Alhaji Abimbola Omoloja is the State Chairman, National Parents Teachers Association of Nigeria, Ondo. In this interview with Bukola Olamona, he  spoke on the crisis that rocked  the association and how it was resolved.

Excerpts:

Can we meet you sir?

I am Alhaji Abimbola Omoloja, the State Chairman, National Parents Teachers Association of Nigeria, {NAPTAN}, Ondo State  and also the  National Vice President of the   whole federation .

When  did you become the chairman?

I  assumed office as  the chairman in  2014.

Your achievements  so far?

We have achieved a lot. In the first instance, we are supposed to be regarded as pressure  group,  but my style  with my executives is to engender cordial relationship with any government of the day, because PTA consists of parents of students and pupils, from primary school to   tertiary institutions. Their parents are widespread  both geographically and politically, so,  politics is not involved in our activities. Our duty is not  to attack the government,  but to provide support and be partners in progress.  In the first place, we make sure there is mutual understanding between our association and the government. NAPTAN is a Non Governmental Organisation dully recognised by (CAC),  as non political, non religious and non tribal.

When was it  established?

That was in the early 1960s, but it was not flourishing  then,  now that people are becoming enlightened, it has  become an association  embraced by all.

What was the aim of the founders?

We have a registered constitution  which  is here with me with the registration certificate,  and it will  surprise  you that it was  only achieved  on  the 23rd of June 1995 by the CAC at Abuja,  whereas NAPTAN had been existing since  1963 as an organisation.  Part of the aims and objectives  of the association as contained in the document states clearly that it is ”desirous of procuring, sustaining, promoting and constantly advancing a sound and meaningful  qualitative education for the Nigerian pupils and students from primary to tertiary levels. The parents, guardians, sponsors and teachers  of all the children  came  together to form the association and the aims and objectives of the association includes” to provide a platform for parents, guardians, sponsors and teachers of Nigeria primary, secondary and tertiary institutions to meet, exchange views deeply, analyse issues, make recommendations, take and collectively pursue the implementation on matters affecting education in Nigeria.

“To support and cooperate, materially, morally and financially with the federal, state and local governments and all other ministries and commissions  and board of governors and all other appropriate organisation and institution and establishment of education to achieve high standard of academic performance, discipline, morality, service and intergrity in our schools.

For one to become the  Chairman of NAPTAN, how old will that person be?

It has no age limit, provided,  you are a member of the association. It is in article 4 of our constitution  that the leadership of the association shall be open to all parents, guardians or  sponsors whose children,  wards or beneficiary are students. It does not  matter if the beneficiary is not your  biological child, once you are sponsoring a child or pupils are benefitting from you, you are regarded as a member  of the association provided such participation shall be non political, non religious and non tribal, then all serving teachers in all schools throughout the whole federation are automatic members of the association.

There have been insinuations that there are factions in the association, is it true?

Yes, in every society, things like that always happen and even in a home, between  husband and wife, between parents and their children, they  cannot maintain one hundred percent peace. Though crisis erupted but  the association is guided by its constitution and the supremacy of the constitution is final.  So whatever might be our crisis  it must be resolved internally by the headquarters not by the Ministry of Education. They are supposed to be partners in progress and we have the right to co opt the ministry into our executives without a voting right, and they are not even a supervising authority because we are not under them and the articles here confirms that” there shall be mutual understanding between the state NAPTAN and the  Ministry of Education and other education organisation in the state, a representative of the ministry may be co opted as an ex officio member  in the state chapter without voting right.

In a situation whereby there is a lingering crisis that cannot be resolved within the association,  won’t the ministry come in?

Yes, they can come in but in advisory capacity and that we have even done now, because petition went to the ministry of education, they waded in, they called both parties, they used Solomon wisdom to solve it amicably and perpetually, there is perfect peace now.  There is a letter from the national body tillted  ”tenure elongation for office holders of the PTA executive councils of NAPTAN in Nigeria”. It  reads that  at the delegate conference held at the Government Secondary School, Jabi, Abuja on the 4th of February, 2015 , the National constitution of the association was amended  and article 9 stipulates that ” all officers of the association  shall hold office for a term of four years, in the first instance, the delegates conference also approved the tenure of office of present officers of PTA  in the country in connection with effect from 1st February,2015, except if removed for  misconduct, such  officers shall remain in office  until 2019 when the new election shall be held, for the avoidance of doubt, Ondo state is not an exception , we shall be very grateful if you could give Chief Omoloja the desired cooperation to operate as a state chairman in Ondo state and anything accruing to Ondo state chapter shall be channelled  through his office.

 So this is a letter from the national, it means all officers in the association from primary school  to secondary to tertiary, local government, state and national will stand dissolved at the end of February,2019 and election will hold. The  constitution therefore stipulates that there should be ”election of officers or tenure of office – all officers of the association shall be elected by popular ballot at the national congress and should hold office for a term of four years in the first instance, they may be re-elected thereafter as the appropriate congress may decide. Finally, it states” all election to state,  the national to be conducted by April every election year and at the national level , the election is between April and May  of every election year, so the election year now is 2019.

How many tenure is an officer entitled to?

An officer is entitled to two tenures and a tenure is four years,  to which  I am completing my first tenure by February 2019.  If am still interested I can  re-contest but as at now I have not taken any decision, I may and I may not because I have done my best and I want a clean record.

Is the other faction ready to work  with you?

Yes, and there is a letter to that effect  to the Ministry of Education dated 2nd October, 2018, directed to the Chairman of  SUBEB, Mrs Oladunni Odu” please, refer to the above subject matter and be informed that the NAPTAN wrote to intimate the ministry with the following information and resolution reached at their delegates  congress held on 3rd of February 2015 at Jabi, Abuja……….the ministry also wishes to notify that the protracted crisis among the National  Parents Teachers Association of Nigeria has been amicably resolved. And it said I have been directed  to request to use your good office to accord the NAPTAN in Ondo state necessary recognition attached here is the letter from the national body-  signed, Rev Akin Asaniyan, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education for the Commissioner  of  Education.