IJEBU ODE CLUB, FAST LOSING ITS OLD GLORY?

Opinion:

By Adegbola Akande

As an entertainment journalist, I was in Ijebu Ode recently to cover a social event. On getting to town, I became dehydrated, so I stopped to freshen up at a lounge near the Lagos Garage in Ijebu Ode.

On entering the lounge, three gentlemen and a lady were already inside, also cooling off. But I later discovered that they are in a deep discussion.

I could overheard them talking about their displeasure about happenings at the famous Ijebu Ode Club.

In the course of their discussion, I later found out that two of the men were members of the Ijebu Ode Club who were visibly angry on the topic of their discussion.

Besides, their discussion centred on the alleged maladmistration of the Club’s outgoing executive boss whom I could pick from their discussion allegedly being too harsh and very uncompromising.

He was alleged of “high-handedness and never a listening President since he was voted in. Their complaints centred mainly on their president.

The most interesting part of their discussion is that they alleged the main bar of the club does not regularly have drinks to sell to members. And this, according them is mainly due to the alleged dwindling finance purse of the club.

It was also alleged that the club’s funds have and are still being poorly managed by the outgoing executive.

What an amazing story and I became more interested and decided to burst into their discussion. My findings became more disturbing and interesting.

My words of advice is that, the Trustees of the Club has a lot to do in salvaging the ‘Life’ of the Club.

I also learnt that election for new executive of the club is on the way, and I found out, the current president has allegedly perfected plans to install his current Secretary as president while another member of the present exco as Treasurer.

This, according to my findings, if this arrangement should come to pass, it may likely spell doom to the Club as these members and few other members that I spoke with believed.

They seem to have completely fed up with the outgoung members who are now proposing to come onboard to serve again.

Another grievous allegation against the outgoing executive from my news ijjjiigathering is the Centenary funds which were allegedly poorly mismanaged.

According to few members I spoke to after leaving the lounge, they claimed that the souvenirs meant for the centenary anniversary were not given to them, even after paying the mandatory fees for the Centenary celebration.

They also complained about the alleged use of fowl languages by the outgoing president whom they term as being “too arrogant and unfriendly.”

Findings also show that it was alleged every attempt by the Elders and Trustees to make the president see reason always prove abortive.

My understanding of these aggrieved people is that they would resist any attempt by the current president to impose the current Secretary, a civil servant, on the Club because he is part of the alleged poor administration.

Some members I also spoke to even suggested that a caretaker committee should be put in place in order to probe the finances of the outgoing Executive before the election is conducted.

A stitch in time will save the premier Club in Ijebu land from total collapse. I urged the Trustees of Ijebu Ode Club to act fast.

*Adegbola Akande, journalist and public commentator writes in from Ibadan.