By Jude Njoku

The relative peace that the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV) has enjoyed for the past three years appears threatened again. The surveyors who rounded off their annual general meeting in Kaduna last week, expelled two of their own- Messrs Osita Okoli and Olutoye Daramola for alleged “acts of gross misconduct inimical to the survival and progress of the professional body”.

Bode Adediji and Osita Okoli

A terse statement signed by NIESV General Secretary, Mr Roland Abonta stated that the expulsion of the two surveyors was taken at the end of KADA 2011 following two separate motions by Mr Samuel Ukpong and 20 others and Mr Ogunbiyi Olufisayo. According to Abonta, the two motions listed specific acts of misconduct allegedly committed by Messrs Okoli and Daramola.

He stated that by their expulsion, the two members cease to be members of the Institution and therefore not allowed to practise as estate surveyors and valuers. The regulatory body -Estate Surveyors and Valuers Registration Board of Nigeria (ESVARBON) was accordingly notified to withdraw their licences, stamp and seal as well as close up their practice offices.

Vanguard Homes & Property recalls that the trouble in the house of estate surveyors dates back to 2002 when a group of aggrieved estate surveyors led by Mr Osita Okoli went to court to stop the then first vice president and second vice president, Messrs Noble Hemuka and Dan Odiete from contesting elections on the grounds that they didn’t certify the constitutional provision to run for elective positions in the NIESV council. The crisis threw up an interim President, Mr Gersh Henshaw who piloted the affairs of the body until the election of Chief Charles Adebiyi.

Mr Okoli who later became the first vice president of the Institution under the Emeka Onuorah led council lost his bid for re-election to Mr Bode Adediji, the incumbent president at the AGM held at Awka, two years ago. He also lost the bid to become President at the Institution’s AGM last year in Lagos.

Vanguard Homes & Property learnt that an attempt by the expelled members to stop the Kaduna AGM drew the ire of estate surveyors who decided to wield the big stick against them. As one of surveyors who chairs one of the newly created Faculties puts it, “we have been held to ransom for too long and we cannot take it any longer”.

Attempts by Vanguard Homes & Property to get Mr Okoli’s reaction failed as calls to his mobile phones did not go through. A text message to his line was also not acknowledged. The calls were diverted to another number which also did not pick.

Both ESVARBON President, Mr Ayo Sangosanya and the Registrar, Mr Thomas Audu declined to comment on the expulsion. “I cannot answer your question now because it is a very sensitive issue; I may respond to your questions later,” Mr Audu explained.