The brewing ethnic tensions in the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) have taken a dramatic turn as prominent Igbo members of the association have accused their Yoruba counterparts of a calculated and well-coordinated plot to exclude them from leadership positions within the association, especially in the Western zone axis.
The allegations stem from a recent declaration by the ‘Oodua Maritime Forum’; a pan-Yoruba pressure group, urging members to vote only the Yorubas for chairmanship positions in ANLCA’s Western Zone chapters.
Reacting to the development, Mr Val Iwuchukwu, a prominent Igbo member and former Senior Special Assistant on Media to former ANLCA National President Tony Nwabunike, described the move as part of a broader agenda to completely sideline Igbos in the association’s leadership hierarchy.
“It’s part of a grand design, well-articulated and perfectly-timed to execute their Yoruba agenda,” Iwuchukwu stated with a tone of frustration. “They’re cleverly presenting it as a response to what they claim is happening in the East, but there’s no ANLCA constitutional clause that bars Yoruba members from contesting elections in Eastern zones. This is nothing more than tribal politics at its worst.”
Iwuchukwu further accused the Yoruba faction of turning ANLCA into a battleground for ethnic dominance, even as he called out a leading Yoruba member of the association.
“Taye Oyeniyi, who calls himself a Patron of ANLCA, should be preaching competence and unity, but instead, he’s fanning the flames of division. He’s saying the mind of Oduntan and their so-called Babalawo – the National Secretary Olumide. They want to make ANLCA a Yoruba-only affair, just as they claim NAGAFF belongs to Igbos”, he alleged.
Iwuchukwu alleged further that the ongoing Western Zone chapter elections were part of a master plan to ensure Yoruba dominance in ANLCA’s national leadership. He claimed that with their preferred candidate Oduntan being prepped for the presidency, Igbos would face total exclusion from critical decision-making positions.
“This is just the beginning. With a clean sweep in the Western Zone, they’ll make sure no Igbo candidate ever comes close to the National Secretariat again. It’s either Emenike, the current president, completes just one term like his predecessors, or they disgrace him out of office. This tribal agenda is a ticking time bomb for ANLCA,” he warned.
Echoing Iwuchukwu’s sentiments, Emeka Nnadozie, another member of ANLCA, expressed deep disappointment over the unfolding events, accusing the Yoruba bloc of systematically alienating the Igbos from positions of power. “This is nothing, but a deliberate attempt to rewrite ANLCA’s history,” Nnadozie said.
“The association was built on unity, collaboration, and mutual respect, but what we’re seeing now is the weaponization of ethnicity to push an exclusionist agenda. It’s painful that in 2025, we are still discussing who is Igbo or Yoruba instead of focusing on who can deliver on leadership promises.”
He warned that if this trend continues, ANLCA would not only lose its core values, but also its relevance in the freight forwarding sector. “This is a wake-up call for the Igbos in ANLCA. We must stand firm and resist this ethnic division. Today, it’s about chairmanship positions; tomorrow, it will be about excluding us entirely from the association.”
Meanwhile, Sir John Oforbike, a former Zonal Coordinator of ANLCA’s Western Zone, declined to comment on the growing tension. When contacted, Oforbike simply said, “You have heard it. I have no comment for now.”
However, not all Yoruba stakeholders are aligned with the Oodua Maritime Forum’s stance. Dr. Segun Musa, Managing Director and CEO of Widescope Group, has called for calm and urged ANLCA members to focus on competence rather than tribal affiliations.
“Business and leadership don’t understand religion or ethnicity,” Musa said during a recent interview. “When you talk about leadership, it demands knowledge and capacity. If an Igbo man is the most competent, why sideline him for someone who is less-qualified? Ethnic politics will only destroy ANLCA.”
Recall that the Oodua Maritime Forum’s position has also found backing from traditional Yoruba institutions. During a campaign event for the KLT chairmanship aspirant; Ahmed Olajide Bello, the Oba of Ijora Kingdom, HRM Oba Fatai Oyeyinka Aremu Aromire, threw his weight behind the Forum, stating that the Western Zone should reserve leadership for Yorubas in the same way the Eastern Zone prioritizes Igbos.
Also, Chief Oye Ariyo, President of the Oodua Maritime Forum, reiterated that the forum’s stance was not borne out of hatred for the Igbos, but a reciprocation of what he claimed was already the practice in the East.
“Our position is not about hatred or quarrels. It’s about ensuring balance. If Eastern chapters can prioritize Igbos, why can’t the Western Zone prioritize Yorubas?” Ariyo argued.
