15th July, 2011
The Performing Musicians’ Association of Nigeria (PMAN), may soon go into extinction.
Following the resignation of the current president of the association, four persons, Murphy Vein Anthony, Tee Mac Omatsele, Preddy Wise and Emma Ogosi, are currently laying claim to the leadership of the association.
The foundation of the crisis was laid in 2006 by the former president, Charles Chukwuemeka Oputa a.k.a. Charly Boy, who disagreed with the outcome of the National Delegates’ Conference held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State and the election which was contested by both Dele Abiodun and Preddy Wise produced the former.
After the delegates’ conference, an embittered Charly Boy, whose sit-tight ambition was scuttled, went to Kaduna to conduct a parallel election which produced the Hare Krishna monk, Bolaji Rosiji.
On arrival to Lagos, Orits Wiliki, on behalf of the Charly Boy group, instituted a court action against Admiral Dele Abiodun at an Ikeja High Court in Lagos State
In the suit filed before Justice L.G.A. Marsh, the claimant prayed the court to declare the Uyo election null and void and that it should restrain the association’s legal adviser, Mr. Fred Agbaje, from representing the defendant in the suit.
After about three and a half years, Dele Abiodun’s group comprising Emma Ogosi, Zimakoy Ibezim and others, won and after series of resistance from the other group, they gained access to the association’s secretariat.
Before Abiodun moved into the secretariat, Rosiji had resigned and Tee Mac was appointed to lead the other group.
An embittered Tee Mac proceeded to the Appeal Court to contest the victory of Abiodun and after a turbulent two-year tenure, Abiodun’s group proceeded to Osogbo in Osun State, to hold another delegates’ conference which Preddy Wise also participated in.
On the eve of the election, the likes of D’banj, Baba Dee, Sound Sultan, Kenny St. Brown, Don Jazzy and other younger artistes, led by Chief Tony Okoroji, asked Abiodun and other older artistes to hand over to them, but their action was met with strong resistance and out of frustration, they left before the election took place.
After the election in Osogbo, Preddy Wise was advised to organised another election and based on this, he proceeded to Asaba, Delta State, to conduct another election which produced himself and others.
Preddy’s election marked the beginning of another round of crisis which is presently rocking the association.
Following the inability of Emma Ogosi and Zimakoy to secure a place in the secretariat, they wrote a petition to the Special Fraud Unit, Milverton Road, Lagos, alleging that Dele Abiodun, Kunle Ponle a.k.a. Champion Kunle Opio and the general secretary, Idowu Blessing Akinnehin, misappropriated N16.1 million while in office and after series of pressures, the case was brought before an Igbosere Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, 6 July, 2011.
The prosecutor, SP Frank E.A. Emerho, said that the alleged offence was committed between 30 September, 2006 and April 2010, while the accused pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The Magistrate, Mrs. F.O. Aigbokhaebo, granted them bail in the sum of N1 million each with two sereties each in like sum and the case was adjourned till 8 August, 2011 for further hearing.
With Abiodun in court, Tee Mac in the Court of Appeal, Murphy holding forte at the secretariat, Emma Ogosi laying claim to the presidency and Preddy’s desperate move, who will save PMAN?
None of the elders has made a categorical statement on the crisis. However, Abiodun told P.M. Entertainment that he decided to resign because he could no longer cope with the antics of a group he described as idle, non-musicians and self centered people.
On the court case, he said speaking on it could amount to contempt of court.