Members of the prestigious Lagos Country Club, Ikeja, gathered on Thursday for an Extraordinary General Meeting that would shape the future of their beloved institution.
At the commencement of the meeting, the conveners, Mr Lukman Saka Bello and Mr Francis Ofordu, welcomed everyone and outlined the agenda for the evening. It was clear that important decisions were to be made, and the fate of the club lay in the hands of its members. Mr. Sanya Adeyemi nominated Mr Adewole Gege as the Chairman of the occasion, while Duke Odinde nominated Mr Adebayo Akeem Abiodun as the secretary of the meeting.
After the opening prayer and the national anthem, Mr Adewole Gege thanked the members for the growth in the club, referring to it as a good history in the making.
The members, as part of the agenda for the day, treated prayers and motions. In all, there were seven of them.
The first motion noted that, a trustee of the Lagos country club has no power under the Constitution of the Lagos country club to suspend the management council of the Lagos country who were duly elected into office by members of the club. On this, there was an unanimous vote of 148 members as against zero votes against the motion.
The second was that, a trustee has no power under the Constitution of the club to suspend the management council of the Lagos country club and inaugurate as a replacement an interim management board to carry out the duties and functions of the management council as provided by the constitution of the Lagos country club. Votes in favour of this were 149 votes against 0.
The third was that, a trustee has no power under the Constitution of the club to suspend the management council of the Lagos country club and inaugurate as a replacement, an interim management board to carry out the duties and functions of the management council as provided by the constitution of the Lagos country club with the consent, approval and ratification of the members of the club at a duly called general meeting for same purpose. Votes realised in favour were 153 while vote against was 2.
The fourth prayer and motion was the constitution and inauguration of the interim management board amounts to an imposition on the members and the club contrary to the provisions of the constitution relating to the constitution of the body, responsible for the day to day management of the club and is therefore unconstitutional, illegal null and void. Votes casted in favour were 154 while votes against it, was 2.
The fifth motion was a vote of no confidence, to be passed on the interim management board and dissolved with an immediate effect. The vote for this was 152 while vote against was 1.
The sixth was a vote of confidence to be passed on the management council and all the officers therein without exception. And votes in favour was 154 while vote against was 1.
The last motion passed was that all petitions and litigation actions do not have the support of the members of the club and are to be withdrawn forthwith without delay. Votes in favour for this was 143 while vote against was 2.
The chairman of the meeting reaffirmed all the prayers and motions afterwards, and commended the members once again for being part of history.
Some of the club members expressed their opinion after the meeting.
According to High Chief Jacob Egietseme Idinye, there is no faction in the club. People didn’t just understand each other. It was just a misunderstanding and from the outcome of the meeting today, it shows that the club is mature enough, to settle its problem, we don’t need to go to court or involve the police. We members decided to come together to say no, this issue must stop. I believe what we did today is right for every club.”
Mr Ladi Smith gave his own opinion, stating that members were not happy with what was going on and members came together to forge a path for peace to reign in the club. He said: “We are not taking sides with anyone, whether the trustees or management council. All we want is peace. We are the financial members. That is why we have come for our voice to be heard.”
Mr Ayokunle Jimoh, the past secretary general of the club, on his part, said: “It was a conflict that started sometime ago and the conflict degenerated. So members now came together that they want resolution for peace and that is why the resolution is not against anybody but for peace and all the litigation and petition are expected to be withdrawn to bring peace, this is a private membership club and we members decide what we want that is why we have constitution, rules and regulations, that is what governs us.”
