The National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents

Those who can remember will attest to the fact that the emergence of the Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents is traceable to the controversies which trailed the infamous non-Import Duty Report (IDR) scam of 1995 and which led to the mass loss of licenses of customs agents who were at that time, all members of the only association which was in existence; that is, the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA).

With the Federal Government-induced probe of loss of revenue in the non-IDR scam and the subsequent crisis, the Council of Managing Directors (as it is commonly called), then became the rallying point for all licensed customs agents who desperately needed a platform and who were getting agitated by the perceived failure of (the Alhaji Sani Kamba-led) ANLCA to meet their emerging needs. Certainly, the Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents was a child of circumstances.

Alhaji Sani Kamba and his executives later fought and regained some of the licenses and eventually re-branded ANLCA. But the damage to ANLCA had been done, the arrowhead of Council of Managing Directors; Mr Lucky Amiwero was not ready to liquidate his empire and return to being an ANLCA chieftain. He was actually its national public relations officer.
Amiwero immediately deployed his assets as a former image maker of ANLCA and immediately became a toast of stakeholders; especially, the media which sought him for his opinions on all issues, he was enjoying limelight. With that, came awards and subsequent recognition by the federal government which appointed him to serve on many committees.

Many are wont to believe that the enviable recognition which Amiwero enjoyed over the years is traceable to his ability to respond to issues as promptly as they come up. Others are likely to adduce it to the circumstances which surrounded the birth of ‘his’ Council of Managing Directors, which expectedly (initially) took the shine off ANLCA. Not even the birth of another association- the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) could kill the rising profile of Amiwero.

The Council of Managing Directors consequently became a force to reckon with among stakeholders in the Nigerian maritime sector under Amiwero and with that, came envy, suspicion.

The rest is history, as events in the last few years taken a new dimension on the association. Now there is a fierce contest for the soul of the association. It started when an induced allegation that Amiwero had perpetuated himself in office was landed on him by a suspicious group of licensed customs agents who claimed to be concerned members; they also claimed to have removed him from office under very controversial circumstances.

His travails did not end there as he was to be hounded into Kirikiri prison where he spent a whole week, because he allegedly could not immediately meet the bail conditions.

He had also spent a few days in the cell at the Federal Operations Unit (FOU) in Ikeja and a few days at the Ikoyi prisons, all in the name of the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents.

At a point in time, the association was granted provisional registration with the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN), with rival president; Chief Festus Ejifor as the beneficiary.

The problem of the ‘Council of Managing Directors’ actually arose from the orchestrated removal of Mr Amiwero some years back and the imposition of one Prince Obieze by people whom Amiwero refers to as non-members of the association.

Currently, the association has two leaderships, one loyal to Mr Amiwero and the other loyal to Prince Ejiofor. This is certainly unacceptable as it is already causing great discomfort to to stakeholders.

We think that the most honourable thing to do under the prevailing circumstances is to bring the two warring factions within the association together, conduct election and enthrone a new set of leaders for the association.

We hope that the ray of hope that came from a frontline freight forwarder; Mr Austine Kelly that founding fathers of the association would soon wade into the prolonged crisis. He also hinted that the two gladiators will have to leave for new personalities to contest and emerge as the President of the Council of Managing Directors

Even if the current legal action favours either party, in the interest of the larger members of the council, the factions must come together to elect a mutually acceptable national president. We think that both Mr Amiwero and Prince Festus Ejiofor should burry their ambition and allow new faces to represent the association. This is the most honourable way out.