AN OPEN LETTER OF CONCERN TO THE OSCOHTECH ALUMNI ASSOCIATION, BOARD OF TRUSTEE

I, onbehalf of many Concerned Alumni felt necessary and pertinently compelled to write you this open letter with sincere mind, and I do hope that you will also read and digest its content without prejudice and act on it in dispatch.

Having watched and observed from the sideline the activities of the Board of Trustees (BOT) since you took over the running of the association, immediately after the botched election in November 2021. 

I am gravely concerned that the steps taken by the BOT are worrisome, hence there is need to illuminate you on some crisis that your actions might brought to the association, because the BOT are seriously treading on the path that may bring more chaos than expected solutions if failed to desist from pressing further.

Curiously, it is of great concern that the BOT are now interpreting the constitution to suite their plans and interest to run the Association by proxy in buying more time to stay longer in office than expected as provided by the Constitution.

Let me quickly remind you that according to the  Article IV, section 4(iii) of our constitution, the supreme power of the Association is vested in the congress not with the BOT, such power includes "to constitute and reconstitute electoral commission, constitute the constitution review committee, consider and approve proposal, recommendations as presented among others".

Myself and many other concerned members of the Association are extremely disheartened upon hearing the extent at which the BoTs have gone outside their constitution jurisdiction and limitation by running the association autocratically without showing or given due respect to the Congress and the constitution.

Meanwhile part of widespread rumor (I called it rumor because it is hard to believe such from BOT) circulating around are;

1. Forming of NIEC:

This is total unbelievable because the body who have the constitutional power to do that is CONGRESS, Pls refer to Article IV, section 4(ix) of the constitution. The BOT should as a matter of urgency dissolve such committee if not, the Art. IV, Section 4(xi) will take care of that at the Congress.

2. Election Tribunal: 

Few questions I'll love to ask here is What happened to the one constituted by the congress before the last election? On which basic and criteria were they dissolved? Are the BOT telling us that their power supersede the Congress? Well, let me leave that to be answer.

3. Database committee:

This is clearly a square peg in round hole. This is solely the responsibility of the NIEC as the independent body to organize election. This is nothing but a misplaced priority. 

4. Constitution Review committee:

This is rather a joke taken too far. The 5men committee that was set up by the BOT to review the constitution is on whose interest? I would like to remind you here that almost all the BOT was at the Congress where the current constitution was adopted as some are even part of the Committee who reviewed  the constitution then. Why this sudden falling in love with constitution, the legal document of the Association being review illegally.  Any lacuna in the constitution can only be rectify or expunge by the power of the Congress with it process being stipulated in accordance to the provision of the constitution Article XI. 

This action is what I see as misuse of power. Because, statutorily the BOT does not have such veto power. 

5. Online Congress:

After about six (6) months in charge of running the association, you refuse to summon a Congress even when the lifting of ban on activities was given by the College management as far back April, 2022 instead you organized a kangaroo ZOOM Congress that was marred with serious technicality issues with just 14 to 17people in attendance on May 21st 2022. 

Upon all advices from different quarters, you remain adamant with your plans. This is uncalled for. For every season,  there is reason

6. Change of account signatories:

More distressing thing is hearing that the BOT that is constitutionally saddled with the responsibilities of being the advisory capacity to the NEC now went ahead to change the signatories of the official account of the association without the approval of the Congress! This step is a slap on all members of the association. Are the BOT now turned themselves to NEC? This your autocratic rule of our association will boomerang on your integrity if you fail to desist.

Dear BoTs, the Article V, section 7, sub sec 14 of the constitution Stated clearly that "If it become IMPRACTICABLE or IMPOSSIBLE" for the congress to meet for the purpose of carrying out the constitutional duties under this constitution" it shall be the responsibility of the BOT to undertake the running of the association". But I'll love to ask this..... why is it not impossible to hold a Congress? It is obvious that you are not representing the interest of your people.... an  adage says "when a child is cutting a tree, it is only adult that will know the side it will fall to" but unfortunately, reverse is the case.

Conclusively; venerable as it is, I hope the BOT in the interest of our Alma-mata, and our dear Association put an end to this beareucracy by immediately call for a Congress to properly brief us on steps taken so far to restore normalcy to the Association while the Congress decide the next line of action in the best interest of the Association. The time is now as a stitch in time saves nine.

Yours sincerely!

Lawal Ibrahim

For: The Concerned ALUMNI