A chieftain of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Mr. Ojo Peter Akintoye has revealed that members of the association were given specific instruction not to discuss the leadership crisis that has engulfed members of the association’s Board of Trustees (BOT).
Akintoye who made this known in an interview with our correspondent in Lagos on Friday noted that the National President of ANLCA, Hon. Tony Iju Nwabunike had told members of the association that problem was peculiar to BOT alone and that it was a problem they would settle themselves which shouldn’t be subjected for discussion by any member.
“I want to queue behind the instruction of Mr. President that the BOT problem will not be a problem that any member should discuss because it is a problem peculiar to BOT alone and it is a problem they will settle themselves and it shouldn’t be subjected for discussion by any member”, he explained.
On the news of his return to ANLCA, Akintoye who was formerly the Chairman of the International Freight Forwarders Association (IFFA), Apapa chapter confirmed the story as true saying that his return to ANLCA was in fulfillment of an agreement he had with the current leadership of the association to return on their emergence as the new leaders of the association.
According to him,” Definitely, I have gone back to ANLCA because the new executive of ANLCA before they emerged, we had that discussion and immediately they emerged, they reminded me about it. So because of that and because of my partners, brothers and friends and my boss which is Kayode, we planned it together, his emergence as the Vice President was not outside my knowledge and also due to the fact that the President himself that emerged.
“My returning to ANLCA was not even my decision alone but the decision of my followers who believe that we were being maltreated and believe so much in me and who know what I can offer, they suggested that instead of allowing ourselves to die here silently, why can’t we pitch tent with other association and that was why I went to the International Freight Forwarders Association which had not existed in any chapter before. I am the pioneer Chairman of this chapter in terms of IFFA. So, nobody will say that I went there for money or for personal gains; I spent my money to maintain the chapter”.
On why he left ANLCA in the first place, Akintoye who is also the Vice President of Oodua Maritime Forum quipped,” It was because of injustice that made me leave ANLCA, I don’t want to talk about that but what I am saying is that it was injustice that made me leave ANLCA and since the man has promised even before he emerged that he was going to correct all those injustices, I believe him and I hold him to his words, that was why I have decided to come back.
“Like you said, the former President is my brother, he is my friend, we were close but unfortunately, there is an adage in my place which says that being my relation does not mean that you will help me. I was being maltreated, I was not being carried along, that was why I left ANLCA for a while but when I discover that this is a home that we all built together, I don’t have a choice than to come back and to continue where I stopped”.
He however concluded by saying that it was possible that his return may not happen assuming the current National President of ANLCA did not emerge at the poll even as he said that his emergence at the poll quickened his return.
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