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Tag: chair

  • Bye, ‘the chair’

    Bye, ‘the chair’

    The prestigious Island Club  held a valedictory party for its outgoing chairman, Prince Ademola Dada, reports NNEKA NWANERI.

    For three years, he was chairman of the prestigious Island Club.

    In those years, Prince Ademola Dada distinguished himself, leading men of various professions and backgrounds.

    So, penultimate Friday, at a valedictory party for him, the high and mighty` rose to celebrate him. The blue blooded, businessmen and women were also in attendance.

    The club members wore uniform blue and white stripped aso oke cap and white agbada to match. It was another opportunity for them to unwind and campaign for the coming elections.

    Those who supported the chairman during his tenure were given the club highest award of Grand Commander of the Peacock (GCOP). They included Elegushi of Ikateland Oba Saheed Elegushi;  Skye Bank Chairman Tunde Ayeni; Oba Tijani Akinloye; Osile Oke-Ona Egba Oba Adedapo Tejuoso; Oba Idowu Oniru of Iruland; Eko Club president Alhaji Babatunde Brino and others.

    In his valedictory speech, Prince Dada said he first contested for Assistant Social Secretary 27 years ago. He, however, recalled agonising  whether being the club’s chairman was worth it. There were times, according to him, his business suffered  because of his absence.

    He added: “It’s been three glorious years full of meritorious service. I could not have wished for a better team.” He prayed that his successor completes the car park; a project he initiated to enhance the club financially.

    Oba Tejuoso, who came with his three wives, said he would cherish the award forever. He said he was introduced to the club by his late father. “I qualified as a medical doctor in 1964. Since then, my late father never let me rest until he brought me to the club.”

    Another awardee, Chief Bisi Olatilo, a polyglot, said the award has wiped tears off his face. Olatilo lost all his work of 16 years when fire razed his studio. The award, he said, would spur him to more action.

    King Sunny Ade and his African Beats entertained guests.

    In attendance were the former Lagos State military administrator, Ndubisi Kanu; Chairman Chisco Transport, Chief Chidi Anyaegbu and Dr Yomi Finnih, among others.

  • Bye, ‘the chair’

    Bye, ‘the chair’

    The prestigious Island Club last Friday held a valedictory party for its out-going chairman, Prince Ademola Dada, reports NNEKA NWANERI.

    For three years, he was chairman of the prestigious Island Club.

    In those years, Prince Ademola Dada distinguished himself, leading men of various professions and backgrounds.

    So, last Friday, at a valedictory party for him, the high and mighty` rose to celebrate him. The blue blooded, businessmen and women were also in attendance.

    The club members wore uniform blue and white stripped aso oke cap and white agbada to match. It was another opportunity for them to unwind and campaign for the coming elections.

    Those who supported the chairman during his tenure were given the club highest award of Grand Commander of the Peacock (GCOP). They included Elegushi of Ikateland Oba Saheed Elegushi;  Skye Bank Chairman Tunde Ayeni; Oba Tijani Akinloye; Osile Oke-Ona Egba Oba Adedapo Tejuoso; Oba Idowu Oniru of Iruland; Eko Club president Alhaji Babatunde Brino and others.

    In his valedictory speech, Prince Dada said he first contested for Assistant Social Secretary 27 years ago. He, however, recalled agonising  whether being the club’s chairman was worth it. There were times, according to him, his business suffered  because of his absence.

    He added: “It’s been three glorious years full of meritorious service. I could not have wished for a better team.” He prayed that his successor completes the car park; a project he initiated to enhance the club financially.

    Oba Tejuoso, who came with his three wives, said he would cherish the award forever. He said he was introduced to the club by his late father. “I qualified as a medical doctor in 1964. Since then, my late father never let me rest until he brought me to the club.”

    Another awardee, Chief Bisi Olatilo, a polyglot, said the award has wiped tears off his face. Olatilo lost all his work of 16 years when fire razed his studio. The award, he said, would spur him to more action.

    King Sunny Ade and his African Beats entertained guests.

    In attendance were the former Lagos State military administrator, Ndubisi Kanu; Chairman Chisco Transport, Chief Chidi Anyaegbu and Dr Yomi Finnih, among others.

  • Ex-ASUU chair delivers UNN’s 92nd lecture

    Prof Aloysius Okolie, former chairman of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), has delivered the 92nd inaugural lecture of the university titled: Global political economy and development of underdevelopment: Different people, same market and glorification of poverty.

    Okolie, a professor of Political Science, urged Federal Government to refocus the country’s academic curriculum to reflect domestic needs in order to make graduates employable. He said such move would bring out expertise and skills locally to move the nation’s education forward and fast-track economic development.

    He said: “There is need to reformulate and refocus the academic curriculum in the country to reflect needs, so as to get efficient manpower. Content used to address externalised needs and values are a disguised strategy for advancing academic imperialism and deepening the incidence of self-repudiation and self-delusion.”

    To be separated from the umbilical cord of underdevelopment, he said developing countries must believe in themselves and prioritise development strategies based on traditional values.

    He added: “Developing countries should begin to address the issue of poverty which is assuming a dangerous dimension. They should provide funds and critical infrastructure needed to support development as well as revive abandoned cottage and small scaled industries. In as much as everybody must be equal, the gap between the poor and the rich should not be too wide.”

    The political scientist said basics of global political economy were challenges facing peripheral social formations in developing countries.

    Development, he said, is a product of sound, sustained and cogent planning and administrations of curative pills purchased at a genuine market and attuned to the needs of the target.

    He said: “Underdevelopment can be likened to the blind, chaotic and unregulated administration of curative pills purchased for cancer patient and wrongly administered to malaria patient.”

    The lecturer said power and sanctity of ballot box should be strengthened and preserved by allowing the electoral process to reflect the choices of the people.

    “The electoral process should reflect choices and ideal of the people and they must be allowed to vote and choose public office holders freely. The power and sanctity of ballot box should be strengthened and preserved,” he said.

    The Vice-Chancellor, Prof Benjamin Ozumba, represented by his deputy for Academics, Prof Polycarp Chigbu, said the university would continue to enrich the knowledge of its members and the public by giving them intellectual meals from erudite scholars, who have distinguished themselves in their fields.

    The lecture, held at Princesses Alexandra Hall, was well-attended by lecturers and students.

     

  • Lawyer becomes Labour Party chair

    Labour Party (LP) Federal Capital Territory chapter  has elected Comrade Ashimole Felix Chukwuma as its  chairman   and 19 others to pilot the affairs of the party in the next three years.

    Ashimole, a graduate of the Faculty of Law, Lagos State University(LASU), was called to the Bar in 2003 .

    He was a member of NBA Abuja branch, the (Unity Bar) before he transferred to Bwari Bar.

    He is a partner, Che Oyinatumba & Associates, a labour law, human rights and public interest litigations firm.

  • We have problems, says LASU Council chair

    The Chairman of Governing Council Lagos State University (LASU), Mr Olabode Agusto, has  said the 30-year-old university has enormous problems which can only be addressed by the joint efforts of stakeholders.

    This is coming on the heels of the reverting of the school fees to the old the N25,000 by Lagos State Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN).

    The announcement at the university’s 19th convocation has jolted students, parents and teachers into celebrations. However, Augusto said it is about time LASU becaame more creative in attracting funds to make it more productive and world-class.

    In his address at the convocation, which witnessed award of higher degrees, on Thursday last week, Agusto said individuals with suggestions on how to move LASU forward must find a common ground.

    “In the rest of the year, we shall engage each of our stakeholders groups. We need your help in order to provide 21st century skills to our next generation of leaders. A wind of change must begin to blow over LASU to enable us deliver the LASU we envision,” Agusto said.

    Funding a 21-century university, Agusto stressed, was capital-intensive. He alluded to the 2009 agreement between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Nigeria Universities (ASUU), which estimates that each student in Nigeria universities needs N2.6million for quality education, translating to 36 per cent of the national budget. According to him, no government is most likely to shoulder such huge financial responsibility amid other pressing challenges in other sectors.

    At the inception, LASU tuition was pegged at N250 before it was later reviewed to an upward N25,000 in 2005 under the administration of the immediate Vice-Chancellor Prof Lateef Akanni Hussein.  It was later increased to between N198,000 and N350,000 under the tenure of the current Vice-Chancellor Prof John Oladapo Obafunwa in 2011.  Following repeated protest by students this year, government slashed down the increment by 34 to 60 per cent on June 11. In June 20, the LASU management released the naira and kobo version of the reduction which ranged from from N76,750 (Faculty of Arts) and N158,250 (Faculty of Engineering and College of Medicine).

    To realised more funding for LASU, Agusto urges the management to establish a viable financial aid program for poor students willing to learn; provide professionally and financially rewarding careers to workers, and beautify the university environment. Sponsors, Agusto stressed, must also be determined to make input into the education of their wards.

    Other measures, according to him, include ensuring uninterrupted academic calendar, making the university viable to providing consulting and other services to governments/private sectors, and improving on the quality of her graduates which will in turn tell on the public perception of the university.

    This year’s convocation witnessed a very dismal turnout of graduands which the university put at 9,169 comprising Full time, Part Time and Diploma. Also conspicuously absent was the Best Graduating Student- Ajayi Idowu Iseoluwa with a Cumulative Grade Point Average of 4.67 in Electronics &Computer Engineering.

    Except Oredeyin Oluwadamilola Olatunji from the School of Transport; Anuforo Anderson Chidi from the School of Communications, as well as Seriki Tosin Victoria from the Faculty of Management Sciences, others students who emerged overall best in their various faculties were not on ground to receive their awards.

    On the other hand, the occasion was also a litmus test for the newly-appointed Registrar Mr Akinwumi Lewis who for the first time, organised the convocation.

    Ahead of the convocation, which was slated for February, this year, the university was embroiled in crisis bordering on the management refusal to open examination portals ahead of the second semester examination. This put a clog in the wheel of the graduation as the university was temporarily shut and had to be reopened in phases. After the examination, the Students Union  protested to force state government to reduce the tuition which was introduced three years ago.

    ASUU and SSANU were later to commence industrial actions for the same reasons and members’ welfare. The groups were prevailed upon to sheathe sword so that students could graduate and   mobilised for the mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC)  pragramme.

  • Knocks for Ibibio Elders’ chair

    The Chairman of the Ibibio Elders Forum, Dr. Okon Akpan Uko, was slammed yesterday for his remarks that the forum had not endorsed the Akwa Ibom State Secretary to the Government (SSG), Mr. Udom Emmanuel.

    A member of the forum, Obong Thomas Akpan, chided him for his double-speak.

    Akpan said Uko made profound statements about the character and personality of Mr. Udom Emmanuel and hailed his intellectual prowess, managerial ingenuity and humane disposition, which he noted set him apart as a credible and competent successor to Governor Godswill Akpabio.

    Uko, in a telephone interview with The Nation, said the forum was yet to endorse Udom, claiming it only received him out of courtesy and urged him to continue his consultations peacefully.

    Akpan wondered why the forum would deny the recorded material facts of the endorsement of Udom.

    His words: “We are at a loss how Uko or the leadership of the forum could deny the (recorded) material facts of the endorsement, which they presented initially in a well-composed tribute by the forum. The tribute was printed, circulated and presented by the Ibibio Elders Forum spokesman, Obong Tony Akpan.

    “We view this development as regrettable and embarrassing not only to the forum and the public, but also to the leaders and political figures across the state, who accompanied the SSG during the visit on July 25. We condemn this double-speak in its entirety.

    “We recall that at this event, Uko made profound statements about the character and personality of Udom and commended his intellectual prowess, managerial ingenuity and humane disposition, which he noted set him apart as a credible and competent successor to Governor Akpabio next year.”

  • Group to EFCC: probe Delta PDP chair

    Group to EFCC: probe Delta PDP chair

    A group, Delta Patriotic Network (DPN), has petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman in Delta State, Peter Nwaoboshi, for alleged corruption.

    The group alleged that Nwaoboshi used his office to amass illegal wealth.

    The petition by DPN’s National President Ojein Samuel; National Vice President Okotete Tony and National Secretary Oromoni Zuokumor, alleged that Nwaoboshi collected money from government agencies and received payments for contracts badly executed.

    The group also alleged that Nwaoboshi built two mansions in Asaba and Ibusa for over N1billion.

    The PDP Chairman said the petitioners were chasing dead issues, alleging “they are being used by some disgruntled politicians”.

    He said he welcomed investigation by any anti-graft agency, adding that he had nothing to hide as a politician and businessman.

    “All the issues they raised were investigated over three years ago by EFCC and I have been given a clean bill of health. I don’t have anything to hide and I’m ready for a fresh investigation.

    “I have been involved in genuine business and I am available for investigation.

    “But nobody should take them serious because they are idle and ready tools in the hands of some disgruntled politicians.”

  • Imo monarchs battle over council chair

    Imo monarchs battle over council chair

    Scramble for political appointments is no longer restricted to politicians. Traditional rulers have joined the fight for juicy appointments. The case in Imo State amply proves this.

    Two royal fathers are locked in a fierce legal battle over the Chairmanship of the Imo State Traditional Rulers’ Council, a situation that has polarized and demystified the revered traditional institution in the state.

    The Contenders, Eze Cletus Ilomuanya, the Obi of Obinugu and Eze Agunwa Ohiri the Obi of Orodo have continued to lay claim to the exalted office.

    Trouble started between the two powerful traditional rulers when the state Governor, Rochas Okorocha sacked Eze Ilomuanya, as  the Chairman of the Traditional Rulers’ Council and appointed Eze Ohiri as the Chairman of the Council in 2011.

    It was gathered that the Governor truncated the tenure of Eze Ilomuanaya because he was a staunch supporter of his predecessor, Chief Ikedi Ohakim and was alleged to have done everything possible to frustrate the Governor’s ambition.

    Although several courts, including the State High Court and the Court of Appeal, had reinstated the sacked monarch, the state government refused to obey the Court judgments.

    The crisis however took a more serious dimension when the embattled Eze Ilomuanya secured the approval of the Court to execute the Appeal Court judgment that had reinstated him as the legitimate Chairman of the state Council of Traditional Rulers until the expiration of his tenure.

    Based on the order, armed policemen ejected the incumbent Chairman of the Council, also known as ‘Eze Imo’, Eze Agunwa Ohiri from the Council’s secretariat and reinstated Ilomuanya in line with the Court judgment.

    The reinstated monarch immediately resumed office amidst tight security, while Ohiri and members of his staff relocated to another government facility from where he continued to run a parallel Council.

    Addressing Newsmen shortly after he resumed office with the few traditional rulers who were loyal to him,  Ilomuanya, said that his removal from office in the first place by the Governor was illegal and contravened the constitution of the Traditional Rulers’ Council, adding that his victory in the Court will restore the dignity of the traditional institution in the state.

    he said that, “in June 2011 shortly after the governor  assumed office, he asked me to convene a meeting of the traditional rulers as the chairman, which I did successfully but that same evening I was shocked to hear the Governor announce the dissolution of the Council.

    “The following morning I met him and appealed to him to rescind his action that if he didn’t want to walk with me, he should have asked me to resign but he did not heed my advice. It was then that I showed him our constitution, which clearly stipulates that the Chairman of the Council can only vacate office in the event of death or resignation”.

    He stated further that, “I am happy that justice has prevailed at last. What I did was to protect the traditional institution, we deserve some honour and respect as traditional rulers. But then I hold nothing against the Governor, I have forgiven him and I am willing to work with him”.

    However in a counter move that has drawn widespread criticism, the state government quickly withdrew Eze Ilomuanya’s Staff of Office and Certificate of recognition.

    In a letter signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof Anthony Anwuka, Ilomuanya who is also the Chairman of Southeast Traditional Rulers’ Council, ceases to be recognized as the traditional ruler of Obinugwu community.

    “In accordance with sections 11 and 14 of the Imo State Traditional Rulers Autonomous Communities Law No 6 of 2006, His Excellency, the Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, has approved the withdrawal of the Certificates of Recognition and Staff of Office of Eze Cletus Ikechukwu Ilomuanya, the Traditional Ruler of Obinugu autonomouys community in Orlu Local Government Area of the State”, the letter read in part.

    But the state government had since debunked the insinuation that the dethronement of the embattled traditional ruler was connected to his reinstatement by the Court.

    Governor Okorocha explained that the dethronement of Eze Cletus Ilomuanya  and Eze Cosmas Onyeneke was in line with the resolution of the State House of Assembly which recommended that they should be removed as traditional rulers.

    The governor in a statement signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, the action was not personal matter but a discharge of his constitutional obligations under the Traditional Rulers, Autonomous Communities and Allied Matters in Imo State Law No. 6 of 2006.

    He stated further that, “following series of serious petitions to the state House of Assembly against the traditional rulers by the indigenes of the affected communities, the state Assembly constituted a-five man committee which investigated the petitions and indicted the traditional rulers.

    “As a responsible government, we appreciate the fact that the two people involved are indigenes of the state. So we won’t go the whole hog to discuss the findings of the committee. But at the end of the investigations, the committee passed  resolutions 376 and 377 that the governor should without delay, remove the duo as traditional rulers”.

    According to the governor’s aide, “ but the government kept the resolutions of the Assembly in abeyance and did not dethrone the monarchs as recommended but before then Ilomuanya had stopped attending state functions in breach of section 14 of the Imo State Traditional Rulers, Autonomous Communities Law and had since three years ago relocated to Abuja where he functioned more as a politician.

    “It is also important to state categorically too that by the virtue of the removal of Ilomuanya as both the traditional ruler and state Council of Traditional Rulers, he can no longer parade himself as such because to do so tantamount to impersonation”.

    Meanwhile the embattled traditional rulers had defied the order of the state government, insisting that they remain monarchs of their respective communities.

    In a press statement signed by Eze Ilomuanya, who is also the Chairman South East Council of Traditional Rulers, the announcement  by  the Imo state Government purporting to have withdrawn his certificate of recognition as the Monarch of Obinugwu as ridiculous and laughable.

    The statement read, “barely few hours after my resumption of duties,the Secretary to the Imo state Government, Mr Anthony Anwukah, issued a contemptuous press release purportedly conveying Governor Rochas Okorocha’s Withdrawal of my Certificate of Recognition as a traditional ruler without any reason at all. My offence was that I obeyed court judgements and orders in a state where disobedience to court orders is glorified.

  • My score card, by Ikeja NBA chair

    The Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ikeja

    Branch, Mr Monday Ubani, has presented a report of his one year administration.

    During the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the branch, he said the branch acquired N6 million bus and a tricycle to ease transportation for lawyers coming to Ikeja High Court following the ban on motor cycles in the area.

    He said the Hiace Toyota Bus was acquired at N6million for the branch by one of its members, Mr Tunde John Ayeni, the Chairman of Skye Bank while another member of the branch, Mr Bolaji Ayorinde (SAN) presented the tricycle. He said Ayorinde has promised the branch to buy a another tricycle before the end of the month.

    Ubani said another member, Mr Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), donated a 30kva generator to the branch while the executive purchased a 6KVA generator for the Bar Centre.

    He said the completion of the Bar Centre project was part of the campaign strategy of his administration. He said so far they have raised N10 million while the branch has been promised another N8million towards the completion of the building.

    “If all the promises we have received so far from our invited guests are anything to go by, we will commence work on the building immediately, possibly this month or at worst, next month” he said adding: “It is apromise which by God’s grace shall be accomplished before the end of this administration.”

    After the swearing in June 28, last year, the first assignment that came the way of Ubani was that of participating in the national conference of the NBA. Ubani recalled that Ikeja Branch of the bar led other branches to protest against what he termed, “callous conference fees” which the former executive of the national NBA asked lawyers to pay before attending the conference.

    “The branch protested the increase and won sympathy of other branches and some senior members of the Bar.

    The conference of 2012 remained in history as one with the least attendance and poorly organised. It also recorded a huge loss.

    “We must sustain that struggle to exterminate impunity anywhere it is found including at the leadership of the Bar and generally in the country,” he said.

    The edition of the ‘The Gani Fawehinmi Annual Lecture’ titled: “Democracy, economy and fundamental human rights: Whither Nigeria?” was another area where the Ikeja Branch executive of the NBA recorded huge success. Aside from the important dignitaries who graced the occasion, the turn out was impressive and at the end of the lecture, Ubani said about N1 million was realised after the programme.

    Ubani also described the Sixth Alao Aka Bashorun Memorial lecture, which was chaired by Prince Bola Ajibola (SAN), a former judge of the World Court, as intellectually rewarding. “Not only was the programme well attended, all our invited guests, including Mallam el-Rufai, former FCT Minister; Prof Akin Oyebode, an International Law expert and a Lecturer at the University of Lagos and Hon. Kanu Agabi (SAN), the former Attorney- General of the Federation, came as promised,” he said, adding that the family of the late Alao Aka Bashorun was adequately represented by the first son, Segun and Atinuke, the wife of the late Alao Aka Bashorun.

    The Continuing Legal Education of the branch, which was held in April, this year was regarded as one of the best. Twelve areas of law were handled effectively. The seminar took a cursory look at some of the thorny provisions in the 2012 Civil Procedures Rules of Lagos State and the newly Amended Evidence Act especially on computer generated evidence and allied matters. The conclusion at seminar that involved seasoned lawyers and judges was that much is still required to be done in our laws to ensure efficient and smooth operation of our administration of justice in the state in particular and in Nigeria in general.

     

    The NBA Ikeja branch chairman explained that the seminar was held in realization of the fact that if one must “be an efficient and brilliant lawyer, whether in the court or out of the court room, one needs to be updated constantly with latest developments in every area of ones practice” adding “we have to evolve a culture of this Continuing Legal Education in our Branch to bring out the best in all of us”.

     

  • Forum gets governing council’s chair

    Forum gets governing council’s chair

    An Aba lawyer and former Secretary, Eastern Bar Forum (EBF), Mr Ogbonna Igwenyi, has been inaugurated as the forum’s governing council’s chairman.

    The EBF had, at its meeting in Omaga, Port Harcourt on April 27, appointed a three-man committee headed by the former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Imo State, Mr Donald Denwigwe (SAN), to oversee the election of new officers into its governing council.

    Consequently, the committee issued guidelines for the election, called for nomination of candidates and filing of nomination papers.

    At the election which took place at the Bar Centre, Abia State High Court, Aba, the office of the Secretary had only one contestant, Mr. S. Long Williams, who was returned unopposed. Mr UDA Imeh is the treasurer.

    Igwenyi and Chief John Iguh stood for the chairmanship.

    Mr. Ama Akalonu and Chinedu M. Nze were retuned as council members representing Imo and Abia states, while the house rejected the nomination of two council members by the electoral committee on the ground that they did not meet the qualification in the guidelines for the offices.

    Anambra State Bar leaders urged Iguh to step down for Igwenyi to avoid the rancour in the forum.

    The leaders said the EBF was one big family with small units and each unit should from time tom time make sacrifices for the unity of the family.

    When the decision was communicated to Igwenyi, he thanked the Anambra leaders for their show of love and brotherhood.

    When Iguh informed the house that in the interest of peace and unity, he was stepping down for Igwenyi, he was applauded for what some described as a bold step.

    Igwenyi walked up to him and hugged him to the admiration of all. Thereafter, Igwenyi was declared chairman of the forum.

    The new officers were inaugurated in Port Harcourt at a workship on partnership.

    The official leader of the Eastern Bar and President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Mr Okey Wali (SAN) praised Wodu for a job well done, and urged the new executives to continue the good work.

    He thanked Iguh for the sacrifice he made and noted that it was in the spirit of the NBA.

    The former chairman of the governing council, Professor Ernest Ojukwu, thanked all members for their contributions to the forum.

    He praised the outgoing governing council chairman, Mr. Kemasuode Wodu’s administration for introducing a new dimension in the EBF leadership, saying the seminars and workshops improved the skills members.

    A delegation of the Mid Western Bar Forum led by Prince Okonta A. O. Ajine and Joe Egun attended the meeting and brought a goodwill message.