Hon. Iju Tony Nwabunike, the president of ANLCA.
Story by Dili Utomi.
The seemingly endless and palpable atmosphere that has become the crisis rocking the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) may be nearing its end if feelers from the camp of the faction that has hitherto continuously engaged the national executive committee of the association led by its president, Honourable Iju Tony Nwabunike in persistent legal battles is anything to go by.
A letter dated the 12th of November 2021 and which was written by the law chambers of Afe Babalola and Co. the attorneys to Obokun Freight Forwarders Limited and Three others who jointly filed a suit to the courts and who are members of the aggrieved faction of ANLCA. The letter was addressed to the D.A. Awosika and Partners chambers, the law firm that serves as the attorneys to the registered trustees of the Association and also to Hon. Iju Tony Nwabunike and twenty eight other respondents. The letter reads in part ” As you are aware, the matter came up before Honourable Justice Osiagor on November 11th 2021. Sequel to our earlier discussion on phone, we informed the Court that the parties would like to explore the option of amicable settlement out of Court. The Counsel who represented your firm confirmed understanding. Consequently, the Court adjourned the matter to February 9, 2021 (sic) (2022) for report of settlement”.
The letter continued in another part by indicating that “I would like to propose that we utilize the advantage of communication technology by holding our initial meetings, where the parties are involved, through zoom or any other communication platform acceptable to you. If we reach an agreement, we can then build an in-person meeting where the parties can execute the terms of settlement”.
You may recall that the crisis that has engulfed the association stemmed from the refusal of the last Board of Trustees of the Association to work with the national executive committee of the Iju Tony Nwabunike led association and also their refusal to vacate their seats at the expiration of their tenure as they hold on to a certificate of recognition from the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) that was obtained through a not-so-transparent means, but which also has been nullified by the same CAC.
This letter from the lawyers of the aggrieved faction poses a new lease of life for the association and if the intentions are honest and genuine, the opportunity should be grabbed so that there can be peace in the oldest Customs Brokers Association with a large percentage of operators whose interest should be paramount and who deserve to have the objectives for which the Association was founded upon, properly pursued.
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