ICDA: Newly inaugurated Caretaker Committee begin activities, berates former leadership for recalcitrance

The newly constituted caretaker committee of the Igala Cultural and Development Association (ICDA) has reiterated its commitment to striving hard within the terms of reference to position the socio-cultural association on a sound footing that will steer Igala land to greatness.

This was part of the resolutions that emanated from the maiden meeting of the new caretaker committee which took place in Lokoja on Thursday.

To make good their resolution, the caretaker committee created 5 sub committees with each saddled with the responsibility of digging deep into the fundamental issues of Igala land’s development and proffering workable solutions to key areas that the defunct overzealous leaders of the association had been manipulating to feather their nest at the expense of the interests of Igala nation.

The caretaker committee took a swipe at the leadership style of the defunct ICDA executive and vowed to institute a template via constitutional review that would guarantee quality, experience, and integrity as ‘sine qua non’ for the emergence of a leadership that will paddle the affairs of the association for the benefit of all.

The committee also noted that the way and manner the revered ancestral stool of Igala nation had been treated by some socio-cultural associations and in particular the defunct apex ICDA leadership was to say the least, despicable, contending that it was sacrilegious for an individual, association or group to ridicule the spiritual stool of Igala ancestors by disregarding the order that emanated from the custodian of the stool.

The caretaker committee therefore condemned in totality the Sediq led executive council of ICDA for going ahead to hold their AGM and giving award to some selected Igala sons and daughters when Gabaidu had already dissolved the association, and ordered it to suspend the ignoble programme as scheduled.

While the caretaker committe described their outing of August 1 in Anyigba as a sacrilege and an affront to the ancestral authority, it stressed that such awards remains the prerogative of Ata Igala who is empowered to confer on merit and not on the arbitrary impulse of the leadership of the cultural association.

The committe contended that since Attah Igala, HRM Idakwo Micheal Ameh Oboni11 who is the custodian of culture and tradition of Igala people did not approve or ceede such power to ICDA executive to observe such function, the said award runs foul of ancestral law and to that extent is declared null and void and therefore of no effect.

In line with this and to put to an end to such excesses of some leaders of socio-cultural associations in Igala land that tend to embarrass the ancestral stool and the people, the committee resolved to review such award and ensure that any such award in future is given to those that merit the criteria in accordance with a template that will clearly define the boundaries of power between the cultural groups and the ancestral authority of Igala nation.

The committee also noted with concern the deplorable security situation in Igala land where Fulani herdsmen, bandits, kidnappers and other social miscreants are having a field day and resolved to key into the existing local security arrangement that relies on conventional force to stem the tide of security breaches that have brought untold sorrow and grief to many families in the land.

The sub committee and its members includes; Media & Publicity Committee:
Labaran Tijani (Chairman),Alfa Ebune, Ambrose A. Akpa.
Constitution Review Committee:
William Ameh,Esq(Chairman)Dr. Cletus Arome, Dr. Abdullahi Sekuru, Sir. M. M. Ocheni.
Finance committee:
Alh. Abdulazeez Idoko(Chairman), Sir. Tom Idakwo, DCN.Godwin Idakwo,Hon(Mrs) Agnes Adejo.
Reconciliation Committee:
Dr. Michael Attah (Chairman),Dr. Alex Kadiri, Chief Robert Audu, Alh. Sule Iyaji, Alh. Ohoma, General Patrick Akpa (Rtd), Dr.(Chief) Rekiya Ababaji, Mrs. Grace Akowe & Barrister. D.O. Ojotule (Secretary).
Programs/Projects Committee:
Dr. Yakubu Ugwolawo (Chairman) Mr. Jones Iduh, Sir. Tom Idakwo, Mrs. Agnes Momoh, Labaran Tijani & 6.Isah Abuh.
Security Committee:
Col. Suleman Babanawa ( Rtd)-Chairman, Col. Obeche (Rtd), Col. Sani Tahir(Rtd), Sir J. Y. Jibrin & Dr. Cletus Arome (Secretary ).

Earlier, the caretaker Chairman, Chief Samuel Oyibo ,in his address said the ICDA is bleeding today because its leadership stood on the podium of the weak links of its constitution and compromised everything to their interest at the detriment of the image of Igala nation.

“In our land, once Gabaidu ruled on an issue of culture and tradition on our land ,it stands ruled; no objection . But now,the situation has changed due to poor leadership. The last few days in the dissolved Sediq led executive left sour in the mouth, as if the association is a mere social club by their posture.

“The time has come for ICDA institution to be resructured where issues affecting Igala nation will be addressed properly . So, we want to build an enduring solid institution through which issues of Igala nation will be discussed collectively and implemented to the goodness of all”, he said.

He therefore charged the members of the interim committee to be ups and doings in order to justify the trust reposed on them for this assignment, saying , “we are out to lay solid ground so that those aspiring to lead us should be people with high proven integrity or established pedigree”.

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