REPORTS ON EVENTS TO CONGRESS MEMBERS

MEETING WITH THE VICE CHANCELLOR

Following complaints by the former NEC members to the Vice Chancellor, Professor Abdallah Uba Adamu, on their removal from office, and seeking his intervention to reinstate them back to office, the Vice Chancellor scheduled a meeting between the former NEC members and members of the Board of Trustees, as well as the management team of NOUN on 15^TH June 2016.

It should be stated that prior to this time, Phil Colman had presented a twisted version of the issues to the Vice Chancellor, hinging on the fallacy that unbridled interests of the State Executive Members (SEC) and the B.O.T over the association’s finances was the cause of his removal from office.  The Vice Chancellor, being unfamiliar with circumstances in the association, became boiled for justice. Hence, he called for the supposed peace meeting, giving the B.O.T only a day’s notice.

On commencement of the meeting, the vice chancellor commenced by stating that he was not interested in listening to the facts about the crisis.  He therefore stated his five point’s agenda for ending the crisis. They are:

·         Both parties should settle out of court.

·         NEC should withdraw its litigation against the Board of Trustees

·         All elected executives of the association, which include the SEC, the NEC and the B.O.T should be dissolved.

·         A caretaker committee should be set up, and

·         The Advancement Deputy Director, Mr. Abba Usman Shehu should no longer be the interface between the university and the alumni.

When these points were being presented, a question hanged in the air like the moon in the sky: DOES THIS ADDRESS THE MULTI-MILLION NAIRA THEFT PERPETUATED BY THE PHIL COLMAN-LED FORMER NEC? What becomes of the mandate given to the B.O.T during the just-concluded emergency congress, asking it to retrieve all stolen funds of the association by the NEC, and to bring them to book so as to serve as deterrents to future thieves? If all members of all organs of the association are sacked, how do we differentiate the thieves from the noble men?

These questions were too grave to ignore, as they would prick the conscience of every B.O.T member for live. Hence, the B.O.T objected for these reasons:

1.      Contrary to the Vice Chancellor’s claim that the #5,000 alumni payment was the sole cause of the problems in the alumni, greed was. The Colman-led former NEC was so greedy that it refused to acknowledge a constitutional sharing formula for the association’s funds with SEC, and this constitutional infraction was too colossal to ignore. He (Phil Colman) and his cohorts of NEC members squandered the association’s funds as though they were oil merchants on Las Vegas vacation. Phil Colman alone gulped more than five million naira (5,000,000).

2.      Allowing the dissolution of all organs of the association would make it impossible to identify the wrong-doers. It is a case of a police man arresting someone for stealing, and when he takes the person to the judge, the judge says, ‘I will throw you all behind bars’.

3.      The idea of setting up a caretaker committee to pilot the affairs of the association is alien to the constitution of NOUNAA.

4.      The highest organ of the association, as recognized by the NOUNAA constitution, is the Congress. Hence, any decision which the congress cannot ratify is null and void. If all organs of the association are dissolved, who then constitutes the congress to ratify the decisions of the caretaker committee? How do we make sure that the Vice Chancellor, who is still new to the university, is able to identify notable alumni to be in the caretaker committee? How do we ensure that stooges of the ill-intentioned NEC do not snuggle their ways into the committee?

5.      The B.O.T is obligated to discharge the mandates of the just-concluded emergency congress. Hence, it cannot agree to anything which is contrary to those mandates.

Furthermore, as expected, the members of the former NEC were quick to accept the terms the Vice Chancellor had enumerated. Their reasons are not hard to imagine:

·         On the first and second points of settling out of court and withdrawing its litigation against the B.O.T, it should be known that Colman and his former NEC members are broke, as they can no longer withdraw from the NOUNAA ACCOUNT as they please. So, travelling to Abuja to pursue their case in court and paying their lawyer is a humongous demand that they cannot meet up to. Hence, they would clinch to any offer to settle.

·         On the third point of dissolving all organs of the association, they were excited to welcome it as it would hide them in the crowd, and make it difficult for anyone to allude to their disgraceful removal from office.

·         On the fifth point which hinges on the removal of the deputy director of Advancement Unit from office, they saw it as a payback as they had perceived Abba as a thorn on their flesh due to his insistence on truth and justice.

·         The Vice Chancellor’s proposal seemed milder to them compared to what the Congress would do to them for monetary theft and serial constitutional violations.

Having listened to all points of view and attained a clearer perspective of issues, the Vice Chancellor, realizing that he had been grossly misinformed, declared that he would allow NOUNAA to sort itself, while the University stayed out. The Vice Chancellor also said that the university would cut off ties with the alumni until a credible NEC is put in place, after which he would consider re-engaging. This last statement was appreciated as it elicited cheers.

Colman and his stooges walked out of the headquarters rapidly with their heads to the ground. They lost once again.

SECOND APPEARANCE IN COURT

As said during the emergency congress, there was still a court case slated for 16^th of June. On the day, lawyers of the both parties individually stepped forward to give their presentations. After a brief moment of argument between the both parties, the Judge struck out the frivolous case of the NEC. The Judge also charged them a fine of #3,000 to be paid to the B.O.T.

Also, for a second day in a roll, Colman and his stooges walked out of the court rapidly with their heads to the ground. They lost once again (Hopefully, the last time).

CONCLUSION

Fellow Alumnus, there is a popular saying that “darkness cannot stand the strength of light”. This statement has never been more evident than it is in these trying times in the life of NOUNAA, as devious dubious people have attempted all schemes to perpetuate themselves in positions they do not deserve. They have failed several times, and yet they are so resilient in their evil that they may try several times more. So, beware of their antics!

The B.O.T has a responsibility to protect NOUNAA from saboteurs, as it is a solemn oath which every of its members has taken. It will not fall. It will not falter. Thank you.

Bob Ekat