IN THE JOURNEY TO PEACE, TRUTH IS THE ONLY ROAD
Every member of Ikeja should be worried that in spite of the many potentials of our great Branch (Call it the Tiger Branch or call it the Excellent Branch), we have lost our rightful place in the comity of branches. We have become a laughing stock due to our constant bickerings and the ritfs that run rife. Just like it is with Nigeria, the successive leaderships of the Bar ran unchecked. The Branch has become worse for it.
It is for the above reason that we applauded the investigation of the last but one administration and the ongoing prosecution of persons believed to be culpable in the running of the affairs of the branch. Members patiently await the outcome. The rumoured plans to reach an accord for settlement out of Court will not be in the best interest of branch, neither will it even be in the best interest of the persons alleged. The truth must be established right there in the Court.
However, as the last administration served out its term, allegations of financial infidelity rent the air. There have been allegations and denials of misappropriation or mishandling of our public till, yet again.
Chief of these allegations is the running of a particular bank account opened in the name of the Branch by immediate past Chairman, Prince Dele Oloke during his factional Chairmanship of the branch in 2016/2017.
Borne out of the determination to expose the truth and bring it forward for the information of members, the investigation embarked upon upon based on those allegations produced the preliminary findings below:
- An Access Bank Account was opened in the name of NBA, Ikeja on 1st of August, 2016 by the Prince Dele Oloke led factional Exco of the Branch.
- The account number is 0711869413
- The signatories to the account were (or included) Prince Dele Oloke and Mrs. Muna Ezegine.
- Members of the branch paid dues into the account and some donations were made therein.
- The Account was not and has never been audited for the purpose of presenting its report to members of the branch, in line with our law and in accordance with best practices of corporate governance.
- Cash withdrawals, cheque payments and transfers into private accounts running into millions of naira were made from that account, both in favour of both members and non-members of the factional exco amembers of the Branch.
- Breakdown of some of the activities on the account are as follows:
a) Dele Oloke #400,000 cash withdrawal @ Bank Road Port Harcourt on 26th August, 2016
b) #150,000 Cheque issued in favour of DELE OLOKE on 22nd December, 2016.
c) Dele Oloke #150,000 Cheque issued in his favour on 22nd December, 2016
d) UJU Peace Okeke #30,000 cheque withdrawal at Sabo-Yaba Branch on 22nd February, 2017
e) Maimuna Eseigine #150,000 @ Asaba on 3rd March, 2017.
f) Maimuna Eseigine #100,000 cash WD @ Ejigbo Branch on 7th March, 2017
g) Maimuna Eseigine #44,000 @ Simbiat Abiola Way, Ikeja on 10th March, 2017.
h) Cheque issued and cashed in favour of Dele Oloke & Co #300,000 on 20th March, 2017.
i) Maimuna Ezegine cheque for the sum of #150,000 collected @ Simbiat Abiola (Medical Road) Ikeja on 23rd March, 2017.
j) Dele Oloke & Co #700,000 cheque19th April, 2017.
k) Uju Peace Okeke #150,000 cheque collected @ Ojodu-Berger Branch on 21st April, 2017
l) Afam Ofomata #150,000 cheque collected @ Ojodu-Berger Branch on 18th May, 2017.
m) Uju Peace Okeke #150,000 cash withdrawal @ Ojodu-Berger Branch on 19th May, 2017
While a position has not been taken on the culpability or otherwise of the operators of the account and the beneficiaries of the various withdrawals made, the persons named, particularly Prince Dele Oloke on whose desk the buck should stop as the one who superintended that account, are hereby urged through this medium publicly explain to members the activities on this account and submit the account for the purposes of audit.
Not only would this be in accordance with financial integrity, but it will also go a long way is clearing his (their) names of all allegations of financial indiscipline.
It is beleived that the Branch’s insistence on the right things being done is the only pathway to an enduring peace within the Branch.
Particularly as the Branch prepares to elect its new set of leaders on Tuesday, this will send a string signal to the intending officers that the days of lack of probity and accoubtability in Ikeja are finally gone, and gone for good.
SIGNOUT LINE: As part of the commitment to the unearthing of truth in the Branch, the allegations of insider dealings, cronyism in the award of procurement contracts and contract-inflation in the construction of the Bar Centre, which was completed with a whopping sum of N86million Naira, is currently being investigated. This investigation of allegation of insider-dealing also covers the alleged supply of diesel to the Bar Centre in the past two years at highly inflated price by a leading figure in the last Exco.
Members will surely be updated as true facts are unearthed.
Please note, IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING…PUBLICLY.
Courtesy:
LEAGUE FOR TRUTH (LEFT)
