Kegites Chiefs Admit Failures, Ratify New Constitution at Historic Summit

 

The Chairman, Board of Trustees (BOT) of the Supremost Kegites Club International (SKCI), Chief Clement Oghene, , on Saturday led a historic reform process as members adopted a new constitution to restore structure, unity and accountability within the organisation.

Oghene, popularly known as Methuselah Ovia who spoke at the Comradium Global Summit held at Martinos Hotel and Suites, Ikeja, described the gathering as a defining moment in the club’s history.

“I welcome all delegates to this auspicious and momentous event.

 You are here not as mere attendees, but as representatives entrusted with transforming our collective intentions into a binding legal document,” he said.

He explained that the reform process was driven by renewed unity among members, which culminated in the establishment of the Comradium platform on April 2, 2025.

According to him, the initiative followed a structured roadmap executed through eight committees whose inputs were harmonised into the draft constitution presented at the summit.

“What we are doing here is serious business. Once adopted and ratified, this constitution becomes binding on all of us and will regulate our conduct and operations,” Oghene stated.

He stressed that membership of the non-student body would be based on voluntary commitment rather than automatic transition from student chapters.

“There is no compulsion. If you believe in our values, you are in the right place. If not, you are free to exit,” he added.

Oghene noted that the adoption of the constitution signalled the beginning of a new phase that would include the election of officers to manage the affairs of the non-student body, while the BOT would provide policy guidance.

“The adoption of this constitution is not the end; it is the beginning of a new phase where elected officers will steer the organisation toward a more structured future,” he said.

Also speaking, a former World Chief, Chief Kolawole Kazeem, gave a candid assessment of the club’s challenges, attributing prolonged internal crises to the actions of senior members.

“We, the chiefesis, are the problem. We failed to provide continuity and structure after leaving campus life,” Kazeem said.

He noted that the absence of formal systems created a leadership vacuum that weakened the organisation over time.

“There was a vacuum. We left to pursue our personal lives, and when we returned, we did not meet the club we left behind. We cannot continue to blame anyone but ourselves,” he added.

Kazeem criticised the lack of accountability between chapters and the club’s traditional headquarters in Ile-Ife, describing it as a major structural deficiency.

“They were given authority without responsibility. Today, many do not even recognise Ile-Ife as the headquarters,” he said.

He also faulted interference by non-student members in campus affairs and the absence of a clear leadership hierarchy within the Chiefs’ Conference.

“Where everyone claims equal power, there can be no leadership. However, I am confident that this constitution will reset our direction,” he said.

In his remarks, a World Chief of the Comradium and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Olumide Oniyire, described the development as the dawn of a new era for the organisation.

“We have midwifed the process of inaugurating a new constitution, and you are expected to witness a new Comradium anchored on legality and order,” Oniyire said.

He observed that despite the club’s nearly 60-year history, it had largely operated on informal arrangements.

“This is a club with a rich heritage, yet we operated on unwritten conventions. 

The contemporary world will no longer accommodate such practices,” he said.

Oniyire explained that the reform process, which began in 2012, involved extensive consultations and stakeholder engagements aimed at establishing a functional and legally grounded structure.

“We committed our time, resources and energy because we identified a lacuna that needed to be addressed,” he added.

While acknowledging existing challenges, particularly in coordinating student membership across campuses, he expressed optimism that the new framework would resolve lingering issues.

“The challenges are not insurmountable. With this constitution, we now have clarity, direction and a basis for accountability,” he said.

The highlight of the summit was the presentation of the draft constitution by a designated committee, which, after extensive deliberations, was adopted and ratified by the assembly.

Participants described the development as a critical step toward rebuilding the Supremost Kegites Club International into a more structured, accountable and united organisation.

The summit attracted members from across Nigeria and the diaspora, with discussions centred on governance reform, reconciliation among factions and the restoration of the club’s founding ideals.

Dignitaries at the event included a member of the House of Representatives, Mr Gboyega Nasir Isiaka; Chief Barrister Olugbega Okenla (Pioneer Meleki); Patron Kayode Ajala, a former editor of Hints Magazine.

Others are Chief Otunba Ojamadegun Olugbega Ogunleye; Chief Seyi Mekuleyi (Baba N'ọ́wọ̀); former Oyo North senatorial candidate, Chief Adeyemi Olaoti, popularly known as “Olu Dester”; and Mr Soji Akanni, among others.