when we saw an alarming descent to anarchy in the association, we called for its proscription. Yes, we did and we gave reasons.
We boldly recall that, it took trust in the leadership of Nwabunike’s predecessor in office; Prince Olayiwola Shittu, his competence and transparency to rebuild rebrand ANLCA.
Sadly, the transformation that ANLCA had witnessed under Prince Olayiwola Shittu went down, as a result of the infighting enabled by the regime that succeeded him.
We saw as the doors that were widely-opened for ANLCA during the leadership of Prince Shittu, gradually closed, owing to the protracted crises.
Yes, peace eventually returned to ANLCA in 2023, but it came at a price. We are glad that the association is gradually steaming-up to regain lost glory. This is why we are also disturbed about recent happenings that are connected to the coming chapter elections.
It will be painful if those who are at the saddle, allow the festering issues to degenerate into yet another round of litigations and in-fighting.
It is glaring that the controversial removal of Mr Tope Fatimehin as Secretary of the association’s electoral body (ASECO) is generating discontent, especially coinciding with preparations for the chapter elections.
Apart from the above, there is also a growing discontent with plans by the association’s leadership to suspend the election. Some persons have raised the alarm that, not conducting elections would lead to extending the tenure of the caretaker committees at the various chapters. They argue that, if that happens, it would be a violation of the association’s constitution.
Upon their election a few months ago, we congratulated those who were elected as BoT members, when they were elected and we admonished them that they have the privilege of joining the NECOM of the association, to complete the rebuilding process.
Just as we told the NECOM members after they were elected, we at that time, also told the BoT members that their responsibility would be as easy as they chose to want it to be.
Now, is the time for BoT to be selfless, transparent and erase the dichotomy which five years of acrimony had created.
More importantly, we recall telling the NECOM of ANLCA that their assignment would be a difficult task if they chose to alienate those who were not on their side in the build-up to the elections.
Everything is pointing in that direction. So, we again call for caution. This is because it will be disastrous if the association goes back to chaos. This may happen if those who feel marginalized and those who feel alienated make good their threat to stay away from the elections and approach the courts for remediation.
It is too early in the day to heat-up things in the association. The organs of the associations must be in place, to complete the rebuilding process, and anything that will truncate this must be avoided by both the NECOM and BoT of the association at all cost.
