28th January, 2011
The leadership crisis rocking the Lagos State Butchers Association may degenerate into physical conflict.
There are two factions of the association operating from two different locations in the state.
The faction led by Alhaj Sulaimon Afuwape, which operates from the headquarters of the association at 3, Ogunmokun Street, Babalosa, Mushin, Lagos State, has not only petitioned the Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN but also put the Lagos State Commissioner of Police,on notice via the same petition of the impending warfare that can lead to chaos, wanton destruction of properties and eventual loss of lives.
The national body of the association has also been intimated about the recent development.
Unlike the past experience of the conflict of the Drivers Union in the state, the butchers already have in place weapons of violence, as their tools of trade, such as axes, cutlasses, daggers and knives may be used if the crisis that seems not to be abated eventually get out of control.
The genesis of the crisis started sometimes in 2009 when four members of the association, for themselves and on behalf of other aggrieved members dragged the trustees of the association before a Federal High Court in Lagos.
In their claim the plaintiffs alleged that the tenure ship of the then executive has expired therefore, election should be conducted to elect new officers. They also contended that the current trustee of the association fall short of the required number.
However, the defendants in their defence contended that some of these aggrieved members are not financial members while some of them are Turkey sellers, therefore they cannot claim to be bonafide members of the association.
In a judgement delivered on the 11 May, 2010, the court dissolved the executive and ordered that ten member caretaker committee should be elected to conduct election within fourteen days.
Dissatisfied with the judgement of the court, the defendants filed appeal at the court of appeal while application to stay execution of the judgement was filed before the Federal high court.
The defendants further contended that it will be difficult to conduct election within fourteen ways on the ground that the National Association of Butchers must be aware and sanction such election, andmore trustee have to be appointed to meet the statutory require number of trustees.
In addition, election of delegates who are to vote at the state congress to elect the state executive have to be conducted at all the local government levels.
There must be period for nomination, compilation of voters register and electioneering campaign, before election is conducted.
However, it was alleged that the plaintiffs in purported obedience of the court order, convey a meeting of their faction tagged election and allocated elective posts to themselves and created another parallel office at Oko Oba Agege, whereas 3, Ogunmokun Mushin, Lagos State have always been the state headquarters of the association since inception when it was registered with corporate affairs commission. The address to is the one contain in the document filed with the commission.
Though the other faction also conducted election and elected officers for the association but the faction of the plaintiffs alleged that it was not within the time stipulated by the court.
The defendants also contended that there is no way three hundred aggrieved members who are not all bonafide members can claim to be in the majority in association of about three thousands members, unless the prototype of Ogun State House of Assembly type of democracy, where nine members purportedly suspended fifteen members was adopted.
As the crisis ranges on, the plaintiffs have filed (form 48 and form 49) committal to prison proceeding against the leader of the other faction to show cause why he should not be committed to prison for disobeying the order of the court.
The court has adjourned till February, 15, this year for the hearing of this application.
Meanwhile, the other executive of the headquarters Mushin who claim to be in majority in their petition to the commissioner of police have alerted him of the impending bloodshed this parallel executive with office at Oko Oba may cause, as the majority of the members saw the action not only as mutiny but as an affront to the association.