By Bob MajiriOghene Etemiku.
The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has restrained Rev. Nnimmo Bassey from parading or holding out himself as the Chairman of Board of Trustees of Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) pending the hearing of the motion on notice.
The court also specifically restrained Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) from recognizing or acknowledging him as chairman of the Board of Trustees.
In the case of Incorporated Trustees of Environmental Rights Development Foundation (ERA/FoEN) & 2 ORS v. Rev. Arc. Nnimmo Bassey & 3 Ors (FHC/L/CS/FHC/1421/2020), the applicants counsel President Aigbokhan, Esq argued in its motion ex parte that the 1st Defendant which is Rev. Dr. Nnimmo Bassey is currently the Executive Director and Board Chairman of Incorporated Trustee of Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) (a leading environmental and food sovereignty advocacy group) and at the same time the chairman of Environmental Rights Development Foundation (a foremost environmental advocacy group in Africa) before he was removed by a General Assembly on 7th October 2020 on the ground of conflict of interest.
He argued that the affiliate members’ decision on 7th October 2020 should be affirmed pending the hearing of the motion on notice. He reiterated that the activities of Incorporated Trustee of Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) led by Rev Nnimmo Bassey is questionably in conflict with that of Environmental Rights Development Foundation (ERA) which he founded alongside Dr. Uyi Ojo and Oronto Douglas in 2005.
The court recognized the new board as constituted by its affiliate members and led by Chief Saint Emma Pii and Dr. Uyi Ojo as the chairman and secretary respectively. The case was adjourned to 29th October 2020 for hearing of motion on notice.
In a handing over speech in 2013, titled Notes by Nnimmo Bassey (Executive Director, January 1993-March 2013); Chair of ERA Board, Nnimmo said that ERA started out with four founding members, Nnimmo Bassey (Chair), Nick Ashton-Jones, Oronto Douglas and Godwin Uyi Ojo.
‘I have sought the Board’s approval that I turn the baton of leadership as Executive Director over to Godwin Uyi Ojo. With him at the helm I have no doubt that ERA will move to higher heights. I urge all of us to give him as much and even more support as he takes up this onerous task’, Nnimmo had urged ERA staff at that baton change ceremony.
Rev Nnimmo did not comment on our request asking him to make a statement on the position of the Federal High Court concerning his former position as ERA chair.
