Although, there may not be accurate records as to when it was actually founded, its current leaders and members quote 1954 as its birth date.There is however, no doubt about the fact that the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) is the oldest umbrella body for all licensed customs agents in Nigeria.
Although, there may not be accurate records as to when it was actually founded, its current leaders and members quote 1954 as its birth date.There is however, no doubt about the fact that the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) is the oldest umbrella body for all licensed customs agents in Nigeria.
Dr Rafiu Oladipo, who is now known more as the president general of the Nigerian Football Supporters’ club is credited as being the first president of ANLCA, older generation members of the association also say that there was a an interregnum for some years before Alhaji Sani Kamba later stepped-in to become the national president of a new-look association at that time.
Alhaji Kamba’s tenure was followed by that of Mr Peter Okocha, Aare Sanni Shittu, Alhaji Inua Mohammed and Chief Ernest Elochukwu as national presidents (in that order). The incumbent; Prince Olayiwola Shittu is officially, the seventh national president of the association.
Arguably, ANLCA has transformed from its pre-2010 image of an isolated and a ‘threatened’ association to a new brand that is the envy of all licensed customs agents, perhaps worthy of the confidence that its teaming members reposed in Prince Shittu when he in 2010, went seeking for their votes.
Even though not a gamble to have entrusted the then-uncertain future of the association in his care, it was a choice that paid off, going by events, post-2010.
Certainly, the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) has transformed into a good example of how a freight forwarding body should be. It has changed from being just an assemblage of clearing and forwarding agents (as of old) into an internationally-recognised body of professionals, all these under the watch of its National President; Prince Olayiwola Shittu, who has turned the fortunes of the oldest freight forwarding association round.
We remember quite vividly that the current leadership of Prince Olayiwola had in 2010, promised, among other things to: professionalise the business of customs clearing, provide a modern, functional and befitting national secretariat, engender harmony with other stakeholders and provide an effective customs- agents’ relationship.
Even though he didn’t give a time frame within which these promises would be fulfilled, even his critics will agree that he has delivered on these promises!
But, by and large, the decision to synergise with other stakeholders may possibly be what has created the best image for ANLCA and for which most licensed customs agents will remain very grateful to the current leadership of ANLCA under Prince Olayiwola Shittu.
We remember quite vividly that, prior to the emergence of the current Olayiwola Shittu-led national executive council; there had been pockets of events that actually threatened the association.
It was towards the tail end of Kamba’s tenure that scandalous non-Import Duty Report (IDR) came up and led to the revocation of operating licenses of virtually all registered customs agents for alleged complicity in the clearance of questionable imports.
This development led to the emergence of the first rival body within the fold of licensed customs agents. The birth of the Mr Lucky Amiwero-led National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents temporarily took the shine off and also diminished the influence of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents.
And as if that was not enough, Dr Boniface Aniebonam stepped down as ANLCA’s chairman of customs agents’ relations committee to found the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) and with this, the journey to irrelevance for ANLCA began. The battle to regain its lost glory took the better part of the short-lived tenure of Mr Peter Okocha, while the duo of Aare Sanni Shittu and Alhaji Inua Mohammed tried unsuccessfully to ‘repackage’ the association, all to no avail.
It was not until Chief Ernest Elochukwu came on board that expectations became high that perhaps the association would begin its match towards regaining its lost glory.
He was in charge for four years, and handed over to the incumbent, whose ambition to do a second term in office once again almost brought the association to its knees.
In fact, the injuries of that feud are yet to fully heal.
Some people have argued that since the exit of Alhaji Kamba, the association has not been fortunate to have a purposeful, goal- driven and altruistic leadership.
According to these people, successive leadership has always looked at the office as a means to their self-serving end and not as a means to a new lease of life for ANLCA. Others have also pontificated that the problems of the association stemmed from the loss of its previously unrivalled status as the only voice of teeming number of licensed customs agents. To these people, the emergence of NAGAFF and Council of Managing Directors, coupled with type of leadership that has been previously foisted upon ANLCA are the contributory factors to its long sojourn in irrelevance.
Since 2010, ANLCA has reclaimed its glory among stakeholders in the Nigerian shipping sector; its admission into the IFCB is quite commendable, while its frontline (but largely misconstrued) role in the CRFFN has largely helped the council.
Coming to the association, as a maritime media firm, we can boldly say that the calibre of persons who currently occupy the office of members of the association’s Board of Trustees (BoT), is perhaps the loudest confirmation of the fact that ANLCA has really moved far above its projections; pre-2010.
A lot of personae, including those who have either ran away or who have long abandoned the association are coming back.
Without necessarily sounding patronizing, we are encouraged by how good a brand ANLCA has become.
If since 1954, ANLCA have had to move from one rented office to another, if by 2010, the then new leadership of the association under Prince Olayiwola Shittu got a befitting and functional secretariat, and if four years down the line, it now has its own National Secretariat, then he must be commended for the vision and for for re-writing the history of the 64-year old association.
It is also instructive that the feat would not have been achieved if there is no unity of purpose among its members, and if the leadership from chapters to the zones and to the national headquarters is not in agreement.
So, beyond Prince Olayiwola Shittu, the commendation is for members of ANLCA for believing in their leaders.
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