Diaspora: NICASA crisis deepens as BOT suspends President-General

By Peter Ejiofor

The crisis of lack of confidence and alleged financial mismanagement currently beleaguering the Nigeria Citizens Association South Africa (NICASA) has deepened as the Board of Trustee (BoT) suspends the President-General (P-G), Mr Ben Okoli.

The report of the investigation and decisions reached by the BoT which has been examining the causes of the problems, which was signed by its Secretary, Mr Sunni Alli, and emailed from Johannesburg, South Africa, made the disclosure on Friday in Lagos.

Contrary to claims that it had no right to suspend the P-G, the BoT says “one of the constitutional roles of the BOT is to monitor the work and
performance of the National Executive Council of the association.

“Based on this, the BOT held several meetings with the aim to understand the challenges and proper solutions on issues affecting the smooth running of the association.’’

It attached its observations and decisions in the two-part report to the P-G for necessary action, demanding full implementation of the decisions within seven working days from the date of the receipt of the document.

It further clarified that Part I is on the issues surrounding the suspension of NICASA Secretary-General and NICASA Deputy Secretary-General.

Part II provides resolutions on the issue of NICASA accounts, adding that copies had been sent to the Nigeria High Commissioner, Amb. Haruna Muhammad Manta, Nigeria Consul General, AbdulMalik  Ahmed, Nigeria Defence Advisor, Navy Capt. A. C. Isa and all NICASA provincial leaders.

The BoT said it suspended the P-G after carefully examining the allegations evidence tendered before it for financial mismanagement, high-handedness and prohibiting some functionaries of the association from carrying out their constitutional roles.

The P-G, it said had suspended the Secretary-General (S-G), Mr Kaeem Babatunde, and expelled the Deputy General-Secretary, Rev. S.J. Uba, in spite of the allegations of high-handedness against him by members of the executive committee.

But in a swift reaction to his suspension, Okoli said: “I have never seen a BoT suspending the Nigeria President of any organization. Do you think some of them went to school?

“They lack wisdom while fighting for power. It’s very shameful of them. As long as I am the founder of NICASA, their decisions are dead on arrival.’’

Continuing, the report noted that suspension of the S-G was not done in accordance with Article 26 sections 1-2 of NICASA constitution, although he was not performing his constitutional duties as contained in Article 20 section 4 of NICASA constitution.

Some members believe that because the P-G managed the association of his own accord, he fell out with the secretary-general and the deputy secretary-general, leading to their suspension.

It also observed that the S-G did not keep or have a proper organisational minute book, at least for the meetings that he attended, while most of the letters sent out by NICASA were not written and signed by him.

It also observed that the S-G was constantly presenting allegations of accountability against the P-G, Mr Ben Okoli in managing NICASA funds, adding that his hot temper affected the trust and the unity of the organisation.

The BOT based on its findings decided that the suspension of the S-G should be withdrawn since it was not done according to the provision of Article 26 Sections 1-2 of NICASA constitution.

It also said that he must write a letter to NICASA to express his commitment to carry out his duties as contained in Article 20 Section 4 of NICASA constitution.

The BOT cautioned that he should carry out his constitutional roles as stipulated and that where he failed to do so should tender his resignation immediately.

The BOT said that having observed the allegations levelled against Rev. Uba by the NEC, except the issue of Anti-Organisational Activities are true and held that the deputy S-G was not performing his constitutional duties as contained in Article 20 section 5 of NICASA constitution.

It noted that his expulsion was not done in accordance with Article 26 sections 1-2 of NICASA constitution and as such should be withdrawn.

“It is worth noting that all our resolutions on the issue of DSG and SG were guided by NICASA constitution and evidence presented to the BOT.

“We believe that adherence to the recommendations stated in this report will go a long way in addressing the internal crisis surrounding the Nigerian association in South Africa.’’

On the scrutiny on financial accounts of NICASA, it looked into the first part of NICASA financial report ending on May 13, 2020 and was guided by the financial report prepared by the financial secretary and information gathered from the executive members during online interactions.

The report said the BoT observed that the financial secretary who prepared the financial report did not know and could not explain the expenses in the report he prepared, with all questions referred to the P-G for explanations by him.

It also observed that the financial secretary and the secretary general who are the head of the secretariat as stipulated in the constitution do not have access to NICASA bank statements and accounts of the day to day financial matters and general finances of the organisation.

The report said the NICASA constitution did not clearly stipulate Financial Secretary as a signatory of the NICASA account, noting that as a significant omission in the constitution.

“The President-General of NICASA for over the years has been, in many cases, with few executives having been deciding, authorising and pricing items on behalf of the organisation due to non-availability of the members of the national executive council.

It listed the specific cases investigated by the Bot to include Historical Album where it noted with concern the spending of R18,000 and the P-G explaining that it was spent on nine albums at a cost of R2,000.

The BoT said it observed that there was no formal NEC authorisation of the release of the funds and that seven albums which cost R14,000 had been kept by the P-G in his house for almost 2 years.

Other areas examined were the trip to Cape Town for a meeting in the Consulate, Election Expenses, where R38,000 was spent, and Accumulated Money borrowed to NICASA by the P-G.

It, however, said there was a R16, 971.24 deficit in that financial statement which PG claimed he had borrowed to NICASA in the course of running the association.

In its seven-point resolution, the Bot said that in the review of the NICASA constitution, the financial secretary should be added as a signatory to the NICASA account, adding that in the meantime, his cellphone number and that of the secretary-general should be added to the account to receive an SMS alert to keep track of all the transactions.

“The P-G should submit to the financial secretary within two weeks the details of the R16 971.24 he borrowed to NICASA for proper record keeping.

“The NEC should prepare a financial report from 14th May 2020 to 30th November 2021 within two weeks and submit to the BOT for scrutiny,’’ the report said.

It added that the BoT was awaiting a breakdown of the R38 000 election fund and the financial report from 14th May, 2020 to 30th November, 2021 to complete its task.