It all started early on in June 2018 when the past president, Dr Nwakuche Ikechukwu, posted this scathing accusation of threat to life amongst other accusations on the incumbent president, Dr Echendu Damian, thus:
This set the stage for what came next. The Nigerian Optometrist forums on Facebook has since being awash with so many counter accusations, rebuttals, conspiracy theories and outright mudslinging against the incumbent president, Dr. Damian Echendu, and even to his personal friends. We have all agreed to verify the truth about this land acquisition. We have seen a cheque of N4.5 million, another of N450, 000.00 and yet another of N30, 000.00 in relation to the land purchase in 2014. I was able to source for some other vital documents in relation to this land, such as receipts, some e-mails, letter from a legal firm etc...A threat to my life and my family. Build up to AGM in Asaba ,I was accused of not graduating on time and not mobilized for NYSC. When the allegation could not hold water, my traducers led by the NOA President alleged that the piece of land NOA bought during my tenure does not exist. The story about this piece of land is that the association on the advice and guidance of the then Vice President North; Dr. Adesuwa and the then chairman legal and constitution committee Dr. Damian Echendu Dr Adesuwa was the first person that met with the real estate consultant to verify the piece of land. After physically inspecting the land, he sent photographs of the land informing exco that the land is situated along the road near NNPC mega station in Kuje. The exco decided that we cannot conclude arrangement for the land purchase without due diligence. This matter was officially referred to legal and constitution committee headed by Dr. Damian Echendu. Dr Echendu informed exco though he studied law but didn't attend law school, so he cannot handle the matter personally. He brought a consultant and negotiated with the lawyer for a fee.He personally hired the expert and requested the association to pay the consultant through him. The scheduled fee of thirty five thousand was sent to Dr. Echendu who personally paid the expert he hired. Dr Echendu wrote the exco through the President informing us that the land was not encumbered in any way, that there was no third party interest.. In his letter he further said that the land is genuine and authentic. He recommended that exco should go ahead and pay He directed that cheques for payment should be sent to him to enable him consummate the purchase. The then treasurer Dr. Maureen Igwe sent the cheques to Dr. Echendu through courier service. Dr Echendu received the said cheques and paid for the piece of Land and collected the documents. g later handed over the land documents to me as the President then..After the AGM / election in Asaba, he was elected the national president of our great association and I handed over the same land documents to him. Dr. Adesuwa didn't only verify initially but was also contracted and paid to erect a sign post on behalf of the association. He designed a signpost with the inscription : '' This land belongs to Nigerian Optometric Association, Trespassers be warned. He wrote his phone number, my phone number and that of Dr. Echendu as contact numbers. During the hand over ceremony in Abuja, my administration handed over the following to the present administration. 1. A fully furnished Secretariat with 2year rent paid in central district area of Abuja. 2. A brand new Toyota Hiace Bus with a driver. 3. A piece of land with NOA signpost located in Kuje Abuja 4. #2.5 million naira balance out of #5million Tetfund grant for NOA journal publication 5. #11 million naira cash in NOA account with zenith bank. Surprisingly NOA President Dr. Echendu single handedly stopped inviting me to exco meetings,removed my name from excogooglegroup without any explanation. I called Mr President severally to find out what was going on but no attention despite the constitutional provision for Immediate Past President. As if that is not enough,the President delisted my name from the 2018 AGM cleared list. I sent in complaints to Mr President and exco and in response the financial secretary Dr. Nwaji sent an email to inform me that I am owing NOA national dues since year 2000 till date,even when I was cleared to contest election and when I served the association for 4 years as President. As it stands now, I am not supposed to be an Optometrist by Dr Echendu's hateful wishes working with his cohorts . At this rate I am even worried about the safety of me and my family as citizens of Nigeria. The world may keep quiet because it is Nwakuche today, I don't know whose turn it may be tomorrow? Thank you All. Dr. Ikechukwu Nwakuche HOD, Department of Optometry, Bayero University Kano.
While Dr Damian Echendu, the incumbent president, has tried in several occasions to explain his role, the land and the intrigues behind it all; it seems to be falling on deaf ears. The land issue became a political talking point aimed at discrediting the incumbent and making it look like he (Dr Damian Echendu) was using his office to oppress people and even probably embezzle our money. As if that was not enough, Dr Ozy Okonokhua, a personal friend of the incumbent president and who is coming out for NOA president was thrown into the fray. He was never an elected official of NOA and do not have an authority over the said land. But not to those who wish to play politics with the future of this noble profession! I need blood and they drew the first blood! He was accused of being a rubber stamp of the incumbent and will be willing to cover up the atrocities of his friend when elected. I got this response from a very reliable source:
But who are the "Ogas" that have beef with the incumbent and why roping his friend who happens to be coming out for the position of the president?The "ogas" have beef with Echendu. Wants to get back power and are doing everything to discredit his government, and invariably discredit Ozy who is Echendu friend.
I set out to unravel why they want to discredit Dr Ozy. Is Dr Ozy a threat to anyone in the "ogas" cabal? Why is it looking as if this has become a smear campaign especially to the Abuja practicing Optometrists? I looked up Dr Ozy's records and they are blemish. When I confronted him with the issue of the land, this was his response:
So far there has being nothing indicting on the incumbent and Dr Ozy Okonokhua except that the later and the former are friends!Let me give you the much I know. The Association wanted to buy a piece of land and some one found a plot in Kuje and they began negotiations. When the Exco was satisfied with the price of the land, the Exco asked Dr Echendu as a man with a legal background to conduct a search on the said plot. Dr Echendu returned a report that said that the documents available to him showed that the allocation paper was authentic. At handover, the out going exco showed the incoming exco a plot of land in kuje with a sign board of NOA as the land that was paid for by the Association. When the current exco decided to develop the plot, they found out that the land showed them at handover had another owner. The man who sold the land to NOA was not ready to make a refund. He maybe within his rights, because he sold a genuine allocation paper to us, except that the plot shown to us is different from his plot. The plot that corresponds to the documents we have is far removed from the city and from what I was told, it lies on a rocky plane. At the extended exco meeting last year, it was resolved that the Association should make do with the said land and count her losses.
Still not satisfied, I tried to look up Dr Anderson Chimeziri. He is the second contestant for the president of the NOA. I have met him on at least 2 occasions or so. He cuts across as, "smart and ambitious...", a colleague close to him told me.
I first met Dr Anderson Chimeziri in Kano state teaching Hospital in 2009 while I was still serving out my youth service in Borno state that year. That was my first encounter with this ambitious and exuberant Optometrist. We discussed various clinical issues and what is in store for us young and upcoming Optometrists. I could vaguely sense an aloofness that describes a man who prides in 'self' than in anything or even his dear profession. As young Optometrists that are in lookout for guidance from senior colleagues, I didn't read any meaning to that. I have worked with some very difficult Optometrists and Ophthalmologists, his aura was something I am used too... I overlooked that! But did that defined his personality when we crossed paths again? I'll return to that shortly.
From 17-26 September 2010, the 2nd World Congress on Refractive Error and World Conference on Optometry Education in Durban, South Africa (SA), was held. Dr Anderson Chimeziri, the then NOA chairman of Benue state branch was amongst the Nigerian Optometrists contingents to SA. My source described this 'smart and ambitious' doctor as:
In 2010, There was an AFCO/WCO conference in South Africa and as usual NOA had slots for those interested in traveling , that means easy access to visa, Dr Anderson fronted a Dentist as the then chairman of NOA Benue as an Optometrist, collected money from him to help him get Visa , he attended the conference with us , well during the conference and interaction with the young Man he told me what transpired but never mentioned that he will be using that opportunity to stay in SA until the day of our departure , he checked in with us and disappeared . For 1 hour the SA didn’t not take off . They kept on announcing his name and the group as it was a group ticket etc The then Registrar and the NOA President was mad with him and decided to sanction him but as always someone who wield more power than them came to his rescue when he came back to Nigeria!I heard that the dentist absconded till date. It would be very important if Dr Anderson Chimeziri will help us here. Was this true? What became of the dentist? What relationship does the dentist and Benue state chapter of NOA? What relation between Dr Anderson and this mystery dentist who absconded? Why did the then NOA president, Dr Nwakuche Ikechukwu, not go ahead to sanction him to serve as a deterrent to others? Who are those, "...who wield more power..." that stopped the powers that be then from disciplining Dr Anderson Chimeziri?
In October 2012, WHO/IAPB gave Dr Anderson Chimeziri $3000 to operate a vision centre for WSD in Benue state. It was put this way in the WSD?IAPB activities report of 2012 as thus:
Anderson Chimeziri, member of the NOA in Benue State, also conducted vision screenings, and secured $3000 in funding to operate a vision centre for WSD. This is vital work in an area with a large farming population as exposure to intense sunlight for long periods is a predisposing factor to conditions such as cataract and pterygium.I tried to reach out to people who reside in Benue state to tell us the location of this vision centre and to let us know if such is still Operational. Was there a report made to justify the fund received? Potential voters need to know how the funds came about and how it was used and the impact on the people of Benue state at that time. Can Dr Chimeziri Anderson throw some light in this direction? We all know that recently the association has being accused of financial misappropriation and outright embezzlement, if Dr Chimeziri Anderson cannot give us a trail on how that money was spent, how will he be able to handle the huge finances that will be at his disposal if he becomes NOA president? Those who goes to equity must do so with clean hands!
In July 2016, I was horrified to find my clinic and blog logo adorning the letter heading of Association of Optometrists in Public Health Centre of Nigeria (AOPHCN). On further inquiry, it turned out that the president of the group is Dr Anderson Chimeziri. I did not take it as anything serious but want to be given that credit then. I got this response from him when I put a notice across to him:
Is that so .Dr Victor .Another person created that logo ,did not know it was yours or he's .its even free on the Internet and you did not put any name ,company on it .its really difficult to handle .sorry for the mix up. I will investigate further and make sure there is a difference from yours and AOPHCN own.Till date, I have not being told who created the logo, how it was sourced freely from the internet and the outcome of the investigation. We ought to be very careful as we converge in Abuja to chose those who will lead us to the promised land.
In conclusion, let me borrow the quote John G. Smale, Former CEO, Procter & Gamble,
"Our commitment must be to continue the vitality of this 'association'... it's growth in physical terms and also it's growth as an institution... so that this 'association', this institution, will last another 150 years. Indeed so that it will last through the ages."We must have men and women with reputation and integrity to make such commitments. Long Live Nigerian Optometric Association (NOA). We shall overcome at last!
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