The old nursery rhyme, London Bridge is falling down, is more than appropriate for the crisis ravaging the Lagos Motor Boat Club, Ikoyi. As members (who reside at the topmost shelf of the Nigerian society) of the club that has existed longer than the republican Nigeria throw aspersions against one another, what are lesser fraternities to do?
According to reports, the disagreement among several members of the boat club threatens to rip apart the peace and harmony that club members have experienced for a long time. The problem, it seems, is something to do with hierarchy and personal interests—which is nothing new or extraordinary.
The curtains open with Jide Coker, one of the more ordinary members of the elite club. Coker’s ambition to become a Trustee (a category of membership that would place him at the patriarchal level, a true authority in the club) resulted in his suspension, and the divisive involvement of other members: Trustee Prince Francis Awogboro, Senator Tokunbo Ogunbanjo, Demola Akinrele, Eyimofe Atake, Yinka Akinkugbe, Ladi Ajose-Adeogun, and a few others.
There are many sides to the story, but the basic narrative is that Jide Coker vied for the Trustee position, but had his name erased from the list by Prince Francis Awogboro, who—alongside a few influential others—believed that Coker had ‘unorthodox’ ideas and was therefore not fit for the position. However, Coker had more than a few backers, and these tore down every pretence of camaraderie among club members.
Trustee members, Senator Tokunbo Ogunbanjo and Dr. Lanre Towry-Coker, especially, did not take it kindly with Awogboro and those who sympathised with his position on Jide Coker. It was further revealed that Ogunbanjo took an even steeper approach to air his view, allegedly calling the 82-year-old Awogboro unflattering names, and extending the same hand of ’fellowship’ to those that supported him (Awogboro).
The result of Ogunbanjo’s censure was his suspension and that of Towry-Coker. But the board game has only gone downwind from there.
Thus, eyes are on every member of the elite boat club: who will save them?