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BoF Chairman’s Address to Nov. 17 2016 ASSEMBLY

Mr. President of the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors
Past Presidents of the Institution
Fellows of the Institution
Ladies and Gentlemen

I welcome you heartily to the very first meeting of the Board since having its own chairman. Let
me also express my gratitude to you all and in particular to my senior past presidents who
conceded the chairmanship of the BOARD to me. I am humbled by the confidence you repose in
me to undertake this assignment and take up this grave responsibility and I count on your
continued support to ensure that the Body of Fellows carries out its functions under the
constitution of our revered institution to the level that will be a pride to all of us.

The theme of this address is decorum, loyalty, integrity, and accountability. These attributes were
present and in abundance when I was elected Publicity Secretary of the institution in 1977, some
thirty-nine years ago. But today, these virtues are either none existent or in very short supply
among our members and in the institution. It has now become my responsibility and yours too,
individually, and collectively to restore these attributes and enforce discipline if we are to live
worthy of the honor of “FELLOW” bestowed on each one of us by our institution.

The word decorum means politeness, propriety in manners and conduct, orderliness, and,
observance of acceptable behavior in any decent society. It is the behavior in keeping with good
taste. These days we lack decorum in our meetings. Past President Fajemirokun stood up to
address the AGM in SOKOTO and he was booed. I was also booed in OSHOGBO for stating the
position of the institution on issues of the Presidency of SURCON. This distasteful behavior was
not in consonance with the conduct expected of members of the Institution I joined nor would it
have been tolerated forty years ago. Should such disgraceful conduct be the norm in our
gathering? Let me state that some of the conditions for suspending a member or delisting a
FELLOW are disobedience, rudeness, and insubordination to constituted authority, all of which
you demand of me to enforce, and I shall.

Section 2.12 of the instrument that sets up this board states, "The total number of FELLOWS must
be pegged at not more than 10% of the CORPORATE membership of the NIS." Presently, the
institution has exceeded this quota by about 20%. This is why a thorough editing of BoF
membership Register has become necessary, and that no new members shall be elevated until
the above quota can be accommodated. Not only have we violated the terms of the constitution
in this wise, I find it difficult to publish an authentic register of members in accordance with the
order of elevation. As a professional organization list of names of members must be in order of
seniority (as per the bye law) rather than alphabetical order which is what is being done presently.
The register of members now published is not perfect and may be subject to review.

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