BACKGROUND.
Igala Cultural Development Association (ICDA) is a non-governmental, non political cultural organization of the Igala people. It has existed for a very long time with different leaderships that were not registered with Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). The first President of the organisation was Late Mathew Edogbanya who lived at Anyigba. He was a retired officer of the judiciary. The last President was Idechu Ikani, a labour activist, with Dr Abdul Ainoko, a retired season Administrator, as National Secretary.
WHAT JOINED SADIQ AMODU ABUBAKAR AND THE INCORPORATED BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
The Chairman of the Incorporated Board of Trustees, Dr Omakoji Simeon Abraham Oyiguh is a sought after leader with proven skills in management and relationships. He is known with a distinguished track record of community service and rich contributions to the emergence of leadership of socio-cultural organizations; and had particularly contributed meaningfully to the successes of ICDA in the past before its nose diving. He is currently the Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association(NMA), Kogi State.
Sometime early in the year 2017, Dr Omakoji Oyiguh was contacted to reactivate the Igala Cultural and Development Association (ICDA). The organization was later registered with Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Abuja and a bank account was opened to ensure banking transaction, accountability and transparency.
The registration process with Corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja, was concluded in August 2017.
INCORPORATED TRUSTEES OF ICDA.
The names that incorporated the Board of Trustees of ICDA are Dr Omakoji Simeon Abraham Oyiguh, Hon David Ina Ogu, Professor Armstrong Idachaba, Hon Sunday Alikali, Dr Jacob Abdullai, Sadiq Amodu Abubakar, and Makolo Thompson.
Dr Omakoji Simeon Abraham Oyiguh was Chairman of the Board while Sadiq Amodu Abubakar was Secretary. The Board of Trustees is the legal owner of the association known to law. They are members for life and can only exit with very clear reason (article 4C).
INAUGURATION OF SADIQ ABUBAKAR AMODU AS PRESIDENT OF ICDA
Sadiq Amodu Abubakar was inaugurated as the President of the Association in December 2017, though a member of Board of Trustees (Secretary) with possible conflict of interest which eventually became the albatross. He was very careful to follow the constitution of ICDA and respect the resolutions of the Board of Trustees until April 2020, when he surrendered the association for political gain. He had thought he can fully surrendered the ICDA as a platform for any chosen politician, so that ICDA becomes a Support Group for the gubernatorial aspiration of such an individual. However, the Incorporated Trustees is standing up to him to stop the act of reducing ICDA to a political Support Group for a gubernatorial aspirant.
WHAT SADIQ AMODU ABUBAKAR DID THAT CREATED CRISIS BETWEEN HIM AND THE BoT.
He began to involve the organization in political activities. That is against the object of the registration of the organization.
He opened project account and other bank accounts without the authorization of the Board of Trustees for possible money laundering violating Article 10 (ii).
He demonstrated lack of accountability and has never presented any financial report to the BoT or the AGM according to Article 6 Section 1 sub 1.
He also refused to present annual audited report and make annual return to CAC which is a constitutional demand according to the law of CAMA.
He illegally took over the activities of the Kogi State chapter, and inaugurating local government chapters without the acceptance of the Kogi State chapter of the organization.
He demonstrated high handedness, arbitrariness, authoritarianism and showed disrespect for the members of the Incorporated Board of Trustees and their resolutions, and carried out activities parallel to the directives of the Board of Trustees.
The lawyer who was brought by Sadiq Amodu Abubakar to register the organization with CAC is also exhausted, and frustrated by his activities. At a point the lawyer threatened resignation as the Legal Officer of the organisation. I say this with firm authority.
WHAT SADIQ AMODU ABUBAKAR DID THAT CREATED CRISIS BETWEEN HIM AND THE LATE ATTA IGALA.
The Board of Trustees represented by Dr Omakoji Simeon Abraham Oyiguh and Hon David Ina Ogu in 2019 approached the paramount ruler of Igala kingdom, late Michael Idakwo Ameh Oboni II to brief him on the unfortunate disposition of then President of ICDA. The BoT got to know that Atta Igala was also not happy with Sadiq Amodu Abubakar for lacking respect for the stool of the Atta Igala, and giving of chieftaincy titles for selfish interest in the guise of awards which made His Royal Majesty, late Michael Ameh Oboni very angry with him.
He also later caused to be forged a document of the Igala Area traditional Council that drew the ire of the Atta Igala in a rejoinder, where the Atta described the forgers as scammers and imbeciles.
FORGERY BY SADIQ AMODU ABUBAKAR AFTER HIS REMOVAL.
Instead of being remorseful and apologetic that his activities have brought so much odium to Igala nation, and for him to accept his removal from office, he caused to be forged, the official document of IGALA AREA TRADITIONAL COUNCIL purportedly signed by Yunusa . O. Idachaba, the Secretary of the Council. He rebelliously, blatantly and disrespectfully went ahead to host his purported Annual General Meeting and Award Ceremony on the 1st of August, 2020, even after he and his executive committee members were dissolved.
This further drew the ire of late Atta Igala who addressed the forgers of the document as scammers and IMBECILES, with pronouncement of curses. For emphasis he went ahead after his executive committee was dissolved, to host a purported Annual General Meeting/ Award Ceremony on the 1st of August, 2020 against the directives of the Board of Trustees who own the organization; as by that move , he violated Article 4C of the Constitution of the organization by illegally reconstituting the BoT.
He also displeased the Royal Majesty Atta Igala in the process by giving chieftaincy titles to some unscrupulous recipients, except those that got to know that the event was in stubborn defiance and disobedience of the Atta Igala, the BoT and the constitution, as they boycotted the event.
He has also gone ahead to inaugurate his unsuspecting and unscrupulous Board of Trustees whom he successfully deceived and hoodwinked into believing that those of us who incorporated the organization did so in acting capacity. This is very laughable because Trustees are not incorporated in acting capacity. A serving or a removed President does not have the power to convene an AGM or give awards, talk less of having power to inaugurate a parallel BoT of ICDA, which he did on the 27th December, 2020; thus violating article 4C of the constitution of ICDA which clearly stipulates the tenure of BOT members and how they can be removed or replaced. He deceived the so called parallel BoT members constituted by him that the incorporated Trustees who registered the organization were there in acting capacity. This activity is being challenged at the Federal High Court Lokoja, Kogi State, presently.
THE THREAT TO LIFE.
The Caretaker Committee that was put in place to redirect the affairs of the organization to prevent it from losing its certificate with the Corporate Affairs Commission has come under the threat of Sadiq Amodu Abubakar. Sadiq Amodu Abubakar made a video go viral in which he threatened three people; viz, Chief Sam Oyibo (Chairman caretaker committee), Barrister William Ameh( Secretary caretaker committee) and Dr Omakoji Simeon Abraham Oyiguh. The language in the video is toxic, Inflammatory, crude, uncivilized, unpolished and full of threat to life. The Inspector General of Police has been petitioned on this, and investigation is already ongoing over this matter.
COMMUNICATION WITH THE ACTING CHAIRMAN, IGALA AREA TRADITIONAL COUNCIL.
The Caretaker Committee has formally been introduced to the Chairman, Igala Area Traditional Council accordingly with reasons why he should distance himself from the sacked executive Committee of Sadiq Amodu Abubakar. That letter has found its way to the Police and currently the SIB is investigating the disrespect for the late Atta and the forgery in the Palace by Sadiq Amodu Abubakar.
WHAT THE PUBLIC SHOULD KNOW.
That Sadiq Amodu Abubakar is threatening lives of members with very violent words in a video.
That Sadiq Amodu Abubakar is impersonating as President of ICDA.
That Sadiq Amodu Abubakar has inaugurated a group of people as a parallel Board of Trustees of Igala Cultural Development Association, and this is illegal.
That Sadiq Amodu Abubakar has been involved in forgery of palace document.
That Sadiq Amodu Abubakar is threatening the normal business of the Caretaker Committee.
That Sadiq Amodu Abubakar is involved in money laundering.
That Sadiq Amodu Abubakar has no respect for Igala culture and the custodian of the culture.
WHAT SADIQ AMODU ABUBAKAR SHOULD BE ADVISED TO DO.
1. That Sadiq Amodu Abubakar is unfit for public office, and should be advised to accept that the BoT has dissolved his executive committee.
2. That Sadiq Amodu Abubakar should apologise to those he has threatened in his video, and undertake to take responsibility should anything happen to any of them.
3. That Sadiq Amodu Abubakar should accept that everything he did after his removal including the reconstitution of the BoT is illegal, null and void and of no effect.
4. That Sadiq Amodu Abubakar should cooperate with the Caretaker Committee to review the constitution.
5. That Sadiq Amodu Abubakar should accept in writing that his reference to BOT members as being in acting capacity was in error.
6. That Sadiq Amodu Abubakar should cooperate with the Caretaker Committee to conduct election to bring in a new executive committee.
From Directorates of Operation and Media Affairs of the Caretaker Committee of ICDA.