THE REPORT OF THE RECONCILIATION COMMITTEE OF CHRIST’S SCHOOL ALUMNI ASSOCIATION WORLD WIDE
The Committee was set up at the Annual General Conference - 2011 with the carte-blanch to resolve all disputes within the Alumni with the following membership:
1. Ven. Dr. Dapo Ajayi - Chairman
2. Dr. Akin Akeju
3. Rev. (Dr). John Aina
4. Prof. Fola Esan
5. Prof. Yinka Afolayan
The Committee later invited four Alumni to serve as Resource persons/consultants.
1. Chief F.A. Daramola
2. Chief S. Bandele Falegan
3. Chief Olusola Bayode
4. Chief Deji Fasuan, but he declined.
Prof. Yinka Afolayan was unanimously appointed secretary. He performed his function creditably and went through up to the writing of the findings and recommendations but he was too strong to write the report. He is back at home now and will soon read the report.
My only qualification to serve on this committee or even be its chairman is my total ignorance and neutrality and it has stood me in good stead and augured well for the committee and our alma mater.
We are grateful for the opportunity of service.
Findings:
1. The platinum group, which originally had in its fold Chief. Ogunkua and Dr. Kayode Obembe and ‘Alumni in the USA branch, had been on the ground for some years and were organized to see to the development of Christ’s School.
2. There was a build-up based on mind set among the Alumni in the USA branch and Ibadan branch and other branches in the country before the last election held on March 14 2009.
3. There was a valid constitution of the Alumni as at March 14 2009 and the elections on that day were rooted in that ground norm. Therefore the elections were validly held. The present officers and other members of the Central Executive Committee were validly and duly elected.
4. However, the validity of the last election notwithstanding, some members of the Alumni Association did not accept the outcome of the election.
5. Mrs. Wuraola Ajibade, Chairperson USA Alumni Chapter, in her written submission, said that the USA Alumni Association is a registered business under the USA law and it is therefore not answerable to any other body outside the USA. She advocated for a Federation of Alumni Association which consists of Nigeria, USA, UK branches.
6. The USA chapter headed by Mrs. Wuraola Ajibade has drawn up a home-coming programme in October 2011, entirely on its own. However, Mrs. Ajibade has indicated that the President Dr. Kayode Obembe had been duly informed. She claimed that this home coming event is the first in the series of Platinum group sponsored homecoming /reunion events.
7. The erection of the Alumni Centre was a Project embarked upon during the regime of Ven. R.A. Ogunlade as Principal of the merged schools. The seed money came from levies paid by the members of the PTA but remained an abandon project for about 40years thereafter Platinum Club embarked upon the project of the centre for it became clear that the school had no financial means to complete the construction. We subsequently found that since the inception of Obembe led executive, records show that the Central Executive Council (CEC) spent N3.5Million to take the project to completion and commissioning. The audited reports and bank statements were duly presented and adopted at the Alumni Annual Conference – June 2010 according to the Constitution. No money was given to CEC by Platinum group since they were elected on March 14, 2009. The Centre was commissioned on Saturday 21, November 2009. So Platinum did not complete the Project.
8. The Management of the Alumni centre is at present by a Committee whose membership is made up of Chief Deji Fasuan, Chief ‘Dele Fagbemigun (The Secretary General) and the Principals of Christ’s School. Funds generated from the centre have always gone into a dedicated bank account. The management committee was set up by the Central Executive Committee. However, while the School management is of the view that the Alumni centre belongs to the school, the Central Executive Committee is of the view that the Alumni Centre belongs to the Alumni Association. The true picture is that this is Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) arrangement geared towards maintenance and sustainability of the Centre and for the development of Christ’s School.
9. The JAMB Office, one of the two buildings opposite the school, which were constructed entirely by the school as staff quarters, was leased out to JAMB as an office over ten years ago. JAMB failed to make any payment as rent to the school for many years. However, within the last two years, The CEC recovered a sum of N300,000.00 from JAMB as payment for one year rent. The principal of the school objected to the payment of the rent to Alumni and made a formal report of the action of the CEC to the State Ministry of Education. This is partly responsible for the strained relationship between the school authority and the CEC. The Principal of the School has, however, written to the Ministry of Education to withdraw the letter of protest.
10. The school has other landed properties along Iyin Road. Some of the landed properties were given to the Oluyin of Iyin Ekiti and other Alumni by Mr. Kehinde Ojo, when he was the Principal of the school, without any proper deed of conveyance.
11. The Chapel refurbishment Committee under the Chairmanship of the Chief S. B. Falegan and which included the Principal of the School was set up by the Central Executive Committee. The new Principal however, was not an active member of the Committee. This was another area of conflict between the School Management and the Central Executive Committee.
12. A sum of N250,000.00 was collected by the school Authority last April from the President Jonathan Campaign Team for the use of the School premises for political campaign. The account of the Alumni Association was credited with only N40,000.00 out of the amount.
13. The School Authority had allowed various interest groups whose missions are not relevant to those of the School to organize parties, rallies, reception etc. on the school ground.
14. The Central Executive Committee organized and financed the Founders Day of the School on June 8, 2011 without the participation of the School and School Authority. This is another cause of strained relationship between the School Authority and Central Executive Committee.
15. The Committee was informed by Mr. Abe (then Principal of Christ’s School Junior) that Chief Dayo Fadipe, a Commissioner in the Ekiti State Government has been appointed Chairman, Board of Governor of the School.
16. The Committee found out that within the last few years, the landed property of the Christ’s Girls’ School has been under a threat of being reclaimed by some interested individuals aided by a few Alumni. However, through the patriotic and committed efforts of Chief S.B. Falegan who gallantly defended the interest of the School, the State Surveyor-General has now issued a written declaration which make Christ’s School the perpetual owner of the land.
Recommendations:
1. Since the election of March 14, 2009 was based on a valid Constitution at that time, the Committee appeals to all those who had reservations on the election to forgive and forget the past and look forward to March 2012 when another round of election would take place. We must make the coming election fair, free and credible. The electoral body conducting the elections must draw up a code of conduct and electoral guidelines well in advance of the elections for all contestants.
2. The Committee is of view that there is nothing attached to any office except the spirit to serve the interest of the School. However, electioneering slogans and banners if not moderated can create bad feelings among members.
The Committee recommends that there should be no mind-set as to who should and who should not hold any office. Only the best is good for us all.
3. The Committee believes that organizing Founder’s Day Celebrations is primarily the responsibility of the Management of the School. We wish to quickly add that for a result oriented celebration, the School need every support of the Alumni Association which the School is urged to court always. The founder’s Day is the heritage of the Alumni members and any Alumni Group can participate in the organization of events on the Founder’s day at any location.
4. The Alumni Association can, if it wishes, set aside one day in a year as re-union day. In so doing, however, if such an event is to take place on the School premises, including the Alumni Centre, the School Authority should be notified and put in confidence.
5. The Constitution does not provide for a Federation of Alumni Association at the moment. Therefore the USA Chapter, in the interest of the School should modify its article of incorporation to allow for recognition of only one worldwide body that embraces all Alumni members all over the World. If, however, this approach is not feasible, the USA Chapter as an important arm of the Association should, when operating in Nigeria, accept to carry out any of its activities with due notification to and consultation with the Central Executive Committee and the School Authority for proper documentation. The Alumni Association Worldwide is headed by the President and other branches are headed by chairmen.
6. The Alumni Centre should be managed by an independent committee made up of the Principal of the School, the Central Executive Committee Representatives, and PTA Representatives. The Chairman should be a Businessman who is also an Alumnus. The immediate surroundings of the centre could be developed into a money-yielding car park for an event centre. All other landed property – JAMB buildings, Shopping complex along Iyin Road etc. should be managed by same Committee or another Committee with similar composition.
7. The Principal should henceforth stop issuing permit for social gathering – political rallies and religious crusades within the school premises because of ethical implications and attendant negative social consequence and distraction of our students.
8. The Committee recommends that another person be recommended as the Chairman, Board of Governors immediately in view of the fact that Chief Dayo Fadipe, who was appointed into the post before, is now Commissioner in Ekiti State Government.
9. The Committee should immediately meet with the Governor of the State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, a distinguished Alumnus, to clarify the rumours surrounding the alleged impending handover of the running of the school to Ekiti Anglican Diocese, the Alumnus Association of USA, or any Chapter or Group such as Platinum. The Elders Forum has met with the Governor on this matter before which he dispelled as a rumour.
10. The Principal of the school, Mr. Akinyede, an Alumnus, should demonstrate more clearly that he knows his onions in managing the school. There is no unanimous opinion in support of any transparent commitment and loyalty as an alumnus to the school. He appears too easily discouraged by the enthusiasm of some alumni and unduly bureaucratic in his dealings with the Alumni.
11. From this point onward all bickering must stop. Whatever grievances or offences must be forgiven and forgotten. Let brotherly love prevail. All questions must be properly tabled and resolved. At the last Home-coming, I seized that opportunity to have an interaction with Chief Ogunkua and a few Alumni who were present at the ceremony. The comforting fact was that both the President Dr. Kayode Obembe and Chief Ogunkua are very cordial. That makes it easy for the duo to get along together and resolve issues amicably. The group insists that the Alumni Hall was completed with fund provided by the platinum club. The club is not an Alumni branch but a club established for that sake of funding Christ’s School. Dr. Kayode Obembe is also a member of the club. Chief Ogunkua had spoken to the Archbishop about the disagreement over the election and other matters relating to the Alumni. But he thought Dr. Obembe refused to honour the Archbishop’s invitation to jaw-jaw. But it has since been established that there was no such invitation. It was on the strength of the above that even though Chief Ogunkua is very willing to invite Dr. Obembe for talks, he was insisting that Dr. Obembe, the President, must first of all respond to the Archbishop’s invitation. However, I have managed an exchange of telephone numbers so that the three of them can interact. But I have not received a report from the three distinguished people. However, the Elders Forum has directed that we do not invite outsiders. In any case that matter is not beyond us.
Chief Ogunkua has indicated that:
1. He recognized Dr. Obembe as the President until another election.
2. He is not interested in the next election and will not contest so as to make it clear that he is only concerned for the progress of our Alma mata and not his own personal ambition.
3. He however would want Dr. Obembe to meet with the Archbishop. But the truth is that the Archbishop did not have Dr. Obembe’s number and therefore has never invited him for a meeting.
4. Since it is clear that Platinum Club did not fund Alumni Hall alone to completion, each group i.e. PTA, Platinum, CSAA, should give full details of their financial involvement at the various stages of the building project in accordance with their respective constitutional guidelines.
Conclusion:
In addition to our findings and recommendations every discordant or conflicting area has been addressed and each has cooperated fully for the progress of the school and for peace to reign.
There may be pockets of unresolved issues between individuals but from our findings these will be resolved in the spirit of Christ’s School. We appeal to all to sheave their swords and let sleeping dogs lie. Fortunately the President, Dr. Kayode Obembe and Baba Ijo Ogunkua have started interacting productively and they have arranged a meeting between them in mid December, 2011. It has been a pleasure to be called to service at this level and it gives me great pride and pleasure to be so highly regarded by the Alumni AGM who appointed the Reconciliation committee and the confidence all the members, co-opted members, resource persons, consultants had in my ability to handle this assignment creditably. I am grateful to everybody and in particular to all my colleagues in the committee. Dr. Akin Akeju said to me: you are the only one that is respectable enough to be acceptable to all sides that were already assumed to belong to one side or the other. Glory be to God, the God of peace, and Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, whose name we bear.