‘We’ve Tolerated Adewusi Long Enough, He Must Leave Now’ ANLCA President

BY EGUONO ODJEGBA

The National President of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Mr. Emenike Nwokeoji has placed a cap on any more misbehavior from Prince Bamgbala Adewusi, former chapter chairman of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, stating the Adewusi’s time is up and must vacate the chapter secretariat or be bundled out.

Perceived as the association’s most patient, easy going and by far the most long suffering leader in the history of ANLCA, Nwokeoji in an unexpected display of dignified anger said the association is ready to square up with Adewusi who is believed to have taken hostage of the chapter and its affairs in the past two years with the support and connivance of the Nigerian Police and other security agencies of government.

Speaking with our reporter on the Adewusi factor particularly with his recent defiance of the suspension handed down on him, plus his sight-tight adventure which he appears set to extend after the expiration of the three year tenure timeframe, Nwokeoji  said the leadership of ANLCA is no longer in the mood to take any more his shenanigans.

Waxing philosophical, the NP said time and circumstances will catch up with those urging Adewusi on to constitute a menace in the wheel of progress of the association for their narrow pecuniary interests, assuring that nemesis will catch up with all men of despicable character and evil intent, sooner or later.

“Haven been tolerated this much l believe the time is ripe for him to leave that place, so, leave he must leave. So something is being done, l can assure you that before long he will be history. We endured him this long because we wanted to carry everybody along but he has become very unreasonable and there is a limit to human endurance.

“I don’t want to comment on the mischief of those who have elected to act as umpire and interpreters of court judgments, and are still encouraging him (Adewusi) to disturb the peace of the association.”

Explaining the back and forth in getting Adewusi to abide by statutory rules and respect the association’s constituted authority in the face of his claim to the chairmanship of the Airport chapter irrespective of evidences to the contrary, Nwokeoji said that giving it time has exonerated him and his fellow executives of any blame.

According to him, Adewusi’s failure to show capacity for character and to do the right thing despite giving him sufficient time to reflect on his behaviour shows that he is incapable of being a gentleman.

“Bamgbala went to court and because it came at a critical point, we felt we should carry everybody along. But there is a level of indiscipline we cannot tolerate. His tenure figuratively speaking ran out about three days ago. That is the mandatory three years for everybody, so something is been done and l can assure you that we have given every room because we wanted everybody onboard.

“In all the issues we have never taken him to court even once, we have never reported him to police once as national leaders, we expected that he would come to his senses since there is time for everything. Haven been tolerated this much l believe the time is ripe for him to leave that place, so, leave he must leave.”

According to the Association’s leader, Adewusi’s claim to the chapter chairmanship and his legal fight arising there from, was a bad one, abinitio; but that considering the heavy atmosphere under which he came to power, he felt that Adewusi should be given time to sort himself out with dignity.

He lamented that rather than take the honourable path to beat a retreat at the right moment, Adewusi elected to insult the peaceful disposition of national leadership.

“He knows that there is a limit to how much you can play around with court cases, because this is a man that has two court judgments handing on his head; one from Badagry one from Lagos; court judgments not court orders.

“So he has no stand anywhere to continue to hold on to a position… even the judgment stated in the first place that he is not qualified to have contested the election. It is a judgment not court order, so something is being done, l can assure you that before long he will be history”, he declared.