The Bonny Graduates Forum (BGF) has warned the leadership of the Bonny Youths Federation (BYF) to desist from surreptitious attempts to annex the graduate forum as an appendage of the youth federation, albeit, through the backdoor.

 

The forum said the effort though dead on arrival may have larger implications that could unduly task the unity and brotherliness among the youths of Bonny Kingdom.

 

It therefore advised the BYF Leader, Simeon Wilcox, members of his executive, and the BYF constitution review committee to jettison the idea in the interest of peace and harmonious co-existence in the kingdom.

 

This was contained in a letter addressed to Wilcox and signed by the Chairman of BGF, Awoiyeala Allison, and made available to Kristina Reports today.

The BGF, which comprises university graduates of Bonny origin, said it was constrained to write to the BYF in reaction to what it referred to an “attempt to annex” the graduates’ body “as a chapter of the BYF”.

 

The letter was in reaction to the amendment of BYF’s extant constitution and the inclusion of a section in the proposed new constitution to make the BGF a chapter of the BYF. This some stakeholders in the BYF posit was with a view to repositioning the apex youth body of Bonny Kingdom.

 

The letter reads in part: “It has come to our notice of the ongoing constitution review process of the Bonny Youths Federation (BYF) and the attempts to integrate the Bonny Graduates Forum (BGF) as a chapter under the BYF.

 

We hereby express our disapproval of this attempt which we consider to be laughable given that though having a fraction of our membership as youths we are not in any way a youth body that qualifies to be engrafted under your youth body.

 

Just to educate you and members of your constitution review committee that:

 

1) The Bonny Graduates Forum is an umbrella body of all graduates of Bonny origin, irrespective of age, social rankings, or location. These include well-meaning titled citizens.

 

2) The BGF was established with the sole intent of promoting, protecting, developing and supporting graduates of Bonny origin, as well as Bonny Kingdom in all developmental activities.

 

3) Our Forum is never affiliated with any youth body or have any functions related to youth affairs and does not intend to do so in the near or far future.

 

4) We take exception to the fact that the BYF instead of seeking a broad-based partnership through consultation with the BGF would conceive to arbitrarily attempt to annex, as it were, the BGF.

 

We want to advise that this process be jettisoned forthwith and warn that should this process continue we shall leverage all lawful measures to make those involved in this act accountable for their actions and also seek redress.

 

The BGF remains open to any efforts geared towards finding a common ground to project the collective interest of Bonny Kingdom with BYF and other well-meaning associations and groups.

 

We advise that the BYF focuses more on issues that concern the development of the youths rather than looking for those to force into arbitrary affiliations.”

 

A member of the BGF, who craved anonymity, wondered when “the leg now started to tie the hand. I don’t understand it. How can the BYF, a congregation of naïve and impressionable young people, be seeking to make the BGF, which is a conglomeration of professionals drawn from diverse fields of specialization, its appendage?”

 

Efforts to reach the BYF Leader, Simeon Wilcox, for his reaction proved abortive as his lines were unreachable up till the time of this report.