THE CONSTITUTION OF ẸGBẸ́ AKỌ́MỌLÉDÈ

 ÀTI ÀṢÀ YORÙBÁ NÀÌJÍRÍÀ (E.A.A.Y.N)

THE ASSOCIATION OF THE TEACHERS OF

 YORUBA LANGUAGE AND CULTURE, NIGERIA

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MEMBER OF THE CONSTITUTION REVIEW COMMITTEE

15TH MARCH, 2002

1. Dr.(chief) Dele Ajayi (fp, MNIM) - Chairman
2. Alhaji wale lasis i- menber
3. Mrs. V.B. orogun – member
4. Chief Folorunso Akanmu – member
5. Rev/. Siji Adegboyega – member
6. Mr Lasunkanmi Tela – member
7. Deacon M.A. Olowu – Secretary
8. Mr tunde ekundayo –National president (Observer)

1.      Name

Egbe akomolede ati asa Yoruba, naijiria (E.A.A.Y.N) shall otherwise be called and known as the teachers of yoruba language and culture, Nigeria

2.      Membership of associate shall comprise;

 I. Teachers of Yoruba in the pre-primary schools in Nigeria.

II. Teachers of Yoruba in secondary schools, teachers in colleges, college of education, the polytechnics and other post secondary institutions  where Yoruba is being taught.

III. Representatives of educational bodies such as W.A.E.C., N.E.C.O., ministries of education, N.E.R.D.C., cultural centers. Media houses, publishing organizations and other persons or group of persons keenly interested in the develop of Yoruba language and culture in Nigeria.

3.      Aims of the association

The aim of the association shall be to;

 I.  Bring together as a body all the categories of people enumerated in 2 (i-iii) above.
 II. Promote the teaching, improve the status, and enhance then prestige of Yoruba as a field of study at all level and in all places.

III. Encourage teachers and authors to produce on the Yoruba language, prose, poetry, drama, culture and any other aspect of Yoruba studies that the development of the language creates room for, from time to time.

IV. Organize conferences, workshops and seminars for members of the association both at national and state levels whenever the needs arise, and for the bodies and organization that may requirethe services of the association on consultancy basic.

V. Produce learned journals, text-books and other titles on various aspects of Yoruba studies at different levels of education.

VI. Workin collaboration with Educational bodies and organs of the Association from time to time.

VII. Protect and safeguard the professional interest of member at all levels.

Bodies of the Association

The Association shall consist of the following:

(a)        The National Congress

(b)        The National Executive Committee

(c)        State Branches

(d)       Local Government and Zonal Branches

5.      Function of the Bodies

(a)   The National Congress

The National Congress which shall consist of the categories of member enumerated in 2 (i-ii) above shall meet annually or as/and when due to hold conferences, workshops and seminars.

(b)   The National Executive Committee

The National Executive Committee which shallconsist of all elected, nominated or co-opted members of the Association including the immediate past National President and Secretary of the Association, State Branch Chairman and Secretaries, shall:

I. Set up ad-hoc committee as occasions may demand on issues relating to the overall welfare of Association.

II. Meet as occasion may demand, to formulate policies, discuss and execute plans and programmers appertaining to the advancement of the Association generally.

III. Appoint member of the Editorial Board for the Association’s journal.

(c).   State Branches  

A State branch of the Association which shall consist of all categories of member enumerated in 2(i-iii) above shall:

I. Elect her own executive members and other working committees.

II. Perform all the function of the Association at state level.

Note:The State branch executive committee shall consist of all elected, nominated, or co-opted member of the Association including the immediate past State Chairman and Secretary and Local Government or Zonal Executive shall give an annual report of the activities of the State branch during every annual conference.

(d).   local Government and Zonal Branches

 The activities of the Association at the local government and zonal levels shall be coordinated by each State Branch.

6.      Officers of Association

(a)    The National Officer of the Association shall comprise the following:

I. The President
II. The vice president
III. The secretary
IV. The assistant Secretary
V. The Treasurer
VI. The Editor-in-Chief
VII. The Financial Secretary
VIII. The Asst. Financial Secretary
IX. The Public Relations Officer
X. Auditor I
XI. Auditor II

   (b). The State Officer of the Association shall comprise the following:

I. The Chairman
II. The Vice-Chairman
III. The secretary
IV. The Assistant secretary
V. The Treasurer
VI. The Financial Secretary
VII. The Public Relations Officer (PRO)
VIII. Auditor I
IX.  Auditor II

(c).Local government and zonal branch shall have officers as applicable at the state level.

7. Eligible for election

1. Every financial member, who is duly accredited at the relevant levels of the association, shall be eligible to vote and be voted for.
2. The positions of president, vice president, secretary, assistant secretary, and treasurer at all levels shall be opened to members of the association who are still in paid employment.

8. Mode of election

I. Election at all levels shall be by secret or open ballot system depending on situations.
II. Election into national offices shall existing Yoruba-speaking states. The states are oyo, ogun, osun, ondo, ekiti, lagos, kwara and kogi.
III. Election into state offices could be in rotation (if feasible) among the members of local governments or zones.

9. Election of officers

a. National

I. A state whose turn it is to present candidate for the posts the presidents and the vice-president, shall accredit three (3) candidates for the two positions.
II. The three candidates shall be presented to the national congress during the annual general meeting conference of any election year for the body to elect the two officers.
III. The winner shall be the president while the runner-up shall become the vice-president.
IV. The procedure under 9 (ii-iv) shall be followed for the elected of the secretary and the assistant secretary.
V. Where only one (1) officer is required from giving state, two eligible accredited candidates will be presented to the national congress to elect one candidate for the post.
VI. The procedure under 9 above shall be followed for the election of : The treasurer; the financial secretary; the Public Relation Officers (PRO), two Audition and one Editor-in-Chief of Yoruba Gbode (The Association’s Journal).
Each of the existing Yorruba-speaking states shall present one Ex-Officio member, while an Ex-Officio member shall in the  mean-time be presented by each of the Eastern and Northern zones of the Association. There shall be no voting for the ex-officio members.
The tenure of office of the National Officers shall be two years. However, the officers can run a second term of two years in office if they perform satisfactorily during the first term of office. If an officer is found wanting during the first term of office, he could be replaced by the state that fielded him in the first instance, on the approval of the National Executive.

Note: Electoral Officers shall be appointed among the eligible members of the Association.

b.         State, Local Government and Zonal Elections

i.          All procedures for election of National Officers shall apply to State, Local Government and Zonal Officers.

10.       Duties of the Officers of the Association

a.         The President

            The President Shall:

            i.          be the Chief Executive and the accounting officer of the Association.

            ii.         preside over National Executive Meetings, Conferences, Workshops and Seminars, angeogrd other gathering organized by the Association.

            iii.        encourage and see to it that peace, concord and progress reign supreme among the members of National Congress of the association, National Executive committee and State branches.

            iv.        be the principal signatory to the Association’s bank accounts.

            v.         have the prerogative to decide on the venue of meeting of the National Executive Committee bearing in mind the geographical spread of the members of the executive committee and their convenience.

            vi.        be one (1) of the Trustees of the Association.

            vii.       carry out other duties assigned to him by the National Congress and the National Executive Committee of the Association.

b.         The Vice-President

            The Vice-President shall:

            i.          Perform the duties of the President as enumerated in 10 (a) (i-vii) above                  

                        whenever the need arises.

ii.         Work in close collaboration with the President on all matters relating to the Association.

            iii.        Carry out other official duties that may be assigned to him by the President.

c.         The Secretary

            The Secretary shall:

i.          Be the custodian of the Association’s Constitution which he shall interprete to members of the Association whenever the need arises.

ii.         Be the Chief Scribe of the association at all National meetings.

iii.        Convene all National Executive meetings after due consultation with the President, the prepare all conference, workshop and seminar papers after deliberations on same with the National executive committee.

iv.        Function as one of the two signatories to the association’s bank accounts.

v.         Be one (1) of the Trustees of the Association.

vi.        Wok in close collaboration with, and carry out duties that may be assigned to him by the President.

d.         The Assistant Secretary

            The Assistant Secretary shall:

i.          Perform in the Secretary’s stead as enumerated in 10c (i-iv) above whenever the need arises

            ii.         Carry out all official duties that may be assigned to him by the Secretary.

e.         The Treasurer

            The Treasurer shall:

i.          Be the custodian of the Association’s accounts and shall be accountable for same to the Association.

ii.         Treasure all the Association’s properties.

iii.        Render Financial reports to the Association annually and render any specific statement of account to the association’s executive committee on demand.

iv.        Make available all relevant working papers to the national Auditors at least six weeks before the annual National Conference to facilitate their work.

v.         Function as one of the other two signatories to the Association’s bank accounts.

vi.        Be one (1) of the Trustees of the Association.

f.         The Financial Secretary

            The Financial Secretary shall:

i.          Be responsible for the collection of all monies due to the Association during every National Conference. Such monies include annual membership dues from each state, annual conference fees, levies, donations  from publishers, organizations and individuals.

ii.         Account for all revenue collected to the Treasurer.

g.         The Public Relations Officer (PRO)

            The Public Relations Officer (PRO) shall:

i.          Publicise the activities of the activities of the Association before, during, and after National Conference as occasions may demand.

ii.         Arrange for press coverage of the activities of the Association before, during, and after National Conference as occasions may demand.

iii.        Head an ad-hoc Committee on the issuance of communiqué by the Association at any given point in time.

iv.        Liaise between the Association and the general public.

v.         Collaborate with the state branches hosting an annual National Conference, Workshop or Seminar in locating and arranging the venue.

h.         The Auditors

            The Auditors Shall:

            i.          Audit the Association’s accounts annually.

ii.         Collect relevant documents that will facilitate their work, from both the Financial Secretary and the Treasurer at least six weeks before the next Conference.

iii.        Submit their report of the National Executive Committee for consideration, and subsequently, to the National Congress of the Association.

i.          The Editor-In-Chief

            The Editor-In-Chief of Yoruba Gbode, (the Association’s journal) shall:

            i.          See to the regular publication of the association’s journal.

            ii.         Be  the Chairman of the Editorial Board.

            iii.        Arrange the marketing of thee journal with each State Chairman.

            iv.        Render annual reports on the publications and sales of the Association’s Journal.

j.          Ex-Officio Members

            The Ex-Officio members shall:

            i.          Play the role of Elder-statesmen in all activities of the Association.

11.       Meetings and Conferences

i.          There shall be at least two executive meetings and one national conference in a year.

ii.         The quorum at any executive meeting shall be one-third of the members. Any decision(s) taken at such a meeting with such a quorum shall be binding on all members.

iii.        Places and   Venues off Annual Conferences and General Meetings which shall be rotational among the existing Yoruba-speaking States, are subject to the National Committee’s approval.

iv.        The order of rotation in the meantime shall be as follows with effect from the year 2001.

(a)    Ipinle Ekiti (Ekiti State)

(b)   Ipinle Kogi (Kogi State)

(c)    Ipinle Ogun (Ogun State)

(d)   Ipinle Kwara (Kwara State)

(e)    Ipinle Oyo (Oyo State)

(f)    Ipinle Osun (Osun State)

(g)   Ipinle Eko (Lagos State)

(h)   Ipinle Ondo (Ondo State)

v.         The state hosting the Annual Conference shall appoint a member of the Association to serve as Conference Secretary and present his written report to the National secretary latest by the first week of the following January.

12.       Finance

a.         Income: Sources of income for the Association shall be as follows:

            i.          Annual individual membership dues.

            ii.         Annual School/College dues from each State.

            iii.        Annual Conference fees.

            iv.        Exhibition stand dues from publishers.

            v.         Donations from Educational Bodies, organizations and philanthropists.

            vi.        Royalties from tittles written by the Association.

            vii.       Proceeds from the sales of Association’s Journal.

            viii.      Dividends from shares bought by the Association.

NOTE: 

(i)         The dues payable by individual members, schools and conference fees shall be determined by the National Executive during its first meeting of the year.

(ii)        The Association shall find other reasonable means of generating funds for her use from time to time.

(iii)       Every state branch shall be free to generate funds on its own and see to the judicious expenditure of the funds so generated.

b.         Expenditure

i.          The National Executive shall see to the judicious expenditure of the Association’s money.

ii.         The Association’s Expenses shall include:

(a)    Transport allowance to members who attend National Executive Meetings.

(b)   Transport allowance and honoraria to members on official assignments.

(c)    Honoraria to principal officers of the association.

(d)   Salaries to employees

(e)    Retainer’s fees.

c.         Bank Accounting

i.          The Association shall operate Fixed, Current and savings accounts in any commercial bank(s) of her choice and the signatories in all banking transactions shall be the President, the Treasurer and/or the Secretary.

13        Discipline

i.          Every member of the Association shall behave responsibly to enhance the prestige of the Association and protect her good image at all times and in all places.

ii.         There shall be a disciplinary committee headed by the Vice-President or by any other person appointed in his stead by the National Executive Committee to handle all cases of indiscipline among members. Such cases of indiscipline include: financial misappropriation, disrespect to cultural norms, etc.

iii.        Any individual member or group of persons that demonstrates any act of indiscipline shall be thoroughly censured by the Association.

14.       General

i.          The implementation of this Constitution shall take effect from August 2002 after its ratification by the National Congress.

ii.         The Constitution shall be subject to review and amendment at any time in the light of experience and development of the Association. The motion for such a review and/or amendment shall be passed at a general meeting of the Association.