New Canuk executive committee to be sworn-in today at annual general meeting

DIASPORA body the Central Association of Nigerians in the UK (Canuk) has just elected a new executive committee to conduct its affairs for the next two years ahead of its 2023 annual general meeting (AGM).

 

With the AGM due to take place today May 27 at St Olaves Church Hall in north London,  chairman Ayo Akinfe has been returned unopposed at the head of a 14-person team. Traditionally, the other 13 members of the executive committee are elected in advance of the AGM with the chairman elected on the day but this time around, everyone was elected unopposed, making the AGM a coronation.

 

Other members of the executive committee elected include Olajumoke Ariyo as first vice chair, Flora Njoku as second vice chair, Abi Bada as general secretary and Victor Aleva as financial secretary. Toyin Balogun is the new social secretary with Ada Ikechiuku  as her assistant and Rose Graham becoming the new publicity secretary.

 

Mohammed Yiosese returns for a second term as assistant publicity secretary, as does Judy Akuta, who comes back as welfare secretary. Barbara Jika will become the new assistant welfare secretary, while Ily Maisanda returns as treasurer, with Shoyemi Peper-Hade Shoyemi getting elected as assistant secretary and Olukayode Okenla being elected as legal adviser.

 

Mr Akinfe said: "I will like to thank everyone for the huge massive support they have given me and the members of my executive committee. We have given a two year mandate to address a wide range of problems, with the delay in passport applications and issuance being the biggest challenge.

 

"Canuk was founded as an umbrella body for all Nigerian associations in the UK and it is now our challenge to attract as many of them as possible. Over the last two years, we achieved a lot and now want to build on this success.

 

"When Canuk was founded in 2005, the then high commissioner Dr Christopher Kolade  said he envisaged that there are about 200 Nigerian organisations in the UK. It is our job to bring the Canuk membership up to this magical number, while addressing other concerns such as knife crime, immigration issues, passport issuance, student accommodation, etc."

 

At the AGM, the new executive committee will be sworn-in, after which one of their first tasks will be to pay a courtesy call on the high commissioner Ambassador Sarafa Ishola. After this, work will begin in earnest, with a knife crime amnesty programme one of the immediate priorities.

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